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Anchored Day 2 Saints, Apostles, & Brothers: 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 Saints, Apostles, & Brothers!

The Questions

1) Why does Paul call out that he is an apostle “by God’s will” and notes that Timothy is “our” brother? (verse 1)

2) Is there a significance to Paul’s greeting, “grace and peace to you from God our Father”? (verse 2)

3) Why would Paul include a reference to his prayers for this particular church in his greeting, especially since he hadn’t met them? (verse 3)

Colossians 1:1-3

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will, and Timothy our brother:
To the saints in Christ at Colossae, who are faithful brothers and sisters.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you

Original Intent

1) Why does Paul call out that he is an apostle “by God’s will” and notes that Timothy is “our” brother? (verse 1)
Paul was writing to Gentile believers he had never met; he had only “heard of their faith” through Epaphras. (verse 4, 7-8) Through Epaphras, the brothers and sisters in Colossae would have known who Paul was and of his missional heart for the Bride of Christ, His Church. They knew their own pastor, Epaphras, was a believer because of Paul’s willingness to extend the gospel and disciple him. To receive a letter of encouragement and instruction from Paul would have carried significant weight because of his reputation alone, but Paul doesn’t put any stock into man-made reputation. Instead, Paul puts the full weight of his authority and ability to speak truth over them as a church body on the effective call and will of God the Father, working in community with God the Son, Jesus Christ. Then, distancing himself even further from what could be seen as his “self-made-platform”, Paul identifies Timothy as the collective “our” brother in the Church. What Paul is preparing to write and teach isn’t about himself or puffing up his reach as a pastor with authority, it’s about the community of Christ as brothers and sisters, all saints together.

2) Is there a significance to Paul’s greeting, “grace and peace to you from God our Father”? (verse 2)
Lest we forget, every word of Scripture was written on the breath of the Holy Spirit. He used human writing styles, human words, and human author’s unique stories and experiences, but the words and message are fully the Lord God’s. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Every word of Scripture is significant, which is why we take such time and energy to study it well. (2 Timothy 2:15) This isn’t simply a Pauline greeting we casually pass back and forth like, “Hey, how are you?” “Good! We are doing great! How are you?” “Good thanks!” This greeting is rooted deep in the anchor of the gospel. Grace. God’s richest gift to mankind demonstrated through the offering of Jesus’ sacrifice for our sin. When we accept this gift of undeserved grace, unable to be earned by our attempt at being good, we have peace with God. Grace and Peace. Because of His grace, we have peace. Peace with God and peace we can extend to others. Paul’s greeting is not an ordinary hello, it’s rooted in the depth of the gospel, because only there in the anchor of lavish grace, do we have hope for relationship, for life, for community, and for peace.

3) Why would Paul include a reference to his prayers for this particular church in his greeting, especially since he hadn’t met them? (verse 3)
Again, nothing preserved in Scripture is accidental or unimportant. All of it holds treasure to reap as we seek to know and understand God better. “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you.” This single sentence reveals much! It was commonplace for Paul to pray and when he did, it wasn’t a show or religious rite, but a conversation centered around a deeply intimate relationship with God as Father. God wasn’t a foreign entity Paul worked to appease and then occasionally beg Him for something. Prayer allowed a vibrant, continuous relationship to grow between Father God and beloved child. Paul’s prayers, while deep and intimate, were woven through with gratitude. When Paul prayed for the church, gratitude bubbled up for their partnership in the gospel. He was grateful for the opportunity to share the mission with other believers. (verse 4) Whether he personally knew them or not, what mattered most was that these brothers and sisters, fellow saints, were co-laborers for the gospel. Going farther in the letter, Paul has “big rock” items to teach them as he corrects their beliefs, but despite the issues ahead, Paul begins with gratitude for these, his brethren in Christ.

Everyday Application

1) Why does Paul call out that he is an apostle “by God’s will” and notes that Timothy is “our” brother? (verse 1)
Are you involved in a local church body? If so, who are you able to identify as leaders? Are you attaching that label of leader to yourself? If not, you should be. You, sister, have a calling and responsibility as a member of God’s Body, to be actively serving her and partnering with other members to preach Christ! If you’re already serving in the local church, think through who you are willing to link arms with in serving the mission of the church. Do you view someone as “beneath” you? Who do you, perhaps unwittingly, choose not to serve with? Paul’s message is clear, not just in Colossians, but in each of his other letters; the unity of the church is paramount to her accomplishing the mission of God. Pray through how you can leverage your role, regardless of what it is, to strengthen that unity. Partner well, love well, live well in biblical community with fellow brothers and sisters, remembering that it is only because of Christ that we, together, have this mission!

2) Is there a significance to Paul’s greeting, “grace and peace to you from God our Father”? (verse 2)
What if we, like Paul, began looking at each of our interactions as opportunities to share the gospel? Suppose the words we choose to use in our relationships very intentionally pointed towards Christ? What would our social media accounts reflect? Would the tone shift? Might people leave our conversations better encouraged, or maybe seeing the face of God a little more clearly? Challenge yourself to become more cognizant of the questions you ask, the intention behind the asking, and the words you use in your response. Intentionally deciding to bless another with truth can be as simple as “grace and peace”.

3) Why would Paul include a reference to his prayers for this particular church in his greeting, especially since he hadn’t met them? (verse 3)
In just this one sentence, we see such a deep and wide scope of Paul and his prayer life. What about yours mimics this model? Where would you like to see your prayer life grow? Is prayer mostly a “you-talking” experience? Do you use prayer in conjunction with Scripture? How often do you sit, still and silent, before the Lord, just to listen? Keeping a prayer journal is a great way to reflect on the content of your prayers. How often is gratitude woven throughout them? How frequently do you simply enjoy the glory of being in God’s presence and meditating on His character?  Consider too how often you lift other saints before the Lord, and with what attitude you do so. When we position ourselves at the Throne of Grace, the Spirit will naturally move our hearts to intercede for brothers and sisters. Joined to the Father, insistently means joined to the Saints in this beautiful community of Church! What is your prayer for the church? Share it with the GT Community today on Facebook and let’s encourage each other as we pray for one another!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Saints, Apostles, & Brothers!

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 Anchored Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Awaken Day 2 A Prayer For Mercy: 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 A Prayer For Mercy!

The Questions

1) Who is the writer and what qualifies him to write on this topic?

2) How is one’s affliction related to someone else’s salvation?

3) Verse 5 seems to assert that it is because of Jesus Christ that we have both affliction and comfort. How is this possible?

2 Corinthians 1:3-7

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that as you share in the sufferings, so you will also share in the comfort.

Original Intent

1) Who is the writer and what qualifies him to write on this topic?
Paul the apostle wrote this letter to the church at Corinth. There were many false teachers attempting to exert influence on the new Christ-followers and lead them astray. Much like things we hear today, the false teachers likely mocked the believers for their faith and said, “If you have been saved by Jesus Christ, why are you going through so many hard times? Your life should be easy!”
The false teachers were smooth-talkers (I’m sure you’ve heard some) who told people what made them feel good. In so doing, they “preach[ed] a different Jesus…a different kind of Spirit…a different kind of gospel.” (2 Corinthians 11:4)
But Paul knew from experience that a life dedicated to Christ does not equal a life of relaxation. Quite the opposite: 2 Corinthians 11:23b-27 is a laundry list of hardships and adversities! From beatings and prison to shipwrecks and hunger, Paul had lived through many sufferings.

2) How is one’s affliction related to someone else’s salvation?
Paul wrote this second letter to the Corinthians partly because he had heard reports of their deplorable behavior. He was distressed to know that these believers were allowing the smooth words of false teachers to tickle their ears and draw them away from pure devotion to Jesus. In this sense, Paul’s distress (affliction) resulted in a letter that brought about their repentance, which brought them closer to the Lord (2 Corinthians 7:11). Paul suffered significantly for the cause of Christ in his lifetime, but it wasn’t without purpose. God used Paul’s sufferings to bring about salvation for many as they heard his preaching and witnessed the power of the Holy Spirit at work in his life.

3) Verse 5 seems to assert that it is because of Jesus Christ that we have both affliction and comfort. How is this possible?
Sisters, do we deceive ourselves to think that we will be accepted by society even as we live out our faith in Jesus? He specifically stated the world would hate us because it hated Him first (John 15:18-19). This is the reason that we have affliction – because we identify with Christ.

But He also sent the Holy Spirit upon His ascension to everyone who genuinely believes and trusts in Him (Acts1:9-11; 2:1-4). The Spirit of God is with us even during our tribulations and hardships, bringing us comfort.

Everyday Application

1) Who is the writer and what qualifies him to write on this topic?
Paul could write about sufferings because he endured many. Every event in each of our lives has the potential to bring glory to God. Even the hard times. Especially the hard times. What have you experienced in your life that only Our Good Father could have brought you through in His mercy? Have you shared it with anyone?

2) How is one’s affliction related to someone else’s salvation?
We have seen the many hardships that Paul endured on his missionary journeys. Imagine if he had given up his calling at the first hint of trouble. Think of how many people would never have heard about Jesus Christ.
Living out the calling placed on our lives by Our Lord is not easy. Not only will we be mocked and ridiculed by people, but the enemy, Satan, will do his best to keep us from fulfilling our purpose. We don’t give up, because the Holy Spirit is with us to sustain us and to comfort us. We can trust that God knows best, lean into Him (especially when suffering) and experience His mercy. Then we share that with others for their salvation…either justification salvation (a one-time experience) or sanctification salvation (a daily transformation into the likeness of Christ).

3) Verse 5 seems to assert that it is because of Jesus Christ that we have both affliction and comfort. How is this possible?
Think for a moment about the sufferings you have endured as a Christian. Now reflect: Did you receive comfort during those times, either from fellow Christians or from the Lord Himself? If you had the choice (which, of course, you do) to suffer for Jesus knowing you’ll be comforted or to live an easy life with no suffering, but also no promise of heaven, which would you choose? My choice is Jesus. A little trouble now in this world…but a glorious life with Him for eternity.

*If you have chosen Jesus for the first time in your life, please contact a pastor to learn what your next step should be or share it with us at Gracefully Truthful!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with A Prayer For Mercy

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Awaken Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

The GT Weekend! – Worship IV Week 1

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The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) What are your personal experiences with worship? Pause, reflect, and journal through those. What are the circumstances and surroundings where you come into deep worship the easiest? What defines worship in your experience? How much do your feelings play into the “how” of your worship time? Spend the next 2-3 minutes writing out unchanging truths about God’s character, then steal away to a quiet place and spend 7-8 minutes worshipping God for being exactly who He says He is. Grab a candle, a journal, your Bible, or just a willingness to speak openly as you worship even now.  

2) Who or what is the “glue” that holds you together? Who or what do you rely heavily on for stability? Maybe it’s the relational state of your marriage, likes on social media, the cleanliness of your home, or how you perform at the gym. Consider how often you turn to the anchor of Christ to be your center. When you think of where you would like to be in your daily relationship with Jesus, what practical piece is currently missing? Write down 1 easy thing you can begin doing today to make a shift, taking your walk deeper with the Lord. Then connect with a friend and ask her to hold you accountable to regularly taking that step! 

3) When was the last time you worshipped the Lord right in the middle of the mayhem of your everyday mess? What did you praise the Savior for? As Crystal shared yesterday, we are invited in to “sing Israel’s song” as our great Rescuer and Redeemer. Challenge yourself you to take notes, even just for this weekend, writing down the ways the Lord has been gracious, setting His kindness upon you. Maybe it’s a paper journal or a note on your phone, but actively choose worship by taking note of the gifts of the Father!

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 Colossians 1:19-20 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

For God was pleased to have 
all his fullness dwell in Him, 
and through Him to reconcile 
everything to Himself, 
whether things on earth or things in heaven, 
by making peace 
through His blood, shed on the cross.

Prayer Journal
Making peace is something we all long for, Lord; it’s something I long for in my everyday life. My relationships need peace. My children need peace. My hurting friends need peace. My finances need peace. My workplace needs peace.  
 
But, these people and places need much more than I can possibly give or bring. As much as I grieve for the unrest, I know I’m at a loss to give anything but temporary emotional support, and even that isn’t possible in all cases. Lord, teach my heart to find peace in one place, Your shed blood for my redemption. Be my anchor, Jesus, and in that place of security, give me opportunities to extend Your peace to those around me. Remind me, Spirit, to lift my loved ones and my circumstances up to You for your perfect peace to surround. How I love you, Abba! How grateful I am for Your deep love and boundless peace!

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 IV, Day 2 Even When: 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 Even When!

The Questions

1) How are these verses connected? 
 
2) What is this “same love”? (verses 1-4)  
 
3) What is the “same attitude”? (verses 5-11) 
 
4) How can we have the same obedience? (verses 12-13)

Philippians 2:1-13

Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,
6 who, existing in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God
as something to be exploited.
7 Instead he emptied himself
by assuming the form of a servant,
taking on the likeness of humanity.
And when he had come as a man,
8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death—
even to death on a cross.
9 For this reason God highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow—
in heaven and on earth
and under the earth—
11 and every tongue will confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Original Intent

1) How are these verses connected? 
Paul’s letter to the Philippian church was written while he was in prison, chained for preaching Christ. Yet, he continued ‘preaching’ through his letters. The letter is known most commonly for encouragement and Paul’s deep love for the Philippians is woven throughout, but tucked away here in the second chapter, some of the richest theology found in the entire Bible awaits us. Theologians often dig straight into the meaty description of Christ in verses 5-11, His equality with God, and how He humbly emptied Himself in order to redeem humanity. But taking a wider lens view from verses 1-13, we see how these verses come together in one beautiful 3-fold display of Christ’s love and His design for us as His children through the same love, same attitude, and the same obedience.  
 
2) What is this “same love”? (verses 1-4)  
Paul begins this section not with a description of Christ, but of His Body, His Church. It’s as if the Lord is saying, ‘Look at my beautiful Bride! Look how precious and priceless it is to enjoy the love and comfort and encouragement of my Church!’.  This affectionate fellowship, sweet tenderness, kind gentleness, and genuine caring for one another is God’s original design for us as His followers. His Church is intended to be characterized by these qualities because they have first existed eternally in the heart of God as He has existed in triune form of Father, Son, and Spirit. The model for Church was birthed from the community, the same love, that has eternally existed between Father, Son, and Spirit. Each of these precious, life-giving qualities were first lived out continuously and beautifully among the godhead, so it is only natural for these qualities to be intrinsic to the DNA of the global Church Body made up of every believer.  
 
3) What is the “same attitude”? (verses 5-11) 
Just as the Church is to mimic the same love found in God, so also are we to reflect His same attitude, specifically humility in this example. This goes beyond ‘generic humility’ as in letting others go first in line or smiling instead of snapping at them. This humility, modeled by God, is sacrificial at its core. It’s a humility that says, ‘I am God. I have all authority. But I will not allow my right as God to keep me from coming down in love to you.’ This humility carries a cost. For Jesus, it cost Him His throne, His community, and even His relationship with the Father as He bore our sin upon Himself, forcing the Father to turn away and forsake Him. But this humility was worth it. Jesus wasn’t constantly rolling His eyes annoyed at our humanity, frustrated that He was wrapped in flesh, or secretly exasperated at how dreadful it was to be tired, poor, or hungry. He was sacrificially humble as He gave Himself away for our redemption.  
 
4) How can we have the same obedience? (verses 12-13)  
When we come to a place of total surrender to living a sacrificially humble life because we want nothing more than to fully possess the same love and the same attitude of humility, then we are perfectly positioned walk into the same obedience. All of this, from beginning to end, is a work of the Holy Spirit in us as we submit to Him in ever increasing ways. It’s both Him and us, an intricate duo of our humble submission and His miraculous shaping. Paul passionately holds up Christ and His willingness to love and sacrifice for our good and then implores the church to obey Him because He is worth it! Prove your salvation, Paul says, put on display how Jesus is making you continuously new by having the same obedience Christ Himself displayed. Submit yourselves to Him, be disciplined, be sacrificially humble, and love well. In the same token, know that all of your work is only done because the Spirit of the Living God is alive and at work within you! He is making you new! He is bringing about your obedience as you submit to His lead!

Everyday Application

1) How are these verses connected? 
Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase, ‘oneness does not mean same-ness’, encouraging differentiation between people as they work towards a common goal or in a marriage. Sameness in that sense isn’t what Paul is meaning here, rather he is encouraging all believers to follow after the same pattern for living life. As followers of Jesus, the pattern for living isn’t up for discussion or interpretation. As the Master does, so do we as His followers. The disciple is not above the Master. This is exactly what Paul was writing about and its precisely why studying Scripture is so critical for every Christ-follower. The more we study, the clearer our model becomes.  
 
2) What is this “same love”? (verses 1-4)  
This letter was written to the churches in Philippi and was likely circulated to other surrounding churches as well, but its timeless teachings are for all believers everywhere. When you think of your local church, how are you personally contributing to the overall characteristics described here? Keep in mind the all-inclusive language Paul uses like “everyone” looking out for others and “nothing” done in selfishness or vanity. As you pray through these verses, lean in to how the Spirit is leading you. Are there people you avoid or are more likely to gossip about? How do those actions reflect God’s heart? God’s design for His Church, for us as believers, is to have the same love that God shares among the triune godhead. We as a community are intended to beautifully reflect Himself! 
 
3) What is the “same attitude”? (verses 5-11) 
If I’m being honest (which is kind of a core value of Gracefully Truthful…), then I am much more likely to associate with eye-rolling-annoyed-exasperated ‘generic humility’ than I am likely to see a consistent pattern of sacrificial humility in my everyday life. I have my things to do, my standards by which to do them, this amount of time allotted, and even a casual interruption of that mindset will test my patience, much less my humility. Jesus isn’t calling us to be doormats, quite opposite! He’s calling us to firmly hold on to who we are as redeemed daughters of the King, but not to allow our knowledge of Him or our relationship status to keep us from engaging well by loving others with His same attitude of humility. Love well, Sisters. Practice sacrificial humility as you remember to keep the same attitude of our Lord.   
 
4) How can we have the same obedience? (verses 12-13) 
Doesn’t examining the model of Christ’s love and extreme humility and extravagant sacrifice encourage and embolden your desire to become more like Him? Believing Friend, obey Him! His Spirit is ready to lead and speak to you, taking you deeper as you submit to following Him. Don’t worry about the process or the how or the end result, that’s the work of the Lord, your job is to listen and obey! And to my friends who haven’t crossed the line of faith and asked Jesus to rescue them for eternity from their sin, the call is the same, obey Him! Come, explore, roam free in His unfathomably deep love for you. He has much for you, much to do in you, it all starts with a willingness to surrender and listen to His voice as He’s asking you to trust Him. Obey that voice, it’s worth it! Don’t worry about the process or the how or the end result, just listen and obey!

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

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Worship IV Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Incorruptible Day 14 Sweet Sufferings: Digging Deeper

Leave a Comment

Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Sweet Sufferings!

The Questions

1) Am I not living for Christ if I don’t undergo a fiery trial? 

2) Am I supposed to celebrate a trial or suffering?

3) In reading 4:19, does God will us to suffer?

1 Peter 4:12-19

12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you.
 13 Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed.
 14 If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
 15 Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a meddler.
 16 But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in having that name.
 17 For the time has come for judgment to begin with God ‘s household, and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God?
 18 And if a righteous person is saved with difficulty, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?
19 So then, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator while doing what is good.

Original Intent

1) Am I not living for Christ if I don’t undergo a fiery trial?
The apostle Peter is writing to the body of Christ who is quite literally under fire and have, therefore, been exiled and scattered. The great city of Rome has burned down, people are displaced from their homes and livelihoods, separated from their communities, and in survival mode trying stay alive and care for their families while mourning lives of lost loved ones. 
By a false testimony, this devastation was blamed on the Christians. It is common understanding that the leader, Nero, himself burned the city and needed a scapegoat. The apostle Peter is writing to people whose devotion to follow Christ is the reason they are fearing for their lives and fleeing their communities. 
But persecution is wide spread and running away is not a simple answer. As Peter encourages these people to stand strong in Christ, he sprinkles reminders of those who have suffered before them for the Gospel of Christ and for striving to live righteously like prophets of the Old Testament (1:10), but primarily Christ himself, who lived perfectly and fulfilled prophecies, yet died a persecuted death to take on our judgement. 

2) Am I supposed to celebrate a trial or suffering?
On reading 1 Peter 4:13, one may find it an odd command to “rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ.” Even the strongest of Christians might honestly feel they were lying to themselves and others if they said they were celebrating at the same time they were hurting. 
It’s important to remember this verse is wrapped in the middle of a longer dialogue. It’s contrasting the statement to not be surprised by suffering for following Christ. Verse 14 brings clarity to what the rejoicing is regarding, “because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” 
Though the persecuted church is innocently enduring unfathomable pains, there is something greater to celebrate.  If they are, “insulted for the name of Christ,” they are suffering for His honor. 
This is a fruit-bearing process for believers who have been cleansed from unrighteousness, and have been spared a greater judgment by God. They have been raised from their spiritual dead state to being alive in Christ and given an eternal, incorruptible inheritance. The joy of this undeserved grace is a gift worthy of rejoicing!
Peter isn’t saying to celebrate hardship. Rather, joy is available because of our rich inheritance in Christ. Much like the timeless example of a laboring mother rejoicing in the coming of her baby. 

3) In reading 4:19, does God will us to suffer?
For qualified and extensive explanations on “God’s will,” sources as Reverend John Piper’s Desiring God website are recommended. However, in reading these verses, this may be a fair question to wrestle. This phrase could be taken to mean those who are suffering because they are doing God’s will or that they are suffering according to what God has allowed or “willed”. Either way, Peter is pointing them to lean into the Lord. Peter is reminding the persecuted church that God is faithful and trustworthy. God is Creator and this points to His sovereignty. The Matthew Henry Commentary notes the overarching purpose of this verse is to encourage the church to “look chiefly to the safety of their souls… which cannot be kept secure otherwise than by committing them to God.”

Everyday Application

1) Am I not living for Christ if I don’t undergo a fiery trial?
Have you ever felt like the only way you could live for Christ is if He calls you to a dramatic life change of service? Sometimes God does call His people to these things. Peter reminds believers that even Christ was persecuted while being righteous (1 Peter 2:19-21). Our fundamental call is to strive for righteous living in the quiet times and in the difficult struggles, wherever we are in life.
In chapters 2-5 Peter keeps circling back to how to live:
–“put away all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander” (2:1);
–“abstain from passions of the flesh” (2:11);
–“keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable” (2:12);
–instructing husbands and wives to honor each other (Chapter 3);
–“be self-controlled and sober minded” (4:7);
–“show hospitality without grumbling” (4:9); 
–humble yourselves before others and God (5:5-6). 
When we, in God’s strength, live out these instructions (especially in times of difficulty), we are living out a testimony for Christ. In the daily pantry-type decisions (as noted in the Journey Study) to honor God instead of escaping discomfort, thus “adorning the doctrine of God our Savior” (Titus 2:10; Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth notes this application in her book, Adorned). Our focus is not the trial, but rather upholding Christ in every action. 

2) Am I supposed to celebrate a trial or suffering?
Have you ever followed through on a decision that aligned with Scripture, yet things didn’t go smoothly? 
A breadwinner learns their employer is participating in something against Scripture and decides to look for a different job. Someone who reaches out and loves on the outcast of the group, facing their own isolation. A person who offers to pray for a co-worker is fired for making others uncomfortable. 
Striving to honor Christ leads to trial and suffering. Trials and suffering may take on different forms, but 1 Peter is specifically referring to one who is suffering despite the fact that they are doing good. The sadness or difficulty of a situation is not to be down-played or dismissed. 
But, despite the type of suffering, be encouraged and strengthened as a Christian to look beyond the physical trial and re-connect with the joy of a greater news. Christ is risen and His people will one day share in Christ’s incorruptible glory!  Sufferings do not have power to take that hope away from us! 

3) In reading 4:19, does God will us to suffer?
When reflecting on those before us who have endured persecution for their faith in Christ (not due to evil deeds), it is common to pause in fear.
“I don’t think I could do that… is my faith strong enough to go through that pain?”
Or, perhaps, wrestle with believing God is good in allowing or “willing” such things to occur. It can be both perplexing and comforting to recall that God had a hedge of protection around Job in the Old Testament and Satan had to ask permission from God to bring calamity to Job’s family (Job 1:6-12) 
A few things to remember when wrestling questions about the suffering God as allowed into your life:
1.1 Peter 1:7 gives an example of purpose for trials, “so that the tested genuineness of your faith- more precious than gold that perishes… may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
In this view, the cost is worth it! 
2. God works all things together for the good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28). While we humans are concerned with the now and physical of a trial, God is concerned with the eternal preservation of souls and purification of His people (Philippians 1:6, Zechariah 13:9) 
If God, in His sovereignty were to “will” suffering and trials, He would only do so for a purpose of eternal value in His Bride, the Church, and that His Name would be made known that all may know that He alone is God. We see with cloudy vision, but He sees perfectly. What we can confidently know is that this God is entirely trustworthy!

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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 10 Love That Lasts

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Read His Words Before Ours!

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

Incorruptible, Day 10

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

Well, most of them were... 

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

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

I’m convinced the reason was love.   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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!
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Pause 2 Day 10 Love The Sheep

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Pause 2, Day 10

This “in-the-trenches” book of suffering, of enemy attacks, of warring against the desires of our sinful flesh, ends with a mighty victory speech.

I have a hard time reading this chapter without tears in my eyes as I consider all of my own sufferings and putting them in context of incorruptible faith and hope.

Our God is a Mighty Warrior, a protecting God, and a tender Chief Shepherd, who sees our sufferings and is deeply familiar with each broken place on our souls that is tender to the touch.

He sees the anguish, the struggles, the temptation to give in to defeat, but He lifts our head, pointing our eyes towards the
incorruptible future where all will be made right.

Sisters, I reach out to hold your hand as you survey your hurts, your wounds, your sadness, your grief, your loss; all of those aches, whether as small as the whole box of Cheerios on the floor again, or the empty cavern left by the death of a loved one, are known. I’m reaching out to hold your hand, as you reach out to hold another’s, and she reaches to hold another’s.

Our hope is coming, Sister.
It’s incorruptible!

In the meantime, take courage and love the sheep around you as you proclaim this hope!

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.
To him be dominion forever.
Amen!

P.S. Hungry for more deep truths from this incredible letter from Peter?!
Journey with us into Incorruptible, launching Monday!
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Today's Invitation

1) Read through 1 Peter 5 out loud today twice. Slowly. Linger over that verse (or verses) that stick out to you, slowing and listening as God’s Spirit speaks to your heart! Choose 1 or 2 to write out on notecards and post them around your house – then post a picture of your reminder cards on Instagram or on our Facebook Community Page. Take the weekend to memorize these and forever hide them in your heart!

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

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Colossians 1:1-14

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Pause 2 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 Pause 2!

Pause 2, Day 3 Treasures Of Wisdom

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Pause 2, Day 3

For I want you to know how greatly I am struggling for you,
for those in Laodicea,
and for all who have not seen me in person.
I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love…
Colossians 2:1-2

This is Paul’s heart, spilled over onto parchment with ink to his brothers and sisters at the church in Colosse and the surrounding areas.
His heart breaks for them, even those he hasn’t met.
Why?
Because he knows Jesus.

Jesus, His treasured riches of wisdom, love, and grace, are boundless.
And Paul’s heart struggles laboriously in love that those who read his words might know the Savior as he does.

Community is the life-breath of the early church, its pulse beating steadily all throughout Scripture and into our churches today as we span the globe for the gospel.
Sisters, let Paul’s burdened heart burden you today as you read his Spirit-breathed words in Colossians 2.
Lean in to your biblical community and ask the Lord to give your heart a weighty burden for others that they too might know and experience the treasured wisdom of Jesus Christ!

Today's Challenge

1) Be a scribe and copy the precious words of Scripture down word for word. Make space in your journal to write down all of Colossians 2 today. And as you copy, lookup a cross reference or two as you come to them (they are the small letters next to certain words in your study Bible or online at www.biblia.com). As you write, think of the incredible gift it is to be invited into God’s presence through His word!

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

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Colossians 2

For I want you to know how greatly I am struggling for you, for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me in person. 2 I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of complete understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery—Christ. 3 In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

4 I am saying this so that no one will deceive you with arguments that sound reasonable. 5 For I may be absent in body, but I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see how well ordered you are and the strength of your faith in Christ.

6 So then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7 being rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing with gratitude.

8 Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elements of the world, rather than Christ.9 For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ, 10 and you have been filled by him, who is the head over every ruler and authority. 11 You were also circumcised in him with a circumcision not done with hands, by putting off the body of flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, 12 when you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive with him and forgave us all our trespasses. 14 He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him.

16 Therefore, don’t let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of what was to come; the substance is Christ. 18 Let no one condemn you by delighting in ascetic practices and the worship of angels, claiming access to a visionary realm. Such people are inflated by empty notions of their unspiritual mind. 19 He doesn’t hold on to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and tendons, grows with growth from God.

20 If you died with Christ to the elements of this world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations: 21 “Don’t handle, don’t taste, don’t touch”? 22 All these regulations refer to what is destined to perish by being used up; they are human commands and doctrines. 23 Although these have a reputation for wisdom by promoting self-made religion, false humility, and severe treatment of the body, they are not of any value in curbing self-indulgence.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Pause 2 Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme? Here’s a link to all past studies
in Pause 2!

The GT Weekend! – Roads 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) Perhaps you’ve struggled, as I have, in knowing how to respond well to someone who clearly doesn’t hold to the biblical gospel. Fear of offending or of not knowing the right answers can hold us back from saying anything at all. Practice thinking of how to respond next time you find yourself in a spiritual conversation. Ask questions to encourage them to share more about their faith, praying for the right question to ask at the right time. To help you prepare and practice, write down your biggest fears or the questions you dread hearing. Take this list to Jesus, pray over it, and then do some honest digging to find good answers. 

2) When have you encountered someone who believes if they are “good enough” they will earn going to Heaven? What about their argument sounds convincing to you? Something I’ve learned to ask is, “How do you know when you’re ‘good’ is actually ‘enough’? What if you die unexpectedly before you’ve actually done ‘enough’?” These questions aren’t attacking, but conversational. Listen well in spiritual conversations and pray often that the Spirit would lead you as you share truth!

3) Regardless of the religious belief system, people long for community and true, genuine relationships the most. Set aside this week to intentionally pray that the Lord would give you opportunities to boldly share truth in love and grace. Look for those who are different from you and reach out, make a connection, pray for them consistently, and watch what the Lord will do through your obedience to love!

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 2:1-6 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously lived according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,

Prayer Journal
Father, Your gospel is so beautiful yet bold, intricate yet simple. Awaken the eyes of my heart to behold the preciousness of Your gospel story in my everyday life this week. Show me how much I need You. Remind me how desperate I am for Your solid truth. Surround me with friendships who speak truth over me, while placing people continually and intentionally in my path who need Your truth and grace. Show me how to love people better because of the beautiful truth of Your gospel, Jesus!  
Teach me, Spirit, to have a ready defense, to know Scripture, and be prepared to point people to You. I praise You that sharing about Your redemption is never about my intelligence or my ability to have the right words, it’s simply about allowing You to speak through me. Oh, Lord, Speak!

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