forgiven

Sketched VI Day 1 Rhonda

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 13:10-17
Psalm 8
2 Corinthians 1:3-7

Sketched VI, Day 1

“Do you seek to please Me or man?”

Those were the exact words I heard as God and I were dialoguing.
Yes, talking.
And yes, I do hear Him speak to me, as clear as day.

I was walking through the lobby of our church on the way to Bible study, and we were having a discussion about me sharing my testimony. I, again, was saying, “No, not me, why me?”

This was not the first time I had run away from sharing my testimony. The first time was a few years back. Same church, different location.  I was listening to our pastor, and the message was one I had never heard before in church.

I had been christened and confirmed as a child; I was in the choir and a youth leader in the Anglican church. After meeting my husband, I moved to a Baptist church, and still, this was the first time I had heard this message. I was in my early thirties.

The message was about abortion. I was post-abortive, a truth that had been buried deep within me, and not one I believed I could ever bring to the light of day.

I was shocked and stunned. I felt trapped as if someone were shooting me with an AK47.  I realize more now it was definitely a stun gun. It was not meant to harm me, but to bring me to a realization.

And what a realization: God, in all His mercy, loved me fully. And accepted me fully. There were no unforgivable sins. His death covered even my sins!

My testimony, the things God had forgiven me for, did not need to be shared, I believed.
I had shared about being molested by my stepbrother and a priest; about countless other sins, but others also had similar stories.
Weren’t there certain sins that would get you blackballed, ridiculed, looked at, shunned? These words, I realized that day, were from the enemy of my soul.

I was in a place where things seemed to be good . . . finally.
I was a table leader in the biggest Bible study in my town at the time.  It seemed as if everyone was saved since childhood and never sinned badly. Not only that, I was one of the few black women.

“Why me, Lord?” I said.

“Do you seek to please Me or them?” He asked.

It really was a no-brainer. Jesus died for me. His death paid the price for my sin. I remembered the woman at the well, David, the woman with the alabaster box, Paul . . . those were my heroes. But I had never seen or heard anyone share my type of story.

Thank God for the Bible. I thank God constantly for placing messed-up, flawed people whom He loved and called His own in the Bible because, if I had to go on what I saw, I would have never found complete freedom and help.

That Tuesday, at Bible study, I shared how I had fallen and sinned against God in many ways, but ultimately with abortion. I told them how I felt that my life was worthless, but after reading God’s words about the woman caught in adultery and the woman at the well, I realized there was also hope for me.

I shared how I was not ashamed of the gospel because it had the power to save, like Paul said. I shed many true tears that morning.

My sisters in Christ received me and shared about a Crisis Pregnancy Center in the area. I didn’t think I needed a place like that. But God knew. I spoke with the Center director who was also post-abortive. I was amazed she was being used by God in such a way to minister to others.

She spoke about a Forgiven and Free Bible study. Again, I thought I didn’t need this either. Boy, was I wrong! I attended that recovery Bible study along with other women and, by the end of those lessons, I truly experienced freedom in Christ!

I went on to volunteer at the Center and came face to face with men and women, seeking abortion, or simply lost in choices they’d made and needing direction.
I finally felt truly alive serving in this capacity.
I also realized God has a way of using things meant to destroy us for His good and His glory.

Today, I serve as a full-time missionary in my country, where my husband and I began the first ProLife ministry and pregnancy center. As I sit across from a man or woman considering abortion, I can share truth about that “choice” and the truth of God’s word. I marvel at the goodness of God: that He could take a life like mine and use it for His glory.

He is using me to bring life in the midst of death, light to the darkness, hope to the hopeless, freedom to those in bondage. Incredible!

In the words of David, “What is man that You are mindful of him. . . ?” (Psalm 8:4)
I will be forever grateful and blessed because of His compassion on us as He throws our sin into the depths of the sea.

My life–your life–is a living testimony, needing to be shared!

Two truths as I close my story.
“To whom much is given, much is required.” (Luke 12:48)

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

Every believer has been given redemption and compassion from the Father, what will we do with it?!

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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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

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

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Here’s a link to all past studies in Sketched VI!

Awaken Day 3 Awakening The Desperate

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 16
Psalm 116
1 Corinthians 2:1-5
Romans 7:7-25

Awaken, Day 3

“For I know that nothing good dwells in me.”

“For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”

Both are quotes from the apostle Paul. (Romans 7:18 and 1 Corinthians 2:2)
Both have rubbed me the wrong way for a good number of years.
I remember hearing these words as a child and becoming indignant in my defensive little soul, “But I do work hard. I am a good girl. I know lots of things about the Bible and plenty of other things too, not just Jesus’ crucifixion.”

How desperately I wanted to be good, to be found working hard, to be exceptionally smart, and for someone to recognize me as valuable.
Like the rest of humanity, the mold of childhood was the mold I carried into adulthood,
and even now it’s sharp edges surprise me at its persistence.

The self-made, independent,
can’t-trust-anyone-but-me, good girl
I had worked hard to become so insistently
is one I face regularly in the mirror.

Whether it’s parenting, theology, marriage, friendship, or any number of other areas, that little girl defiance raises her hand and steps forward, chest puffed out,
gleam in her eye, “I’ve got this, I am a good girl, I know lots of things.”

What I didn’t realize is how hard this attitude
pushes against the heart of the One who loves me.

When I was little, my younger brother was my best friend and with frequent moves he was often my only friend. Being siblings and best friends, the natural thing to do together was get into trouble. On one such occasion, Brother and I felt it would be a terribly fun idea to remove the screen from the kitchen window and jump from the single story. Having accomplished this feat with a good degree of difficulty as the frame was old, the hinges rusty, and the window sill quite filthy, we gleefully enjoyed jumping from the window and playing all sorts of imaginative games. Then, being the older, clearly wiser sister, I decided it was time to put the screen back before a parent came home to survey the sight.

The trouble was, the screen obstinately refused to be placed back, seemingly enjoying its freedom as much as we had enjoyed ours. Our panic escalated as our palms grew increasingly sweaty and we batted back and forth about who’s ridiculous idea it had been in the first place to remove it. Eventually, resigned to failure, I cleverly schemed we deliver the obdurate screen to the pile of rubbish in the garden entirely out of sight.

But my father discovered the screen-less window, and a re-enactment of the Garden of Eden seemed thrust upon us as my dear brother was quick to blame me as his own “Eve”. Father’s anger was unabated by any of my well-thought through defenses and my punishment was quick and sure.

No amount of me (my abilities, my wit, or my stubbornness) could wrench me free from my punishment. There was no grace, there was no gentle, tender hug of forgiveness.

Here, hinged between a consequence and the absolute finality that I, on my own, had no ability to deliver myself from the incoming reprimand, is found desperation.
Desperate to be free.
Desperate for shame to be buried.
Desperate to be rescued.
Desperate for grace.

The backdrop changes and it isn’t about two elementary kids and their shenanigans,
it’s about a marriage spiraling out of control. Desperate.
It’s about finances that aren’t making it. Desperate.
It’s about a looming health issue, a broken friendship, a son or daughter who turned away, or an ugly, festering wound from your past. Desperate.

Ironically enough, when we find ourselves sitting here in this place called Desperate,
the Father God turns His face upon us.
Not to shame or punish us, but to awaken us, calling us into a rich inheritance of grace.

He stood in our place, took our punishment, went to Desperate for us, and offered Himself, all of Himself, as our own portion to claim as His daughters.

David the psalmist, David the king, David the shepherd boy,
David who walked through more desperate lands than we likely ever will,
lifted his head and sang out, “The Lord is my chosen portion… The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore, my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.”

Read those precious words again. Slowly. Notice David’s word choices.
He chose the Lord.

God had met David in Desperate, awakened his heart and given him the choice to remain in Desperate, struggling, fighting, yet knowing he couldn’t escape,
or accept the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living (Psalm 27:13).
David chose the Lord, and good awaited him.
David knew if he chose to put the Lord first, David’s heart would never be shaken and he would never again need to live in Desperate.

You make known to me the path of life;
in Your presence there is fullness of joy;
at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
(Psalm 16:11)

David had the same choice each of us do.
Live in Desperate or be freed in Grace.

Paul’s words come back again, but now they are a sweet fragrance.
After choosing grace and the salvation that was purchased for me,
I, along with all my performance that will forever fail,
all my success that will never be enough,
all my expectations I can never meet,
no longer matter because I know that apart from Christ, “nothing good dwells in me”.
What matters?

“…Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”

Everything else pales so intensely it becomes insignificant in light of knowing Jesus Christ and Him crucified to set me free.

Free from Desperate.
Awakened to Life!

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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 Awaken 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 Awaken!

Worship IV, Day 5 Singing Israel’s Song

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 15:1-18
Psalms 105:26-45
Psalm 136:1-15
1 Peter 2:9-10 

Worship IV, Day 5

There’s a difference in reading something to get through it, 
and studying it to know and understand it. 

Last year I didn’t just read through the Psalms in the Bible.
I studied them.
All 150 of them. 

I don’t say this to toot horns here, I share it because, with intentional study,
I am now convicted of this: 

One cannot discuss Biblical worship 
without observing the Psalms and other songs in Scripture. 

Some may not know that the book of Psalms is made up of songs or poems written by multiple authors. One of them being Moses, author of Psalm 90. 

You know… 

“Baby in a basket” Moses.
“Raised Egyptian, but actually a Hebrew” Moses.
“Prince of Egypt” Moses.
“Murderer of an Egyptian” Moses.
“Runaway” Moses.
“Burning bush” Moses.
“Led God’s people out of Egypt” Moses.
“Crossed the Red Sea on dry ground” Moses. 

Whether a Sunday School teacher first introduced you to Moses, or Disney’s Prince of Egypt did, most are familiar with the story. But did you know that following the miraculous parting of the Red Sea, another song was sung by Moses and the Israelites in Exodus 15. It makes perfect sense that an outburst of rejoicing would follow an escape from the chase of an enemy. 

Wouldn’t you erupt into song after being literally chased by your adversaries only to witness, with your own eyes, that very enemy being swallowed up by the same sea you had just crossed on dry land?! 

I would. 

Many times in the Psalms, as in Exodus 15, we see a consistent intentionality to worship God for who He is and His mighty deeds. 

What I love about Psalm 105 and Psalm 136 is how each of these songs declare the history of God’s people and the LORD’s continual rescue of His people, Israel. In Scripture, worship is often purposefully birthed, not only to rightfully bring glory to God, but also to commemorate historical events, i.e. the Exodus of Israel out of slavery into freedom. 

Naturally, the Israelites, along with Moses, would offer a song of thanksgiving unto the Lord following their rescue. Because God had set them free, praise broke out! 

Bible scholar, Dr. Bob Utley, notes how Exodus 15 consists of two parts:
verses 1-5 focuses on the acts of the LORD (all caps, meaning YHWH, God’s personal name) and verses 6-17 focusing on YHWH’s character.

Biblical worship should, at its core, remind us what we have been rescued from, and most importantly, who our mighty Rescuer is. 

I will forever be convinced that worship is a powerful thing.
No matter the circumstances of our everyday life,
regardless of how dark or how desperate our moments,
we have reason to worship because
we have been rescued from Sin by an eternal Rescuer!

Countless generations before us have carefully preserved and recorded in Scripture
their acts of worship.
Their hymns, their music, their generosity, and the beautiful overflow of their lives as they reflected love back to their Redeemer. Their worship invites us to recall how God has moved mightily in our own lives, remember His faithfulness, and bring Him worship because of His deliverance and His good character! 

Psalm 100 says “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name.” 

We are given the beautiful opportunity of coming before the presence of God
thanking Him for His salvation and praising Him for who He is. 

Israel sang to the LORD for rescuing them from the hands of their tyrant enemy (Pharaoh).
God was faithful to deliver His people from Egypt and physical bondage, and deserved their worship.
But one day, the same LORD, through the Lord Jesus Christ, would deliver all people from the overwhelming darkness of our tyrant enemies, Sin and Death.
This Jesus is our Eternal Rescuer; He deserves the worship of our everyday lives! 

Hallelujah! 

Does that reality not just want to make you echo Israel’s song? 

How could it not?!

When God gave everything to rescue us.
When He forgave us.
When He provided for our every need.
When He takes the time to be mindful of us.
When He gives us far more than we deserve.
When He, even still, hasn’t given up on us.
When He loves us more than anyone ever could.
When He never ever broken His promises. 

How could we not praise Him? 

How could we not open our mouths and sing the Israelites’ song?
Or reach for an instrument as Miriam did?
Or dance in the freedom and joy of the LORD, our great Deliverer!

Let’s be worshippers who open our mouths and declare His goodness!
Worshippers who fall to our knees in gratitude and reverence!
Worshippers who reserve our love, loyalty, and attention for the only One who is truly worthy!
Worshippers who exalt the One true God, YHWH, our Rescuer in the ebb and flow of our everyday! 

Let’s be worshippers who continue singing Israel’s song!

We were once lost, enslaved, and living in darkness.
As Peter writes, we were once not a people, but now we are God’s people.
We once did not receive mercy, but now we have received mercy
so that we might
“proclaim the praises of the one who called [us] out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

Hallelujah!
Let’s sing on! 

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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 IV Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Dwell Day 12 The Prayer Challenge: 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 The Prayer Challenge!

The Questions

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

2) According to verse 5, a baby can be sinful. How is this possible? 

3) What is the heart attitude of the writer?

Psalm 51:1-10

1 Be gracious to me, God,
according to your faithful love;
according to your abundant compassion,
blot out my rebellion.
2 Completely wash away my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I am conscious of my rebellion,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you—you alone—I have sinned
and done this evil in your sight.
So you are right when you pass sentence;
you are blameless when you judge.
5 Indeed, I was guilty when I was born;
I was sinful when my mother conceived me.
6 Surely you desire integrity in the inner self,
and you teach me wisdom deep within.
7 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Turn your face away from my sins
and blot out all my guilt.
10 God, create a clean heart for me
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Original Intent

1) What do we learn about God in this passage?
In these ten verses alone, we learn that God is gracious, He gives faithful love, He shows abundant compassion, He is powerful to cleanse a person of their sin, He is able to judge, He is blameless, He is righteous, He is forgiving, and He is wise because He can teach wisdom. Our God is complex, but as we spend time with Him in regular prayer and Bible reading He will reveal more of Himself to us.  

2) According to verse 5, a baby can be sinful. How is this possible?
When something strikes us as odd or seemingly out-of-place with what we know to be true from the rest of Scripture study, it’s important to take a step back and slow down the process of jumping to conclusions. As with every Scripture passage, it’s vital we begin with original context. Here, David had just been confronted by his friend and prophet, Nathan. Sent by God, Nathan helped David see the depths of his sinful affair with another married woman, Bathsheba, as well as the plotted murder of her husband. Psalm 51 is David’s heartfelt, remorseful response to God’s holy conviction. David wasn’t making a statement about babies in the way that we might initially conclude, he was grounding himself in the theological truth that we are all sinners. It wasn’t actions that made David sinful (though, of course the actions were morally wrong), it was the fact that he had a sinful nature that was the problem. The emphasis isn’t that David did wrong, David simply was wrong because he was born with a sinful nature like all of humanity. David’s reference to being guilty and sinful from birth is to emphasize that his nature itself is hopelessly sinful, and will always choose to gratify his own fleshly desires rather than the heart of God, unless God Himself gives him a new heart and mind. Are babies’ actions seen viewed as sinful? No, but, like the rest of humanity, they are born with a sin nature. None of us are “born good” and gradually become corrupted; corruption is our identity.

3) What is the heart attitude of the writer?
David wrote this psalm to God, pouring out his heart, recognizing that his sin was against the Lord, and asking to be made clean. He repented of his sin. He was desirous to be in relationship with God as he had been to this point. David was known as a man after God’s own heart, meaning he wanted nothing more than to have an intimacy with his Creator.

Everyday Application

1) What do we learn about God in this passage?
How many times have we heard that God is love? While that is true, there are so many other aspects of the character of God that often go unnoticed, even disrespected. David touched on a few in this passage, but as we spend time with the Lord in His Word and in prayer, we learn more about Him. Have you sensed His comfort, dear one? Have you noticed that He is perfect, without fault? Do you find Him trustworthy? Try making a list of the attributes of God that you have either personally experienced or read about in Scripture. Our Father is much more than one-dimensional! 

2) According to verse 5, a baby can be sinful. How is this possible?
If it were only actions that made us sinful, we should be able to clean ourselves up and do enough good to become holy. But we cannot, it’s impossible for us to attain to righteousness. We Are Sinners. Period. Born into sin, we are trapped in the Kingdom of Sin and Death with no hope for freedom unless Jesus Christ sacrifices Himself on our behalf.
Which, praise God, He does!
Jesus, as God the Son, came in human flesh with the identity of Perfect Holy Righteous God, to live the human life on our behalf, but He did it flawlessly. His perfection for our imperfection. His strength for our weakness. His righteousness for our sin. His perfect God-nature for our fallen human-nature. As Jesus willingly spilled His own blood, sacrificing Himself for us, we are given hope as He extends to us a new nature: His Own. By asking Him to be our Savior and Lord, He redeems what once was death and gives us life! Yes, we all begin life with the nature of Sin, but because of Jesus, we can be redeemed through the Righteous Nature of Jesus Himself on our behalf! Sister, which nature is your identity?

3) What is the heart attitude of the writer?
David’s plea for a cleansed heart is often cited as a model prayer for repentance. I use it often myself. It would be wonderful if I could just ask God for cleansing once and be done forever, but because you and I live in a sinful state (by birth) and in a sinful world (and becoming increasingly evil), it is impossible for even the most faithful saint to remain unaffected by sin’s temptation (Proverbs 20:9). Isn’t it wonderful to know that no matter how many times we repent, the Lover of our souls will always be faithful to forgive us and allow us back into right relationship with Him?!
He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people for his own possession, eager to do good works. Titus 2:14

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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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The GT Weekend! Sketched 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) Nehemiah was faithful to the task before him and didn’t waver when he was mocked or when division crept in. What is God asking you to be faithful to? Are there places you know you are doing what God asked, but it’s getting difficult to carry on? Cling to Scripture for your encouragement; our God’s promises and His character are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow!  

2) Life can feel mundane and ordinary very quickly! Scripture says we are to offer our lives to God as a sacrifice. Its our way of stopping what we want to do and following in faith that God will lead us well into whatever is coming next. Where is your life feeling boring? Offer that space to the Lord and watch Him use it to further His kingdom! 

3) Our past mistakes can hold us down like a ball and chain, constantly taking us back to where we’ve sinned and messed up. However, if we’ve repented of the sin and asked forgiveness, we can hold tight to the truth that we’ve been forgiven. God isn’t holding those mistakes over our head, taunting us with our failures. Where are you holding on to old history that God has set you free from? Where do you need to ask for forgiveness? Any places you need to walk forward in victory? 

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Hebrews 13-14-16  back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

14 For we do not have an enduring city here; instead, we seek the one to come. 15 Therefore, through him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16 Don’t neglect to do what is good and to share, for God is pleased with such sacrifices. 

Prayer Journal
O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth, Have mercy upon us. 
O God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy upon us. 
O God the Holy Ghost, Sanctifier of the faithful, Have mercy upon us. 
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God, Have mercy upon us. 
Remember not, Lord Christ, our offenses, nor the offenses of our forefathers; neither reward us according to our sins. 
Spare us, good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood, and by thy mercy preserve us for ever.
Spare us, good Lord. 
From all evil and wickedness; from sin; from the crafts and assaults of the devil; and from everlasting damnation, Good Lord, deliver us. 
By thine Agony and Bloody Sweat; by thy Cross and Passion; by thy precious Death and Burial; by thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension; and by the Coming of the Holy Ghost, Good Lord, deliver us. 
In all time of our tribulation; in all time of our prosperity; in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment, Good Lord, deliver us. 

Taken from the Common Book of Prayers
https://www.episcopalchurch.org/files/book_of_common_prayer.pdf  

 

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Prayer Day 2 The “For Us” God: 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 The “For Us” God!

The Questions

1) What is a “living hope?”

2) What does it mean to be guarded by God’s power?

3) When does salvation occur?

1 Peter 1:3-9

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 5 You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials 7 so that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Original Intent

1) What is a “living hope?”
A living hope is active, vital, and infused with confidence of certain fulfillment. The believers’ living hope is that of eternal life with God Our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ in heaven. Plus, Jesus has specifically stated that we will have a place in heaven (John 14:1-3). Peter would have remembered hearing Jesus tell this to himself and the other disciples.

2) What does it mean to be guarded by God’s power?
Because of the believers’ faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, God – through His faithfulness – keeps each of us from destruction both in everyday life as we follow His design and for eternity by keeping us safe from separation from Him. His peace guards our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:7). For the persecuted believers to whom Peter wrote, this was extra encouragement to continue to persevere.

3) When does salvation occur?
This passage may seem confusing, but Peter is actually speaking of two truths. In verse 3, our “new birth” is salvation through our faith in Christ’s work on the cross on our behalf. In verse 5, Peter describes our glorification upon entering heaven when he uses the phrase “salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” So, the two truths here are this: as a Christian, you have experienced salvation and you are in Christ, who is in heaven. But as a human being, you are on a journey through life that will eventually lead to glorification in heaven. H. A. Ironside put it this way: “As to our standing we are in Christ in the heavenlies; as to our state we are pilgrims marching on to glory.”

Everyday Application

1) What is a “living hope?”
We have a living hope because we have a living God! Jesus is alive, risen from the grave, hallelujah! Because of this, we know that, as His followers, we also will not experience decay. We will rise again just as He did. This hope of eternal life gives us confidence in our everyday lives while also, joyfully, reminding us that physical death is not the end.

2) What does it mean to be guarded by God’s power?
Persecution for believing in Jesus Christ has largely been marginalized to third-world nations over the past few centuries. Now, as political issues develop on the global stage, people are becoming more divided at an ever-increasing rate. Expect that to continue to the point of religious persecution in North America. But don’t give up hope! God will guard your minds and hearts with peace, and will also simultaneously guard your heavenly inheritance.

3) When does salvation occur?
Salvation is an immediate transaction when a person puts their faith in Jesus Christ. For all who have done that, I am overjoyed to call you my sisters in Christ. If you are reading this and haven’t yet been convinced that God loves you and sent Jesus to pay the price for your sin, now is a good time to take care of it. Consider talking with a pastor or a Christian friend, or check out http://www.gracefullytruthful.com/misunderstood-day-15-were-all-gods-children/

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with The “For Us” God!

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

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

Worship III, Day 6 Despised, Rejected, Cherished

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Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Corinthians 4:7-18
Matthew 16:24-28
Romans 6:5-11  

Worship III Day 6

On a hill far away
Stood an old Rugged Cross
The emblem of suff’ring and shame…

I read the words of this old, beloved hymn, and I’m immediately transported back to a musty university classroom surrounded by mostly older folks. Ray Koon stands in front of everyone, directing with his hand – his suit and tie perfectly in place. On one side of me are my grandparents, singing their hearts out, my Gamma’s sweet, soprano voice lifts above the other voices and carries throughout the room. My Papa’s voice, once a clear and perfect tenor, is starting to strain a bit, but his German accent and steady vibrato create a lovely sound. My little brother and my parents are to my other side. My mom’s alto harmony mixes in with the rest of the voices, and my dad holds my brother while rocking back and forth, singing quieter, but with pure and evident belief in each word he sang.  

And then me.  

I like to imagine that my voice was beautifully melodic, sounding like an angelic child. But I probably was singing in my “grown lady voice”, sounding like an opera singer wanna-be gone wrong. But the song… that song gripped me, even then.
I sang with my own conviction, but I sang noticing the convictions of the people around me, and trusting that what I sang would remain true, even as I grew into an adult.  

…And I love that old cross
Where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners 
Was slain  

 So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross
‘Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged cross
And exchange it someday for a crown 

When you analyze these lyrics, without testimony, heart, or conviction behind them, 

They seem almost strange. 
“I love that old cross”
A cross representing suffering and shame?
A cross where the dearest and best person was brutally murdered after being shamelessly attacked and recklessly beaten? 
I love that old cross?  

Oh, but I do!  

Because that cross,
as gruesome as it is,
held the sacrificial body of King Jesus. 

The body of the slain Lamb.  

My perfect, beautiful Jesus.
Fully God the Son, who chose to come to earth and wrap Himself in human flesh. 

To walk with us, teach us and love us, before finally tasting the bitterness of separation from God the Father as He died to pay the price for our sin.
My sin.
Your sin, Sister. 

When George Bennard wrote this hymn in 1912, it took him some time to complete, as the melody came first and the words slowly followed.
The only words that were steady and true were “I’ll cherish the old rugged cross”.
The rest of the lyrics developed, surrounding those first words.  

“I’ll cherish the old rugged cross.” 

In Matthew 16:24, Jesus said,
“If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.”
Jesus was speaking of the suffering that accompanies a life spent following Him.

In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul wrote 
“We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be displayed in our body. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that Jesus’ life may also be displayed in our mortal flesh. So then, death is at work in us, but life in you.” 

Paul was describing the simple, yet confounding complex miracle that is salvation.
Our physical bodies? They are finite.
They become ill and age.
One day, they will breathe their last,
and on that day our eternity will be continued in a different way.

In the passage above, Paul was talking about the juxtaposition of our eternal soul, cloaked in and polished by the righteousness of Jesus, existing inside these bodies that deteriorate.
Our mortal flesh yearns for the things of this world,
but if we have surrendered our lives to Jesus,
we are indwelt with the Holy Spirit so our spirit craves the holy!

As our physical bodies age and deteriorate over time, His resurrection power is glorified when we deny our fleshly desires (read: sin) and choose instead to be refined by righteousness over and over again.  

Does that thought exhilarate you as much as it does me, Sister?
As we access the power of salvation in our daily lives and receive the refining redemption,
He alone makes us new; we are freed! 

Freed from the sin that used to bind us.
Freed because the sacrifice Jesus made on that cross 
severed the chains of (idolatry, greed, envy, lying, pride, fill-in-your-blank) sin 
we used to call our own. 

Freed from the guilt that once forced us to keep our head down and eyes lowered.
Freed because in paying the price for our sin, 
Jesus forever separated us from the guilt we rightfully deserved. 

Freed from the shame that used to haunt our trapped hearts.
Freed because Jesus’ death on the cross and miraculous resurrection 
sealed our righteousness in Him forever, 
effectively banishing shame because 
IT IS NO LONGER OURS TO CARRY! 

I love that old cross… and I’ll cherish it.  

*Written by Kendra Moberly and Merry Ohler

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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 III 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 III!

Misunderstood Day 9 Who You CAN Judge: 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 Who You CAN Judge!

The Questions

1) Who is speaking in this passage? 
 
2) What is the greater context? 
 
3) What is the progression of behavior we are to have towards one another according to this passage? 

Luke 17:3-4

3 Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, 4 and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” 

Original Intent

1) Who is speaking in this passage?
In this passage Jesus is speaking to the disciples. You have to go back to chapter 14 of Luke to find where Jesus begins this section of teaching and is called by name, where in subsequent chapters Jesus is referred to simply as “He”. In the first verse, there are two pronouns used, “He” and “His”, both of which are referring to Jesus.  

2) What is the greater context?
Jesus, in the past several chapters, has been teaching all around the region and mingling with people of various stations in society, including the sinners and the sick. Just before these verses, He used a parable to illustrate a story about a rich and a poor man with the intention of creatively explaining the earthly temptation of riches.  Following His story, He turns to His disciples and discusses stumbling blocks to the faith, explaining and urging them to be on guard and keep each other accountable for righteous living.  

3) What is the progression of behavior we are to have towards one another according to this passage?
There is a clear progression and intention that Jesus gives in these verses about rebuking someone. He establishes that we are to be on guard with our own behavior and then we can keep our brothers accountable by rebuking their sinful behavior with repentance as the goal. If they repent, then forgive and continually forgive, when repentance is at the heart of the situation.  

Everyday Application

1) Who is speaking in this passage?
In three years of ministry, Jesus taught His disciples and other followers as much as He could. His intention was to set an example that could be followed while calling people to Himself. He ate with sinners, He sought after the lost, and He continually used moments in His everyday existence to teach about who He was as He pointed people to the Father. Today, He does that in so many ways, but especially through His Word and other believers.  

2) What is the greater context?
This is not an isolated teaching moment for Jesus. He taught with the purpose of bringing about redemption often. He seeks after the lost to save them. He seeks the blind to bring them sight. He seeks the hurting to heal them, not just emotionally, but spiritually. At the heart of Scripture, we must recognize the greater story, which is the Gospel. It is the good news that we aren’t alone and can be redeemed! As Christians, we have a community of believers God has given us to hold us accountable, to love us as He loves, and to be His hands and feet here on Earth. Be aware, sisters! There are stumbling blocks all around…find your support, root yourself in His Word, and bathe your heart in His eternal truth! Allow the Holy Spirit to work as He was intended to work.   

3) What is the progression of behavior we are to have towards one another according to this passage?
Rebuking is hard to do and forgiveness is even harder sometimes. Notice that in this passage we must first look at ourselves and guard our own heart before we act to rebuke someone. If you are rebuking someone’s behavior, the heart must be love and the goal to bring about restoration and redemption. Then, forgiveness is offered. Extending grace, just as grace was extended to us, is the goal of keeping each other accountable. Our desire should be to help not to harm, to point others to Christ, not beat them down with their own sin.  

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Who You CAN Judge!

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

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

Bride Day 12 My Adultery: 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 My Adultery!

The Questions

1) What does it mean to be a “royal priesthood?” 

2) If God loves everyone the same, which is the “chosen race?” 

3) Now that you are God’s people, does anything change? 

1 Peter 2:9-10

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 

Original Intent

1) What does the term “royal priesthood” mean?
To understand this term, we must investigate a verse describing Christ as “a priest in the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrews 6:7-10 states, “During his earthly life, he offered prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was the Son, he learned obedience from what he suffered. After he was perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, and he was declared by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.”
So, who was Melchizedek? Melchizedek was a priest and the king of Salem, the site of what would later be Jerusalem. We really don’t know anything else about him, but this is all we need to know. God has declared Jesus to be a priest “in the order of,” or the same type of priest, as Melchizedek. Which means that Jesus is also a priest and a king. A royal priest.  

2) If God loves everyone the same, which is the “chosen race?”
Race implies that everyone in it has the same Father (God) and therefore all the same rights and privileges. The Church (i.e. Christians) now have the same rights and privileges as the Jews because we all have the same Father. The nation of Israel was the “chosen nation” in Old Testament times. God told them, “You will be my people and I will be your God.” The Lord had a divine plan and, as we now know, that plan involved Jesus being born as a member of the nation of Israel, the Jews. He came to draw people from all nations into a saving relationship with the Father. This in no way negates the fact that Israel is chosen and special to God, but it does allow for the family of God to expand exponentially! 

3) Now that you are God’s people, does anything change?
Peter’s message is to Gentile converts to Christianity. Gentiles were also known as “barbarians.” Prior to becoming a child of God, the Jews considered a Gentile unclean (Acts 11:1-10). Most Jewish believers thought that God offered salvation only to the Jews because God had given His law to them (Exodus 19-20). When Peter explained the falling of the Holy Spirit on a house full of Gentiles and their belief in the Lord Jesus Christ, a turning point was reached. Not overwhelming joy, but the beginning of acceptance.  The first church congregation that included both Jews and Gentiles was at Antioch. These believers were called Christians, which was the first time this term was used. All they had in common was Christ…not race, culture, or even language. Gentiles had gone from being outcasts to being one with Jews because of their belief in Christ. 

Everyday Application

1) What does the term “royal priesthood” mean?
Christians sometimes speak of “the priesthood of all believers.” In Old Testament times, people did not approach God directly. A priest acted as intermediary between God and sinful human beings. Christ is now our high priest, interceding for us in heaven (Romans 8:34). When we are united with Christ as members of His body, we join in His priestly work of reconciling God and His people. And we are royalty…daughters of the King! Let’s put on those tiaras and hold our heads high, ladies! 

2) If God loves everyone the same, which is the “chosen race?”
Believers are definitely members of the “chosen race” because God is our Father, but this does not mean that non-believers are any less valuable to God. He does love each person because He is Creator. He made us all, fashioning each of us in our mother’s womb. Sisters, if you have ever experienced prejudice from the community of faith, I am so sorry. We are not to judge but to invite non-believers into the family. We – I – do a disservice to seekers if I don’t glorify my God through my daily life. Lord, help me to always be aware that people are watching and help me to show them Your light. 

3) Now that you are God’s people, does anything change?
We who are believers in the redemptive work of Christ on the cross are now called children of God. But we are also members of the global Church, the bride of Christ.  To the married ladies among us: did anything change for you on your wedding day? Maybe your last name, your home address…but most importantly, your leader changed. Oh, I know, it seems a bit antiquated to say that. Let me put it this way: instead of going to your dad or uncle or older brother with any issue or need, you now go directly to your husband.  Now take this picture and insert Christ as your husband. You can now go directly to Him, your Lord and Savior, with any need or issue. What an amazing privilege! Marriages usually have a difficult, if not impossible, road to reconciliation following adultery. My marriage ended as a result. I found it impossible to trust the man who had betrayed me and lied for months to attempt to cover it up. God considered the nation of Israel like an adulterous spouse when she turned to other gods. He also considers us – you and me, sister, here in the 21st century – adulterous toward Him when (not if) we put something good in the place of first priority…where only He belongs. 
But God. 
He is patient.
He is gracious and full of mercy. 
He is love.
God, please forgive my adultery. I love you. I want my relationship with You to take first priority. 

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

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 Bride Week Three!
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.