significance

Relentless Day 6 Faith or Fear?

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Judges 6:11-18
Lamentations 3:21-26
1 Corinthians 1:26-30

“Thanks for coming for the interview yesterday. We’d like to offer you the job.”

As I stood with the phone to my ear, letting the words sink in, all I could think was there must be some mistake. Surely, they weren’t seriously offering me the job!

Doubts and insecurities flooded my mind. As much as I wanted this job as a school’s worker with a Christian charity, I didn’t feel capable. I was too inexperienced, too lacking in confidence, definitely not good enough to even consider this. Although I wanted the job, the chances of being selected had seemed so small, I’d really only gone to the interview for the experience.

Plus, I’d been dealing with some difficult things lately. There was no way I felt strong enough to take this on right now. All too conscious of my weakness, I was sure they could have found someone better.

I imagine Gideon’s feelings may have been similar when the angel of the Lord appeared to him. Cowering at the bottom of a winepress, threshing wheat, hiding from the Midianites who had destroyed the Israelites’ crops and reduced them to starvation, he wasn’t exactly a picture of strength.

When the words, “valiant warrior” are uttered, I picture him looking round in bewilderment to see who the angel is addressing, not thinking for a moment that the greeting is intended for him.

What’s more, the angel announces that God is with him! Gideon has little confidence in either part of this greeting. He struggles to see beyond his fear and his weakness to consider himself a “valiant warrior,” while also finding the idea of God being with him difficult to believe. After all, the Israelites’ oppression at the hands of the Midianites has been going on for seven long years. By this point, Gideon is worn down and out of hope. He can’t help but blurt out his honest question:

“If the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us?”  (Judges 6:13)

Don’t we all ask similar questions at times?

Whether it’s a significant time of tragedy or loss, a situation where our hope and hard work give way to disappointment, or simply a day when the pressures and frustrations of life seem to mount up, it’s easy to question where God is and why He has allowed these things to happen.

Maybe, like Gideon, we have tried to hold on to God’s promises and the ways we have seen or heard of His power in the past, but, when we look at our current situation, we feel abandoned. The idea of God having a good plan for us can seem hard to believe.

It’s reassuring that God doesn’t rebuke Gideon for asking this question, but neither does He provide an explanation.

Judges 6:14 provides an intriguing twist: “the Lord turned to him.” As He calls Gideon to go forward in the strength he has and lead Israel to victory over the Midianites, it seems Gideon suddenly realises he is not merely talking to an angel, but God Himself.

God’s response to Gideon’s question is not to answer, but to draw close and reveal Himself. He shows Gideon He has not abandoned him, but that, even in the midst of the suffering and oppression, He is right there with him.

As God continues to speak, we see His relentless love both towards the Israelite nation and towards Gideon as an individual. By this point, the Israelites have been spiralling round in a self-destructive cycle of sin for several years. God has forgiven them time and time again, yet still they continue to turn away. It would have been understandable for Him to have rejected them, but instead He remains committed to the rescue.

The manner in which He chooses to effect that rescue is through Gideon, even in his weakness. Despite Gideon’s doubts and hesitation, his lack of confidence, and his fear, God’s commitment to His plan for Gideon is relentless. Gideon still doesn’t understand, and he continues to question his ability and seek reassurance, but despite this he is called to move forward and to step out in faith.

Gideon is faced with an important choice: follow God, or follow his fears.

As I considered my unexpected job offer, I had a similar decision to make. When I looked at myself, I felt inadequate and ill-equipped, but then I remembered my many prayers that God would let the right person get the job, and in the end, I knew my reasons for hesitating were due to fear. Instead, I knew I had to step forward in faith, trusting that God had answered my prayer, that He would be with me and help me, and that His strength would be enough.

As I did so, I saw His relentless faithfulness in providing all I needed and leading me into a place where I could serve Him and flourish. As I look back, twelve years later, still happily involved in the same ministry, I’m grateful He enabled me to choose faith over fear and as God used me even in my weakness!

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

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

Dwell Day 2 Resting In His Promises: 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 Resting In His Promises!

The Questions

1) How can the psalmist possibly say, “I will always keep them”? Surely, even the psalmist couldn’t keep all of the God’s commands.  

2) What is significant about the structure of verses 33 and 34?

3) What benefits does the psalmist list for following God’s ways?

Psalm 119:33-38

Teach me, Lord, the meaning of your statutes, 
and I will always keep them.  
34 Help me understand your instruction, 
and I will obey it 
and follow it with all my heart. 
35 Help me stay on the path of your commands, 
for I take pleasure in it. 
36 Turn my heart to your decrees 
and not to dishonest profit. 
37 Turn my eyes 
from looking at what is worthless; 
give me life in your ways.  
38 Confirm what you said to your servant, 
for it produces reverence for you.

Original Intent

1) How can the psalmist possibly say, “I will always keep them”? Surely, even the psalmist couldn’t keep all of the God’s commands. 
Translating words from Hebrew (the original language of the Old Testament) to English is a challenging and critical task. The translations we use for study are extremely important (for more on why, check here!). At Gracefully Truthful, we study with the Christian Standard Bible, which holds tightly to the original words while also working to preserve the original intended meaning or idea. The original Hebrew for the phrase “I will always keep them” is not a direct word-for-word translation because doing so, would not have made grammatical sense. The word translated “keep” originally means “guard, protect, watch over, and preserve”. The word translated “always” originally had the context of a consequence for actions in a positive sense, as in earning a reward, or receiving a solid gain. In entirety, the original meaning would have meant something along the lines of “I will guard and protect them as my cherished reward or gain.” The psalmist most definitely didn’t mean he had the ability to follow every one of the Lord’s laws perfectly, rather that the Lord’s ways were precious and worth holding close, as a reward of extreme value and importance.  

2) What is significant about the structure of verses 33 and 34?
Both of these verses display a logical if A, then B scenario. If the Lord teaches the meaning (or the pathway, as in showing how to succeed) of His statutes (or ways), then I will cherish them as rich reward and will guard them closely. (verse 33) If the Lord helps me understand and know and experience and grasp His instructions, then I will obey and follow wholeheartedly. (verse 34) The psalmist sets up a natural overflow of what happens in our hearts when we are taught by the Lord and when He helps us understand His Word. The result is delight and a life that is solidly built from a heart that takes pleasure in following the right paths of the Lord.

3) What benefits does the psalmist list for following God’s ways?
The psalmist finds delightful pleasure in following God’s ways. (verse 35) He receives the deep, rich “life” found only in God and His pattern of living. (verse 37) Reverence, awe, glory to God, and a deepening of intimate relationship between the psalmist and God is built when he sees the glories of the Lord unfolded as a result of following Him. (verse 38) Those are rich rewards for following the way of the Lord, which is revealed through His Word. Studying it, holding it near, being teachable to His instruction, and reaching out for help from God and His Word are all necessary components of finding these sweet benefits.

Everyday Application

1) How can the psalmist possibly say, “I will always keep them”? Surely, even the psalmist couldn’t keep all of the God’s commands.
Take a few minutes to consider how you view God’s word. What adjectives would you use to describe it from your perspective? How important would you say studying and reading God’s Word is based on today’s passage? The real question is, how do your actions reflect the reality of what you believe? When it comes to our walk with the Lord, we are exactly where we want to be, because of the choices we have made to be here. If you want to be closer, if you want to know His Word better, if you want to hold His Words as a reward, practice being in His Word. Daily. Consistently. Then watch Him do a great work in you!

2) What is significant about the structure of verses 33 and 34?
Reading the Bible can feel daunting and difficult to understand, but it doesn’t need to be. Even better, the Lord God wants you to know and understand His ways. But knowing Him is discovered and experienced when the Lord Himself is our teacher. We can fill our heads with endless learning and theological studies, but unless the Lord, through the Spirit, who uses the Word of God, is our teacher, our learning will be in vain. Podcasts, websites, devotional books, pastors, and Bible teachers can be great resources, but it all quickly becomes “just knowledge” if we are not continually digging into Scripture itself. Ask the Lord to teach, request His help in understanding, and He will build your life on a solid foundation.

3) What benefits does the psalmist list for following God’s ways?
The Bible is full of benefits to following God’s design for living life, which makes sense as He is the Author of life. In just this short passage, how have you experienced the benefits of delight, abundant life, and intimate relationship with the Lord? Slow down to fully answer that question and then turn it back in praise to the Savior for giving those gifts! If you hunger for more of these benefits with a longing for new and deeper perspectives on them, the pathway to enjoying them is simple: dwell deeply in the Word of the Lord.

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

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 Dwell 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.

Roads Day 7 Quest For Truth: 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 Quest For Truth!

The Questions

1) What would Jesus not give the Pharisees and Sadducees to prove He was God?

2) What did Jesus mean about the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees?

3) What is the significance of the exchange between Jesus and His disciples about who they say that He is?

Matthew 16:1-6

The Pharisees and Sadducees approached, and tested him, asking him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 He replied, “When evening comes you say, ‘It will be good weather because the sky is red.’ 3 And in the morning, ‘Today will be stormy because the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to read the appearance of the sky, but you can’t read the signs of the times. 4 An evil and adulterous generation demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” Then he left them and went away.
5 The disciples reached the other shore, and they had forgotten to take bread. 6 Then Jesus told them, “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
7 They were discussing among themselves, “We didn’t bring any bread.”
8 Aware of this, Jesus said, “You of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves that you do not have bread? 9 Don’t you understand yet? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand and how many baskets you collected? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand and how many large baskets you collected? 11 Why is it you don’t understand that when I told you, ‘Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees,’ it wasn’t about bread?”12 Then they understood that he had not told them to beware of the leaven in bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 
14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 “But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Original Intent

1) What would Jesus not give the Pharisees and Sadducees to prove He was God?
Seemingly, a visible sign could have once and for all removed any false accusations that Jesus was fully God. But Jesus knew it wouldn’t because human beings without the Holy Spirit, will always choose to believe what they want to believe. He pointed out that these religiously righteous follow the signs they want to follow, like weather markers. Jesus knew the heart of these leaders, and they wanted nothing to do with following God in their hearts. Jesus spent His entire ministry giving “sign after sign” that He was God. He healed the sick, brought sight to the blind, mended the lame, and even forgave sin. (Mark 2:5-11) Yet, the self-righteous still refused to accept truth because it would radically shift their entire lives. Even the most incredible “sign” of all, Jesus’ resurrection after 3 days of being dead (likened to Jonah in this passage who was in the belly of the sea creature for 3 days), would not be enough to turn hard-hearted skeptics with no sincere desire to know truth to accept truth. Signs weren’t the problem, their hearts were.

2) What did Jesus mean about the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees?
To get the full understanding here, we travel back to when the Israelites were being freed from slavery under the heavy hand of the Egyptians. Their exit would be quick, at a moment’s notice, and they had to be ready to leave. Of course, having no groceries along the way, they needed to quickly prepare bread for the journey, which meant not using yeast because it took so long to rise. The Israelites were commanded to remove all yeast as they hastily prepared to leave when the Lord said Go! Over time, yeast became a byword for evil or wickedness. Paul uses the same phrasing in Galatians, “This persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. A little leaven (or yeast) leavens the whole batch of dough.” Just as a small amount of yeast spreads quickly throughout the dough, so do distortions of truth. Jesus was warning His disciples to be on guard against evil teaching from the Pharisees and Sadducees, who, though they had the appearance of righteousness, they denied the Holy Spirit room to work in their lives. Both Jesus and Paul warn to “avoid these people” and their insidious deceptions. (2 Timothy 3:5)

3) What is the significance of the exchange between Jesus and His disciples about who they say that He is? 
Jesus and His disciples have crossed the sea of Galilee in this passage, and are walking together on their way to Caesarea Philippi, an ancient Roman city located at the base of Mt. Hermon. It’s a beautiful spot, lush and green as it was the chief source of water for the Jordan River. It’s also the historic location of idol worship for the then-current mythological Greek god “Pan” and, going farther back, to King Jeroboam, who led the entire Northern Kingdom of Israel into idolatry as they worshipped Baal here. The significance of the location wouldn’t have been lost on the disciples as Jesus posed His question, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”. The competing voices for worship were loud. The disciples gave several names the crowds were throwing around for who this Jesus really was, the spirit of John The Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or other prophets. All were important people, all carried the weight of respect with the people, but none of these were God. None deserved total life worship and surrender. Jesus presses in as He turns the question to them as individuals and Peter responds based on everything he has witnessed in his time with Jesus, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (verse 16)

Everyday Application

1) What would Jesus not give the Pharisees and Sadducees to prove He was God?
People will always excuse away evidence, even if it’s right in front of them and seemingly undeniable, in order to hold on to what they want to believe. That’s why being “free” to “choose our truth” is so dangerous. While it appears welcoming to all beliefs and safe from any judgment, having no “real truth” leaves us, and our lives, empty and meaningless, like waves tossed to and fro that are neither here nor there. Even Christians are susceptible to this precarious way of thinking. How often have you held to what you thought was a biblical perspective only to find out through careful study and conversation with another trusted Believer, that you were wrongly interpreting Scripture? We must be studying God’s Word for truth, aligning our lives with it, and constantly asking the Holy Spirit to convict us where our beliefs are out of line with His perfect truth! Check your heart as you seek truth; are you willing to sacrifice your beliefs if you discover truth?

2) What did Jesus mean about the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees?
False doctrine and belief systems run rampant in our society. Even pastors claiming to be true and biblical have distorted the truth. We must always be on our guard, constantly comparing what we are taking in from leaders and teachers and friends to the truth of the Bible. It’s not enough to trust “someone else’s” study, we must know our Bible for ourselves! Paul says it like this, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, a curse be on him!” (Galatians 1:8) The people in Berea, who listened to the teaching of Paul and Silas, didn’t simply take their word for it. They poured over the Scripture to see if what they’d heard was true. (Acts 17:10-12) We would be wise to follow their example of faithfulness to truth! Despite how appealing it may seem to have the freedom to “believe whatever you want”, truth matters.

3) What is the significance of the exchange between Jesus and His disciples about who they say that He is? 
In yesterday’s Journey Study, Sara likens the Unitarian view of Jesus not being God, to Him being on an “all-star” team of super prophets. Jesus intentionally allowed the question of His true identity to sit with His disciples as they sorted through what others said versus what they had witnessed day in and day out. Owning that truth was a turning point for Simon Peter, as it is for each one of us that call Jesus Lord. Has there been a day, a moment, when you stood surrounded by other voices, other religions, other deceptions, and it became clear to you that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Son of the Living God? I pray so! If you ever find yourself in a conversation and feel the Spirit tugging you to turn it to spiritual matters, follow Jesus’ own example and ask, “who do you say Jesus is?”. It’s a great, open-ended, non-threatening way to give the other person a chance to talk and share freely. Listen closely, build the relationship, and when it’s the right time, don’t shy away from sharing who Jesus is to you!

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

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 Roads 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 4 Empty Identity: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days...are a pretty big deal at GT!

We search God's Word together, ask questions as we read, dig around to find the original intentions at the time of writing, and then make some applications to our everyday lives.
Along the way, we hope you'll pick up some new tools to study Scripture and you'll see truth in a new and accessible way!
Dig In!

The Passage

Looking for yesterday’s
Journey Study?
Check out Empty Identity!

Matthew 16:24-26 Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it. 26 For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life?

The Questions

1) In what ways are we called to “deny ourselves”?

2) How do we “lose” our lives because of Jesus?

3) What point is Jesus making with His questions in verse 26?

The Findings for Intention

1) In what ways are we called to “deny ourselves”?
To be a disciple in Jesus’ day, was to be an apprentice. Young Jewish boys, whose fathers wanted them to become religious leaders, would spend their days following specific rabbis, copying what they did and learning from them. Over time, their entire identities would become shaped by the teachings and lifestyles of these rabbinic leaders. They had to be willing to give up everything about themselves in order to be molded and shaped in this apprenticing relationship. With Jesus, the disciples did not come to Him, rather He chose them. And in His choosing, He chose fishermen and tax collectors, those least likely to become religious leaders. He was turning the world upside down. The then-current idea of apprenticeship would take on a deeper meaning as Jesus drew His disciples out of their current lives to give them all new ones, lives they didn’t even know they wanted. He was inviting them to drop their old life for an entirely new one that required full commitment.

2) How do we “lose” our lives because of Jesus?
James and John and other disciples were fishermen by trade before Jesus called them. They owned the family business with their father and likely would be handed down the business when their father passed. They had dreams. Lives. Goals. Matthew (or Levi) was a tax collector. He had education, wealth, a reputation, and was seemingly doing quite well with his course in life. But Jesus’ invitation to become His disciple came, and everything changed as their lives were turned upside down. James and John immediately left their nets, the huge cash flow of fish they had just caught, their father, and the business they were to inherit. Matthew also immediately left his money changing tables, his profitable business, and his reputation to follow Jesus. These men were “losing their lives” for Christ. They were giving up their ideas for how their lives should go as they surrendered their plans to Jesus.

3) What point is Jesus making with His questions in verse 26?”
We only have one and if we do not care for it, no one else will, no one else even has the ability to do so. We are the stewards of our souls. The essence inside of us, that makes us…”us”. Our will, emotions, hopes, dreams, fears, all of it is wrapped up in our soul. To lose the soul is to lose everything, it is to lose “life” as the word is translated in the passage above. All would be meaningless without a soul, so it would seem of utmost importance to both care for the soul now on earth and for eternity. Jesus’ words imply that our souls can indeed be in danger of being lost. “For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life (soul)?” None can buy back their own soul after having lost it, it’s simply gone forever. With this weighty understanding, the supreme importance of following Jesus is brought into perspective. Choosing Jesus isn’t a matter of planning for retirement or whether we like attending church or have an aversion to moral decay, rather the eternal destiny of our souls hangs on the balance of what we do with our lives. Will we lose them for Christ or hold onto them for ourselves, finding in the end that we really couldn’t grasp them anyways?

The Everyday Application

1) In what ways are we called to “deny ourselves”?
Jesus’ offer for discipleship extends far beyond the first century to our own. He is still choosing disciples; He has extended His offer for new life to each one of us! But there is a cost we must consider. Luke recounts Jesus teaching, “whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:27). This “cross” signifies the crucifixion of one’s self, our desires and the way of life that was common to us before coming to Christ. When Jesus, the great Rabbi, or disciple-maker, extends His invitation, He brings newness of life that will overrun the former way of living. The old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17) If you’re a disciple of Jesus, what “old ways” of thinking and living are you still holding onto? Where are you clinging to the safety of familiarity rather than surrendering your ways to the Master? The cost seems great indeed, but the reward is infinitely greater than the sacrifice! For Gomer, in yesterday’s Journey Study, “denying herself” would have meant exchanging the empty identities she carried for the love and acceptance she was being offered in Hosea.

2) How do we “lose” our lives because of Jesus?
Luke’s gospel tells of Jesus inviting some to follow Him, but they replied with excuses. Family matters, other relationships, other priorities, these were their excuses and Jesus responded by warning them that unless they were “all in” for becoming a disciple of Jesus, then they had no place in His kingdom. Following Jesus will cost us our lives, but He gives His own in exchange. You will never find a genuine Christ-follower who, after choosing to “lose their life” for Jesus is met with regret. The fullness that Jesus brings satisfies every desire we have in ways that we never dreamed possible the more that we choose to surrender to Him. Whatever your passions, your dreams, your talents, your job, or your social status, Christ is inviting you to lose your life and find full satisfaction in what He will bring! Does it mean all will become pastors and teachers? Not at all, but it does mean He will shift your focus to amplify His glory and as He brings you good. Losing your life for Christ results in truly finding it!

3) What point is Jesus making with His questions in verse 26?
In yesterday’s Journey Study we see that Israel “chose to be her own savior and lost everything.” This is exactly the picture portrayed here in Matthew by Christ’s words and it should motivate us to consider what we are chasing, why we are chasing it, and if the investment of our lives is worth the price of our souls. What we give our lives to, the manner we do it in, and the motivation of our doing, is the proof of who the Master of our souls is. Have we lost our lives for Christ or are we trying to hold onto control while still trying to make our lives appear Christian-like? Only if our lives, our very souls, are turned over to Jesus, allowing Him to bring us real life and guide us with how to steward our lives, will the things we do in this life even matter.

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

I Can Do That!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read through it (always more than a verse or two).
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!

The Community!

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

The Tools!

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources.  Just type in the verse you’re looking at and Boom! It’s right in front of you in English and Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament), which are the original languages the Bible was written in.

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. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want to get more background on a word or phrasing or passage? 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 :-))

The Why!

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.

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

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
See all past studies in Bride!

Justice Day 5 Used and Consumed

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Song of Solomon 4:1-8
Song of Solomon 2:1-4
Ephesians 5:1-20 

“As a lily among brambles, so is my love among the young women.”

I began my freshman year of college as a broken and hurting seventeen year old. I was bruised and felt like damaged goods… “trash” echoed in my mind when I shut my eyes at night. About a week before school started, my parents and I were traveling from Southern Utah to Birmingham, Alabama, and took a pit stop in Kansas City to visit some friends. At church, we stood in the pews, looking like a normal family attending a Sunday service. But, if you could peel back the layers, you would see so much hurt.

And there we were. Swaying and singing along. Until a man came up to us.
“I have something to share with you,” he said.
“I looked at your family and the Lord gave me a picture.”
He turned to my parents and proceeded, “You have a beautiful flower you have watered and fertilized and watched grow. But now, that flower is withered. It is wilted and almost doesn’t look like there is much life left to it. But you need to know, that flower is not dead! That flower is very much alive! And it will blossom and bloom and become even more beautiful than it has ever been before.”
My parents and I held each other and wept.

Three and a half years ago, my husband and I got engaged. We were madly in love, full of anticipation of the future and, ironically, attending the same church my parents and I had previously visited. Shortly after our engagement began, Matt attended a prayer meeting with several men from that church. Matt announced our engagement, and they took time to lay hands on him and pray. One man said, “Matt, the Lord gave me a picture just now. You are protecting a beautiful flower. He gave you this flower and has charged you with taking care of it. Water it, treasure it, protect it.”

The man who shared the word with my parents, and the man who shared the word with Matt… was the same man, who didn’t know me.

And Sisters, as cliché as this is going to sound,
we are all beautiful flowers.

We are beautiful flowers who are loved, adored, and admired by our King Jesus. We’ve discussed before, how marriage is the physical representation of a spiritual relationship with Jesus.  Anything outside of that biblical design for relationships, is not what Jesus desires for us.

Song of Solomon paints a stunning picture of what a relationship between a man and a woman is crafted to be. A man and his bride. Two people who are madly in love with each other. He adores everything about her. And basically, if you read just a little bit of Song of Solomon, you get the picture that they’re pretty excited to make love. It is beautiful. It is romantic.

God designed sexual relationships to be between one man, and his bride. Just as He designed our relationship with Him, to be between one Man and His bride.

But sin.
That nasty, gross, infecting, and destroying thing called sin.
Sin says sex outside of marriage is ok.
Sin says sex with multiple people is ok.
Sin says joking about our bodies and sexuality is ok.
Sin says watching other people perform sexual acts is ok.
Sin says using our bodies to sexually attract other people is ok.
Sin says watching TV shows that joke about pornography and promiscuity is ok.
Sin says listening to sexually explicit music and objectifying women is ok.
Sin take the amazing gift of sexuality and turns it into something He never intended.

Now let’s pause and chat about that “P word” for a minute.
Pornography…
It can be a bit of a taboo subject among Christians. Many of our brothers struggle with the temptation of porn, and many are exposed to it at an incredibly young age. Many of our sisters struggle with the temptation of porn, but aren’t sure how to address this struggle because many people don’t recognize it as something women can struggle with. Many of our brothers and sisters have been hurt by the powerfully negative effects of porn. They aren’t able to maintain a healthy relationship with their spouses, they have low self esteem, or they struggle with depression.

Pornography is a great injustice because it robs men and women.
It takes away the chance that men have to passionately love their wives, because they struggle with an unrealistic image of what that “love” is supposed to look like. It robs couples of the gift of pleasuring solely each other.

Pornography is a great injustice because it robs God of His glory.
People cannot fully enjoy His gift to us when we try to seek that pleasure outside of the good boundaries God gave us.

Pornography is a great injustice because it takes away from God’s creativity.
God’s design for sex is incredible! So much detail has gone into this act that binds a man and woman together. When we try to recreate that gift by adding our own human spin on it, it is comparable to ripping up the Mona Lisa and trying to piece it back together with tape.

Pornography is a great injustice because it objectifies God’s children. Humans are created in God’s image. We are beautifully made and the Lord has a purpose for every life. When people are viewed as objects, only existing to bring about pleasure, then we are using, and abusing, the masterpieces God has created.

Pornography is a great injustice because it destroys relationships. Viewing porn is typically done alone and in secret. Alone. We were never meant to be alone. And when someone believes that they can be just as satisfied without their spouse, their relationship will crumble.
We were made for community.

Flying in the face of this injustice, grace beckons and delights.
Grace is offered when the world whispers “trash”.
Grace is held out when we live in the prison of comparison.
Grace reminds us we are treasured flowers.
You, flower, are delighted over!
—
Ready to fight injustice of pornography?
Fight the New Drug helps shed light on the effects porn has on the brain, relationships, and everyday life.
Pure Intimacy is a Focus on the Family site that offers resources to helping families with spouses and children who struggle with all forms of sexual brokenness.
Covenant Eyes is an Internet accountability and tracking software to help hold families accountable to what comes across their computer screen.

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

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

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Justice Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

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

The GT Weekend! Battle Week 3

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The GT Weekend

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

Journal With Us!

Journal Prompts

1) Mediocrity. No one likes to be stuck in the plains of “bleh”. Created for a purpose means that your everyday moments have value that reaches far into eternity. Finding meaning in the real life of now begins by finding significance in the shelter of the Most High. Make time to get away with the Shepherd of your soul this weekend and let Him sing over you His songs of victory!

2) Feelings of un-importance, being looked over, and insignificance plague each of us in varying degrees from one season to the next. What precious truth to know that you are fought for by the Creator of all! You do not have to be enough or perform better to earn His love. Take that truth with you into this weekend and REST!

3) Most of us have areas where we feel like we are barely keeping our head above water. Where do you feel like you need the hand of the Savior extended to yours? What repercussions would overflow into the rest of your life if you had a rescuer in one or two specific areas? Jesus awaits, hands open, will you run to Him?

Worship In Song

Music Video: The Afters – “Battles”

Pour Out Your Heart

Lord Jesus, I am here. So empty, Lord. Treading water and I feel like I’m drowning under these crashing waves of my current storm. Lord, I long for more. I long to feel loved, for significance, and to be reminded that I am made for more.

I praise You that You alone hold everything I need for life and godliness, for success, and true depth. Show me more of Yourself this weekend. Remind me to intentionally get away to be still. Tune my heart to hear Your sweet voice, and renew me in deeper ways than I can dream in this moment of weariness!

Pray With Us!

In everything, with praise and thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God!
Click here to comment and pray with the GT Community!
Want to connect with a GT Partner?
Send your prayer request to prayer@gracefullytruthful.com
We are committed to praying over and walking with you!

Journey With Us

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What were your thoughts from the GT Weekend?
How were you drawn near to the Father and encouraged in your faith?
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Repurposed Day 10
Effective Surrender

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Samuel 10:17-24
1 Samuel 15
1 Samuel 9:21
2 Peter 1:1-11
 
At Gracefully Truthful, we value authentic transparency and believe it’s the lifeblood of living in community with each other as we follow closely after Jesus. So, here’s my authentic transparency: I struggle with arrogance.

Not the, “I’m so much better than you” mentality.
Nor the, “my way clearly is the best; there’s only room for one”.
(okay, I struggle with that side too…)

But, honestly, my arrogance struggle is much more insidious.
I don’t feel like I’m good enough.

Arrogance? You ask.
Yes.
While I’m sitting around obsessing about how I’m not enough, don’t bring enough to the table, aren’t effective and useful….I’m only thinking about myself.

Don’t believe me?
Check out this guy:

The soon-to-be-king missed his own inauguration, hiding in the baggage.
You can almost hear the voices in his head, “I’m not enough to be king. I can’t do this job. I’m not smart enough, talented enough, good looking enough…..other people would be so much better at this”
and so he hid.
in the baggage.
trying desperately to mask his insecurity.

But God could see his heart.
And it was arrogant.

Saul’s insecurity, his unwillingness to find identity in his God instead of focusing on his own inabilities, was his fatal flaw. This arrogance that said God was not big enough to use him, was his Achilles heel, haunting him his whole life and effectively ending his reign in ruined shambles. Saul’s insecurities, his shame, his fear, they flooded his heart, overtook his life, and eventually left him drowning in pride, direct rebellion, and ugly justification for sin.

Enter guy number 2:

This would be king, unlike Saul, really didn’t have much going for him. He was very young, had a long line of eligible brothers in front of him, and had always been the bottom of the barrel growing up. If anyone had emotional baggage, David could come up with some pretty good stuff to hide behind.

But he didn’t let that happen.

Instead of arrogance, David chose surrender.
He surrendered to how he was made and took confidence in it.
Rather than smolder around, faking piety, he leaned into exactly who he was. Proudly, yet without swagger or arrogance, David knew exactly what his abilities were, what his strengths were, and he wasn’t afraid to appropriately talk about them.

But David said to Saul,
“Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. 36 Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

One king was weak, faking humility by focusing on how he was not enough, and ended up utterly destroyed.
 One king was strong enough in mind, body, and heart to surrender himself entirely to the Lord and left a legacy of being a “man after God’s own heart.”

There’s a secret to success here.
And it has nothing to do with our abilities, our looks, our bank account, our health, the people we know, or anything else we may feel is either “enough” or “not enough”.
It entirely hinges upon faith.

Surrendering to Christ and His sufficiency is the most effective way to live this Jesus-life. Surrender.
In the middle of our everyday weakness.
In the middle of our insecurities,
the middle of our fear,
our shame
our hopelessness,
and a million “not enoughs”.

“Make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,
and virtue with knowledge, 
and knowledge with self-control,
and self-control with steadfastness,
and steadfastness with godliness, 
and godliness with brotherly affection,
and brotherly affection with love.
For if these qualities are yours and are increasing,
they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful ….
for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.”

 Surrender to faith in Jesus.
Pursue Him.
He will build into you His Own Effectiveness for the kingdom!

But, go ahead, listen to those voices in your head.
Hide behind that baggage.
Succumb to the lies and choose to not engage your gifts the Father gave you.
Destruction awaits, my friends.
Pride will paint the walls of your heart any color you want them,
but in the end, it still leaves you destroyed.

Choose to live life effectively within the Body of Christ.
Stop saying no to work in the Kingdom!
Jump in to all you’ve been called to.
Let your confidence rest in Christ.
“for if you practice these qualities you will never fall!”

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
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Looking for yesterday’s Journey Study?
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Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Repurposed Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

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

The GT Weekend – Adoring Week One

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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!

Journal With Us!

Journal Prompts

1) What are the things that vie for your attention? The things on your to-do list? The things that stress you out? It’s probably a pretty long list considering that this is the holiday season 🙂 Challenge yourself to make a list of your big stressors and for each one you list, write a truth about God’s character to dwell on when that stressor weighs on you. Involve a friend and challenge her to do the same thing!

2) Sometimes walking through one day feels like an emotional roller coaster from hour to hour, going from awesome to barely surviving. The changing tide of our circumstances can either threaten us or allow us to dig deeper into God’s character. Choose a new character trait of God’s heart each week to focus on when your surroundings feel overwhelming.

3) What have you learned about the heart of God lately? In what ways has that truth comforted you in your everyday life? Take a minute to share what you’ve been discovering with a friend!

Worship In Song

Music Video: Newsboys’ “We Believe”

Pour Out Your Heart

My Jesus, adoring You, like anything else in life, is a choice. When I’m tempted, Spirit remind me, to choose You. When I’m frustrated, remind me to choose You. When I reach for annoyance or anger or hurt, turn my thoughts towards You, O God! Let me see You more clearly when all I seem to want to see is my own pain.

Give me a desire for You, Lord. Show me my emptiness, the ungrateful areas in my heart, and reveal Your own fullness to cover me. Show me how You long to be my everything and increase in me a longing for You! Show me Yourself, Lord Jesus!

Pray With Us!

In everything, with praise and thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God!
Click here to comment and pray with the GT Community!
Want to connect with a GT Partner?
Send your prayer request to prayer@gracefullytruthful.com
We are committed to praying over and walking with you!

Journey With Us

Sign up to have GT Journey Studies sent to you!
What were your thoughts from the GT Weekend?
How were you drawn near to the Father and encouraged in your faith?
Share with the community and encourage other women!

Beauty Day 10
Glorified Beauty

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 139:14
Genesis 1:26-31
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Matthew 5:16
Psalm 115:1

attachment-1-6It’s been almost four years. The time has flown by faster than I ever imagined, and sometimes, my journey four years ago, actually feels like a dream. But if I close my eyes and focus really hard, I am back for just an instant. I can actually smell the cabbage cooking over the little stove or our clothes soaking in laundry soap. I can feel little arms wrapping around my legs and sweat dripping down my back. I can hear the sound of their worship and hear the noise of the market. And for one short moment, I am back in a far away land I never dreamed of going to.

I am back in Kenya.

As I prepared for my four month mission trip to Kenya, I spent hours shopping and purchasing everything I would need. Then I spent hours packing and deciding which “necessities” weren’t making the trip. Among them, hairspray, a flat iron, a blow dryer, and all of my make-up and nail polish. For some reason, I believed that I wouldn’t be able to focus on why I was in Kenya if I spent any time on my physical appearance.
(I did pack my tweezers and a teeny tiny mirror, which was such a good idea. I probably would have scared even the most remote villages with my eyebrow. Yes. One eyebrow.)
I was determined to honor God with my body by working hard to serve Him.

I came home a couple of weeks before Christmas, my skin extremely darkened by the hot African sun, my hair sun-bleached blonde and frizzy from the extremely hard water, my toenails unpainted, my body weighing 30 pounds more than it did when I left four months prior, and my heart extremely torn and a little heavy.
I didn’t feel beautiful.
Honestly, I hadn’t felt beautiful for four months.

We sang of God’s beauty almost every night. We admired the Great Rift Valley and the evidence of the Lord’s hand in His creation. I held the tiniest brown babies and whispered into their ears, “You are so beautiful. You are perfectly and wonderfully made.”
We were constantly proclaiming God’s beauty!
But I didn’t feel beautiful.

I have battled a struggle of inward beauty versus outward beauty for a long time, believing that there could only be one or the other.
Then another Jesus-loving Mama told me that her body was bought for a price.
Her body matters to Christ.

“I aim to have a body that is well kept: healthy on the inside, clothing that is functional on the outside so I can do the things with my body to serve the Lord (like chase my kids) and presentable in keeping with current trends, so I can be relatable and approachable to those I meet.”
She went on to tell me that make-up actually draws attention to our countenance, as opposed to our bodies.

My body was bought for a price.
Jesus not only died for our souls, but for our bodies.
And we are called to honor God with these bodies… these tools… that He has given us!

“If I had time, I would go out in the members of this church and ask different ones of you to come up here and testify about what difference God has made in your body. I would ask a man with AIDS, tell us about what it means to glorify God with your body. I would ask a man who just found out he has a serious, life-threatening cancer and say, tell us about what it means to glorify God with your body. I would ask a young woman who has struggled with bulimia and has just turned a significant corner of hope, how do you see God getting glory in your body? And I would ask dozens of women who have lost the little bodies of unborn children, do you believe God can be glorified in those bodies? And I do not doubt that in every case, what you would hear is that God has indeed manifest His glory in ways that many cannot imagine.” John Piper

God is beautiful. His creation is so extravagantly beautiful. The Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Niagara Falls, leaves changing color in the autumn and tulips blooming in the spring declare His beauty. They bring glory to HIM.

His glory is shown in the warm smiles of those African children and the bright eyes of the Kenyan women I hugged. My precious little girls, and my unborn baby still growing inside of me… the Lord’s beauty is shown through them, too.

I’m choosing to allow God to receive glory through my body, but it doesn’t always look the same. Some days giving Him glory looks like messy hair and un-brushed teeth as I sit and sing with my children. Some days His glory will shine through as I put more effort into my appearance to, as my friend reminded, become more relatable and approachable. The truth is that we live in an appearance based world. When I’m taking the time to care about how I look to others, I’m caring about how the gospel is being presented. If I’m engageable and well-presented, I’m offering my best to others on the outside, so they can better glimpse the inside too.

Maybe you’re in the same place I was four years ago.
Maybe you’ve put on a few pounds,
your haircut doesn’t quite suit your face,
or you just don’t feel beautiful.

I want to remind you that you are beautiful, feelings or not.
Rather than letting your feelings overturn truth, let them rise up to match it.

YOU are a declaration of God’s beauty.
YOU are perfectly and wonderfully made.
God created beauty, and He said that it was good.

He created man and woman, in His image, and said that it is very good.
So go forth today, and every day following, knowing that you are beautiful, and knowing that it is God’s plan for us to be beautiful. And allow His beauty to shine through you as you give glory to Him with your body. However that looks, no matter how you feel.

Did you see today’s photo of me in Kenya?
Me, not feeling beautiful?
This picture represents so much of God’s work despite how I felt about myself.
See that woman I’m next to? She was a widow and social outcast because her son was murdered. I was part of the team that brought her family much needed groceries and I cared for wounds on her legs. It was one of the most powerful moments of my trip. God’s beauty was evidenced in me, despite how I struggled with my own perceptions. He brought beauty and glory where I hadn’t seen it!

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

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

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Beauty Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

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