Beauty

Advent Day 6 Immoveable Anchor

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 8:13-15
Isaiah 28:14-18
1 Peter 2:1-10
Matthew 12:9-14

Advent, Day 6

For over a decade, I was a raging legalist, complete with judgmental heart and nose turned up in the air. I grieve over the condition of my heart and my harsh view of others during this season, but I praise the Lord for the testimony I now have, by His grace, of just how much He truly can change a person’s heart and life.

Why do I specifically share this as we walk through the season of Advent?
Well, there are two common ways of perceiving Christ:
either as the Cornerstone He truly is,
or as the stumbling stone the enemy wants Him to be.

As we Journey Into Advent, our minds turn to the purpose of Christ’s first coming. We ponder the Old Testament prophecies concerning a coming Messiah, and we meditate on how those prophecies were fulfilled in the God-man, Christ Jesus.

While these Advent musings, perused in front of a roaring fire or twinkling Christmas tree, may feel rather warm and cozy, some of them hit harder and a little closer to home the more we dive into them. Take, for example, Christ’s purpose of being Chief Cornerstone.

We first hear this description in the Old Testament in passages such as Isaiah 28:16,

“Therefore the Lord God said, ‘Look, I have laid a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will be unshakable.’”

Jesus is to be the Chief Cornerstone in our lives,
our firm foundation,
the One we rely on and hope in,
the One in Whom we find our salvation, rest, and peace.

Salvation – and our heart-felt gratitude for it! –  then inspires us to live a life of obedience, in a right relationship with God. At peace with God, we experience His presence as the Cornerstone, a firm foundation to build upon as we journey through this life.

But what if we don’t joyfully rest in salvation and wholeheartedly pursue obedience?
Then, we often fall into one of two other camps.

The first is residence for those who are willfully disobedient. If we are living in willful disobedience, Christ then becomes a stumbling stone in our lives, something we get tripped up on as we experience ongoing guilt over sin.

Isaiah 8:14 explains, “He will be a sanctuary; but for the two houses of Israel, He will be a stone to stumble over and a rock to trip over, and a trap to snare the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”

We see this confirmed in 1 Peter 2:4-8 following the first Advent (coming) of Christ,

“As you come to Him, a living stone–rejected by people but chosen and honored by God–you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture:

See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and honored Cornerstone,
and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.

So honor will come to you who believe, but for the unbelieving,

The stone that the builders rejected–
this one has become the cornerstone,

and

A stone to stumble over,
and a rock to trip over.”

The second group of people who experience Jesus as a stumbling block rather than a cornerstone are the legalists (this is where my experience comes in!). We read throughout the four gospels of the Pharisees who were self-righteous, hypocritical religious leaders constantly stumbling over Christ’s teachings. He didn’t fit their mold; He challenged their legalistic, man-made rules (an example of this can be found in Matthew 12:9-14).

If we are in either camp, it is incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to experience Christ as He is meant to be experienced – as our Chief Cornerstone, our sanctuary, our place of hope, rest, peace, and sanctification.

If we find ourselves experiencing Christ as a stumbling block (or know someone who is!) I urge us to examine our hearts with honesty and humility. Let’s commit to asking Jesus to reveal the heart issue at the root of our stumbling, and to be consistent in praying for ourselves and others. Let’s ask the Lord to work in our hearts if we need to be drawn out of sinful living or legalism. Let’s ask Him to use us in the lives of others who are stumbling still, to share how Jesus is our Cornerstone and desires to be theirs as well.

Beauty can be found here, for Christ does not need to remain a stumbling block in our lives or anyone else’s! He longs to be our Cornerstone, our Rock of Defense, and our Immoveable Anchor. As we continue to Journey Into Advent, let’s invite Him to be our Chief Cornerstone!

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Fruitful Day 15 Sweet Self Control

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 6:1-22
Genesis 8:15-22
Daniel 1:1-21
John 13:34-35
Galatians 5:22-23

Fruitful, Day 15

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self control. The law is not against such things.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

These are two amazingly profound verses, subtle in their power and fierce in content. The first eight fruits all make logical sense. Who wouldn’t want more of those qualities?

Then there’s self-control.

It’s like a beautiful, soothing piece of music playing in the background for the first eight fruits, which suddenly comes to a screeching halt when self-control is presented and viewed through worldly understanding.

However, over the years, I have come to appreciate the inclusion of self-control as a fruit of the Spirit, and how it bookends the list with love. I am also grateful self-control is a result of the Holy Spirit working within me.

Self-control is defined as “the ability to control behaviors in order to avoid temptations and to achieve goals. The ability to delay gratification and resist unwanted behaviors or urges. A limited resource that can be depleted.”

Can you imagine a world without any self-control?

I realize a few of the posts I’ve seen on my social media feed over the past year may not have been created if a greater measure of self-control had been employed. So maybe a lack of self-control isn’t too hard to imagine.

Thankfully, the Lord knew the vital need for self-control and gave us the Holy Spirit to help grow and implement self-control within us.

Additionally, He is a faithful Father who demonstrates self-control perfectly. He also gave us His Word, in which we see examples of other imperfect humans learning and expressing self-control.

One of the first examples that came to my mind of the Lord’s self-control being modeled in Scripture is the flood. (Genesis 6:5-22) Yes, I do mean the story of the Lord sending the flood to wipe mankind from the face of the earth with the exception of Noah and his family.

This story might seem like a strange choice, but I see two distinct ways in which He showed self-control.
1) Sparing Noah’s family
2) His promise to never flood the earth again
The Lord did not completely destroy all of mankind. He displayed self-control by sparing the race and graciously selected Noah and his family for the journey.

He also promised to never flood the earth again, giving us the rainbow as a symbol and reminder of His covenant vow. (Genesis 9:11-17) Scripture doesn’t provide great detail regarding the people’s wickedness in Noah’s day, but I have observed a few things in my lifetime making me wonder how closely our behavior mirrors theirs.

Still, the Lord displays self-control every single time it rains, by not flooding the world.

The Lord perfectly demonstrates self-control and Scripture is full of people who loved the Lord and, as a result, their lives reflected His self-control in their own stories. I am a visual learner and observing how others have practiced self-control helps me immensely.

Daniel and his diet, for example. (Daniel 1:8-16)
I admit I am nibbling on a cookie — timing is everything — as I imagine what it must have been like for the selected Jewish exiles to eat from the royal table. The decadence offered, and daily encouraged, must have rivaled any all-you-can-eat buffet.

However, Daniel and three others training with him chose to eat only what would honor the Lord, as the “rich food” had been offered to idols.

Their choice required self-control in surrender to the Lord. Not only were they bypassing the choicest food, they were risking displeasing the king, and likely suffered ridicule from their peers at the table. Multiple forms of self-control were required to honor the Lord through their food commitment.

Like Daniel, we are called to reflect God’s character of self-control in our own lives through surrendering to the Holy Spirit’s work in us. At times, I have successfully displayed Spirit-driven self-control. I’ve also failed more times than I care to consider.

For several years, I worked at a college with fraternities and sororities. Within that role, I was called into all sorts of scenarios at all hours. So often, especially during the middle-of-the-night, high-stress situations, I sensed the Holy Spirit fueling self-control within me. Many students I worked with didn’t know the Lord, but most knew I did. How I responded in those situations reflected on the work the Lord had been doing in my own heart. I will never know the full impact of how His self-control changed situations, but I pray those students were positively influenced.

Self-control is challenging to implement in real life if we are relying solely on ourselves. I love how the definition describes self-control as a resource that can be depleted. We cannot walk this life alone, relying on our own self-control reservoir. It will run out.

Therefore, we desperately need to allow the Holy Spirit to bear fruit in our lives. He can pour out self-control, not only refueling our dwindling resources, but supply self-control that can only come from God.

Self-control is a sweet gift from the Lord.
Holy Spirit, please pour out more. Make my heart a tender place of surrender as You work out this fruit in me! For Your glory, our benefit, and the benefit of those around us!

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Fruitful Day 9 Kind Beauty: 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 Kind Beauty!

The Questions

1) Who and what is Paul addressing in his letter to the church in Rome?

2) What do we know of the riches of God’s kindness, forbearance, and patience from other Scripture passages and how do these apply to us?

3) How does God’s kindness lead us to repentance?

Romans 2:4

Or do you despise the riches of His kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

Original Intent

1) Who and what is Paul addressing in his letter to the church in Rome?
Paul was writing to believers in Jesus living in Rome. He was anxious to return to Rome to encourage and strengthen the church and he reminds them of core doctrinal truths for understanding who we are, who Christ is and what He did, where our Hope lies for eternity, and how we are to live as believers while we wait for that Hope. Paul foundationally states how all are declared righteous and have access to live for eternity, faith! “The righteous shall live by faith”. (Romans 1:17) He also speaks of God’s just wrath on the unrighteous because they chose to ignore God’s redemptive offer of love and forgiveness, turning instead to love themselves and their own lusts, to which God gave them over. He speaks expressly of the lusts of the flesh. “Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore, God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served what has been created instead of the Creator…”. (Romans 1:22-25) Having addressed the “outwardly unrighteous person”, Paul turned his attention to the “morally just”. Those who “appeared” moral and thought they were “better than” the “unrighteous”. They errantly believed their “sin” was less deplorable to God. Paul warns that God will judge everyone by the same standard, His Holiness, of which we all fall short. (Romans 3:23) I’m reminded of the Pharisee who proudly prayed, thinking he was better than the tax collector. However, Jesus said the tax collector, who humbled himself asking for mercy by faith, would be justified rather than the Pharisee. (Luke 18:9-14)

2) What do we know of the riches of God’s kindness, forbearance, and patience from other Scripture passages and how do these apply to us?
The word “loving-kindness” occurs only in the Old Testament, but as equivalents, New Testament authors use “mercy”, “goodness,” “kindness,” and “brotherly love”. In verse 4, the Greek word for kindness is derived from the Hebrew “chacadh”, meaning “to be gracious or merciful.” W.L Walker says, “Goodness and justice are several aspects of one unchangeable, infinitely wise, and sovereign moral perfection. God is not sometimes merciful and sometimes just, but He is eternally infinitely just and merciful.” (Biblestudytools.com) Consider all the times the rebellious nation of Israel turned away from God, but God lovingly drew them back to Him. In His kindness, He warned them over and over of consequences for their rebellion, and as they continued to turn from Him, He allowed trouble to befall them. Still, He never let them out of His sight. He always had a perfect plan for bringing them back home. Oh, what a good and kind Father! “Being such an essential and distinctive quality of God, the prophets taught that it should also characterize His people. It is part of the Divine requirement in Micah 6:8 (ESV), ‘to love kindness’ and in Zechariah 7:9 (ESV), “Show kindness and mercy to one another.” (Biblestudytools.com)

3) How does God’s kindness lead us to repentance?
The Amplified Version of Romans 2:4 describes the riches of God as “kind, tolerant, and patient; withholding His wrath.” Paul reminds the saints (all those who have trusted Christ as Savior) of how God’s kindness led them to repentance. How He gently drew them to Himself, waiting patiently for them to turn to Him. (2 Peter 3:9) David personally had experienced the Lord’s patience and loving-kindness toward him. It had been over a year removed from David’s plot to murder the husband of the woman he slept with when the prophet Nathan confronted him about his sin. David begged the Lord to restore fellowship with Him. The first thing David said was, “Be gracious to me, God, according to your faithful love; according to your abundant compassion, blot out my rebellion.” (Psalm 51:1) God did deal with David according to His loving-kindness and He still does for us. This kindness was not only extended to David, but to anyone who genuinely repents and turns away from their sin and toward the Savior Jesus Christ. My heart cannot grasp how good, kind, and patient God has been, not just to His own people, Israel, but for all of us!

Everyday Application

1) Who and what is Paul addressing in his letter to the church in Rome?
Having concluded his description of those appearing outwardly “unrighteous”, Paul begins chapter 2 with a warning, “Therefore, every one of you who judges is without excuse. For when you judge another, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things.” (Romans 2:1) We are all just as unrighteous as another. (Romans 3:23) Romans 2:4 was penned so we understand the vast goodness of God set against the ugly backdrop of our own sinful judgment toward those we deem “less than righteous”. Paul asks how we judge those without Christ since we also were once without Christ as well. (Romans 6:17) His loving kindness drew us to repentance and faith; how could we reflect anything less to those who don’t yet believe?! Certainly, we must confront sin, but only when we are exemplifying a lifestyle reflecting God’s character. If we aren’t, we are hypocrites. Consider two fighting sisters. One sister points her finger at the other as the culprit without acknowledging her own involvement. If we can see a fault in someone else, then certainly we should be able to recognize that fault in ourselves. (Matthew 7:1-5) (J. Martin Commentary) Sadly, the church does a lot of finger-pointing saying, “THAT IS SIN!”, but we refuse to recognize our own sin, instead justifying ourselves. Jesus tells us we will all be judged by the same measuring stick, His Holiness; He shows no favoritism. (Romans 2:11) We will certainly draw more people to Christ by living out His example of kindness and patience than we will through condemnation. I knew a wonderful lady from church who passed away. At her funeral, her son shared that Mrs. Majel would always invite “sinners” to dinner. He often asked her why for “They didn’t deserve her kindness.” Her response stuck with me for years, “Some people will not make it to heaven unless we carry them”. Her kindness reflected God’s kindness to us, “God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance”. (verse 4)

2) What do we know of the riches of God’s kindness, forbearance, and patience from other Scripture passages and how do these apply to us?
May we never forget how long God waited for us to see our sinfulness in light of His glory and trust Him. How many times we have sinned, yet found God forgiving us. We, too, must model that kind of kindness, forbearance, and long-suffering patience toward others. Jesus instructed, “whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them”. (Matthew 7:12) This Golden Rule tells us in a few words that kindness carries the whole of the Gospel. (The Four-fold Gospels Commentary) As we say in the south, “You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.” And thus, we will draw more people to Christ with kindness then judgment. Greg Laurie at Harvest Ministries in California shared in a recent devotion, “Believers sometimes approach nonbelievers with strange verbiage, then conclude that some people just take offense to the gospel. Yes, there’s offense in the gospel. But many times, people are offended because Christians are just weird and unnecessarily offensive. They don’t know how to use tact. We should use a little tact, a little winsomeness, when we share our faith. Someone has defined tact as the intuitive knowledge of saying the right thing at the right time. For example, when the apostle Paul saw that the people of Athens worshiped everything imaginable, he could have said, ‘You’re a bunch of pagan idolaters!’” Read what he told them in Acts 17:22-23. “Ah, Kindness. What a simple way to tell another struggling soul that there is love to be found in the world”, said poet, Alison Malee.

3) How does God’s kindness lead us to repentance?
Famous author, Mark Twain, said, “Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” Kindness touches the soul of man. Our lifestyle of winsome kindness will draw others to Christ. (2 Corinthians 2:15) Paul wrote to the Ephesian believers, “Be kind… compassionate … forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” (Ephesians 4:32) To the Colossians Paul wrote, “Act wisely toward outsiders (…) Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.” (Colossians 4:5-6) Living like Jesus draws others to Himself through us! It causes one to “want some of that”. When they ask us what is different, we should be “ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. Yet do this with gentleness and reverence…”. (1 Peter 3:15) While kindness may come more naturally for some, true kindness is a fruit of the Spirit. It develops out of our willingness to fully surrender to the Holy Spirit at work within us as believers in Christ through faith. In her book, Jesus in Me, Anne Graham Lotz writes, “While you have the Holy Spirit within you, the cooperation of your full surrender, obedience, and faith is required to activate it. She quotes Dr. Alan Redpath of Moody Church, “it is a moment-by-moment surrender to the moment-by-moment control of the Holy Spirit” (The Making of a Man of God: Lessons from the Life of David) This surrender is a daily commitment to rise in the morning and give your day to the Lord. It makes all the difference in cultivating the kindness of the Lord in us!

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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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Our Current Study Theme!

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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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Terrain Day 10 Mount Of Olives

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 6:25-34
Romans 8:14-17
Matthew 21:1-5

Terrain, Day 10

Read enough of my writings, sit with me at coffee, or walk beside me as the sun sets and you will know, “this girl loves small things.”

The solitary flower in a mass of wild weeds.
The softly curled leaf, just hinting at gold while its counterparts wear green.
The single dappled spot on the underside of my daughter’s toe.

I gravitate towards the “little known and oft’ forgotten” that I might re-discover old treasure made new again. Imagine my delight when, after weeks of praying and studying the Mount of Olives, I found “it,” a tucked-away pocket of words waiting for me to discover anew. The words are easily glossed over, as I had a hundred times before, but today, the Spirit of God raised them up out of His word for me to see with fresh eyes.

“During the day, He (Jesus) was teaching in the temple, but in the evening, He would go out and spend the night on what is called the Mount of Olives. Then all the people would come early in the morning to hear Him in the temple.” (Luke 21:37-38)

I have a sacred space in my house where I sit in the mornings or late at night with my Bible, journal, and pen. When I first began meeting regularly with the Lord, my spot was in my baby’s nursery where morning light flooded my pages. Then it moved to the reclining chair in my room where I could look up to find a tiny cross etched “coincidentally” in the paint above me. When the chair was retired, my space became a square on the floor beside my bed, its lowness reminding me of my need for humility and for Christ’s perfect humility towards me. With my back against the wall, I’ve sat hundreds of times weeping in grief or joy, angry at injustice, delighted with God’s beauty, or sitting silently to hear His voice. Each time, I’ve stood up, having been reminded of truth wrapped in grace. This space has been life-giving to me, not because of its physical attributes, but because of the living God who faithfully meets me.

As I read the passage in Luke, I realized for the first time that Jesus also had a sacred space He regularly visited. The Mount of Olives.

I love nature and hiking and muddy creeks, scraggly branches, jumping frogs, and hidden hollows, but sleeping overnight…outside…under the sky? No, thank you. Firm No. N to the O, No!

But this was Jesus’ spot: His place of prayer, rest, and renewal all night long.
Because Jesus was both fully human and fully God, I am confident He had favorite trails up the mountain’s side. Perhaps He took different ones depending on His mood as He processed the human emotions of the day. Did He shed tears as He walked the familiar terrain to the spot He had deemed “His” for sleeping and prayer? Did He recount aloud conversations He’d had with His disciples or the Pharisees? Perhaps His fingers graced the edges of silky flower petals as He walked, knowing every granule of pollen as only the Creator could. Surely some nights He went without sleep as He watched the moon arc across the sky He held in place. These scenes seem likely considering the divinely human nature of the Lord Jesus, but one action is absolutely certain: here the Savior, God in the flesh, communed with the Father by the Spirit’s breath.  

This is what made the Mount of Olives special for Jesus.
Did Christ have continuous connection with the Father through the Spirit while on earth?
Yes; all three Beings equally comprise the Triune God. Yet, while on earth, Jesus gave us this quiet, tucked away example of deeply intimate prayer and escape throughout the gospels.

He left the crowds midday to pray. (Luke 4:42)

He rose early, hungering for this place of deep prayer. (Mark 1:35)

He spent His nights walking the trails of Mt of Olives to be alone with the Father. (Luke 21:37-38)

On these mountain slopes, He taught the masses how to love one another and live with a kingdom mindset. (Matthew 5:1-11)

Here, He taught His disciples how to pray. (Luke 11:1-4)

Oddly enough, considering the title of our Journey Theme, it wasn’t the terrain of the mountain that drew Jesus, it was the communion He shared with Father and Spirit in quiet isolation. He delighted in being tucked away from the crowds, out on the mountain His very own breath had created, as He shared solitude with Father and Spirit in prayer.

As the sun’s rosy glow began warming the hard ground beneath Him the next morning, Jesus opened His human eyes and began His trek down the mountain. I can see the smile on His face as He walked, continuing His conversation with the Father, while approaching the temple to teach again of lasting hope found in God alone.

His rhythm of sacred conversation is meant to be shared.
He freely invites us into communion with the Triune God of the Universe!
What a marvelous thought, that we should be invited as co-heirs with Christ and, by His Spirit, we are urged to call out, “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:15-17)

Jesus spent many nights walking the terrain of the Mount of Olives and resting His head on its mounds of dirt and leaves, but the terrain of our hearts is where He most longs to meander.
He desires for us to know Him as He is.
Come, enter the conversation!


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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!

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Ready Day 13 Gathered Together

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Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Thessalonians 2
Psalm 18
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Ready, Day 13

There’s nothing quite like having something taken away to make you realize how much you love that something. The idea of gathering together feels different for all of us around the globe in the wake of Covid-19.

Most churches closed their physical doors for a time. When they did re-open, masks and social distancing made us all acutely aware that gathering together had significantly changed. My dear friend in Scotland cannot even sing aloud with her church when they finally do gather in person.

The early church multiplied quickly, spreading across provinces and countries like wildfire. Jesus had come as God in the flesh to point our sin-wrecked hearts back to Him (Romans 5:6-11), He ascended to rule and reign with Father God at His right hand (Romans 8:34), and now He was building His other-worldly kingdom through His beloved ones, those who called out to Him as Savior. (Acts 2:41-47)

The work was the Lord’s.
The people were His.
The Church was His Beautiful Bride, His very great reward.

As precious as the early church was, they faced struggle, persecution, loss, and distance just like we do today.

Because Christ’s Church spans oceans, deserts, forests, rivers, and plains, it can be hard to remember we are all integrally connected to one another.

The sister in Nigeria who faces a government in disarray and ruled by those bent on destroying Christians is as much a part of me as the skin that covers my bones.

The brother in India who spends his days entering villages closed to the gospel in order to have even one conversation with a person of peace willing to hear about Jesus is as deeply intertwined with me as my lungs that inhale and exhale.

We are the Body of Christ, His Church.

My best friend and her family live as far around the world as possible without beginning to return the other direction. While we grieve our distance, knowing I can’t watch her kids for a date night and she can’t sit on my couch eating late night ice cream, the Spirit of God binds us together in such sweet intimacy, it’s almost like we share the same air.

The Holy Spirit reminds one of us to pray specifically, fervently, for the other, and the Lord brings us together. My heart yearns for her physical arms and for flesh and blood fingers to wipe away tears, but in the Spirit of the God in whom we share, we are gathered together.

It’s with this gut-level yearning Paul draws the members of the Thessalonian church into his embracing words of encouragement. Though aching for their physical closeness, Paul intimately whispers of the richest of all secrets.

Soon, brothers and sisters, soon, we will all be gathered together with Jesus Christ Himself!
Soon, we will stand face to face with one another, every tribe, every nation, every race, and every language gathered together.

We will be one and that gathering will be flooded with the magnificent glory of the Lord Jesus. We will touch hands, hug shoulders, laugh and dance in freedom, and oh, we will worship, how we will worship as One Gloriously Beautiful Bride of Christ!

Soon, but not yet.

It’s not a secret thing, this gathering together with our Lord Jesus; all who draw breath will know, unmistakably, our King has indeed finally come to bring His people home.

“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout,
with the archangel’s voice,
and with the trumpet of God,
and the dead in Christ will rise first. 

Then we who are still alive, who are left,
will be caught up together with them in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air,
and so we will always be with the Lord.”
(1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)

Satan will be allowed to wreck his havoc in the now, tormenting souls and deceiving them into thinking they have it all, but they have nothing.

“He (Satan) opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he sits in God’s temple, proclaiming that he himself is God. (…) working every kind of miracle, both signs and wonders to serving the lie (…) with wicked deception among those who are perishing.” (2 Thessalonians 2:4, 9-10)

Those who believe Satan’s lies will perish because “they did not accept the love of the truth and so be saved.” (2 Thessalonians 2:10)

In light of our coming reality of gathering in person,
Paul urges us to lean in to God’s Kingdom work.

Who do you know who “refuses to love the truth and so be saved?”
Are you actively praying for them and for an opportunity to share truth with them?

“…from the beginning God has chosen you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, so that you might obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 2:14-15)

Would you consider yourself a “lover of truth”
that you might be “gathered together” when Jesus returns in glory?
What are the evidences of your claim?

God has a purposeful call on our lives to trust Him,
to be sanctified (made more like Him by the Holy Spirit) by Him,
to tell others about His Hope,
and to trust that, regardless of struggle and distance now,
one day, He will gather us all HOME!

Let’s be Ready for His Return!

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Enough Day 8 Perfect Prophet

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 53:3-12
Luke 24:13-27
Matthew 5:17-20
Revelation 22:1-5

Enough, Day 8

Of the four seasons we experience in the Midwest, I like spring the best. My birthday is in the spring, the weather is just right, and mostly importantly as a homeschool momma, summer is on the horizon.

Honestly though, it’s the flowers. Several years ago, we lived in a house with a yard. Planting flowers and tending them was my greatest joy. I loved choosing which plant needed which location in the sun pattern, ensuring something blooming in every season. I was thrilled by morning surveys to see which daffodil, tulip, or lily was on the verge of popping open.

I only planted perennials, flowers that re-bloomed every year. As a lover of flowers, I would not keep any plants in the same location that didn’t thrive. If a plant didn’t bloom well, I either transplanted it to a new home in the garden or pitched it out.

Anticipation.
Knowing previously-blooming flowers were trustworthy and would bloom again.
Waiting for each individual petal’s final beauty to be revealed.

This is how we wait for Jesus’ return!
We wait in anticipation for His glorious restoration of the earth, and His beauty to fully be revealed. We long for the time when every tear will be wiped away, when all pain and suffering is restored, and the curse of sin will forever be broken.

But how can we know this will really happen?
God’s Word promises it will.

How can we trust this is not some “pie in the sky church talk,”
but real, solid truth upon which we can build our lives?

Just as with my flowers, we can look back.

Scholars calculate there are over 300 prophecies regarding Jesus in the Old Testament. For example, the prophet Isaiah foretells detail after detail of Jesus’ coming, ministry, death, and resurrection hundreds of years before Jesus is even born. When we read of Jesus’ life in the New Testament, we find at least 20 prophecies in Isaiah alone that Jesus already fulfilled.

The same holds true for the expansive list of prophecies recorded from other Old Testament prophets: Jesus fulfilled each one, proving Himself faithful over and over again. That truth, combined with our understanding of the infallibility of Scripture, solidifies in our hearts Jesus is who He says He is, and His own prophetic words will be fulfilled in His return! 

Jesus was brutally killed, overcame death and the grave, and was miraculously resurrected. In Luke 24, Jesus is talking with several disciples on the road. Though they had known Him during His ministry, they didn’t recognize Him. Having heard His tomb was empty, they were upset.

Jesus pauses to share His true identity.

“He said to them, ‘How foolish and slow you are to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Wasn’t it necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and enter into His glory?’

Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted for them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:25-27)

Not only did Jesus fulfill prophecies, but He was, Himself, the perfect prophet. 

Fully God, there was no stain of sin on His nature to corrupt the messages He communicated from the Father.
“For I have not spoken on my own, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a command to say everything I have said. I know that His command is eternal life. So the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.” (John 12:49-50)

Fully man, He redeemed the ministry of the Old Testament role of prophet, choosing at every turn obedience to His Father’s words and plans over satisfaction of self.
“Jesus replied, ‘Truly I tell you, the Son is not able to do anything on His own, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son likewise does these things.’” (John 5:19)

Jesus himself says He was the prophet of all prophets;
all of Scripture weaves together His story.

We cannot read the Old Testament without finding the foreshadowing of His
coming.
We are immersed in His life through the Gospels.
We see teachings on how His church will grow all across the New Testament.
The conclusion of His Book floods with the magnificent promise of Jesus’ final return to bring His people home.

Christ is the beginning and the end; we can trust in Him, the One who came to redeem us!

Father, You have proved Yourself time and time again. Let us lean into Your faithfulness and trust in Your infallibility. Jesus, You so freely gave of Yourself so we might have new life in You. Thank you. 

Lord Jesus, we anticipate Your return! Lord, as we cling to you, let us rest in the promises of Your second coming. Use that promise to spur us on to share You with those around us. Stir our hearts, Lord, that many more would come to know You before You return. 

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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!

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The GT Weekend! ~ Worship VIII 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) On Monday, Marietta transparently shared of an idol taking up time, focus, and adoration in her life. Her willingness to be so honest gives me the courage to stop shying away from addressing “idol worship” lurking in the corners of my own heart. I want to say Jesus is my first and only love, and that every other love flows from my rich and intimate relationship with Him, but if I discount my love of self, I’ve already deceived myself. Whether it’s the desire to “control”, the urge to “fix”, or my “bad habit” (ie: sin!) of jumping to conclusions about others before hearing the whole story, I know the list of idols vying for my attention is long. If I’m not actively praying for the Lord to remove temptation from me, I will easily fall into the idolatry habit of setting up Jesus as just “one of” my many idols instead of worshipping Him as the only One deserving of my whole life. If you sat for just 60 seconds, what idols would you identify from your life? Ask the Lord for courage to look them in the face. Ask Him to give you a heart that is repulsed by idol worship. Choose one idol you feel the Lord leading you to tear down, and text a friend, asking her to hold you accountable to flee the temptation of idol worship.

2) Paul sings of the riches of God, of His vast knowledge, and depths of wisdom that are impossible to plumb in his magnificent hymn of praise. (Romans 11:33-36) The way Paul sings about these gives me the idea he would gladly sit and consider them and gaze on them for eternity without boredom. I’ve spent a considerable amount of time on many pursuits. Some worthy, and some utterly ridiculous. I can remember a season where I put countless hours into a game on my phone. How many hours have I spent belittling myself or others? Too many. The amount of time I’ve spent picking up toys after small children is quite high as well. When I consider the amount of time I’ve sat in worship, awestruck at the glories of the God I serve, I admit it doesn’t even come close to comparing. While I can easily justify my time by insisting that toys don’t pick up themselves, I forget that true worship isn’t limited to instances when I can physically sit still, open my Bible, and journal my praise. Opportunities for fully attentive heart worship are as plentiful as the seconds in my day and yours. Begin your journey into deeper worship right now by asking the Holy Spirit to guide your thoughts, to remind you to offer up praise in the everyday moments instead of just the ones you deem as “holy”. Start a dialogue with the Lord and practice continuing it throughout the day and watch your relationship with God deepen as worship colors everything!

3) Yesterday, Carol pointed us toward the constantly astounding beauty of creation helping us attentively take in the glory of the Lord and respond with worship. We interact with the earth and its beauties every day in various forms, yet it takes intentional practice to move beyond interaction to worshipping the Creator. Set aside time this weekend to explore what it would look like in your relationship with God to spout off praise as you take in the intricate details of creation around you. Did you breathe deeply? Thank Him for perfectly balanced molecules of hydrogen and oxygen. Did you remind your heart to beat? Thank Him for designing your body with such stunning handiwork, wisdom, and creativity. Did your ear catch the sound waves of your friend’s voice? Praise Him for the atmosphere we live in. Maybe you caught a glimpse of the sun, a passing cloud, a masterfully painted sunset, or even the hard-packed ground in winter, these are invitations to know the Creator better and turn your heart to praise Him for His grace, beauty, love, and care!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Romans 11:33-36 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Oh, the depth of the riches
and the wisdom and the knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments
and untraceable his ways!
34 For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?
35 And who has ever given to God,
that he should be repaid?
36 For from him and through him
and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever. Amen.

Prayer Journal
Lord Jesus, how deeply I need Your truth to radically shake up my perspective and shape the way I worship You. You are good. Your love endures forever. Your faithfulness stretches to the sky. Lord God, my view of You is still too small; show me who You are. Show me Your glory. Let me glimpse Your face, so I might know You, love You, and worship You in spirit and in truth. Help my hands to slow, my mind to submit to Your renewal, and my eyes to look with fresh understanding at Your creation. Show me Yourself, Lord Jesus. In the process, expose my ugly idol worship, give me eyes to abhor it, then give me strength to tear these idols down so I can love You alone. One moment at a time, one breath of surrender after another, teach me to open my hands, lift my eyes, and offer You my whole heart, Jesus!

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Beloved Day 15 Love Song

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Song of Solomon 4:1-5:1
Psalm 42:1-11
Romans 5:6-11

Beloved, Day 15

I had just given birth to my 4th baby, a perfectly beautiful girl. After a sleepless night and a ridiculously fast labor, I was awash with love for my girl. Though exhausted, I didn’t dare close my eyes. Head over heels in love, I couldn’t stop taking her in, caressing tiny curled fingers and buttery soft nails, silky cheeks, dimpled chin, and the softest newborn hair. I held her close, inhaling her fresh-from-the-womb scent. My heart was bursting with love, and as my husband slept fitfully in the hospital chair, I sang over my little girl.

I sang the gospel, I sang every hymn I knew, and then I sang them again. I sang songs I made up in the moment, I sang of her siblings, I sang of the God who crafted her. I wept, I prayed, and as the morning rays reached her newborn face, I was more in love with her, if possible, than I had been just a few hours prior.

Love songs have the mysterious ability to enlarge our hearts, soften us, and make us feel we can do anything because we are magnificently loved.

Which is why the Lord of the universe sings over His children.

Zephaniah wrote of God,
“The Lord your God is among you,
a warrior who saves.
He will rejoice over you with gladness.
He will be quiet in his love.
He will delight in you with singing.”
(Zephaniah 3:17, emphasis mine)

Lord of Lords. King of Kings.
Enthroned by cherubim and seraphim.
Ruler of wind, waves, and every creature.
This is the God who delights to sing over those who call Him Abba Father!

Job spoke of God His Maker, “who provides us with songs in the night.” (Job 35:10)

Is this mystery not unfathomable?!

The entirety of Song of Solomon is a love song.
It overflows with beauty, passion, delight, and commitment between Lover and Beloved.

You have captured my heart, my sister, my bride.
You have captured my heart with one glance of your eyes,
with one jewel of your necklace.
How delightful your caresses are, my sister, my bride.
Your caresses are much better than wine,
and the fragrance of your perfume than any balsam.
(Song of Solomon 4:9-10)

Can you imagine the effect on your relationship if your spouse came home tonight and sang lyrics of love over you? Not sugary sweet nothings, but power-packed melodies of hope, truth, and unconditional love. What would his response be if you did the same?

To be sung over is akin to receiving an exquisite, lavish gift.
It’s life-giving, filling, nurturing, and sustaining.

A few years ago, I was up way too late shopping for Christmas gifts online with my long-distance mother-in-love over the phone. We laughed and chatted and somehow, lullabies came up and how special it was that my children asked her to sing over them when they visited. Jokingly, I commented I was jealous that I didn’t get a lullaby. Then, this woman who had birthed my husband and loved me like her own, sang her lullaby over me.

Sisters, hear me, I could not stop the tears. Those few seconds, the gentle sway of her voice, and the unabashed declaration of love will forever mark my life.

This is why the Father of our hearts sings over those who call on Him.

In His melodies, we hear the rhythm of His heart and learn to sway to the tempo of His faithful love.

When fear attacks.
When relationships hurt.
When we weep.
We listen for the song in the night.

“The Lord will send his faithful love by day;
His song will be with me in the night.”
(Psalm 42:8)

My hours-old daughter had done nothing to deserve my love for her. She hadn’t yet pirouetted through my house, received academic awards, or taught me to serve others with generosity. She had stretched my uterus thin, brought significant pain, and terrified me when she wasn’t breathing at birth. I loved her simply because she was mine.

This is why the Lover of our hearts, souls, and bodies sings His love song over us.

The cadence He breathes over us is always love, always victory, always delight in simply being His.

When our hearts rebelled against Him, choosing our sin over His righteousness.
When we couldn’t keep our tongues from sharing that gossip.
When we allowed our hands to impulsively act out our anger.
When we said that stream of hurtful words in defense of ourselves.
When we lied, when we lusted, when we acted in bitterness, when we stole, when we took a life, when we…, when we… and on goes our gross sinful offenses against the Holy God.

If we listen, His melodies continue, weaving in and out, drawing us out of our sin and into His forgiving grace. Pulling us away from our sin-ravaged patterns and into the rhythmic dance of His life of love.

Listen for the Love Song, Daughters; turn from your sin, your fear, and your shame, and sway to the symphonies of His Song.

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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!

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Beloved Day 7 A Lover’s Delight: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out A Lover’s Delight!

The Questions

1) What is the setting of this passage and why should we believe it is more than allegorical?

2) Why does Solomon refer to his bride as his sister? (verse 12)

3) What is the meaning of the garden in these verses?

Song of Solomon 4:12-16

My sister, my bride, you are a locked garden—a locked garden and a sealed spring. 13 Your branches are a paradise of pomegranates with choicest fruits; henna with nard,14 nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all the trees of frankincense, myrrh and aloes, with all the best spices. 15 You are a garden spring, a well of flowing water streaming from Lebanon.

16 Awaken, north wind; come, south wind. Blow on my garden, and spread the fragrance of its spices. Let my love come to his garden and eat its choicest fruits.

Original Intent

1) What is the setting of this passage and why should we believe it is more than allegorical?
An allegory is defined as a “a story, poem, or picture that uses symbolism to reveal a hidden meaning of a deeper moral or spiritual truth.” Although there are several Bible commentators (many from the Puritan era of history) who believe this book is allegory, it is best interpreted as a poetic, but powerful description of the deeply romantic and sensual love between a husband and his wife. The structure and setting of the book do not provide a chronological story, but instead give the reader “snapshots” of a couple’s pre-marital and marital relationship. (enduringword.com) It is true that God uses marriage as a gospel illustration of the relationship between Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:22-32), but it seems apparent to most Bible scholars that the literal meaning should be the primary way the book is interpreted. The straightforward way in which Chapter 4 contains specific details of the sexual love demonstrated by a husband and a wife reveals the beauty of sexual intimacy in Christian marriage. It seems unnecessary to allegorize these passages that present a marital love consistent with Scripture’s other teachings about marriage and sex.

2) Why does Solomon refer to his bride as his sister? (verse 12)
Solomon uses the term “sister” three more times in his book in addition to verse 12. (4:9-10 and 5:1) No conservative Bible commentators believe this is a reference to him marrying his biological sister, and no scriptural evidence provides reason assume familial relations. “Sister” was a common expression in the Hebrew language of familiarity and closeness. As in many cultures, Egyptian love songs included lyrics which call one another ‘brother’ and ‘sister’. Years later, Solomon is using familiar language drawn from then-modern-day poetry. Theologian Charles Spurgeon writes, “‘My sister’ – that is, one by birth, partaker of the same (human) nature. ‘My spouse’ – that is, one in love, joined by sacred ties of affection that never can be snapped. ‘My sister’ by birth, ‘My spouse’ by choice. ‘My sister’ in communion, ‘My spouse’ in absolute union with myself.” By referring to his bride as his sister, Solomon was showing her double honor. He loved her with the physical desire of a spouse and with the natural love of a sibling. It is significant to understand the deep affection Solomon had for his bride, and how he demonstrated that to her.

3) What is the meaning of the garden in these verses?
Bible teachers and commentators who take the book literally, not allegorically, believe this “locked garden” represents a sort of separation and privacy regarding the bride herself. This likely refers to her being a virgin on her wedding night. (enduringword.com) As he has done previously, Solomon expresses his admiration for her. Specifically, he is enthralled with her beauty and purity that reminds him of the “choicest fruits and best spices”. (verses 13-14) As his bride, the fact that she had remained sexually pure was deeply attractive to him. Her sexuality was sacred, and as husband and wife, they both recognize this. The Bride both acknowledges her virginity and agrees it is right for him to find pleasure in knowing that. (verse 16) We see a beautiful picture of the bride’s trust in her new husband. She is freely and gladly unlocking herself to him, inviting him into this sacred act of sexual intimacy. As we dig deep into the meaning of these verses, it may appear they are infringing on moments that should be kept between a married couple. This may be the hesitancy among bible scholars to see them as literal. But an honest study of the book renders it difficult to interpret this as anything but a biblical and literal picture of godly love and passion that honors both spouses and God, the creator of sexual intimacy.

Everyday Application

1) What is the setting of this passage and why should we believe it is more than allegorical?
In considering how we apply these verses, I am enlisting Pastor David Guzik’s help. His sermon on chapter 4 is so well stated, I can’t improve on it, “When you think of the many crude terms that men use to refer to women’s body parts, isn’t there something so beautiful and powerful in this poetic, intimate, and dignified way of expressing love. It is a celebration of the strength and purity and goodness of marital love. There’s nothing insecure here … or dirty … or crass about it. There is simply nothing like this in ancient literature.” So, friends, we can celebrate this love story. As women who desire to live with a godly, biblical perspective regarding purity, we need not back away from the passion we read in the Song of Solomon. The poetry in these passages should be seen as sincere devotion and deep affection between man and wife. We can approach this book with the reverence it deserves, and with an understanding of the high value God places on intimate passion in marriage.

2) Why does Solomon refer to his bride as his sister? (verse 12)
There is an interesting parallel in Song of Solomon 8:1 where the bride says to her lover, “If only I could treat you like my brother, one who nursed at my mother’s breast, I would find you in public and kiss you, and no one would scorn me.” This sweet bride craves the freedom to publicly convey her love for her husband. In that day, outward expressions of affection were considered distasteful except for close kin. She wishes for the same opportunity to show her love to her husband as she would to her own brother. Today, there are jokes and memes about PDA (public displays of affection). Sadly, we have become shameless as a society as we have left behind honor for our bodies and brought every lewd display into the public eye. As wives, we would do our marriages a favor by praying for a desire toward our husbands that is appropriately expressed in public. One of the most beautiful displays I see that almost always brings me to tears, is a couple well into their later years, walking along arm in arm or holding hands tightly. Oh, sweet married friends, let’s show our spouses double honor with physical and natural love!

3) What is the meaning of the garden in these verses?
The literal reading of Song of Solomon may be difficult for some women. Maybe you feel it’s an intrusion on what should be a sacred trust between a married couple. Women who strive for holiness are encouraged by the church to be pure and modest in our dress and demeanor. Reading such an explicit passage could possibly leave someone feeling exposed or embarrassed. Sisters, I get it! I have often wondered why God would include in His inspired Word such an intimate exchange between a man and his bride for all to read. If not understood correctly, it may seem that God is advocating for women to be viewed as objects to be displayed like a trophy. Or maybe you are feeling shame because you did not enter marriage as a virgin, and you wonder if your husband can ever see you in the way described in this passage. I plead with you, dear married friend, to keep praying and digging into the difficult passages and find the joy. Pray to the good and gracious Father who desires to reveal to you the garden of God-ordained sexual fulfillment. Allow the Spirit of God to inspire and equip you to experience the holy intimacy He desires in your marriage.

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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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