Busy

The GT Weekend! ~ Training Week 2

Leave a Comment

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) I find that being still is difficult. To me, stillness has the appearance of lazy idleness. When I want to be lazy, it’s easy to be still. When I purposely set aside time to be still and seek the Lord in the quiet, my mind naturally races. The enemy of our souls leverages our easily-distracted-from-God sin nature to draw us away from sitting silently in God’s presence. As Kaitlyn reminded us, being still doesn’t mean emptying our minds. Rather, biblical meditation involves resting in God’s presence. I have a few friends who enjoy walking prayer labyrinths. It keeps them moving forward without the distraction of navigating where they are going. A prayer labyrinth provides a simple path without obstacle for feet, so one’s mind and heart can focus more deeply on prayer and Scripture meditation. Practicing stillness in prayer is important because we become so busy talking to and lamenting to God with our litany of requests we fail to shut off the noise and listen instead. How will you practice biblical meditation this weekend? Try finding a local trail to meander and pray. If weather keeps you inside, light a candle and find a dark place where you can sit and focus on the light while repeating truths about God.

2) Our sin-nature, if not consistently surrendered before the Lord Jesus, will rule over us. (Romans 6:12-14) As people who have been forgiven and turned away from our sin, we are called to offer the whole of our lives to God through the power of His Spirit in us. Often overlooked, but absolutely non-negotiable for a life that brings glory to God, is our willingness to live within biblical community. We were handcrafted by the Triune God to live together in humble unity with other brothers and sisters who have also been forgiven and have the Spirit living within them. Do you belong to a local church? Are you committed to seeing her flourish in your city and reach others with the hope and freedom offered in Jesus? Do you serve alongside other Christians in your church? Reflect on your prayer life and evaluate how frequently you commit dedicated time to interceding for other believers. Take time this weekend to connect with a believing friend and plan time to share coffee or a meal together, then spend the time sharing how God is teaching you and shaping your heart. This rich encouragement of sharing authentic life together is how we build community within Christ’s Body, His Church.

3) I found Sarah’s Journey Study to be a bit quite convicting as the Holy Spirit shone His truth on my heart from Scripture! Consistent Bible-reading and study can seem daunting, but we must remember that the enemy would like nothing better than to derail us in our relationship with Christ by shifting our focus from His Truth. Scripture study is absolutely essential for our spiritual wellbeing. Proverbs 4:20-22 instructs us to heed God’s Word with focused intentionality and purpose. Paul exhorts us to train our minds to meditate on whatsoever is true, honorable, just, and the like! (Philippians 4:8-9) Take up Paul’s challenge this weekend and use his list of wholly good things as the focus point for your thought life. This requires disciplined training! Look up those two verses in Philippians and ponder their meaning for your everyday life. Sometimes, I find myself quick to keep Scripture foremost in my mind, while in other seasons, my lack of disciplined training exposes my eager distraction to focus on what isn’t good, pure or truthful. These seasons consistently produce worry and anxiety. How I respond to life circumstances is directly related to my willingness to practice the discipline of feasting on Scripture!

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 2 Timothy 3:14-17 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you, and you know that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Prayer Journal
Lord, forgive me, create in me a clean heart. (Psalm 51:10) I have become distracted with all the busy of life and closed off my time from You. You desire a deep relationship with me, but I’ve neglected time spent with You by reading and studying Your Word. I confess the times I have only studied your Word when I’ve prepared to teach or write instead of as my guide in all of life. I have neglected to come before You with nothing on my agenda except to listen to You. I know You hold the richest of all joys, stir up in me the desire to be fully present with You in worship and prayer. I know from experience there is nothing as sweetly tender and full of awe as basking in Your presence as Joshua did in the Tent of Meeting. (Exodus 33:11) Teach me to silence my “runaway train” thoughts, my worries, constant to-do list, so I will clearly hear Your still small voice. (1 Kings 19:11-12)

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Ten Day 11 The Deceit Of Not Enough

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 6:25-34
Psalm 27:1-5
1 Peter 5:5-7
Genesis 3:1-6
Exodus 20:15

Ten, Day 11

“What’s in your hand?”, my mom asked as we walked out of the convenience store. I slowly unwrapped my seven-year-old fingers from the small pack of Now and Later candy I had stolen. The pit in my stomach told me I was in trouble and it was only going to get worse.

“You have to take it back and apologize.” My mom held my hand and led me back into the store. We walked up to the counter and I stared at the pickled pig’s feet in the jar on the counter.

“My daughter has something she would like to tell you,” Mom explained to the clerk. I stretched my hand out and dropped the candy on the counter.

“I’m sorry I took these without paying for them.”
I couldn’t make eye contact, I was so embarrassed. Immediately, I headed for the door.

Once we left, my mom explained I had broken one of the Ten Commandments. Stealing was on the same list as murder. I learned a valuable lesson and cemented an aversion both to pickled pig’s feet and stealing that has stuck with me to this day.

I have since realized my desire to take what isn’t mine goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. When the serpent convinced Adam and Eve to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, they were stealing from God.

One of Satan’s most deceptive strategies involves providing a short-term solution giving us something we want or need, but ultimately keeping us from God’s best. 

Though Eve lacked for nothing, Satan enticed her with the forbidden fruit. Just like Adam and Eve, we can be easily convinced God is holding out and we need to meet our own wants or needs.

For many people, our choice to cut corners and take what isn’t ours comes from
a fear God won’t give us what we want,
a sense of entitlement (we deserve what we are taking),
or just plain impatience.

Each of these motivations are based on pride.

Pride means elevating our needs and desires over God and other people.

When we act out of fear, we are choosing to listen to pride’s whispered lie we know more than God and can do a better job providing than He can.

A sense of entitlement elevates our needs and desires over the owner’s rights. Pride tells us our desires are THE MOST important. As Proverbs 16:19 reminds us, “Better to be of lowly spirit with the humble than to divide plunder with the proud.”

Impatience is often rooted in pride and fear, as well. Our pride falsely elevates our ability to know the future, and imposes a man-made deadline on the Creator of the Universe’s capacity to meet our needs. Rather than focusing on God’s unlimited resources and ability, we become focused on our scarce resources and opportunities.

Fear is a weapon Satan often uses to lead us away from God’s best. The best way to fight back is by studying and memorizing Bible verses. God’s Word is a double-edged sword we can use to defeat Satan’s attacks. Dwelling on Scripture builds our faith; faith provides a shield against the fiery arrows Satan uses against us.

At an early age, my mom helped me learn to use this verse to combat fear.
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.”
(2 Timothy 1:7)

This promise breaks through the fear of unmet needs.

“And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

When the future looms ahead, murky in uncertainty, let’s remember:

“Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?” (Matthew 6:25-26)

“The Lord is my light and my salvation
whom should I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
whom should I dread?” (Psalm 27:1)

When pride begins to puff our chests and cloud our vision,
let’s pursue humility with His Word:

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7)

“When arrogance comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom.” (Proverbs 11:2)

Whether we’re tempted to pocket a stolen piece of candy, or steal our future from the hands of our loving Father, we’ve seen how God’s command to refrain from stealing addresses the true condition of our hearts.

And when we struggle with fear of scarcity, impatience, or pride, we can counteract Satan’s assaults with Scripture. When fear strikes, we can ask God to lead us to His truth from Scripture to counteract the lies. Let’s turn our focus to our Heavenly Father as we trust in His deep love, His unbounded resources, and His faithful provision.

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

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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

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

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

The GT Weekend ~Ten Week 2

Leave a Comment

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) Feelings of disappointment and ‘never enough’ can easily seep into our relationship with our earthly parents. Maybe they are, or were, difficult to please. Maybe you never really felt understood, or perhaps there were so many layers of conflict and communication barriers it was difficult to deeply connect. Maybe your parent has passed and you are left with loss, or perhaps even regret. Relationships are messy and complicated, even healthy ones! Even if you enjoy a rich, close connection with your parent, expectations and feelings of being “boxed in” to a previous role, can feel stifling and awkward. While it can seem natural to place these human failings and struggles onto our relationship with God, He is altogether other. Performance demands have no place. Shame is bound up. Love is unleashed in brilliant colors never before experienced! Where have you placed God in the same category as your parents? Take that to Him and ask Him to reveal His Father heart of love to you in new, vibrant ways!

2) Rebekah shared transparently on Wednesday on how easy it is to fall into the trap of working hard to earn God’s favor. We want Him to smile on us. We want His protection, His blessing, and His favor, so we will work to do things to please Him. There is simply nothing we can do to make ourselves more winsome to God! He hand-crafted us to mirror His own image. He already delights over us, and He cannot possible love us deeper than He already does. Because He is infinitely good, kind, faithful, and true, He adamantly will not love us less. Here’s the kicker, this extravagant love of God is not limited to you or me, unbeliever or church-goer. The Lord views each and every life with the same lavish love, utterly regardless of who we are or what we have done. Who is in your life that you have been hard-hearted towards or stingy with your love? Ask the Lord to shift your perspective, instead seeing them as highly valued and adored as a fellow bearer of God’s own image. How can you begin loving them more like Jesus this week?

3) Cheated. Even saying the word riles our hearts and we begin feeling the need to take up arms against someone who wronged our right or privilege. Take cheating within the context of marriage and the hurt sinks deep very quickly. Maybe you’ve experienced what it is to walk through being cheated on, or maybe you’ve been the cheater. Circumstances are complicated, reasons and justifications abound as quickly as the hurt does, and the trail back to where the distrust began is long and usually involves more than one party in the relationship. God didn’t design us for heartbreak. His perfect intention was for us to find delight in another and sink deep into trust as both people love the other unconditionally. Maybe you find your eyeballs rolling into your head at this point because this description feels so unlikely. Remember the heart of this specific commandment is to point towards a God who will absolutely never be unfaithful and will also always love us unconditionally. Focus on investing in the only relationship that will not leave you hungry for more. What can you do to develop your relationship with God more deeply?

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 2 Peter 1:3-4 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire.

Prayer Journal
Father God, I love this passage of Your Word and the truths You speak of here. You have given everything I need for life and godliness simply by leaning deeper and deeper into knowing You! You are unfathomable accessible. Lord, I truly could sit and ponder this extravagant love for the rest of my days and never have plumbed its depths. Your glory and goodness have been made known to me in every moment; You are waiting to be embraced and known more fully by me. Every breath I take is an invitation to know You better! Oh Lord, how distracted I become by focusing on the fleeting things and passions I can see with my eyes or feel in my heart! I will quickly shift my gaze off of You for lesser loves. Yet, Your truth revealed here speaks wonderfully that I do not need to fall prey to these desires to chase the lesser. In You alone is my fullness found. Keep my heart here next to Yours, remind me how sweet Your truth and love are to my soul!

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Neighbor Day 8 Reaching Beyond Isolation

1 Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Luke 10:25-37
Matthew 28:18-20
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Psalm 139:1-6

Neighbor, Day 8

I look out my window and see her walking to her mailbox. I suddenly realize we have now lived in this house, next door to this lady and her family, for a whole year, yet I know very little about her.

I’ve certainly never invited her over for tea or coffee like I intended. All I really know about her is she is a fellow homeschool mom. Embarrassingly, I don’t even know how many children she homeschools.

Perhaps you can relate to this scenario. Sadly, it’s an incredibly common one in our age of isolation and busyness. But common though it may be, it is a far cry from what God intended for us.

From Genesis 2:18, when God first declares it is not good for man to be alone, to Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, which speaks of the sad danger of doing life in isolation, we see God created us as relational humans, designed to do life in community.

Not only that, but a crucial aspect of the Christian life is seeking to fulfill the Great Commission, which centers around relationships and living an invitational, hospitable life.

But we have allowed busyness to creep in.
We have allowed to-do lists, expectations, and goals
to crowd in and crowd out
long teatime chats, visits, hospitality, and potluck dinners with friends and strangers alike.

We may not realize, however, how foundational prayer is to reaching our neighbors with the love, light, and good news of Christ. Scratching tasks off the to-do list, or removing events from our calendars, in an attempt to make space for discipleship is a good first step, but it won’t get the job done. Even purposing to “do better” and be more hospitable in the future leaves us relying on our own efforts.

Instead, effective discipleship is a living, moving partnership with the Father,
and it all starts with prayer.

4 Prayers to Pray As We Seek to Reach Our Neighbors

1. Pray for eyes to see and a heart to care.
We all have neighbors with whom we have barely had a complete conversation, let alone made time to build deep and authentic connections. Often, this stems from a lack of understanding of the huge importance of befriending our neighbors and sharing the love of Christ.

So, let’s pray for understanding hearts, ones who care more deeply for those around us than we do for our own comfort, convenience, or daily agenda. Then, pray for eyes to truly see those around us, eyes not fixed on our own busyness and to-do list, but rather on the people the Lord has placed in our communities. Let’s ask for God’s vision for reaching our neighbors. He will undoubtedly answer our prayers!

2. Pray for opportunities to reach out, and the fortitude and intentionality to follow through.
Once our hearts are in the right place, we can pray for opportunities to build relationships with our neighbors. Those around us are often just as busy as we are, so unless we are praying for open doors and for the will to intentionally take advantage of the opportunities when they do arise, they may just slip by unnoticed. As we work to build trust, our consistency and follow-through are key.

3. Pray for receptive hearts.
We don’t know what our neighbors are currently going through or what their worldview may be, but God does. We can ask His Spirit to touch their hearts and make them receptive not only to our invitations to get together, but also to the words He leads us to speak.

4. Pray for God to speak His powerful, incisive words through us.
Lastly, let’s cover those anticipated conversations in prayer. Let’s ask for His wisdom and discernment to guide our words. Finally, we can seek the Lord’s blessing on our efforts to genuinely connect with, love, and serve our communities.

And then sit back and watch what He does with your willingness to obey and live out His great commission, right where you are, in your very own neighborhood!

It can feel rather uncomfortable to reach out to people we don’t even know. But it is part of our Great Commission from our Lord, and it is worth the awkwardness it may take to get there!

Step out in faith and obedience, and the Lord will do the rest!

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

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Neighbor 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 Neighbor!

The GT Weekend! ~ Relentless Week 2

Leave a Comment

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) “If the Lord is for us, then why has all of this happened to us?!” Gideon’s question hits all of us. If we are willing to be honest, then you know as well as I do, I’ve pleaded with the Lord over this query. I’m challenging you and me to be bold before the Lord and write out what our fill-in-the-blanks are for this question in relation to our own lives. “If the Lord is for me, why did my friend commit suicide? Why is my marriage so difficult? Why am I so weary?” Pray these to the Lord from a place of transparency and seek His solace and His answers over your own. Connect with a trusted, believing, friend in the next few days and share your thoughts, asking her to pray with you.

2)  Amy shared on Wednesday of times she had questioned God’s love for her, run from Him in anger, and have failed to follow Him. Take some time to write down, even if it’s on your phone’s notes, times when you have done the same. There is something powerful that happens in our hearts when we verbalize reality. As you take steps to be transparent with yourself, pray over these and bring them to the Lord. Tell Him honestly what you have questioned, why you were (or are) angry, and why you have run. Pray. Seek His Word, studying it as you pray for His Spirit to free you and show you His relentless love!

3)  We all like winning, don’t we? Reaching the goal, checking off that list, knowing we hit the target square on, we crave that win! Kendra reminded us yesterday that God always wins, meaning that His purposes cannot be thwarted and what He intends to accomplish, He will do. What would it look like if we abandoned our ideas of winning, and instead picked up the Lord’s? What if He became our source for strength and we shifted our eyes to see His win instead of our own? What radical difference might it make if we knew that whenever we aligned ourselves with His ways over ours, we would be assured His victory in His way and in His time?

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 Lamentations 3:22-24 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

22 Because of the Lord’s faithful love
we do not perish,
for his mercies never end.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness!
24 I say, “The Lord is my portion,
therefore I will put my hope in him.”

Prayer Journal
Because of Your love….I am here tonight to praise You, I held my babies tight today, I slept peacefully last night, I saw the sun this morning, and breathed in Your new morning mercies. Because of Your love, gracious, good Father! Your love is better than life itself! (Psalm 63:3) Teach me, on repeat, to view my days and moments and relationships and circumstances through the lens of “because of Your love” just like the psalmist wrote. Teach my lips to sing it, my hands to love with Your love, and my eyes to see with Your love. You alone are my portion, Oh God; how great is Your faithfulness!

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Relentless Day 7 Faith Or Fear: Digging Deeper

Leave a Comment

Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Faith Or Fear?

The Questions

1) How can I wait quietly for the Lord when I am desperate for help?

2) What does it mean that “the Lord is my portion?”

3) Why should God’s love and mercy give me hope?

Lamentations 3:21-26

Yet I call this to mind,
and therefore I have hope:

22 Because of the Lord’s faithful love
we do not perish,
for his mercies never end.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness!
24 I say, “The Lord is my portion,
therefore I will put my hope in him.”

25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
to the person who seeks him.
26 It is good to wait quietly
for salvation from the Lord.

Original Intent

1) How can I wait quietly for the Lord when I am desperate for help?
The original Hebrew title of the book of Lamentations, ekah, means Alas!  But, according to John McArthur, “rabbis began early to call the book “loud cries” or “lamentations.”  The author, Jeremiah, weeps for the calamity that God’s people have brought upon themselves because of their love affair with sin.  Even in this tragic time, though, the Lord brings hope.  Charles Swindoll notes, “at the center of this lament over the effects of sin in the world, sit a few verses devoted to hope in the Lord (Lamentations 3:22–25). This statement of faith standing strong in the midst of surrounding darkness shines as a beacon to all those suffering under the consequences of their own sin and disobedience.”  Jeremiah determines to wait quietly for the Lord’s salvation.  According to Ellicott’s Commentary, waiting quietly means “wait in silence: i.e. abstain from murmurs and complaints.”  Jeremiah understands that waiting on God without complaining brings him closer to His rescue.  Matthew Henry notes that quietly waiting is “not quarrelling with God nor making ourselves uneasy, but acquiescing in the divine disposals.”  Quietly waiting on God is yielding to His will and trusting He is in control, even when we don’t understand His plans. It is only possible if we love and trust God and acknowledge that His plans for us are for our good, even if it’s a “good” we don’t yet understand. God told Israel in Jeremiah 29:11 that His plans for them included a hope and a future.  Likewise, He promises us in Romans 8:28 that He is working all things out for our good. God promises He has destined true believers for eternal salvation and not for wrath in 1 Thessalonians 5:8-10. We can wait quietly for God’s help, even when we are in distress, because we trust His plan for us.

2) What does it mean that “the Lord is my portion?”
The book of Lamentations was written by the prophet Jeremiah at a time when the great city of Jerusalem was devastated by the Babylonian invasion of 586 B.C.  The book is full of Jeremiah’s descriptions of the pain and desolation around him, but it also contains the hope Jeremiah finds in God. That hope was found in Jeremiah recognizing God as his portion and satisfaction. Author David Guzik points out, “Jeremiah found the key to satisfaction—finding one’s portion in the LORD. Whatever measure he was to receive, whatever inheritance, whatever future, it would all be found in Yahweh.” Having the Lord as our portion means recognizing God as our ultimate source for every need. Bible commentator John Gill says this about the Lord as our portion: ”All he [God] is, and has, is theirs; they are heirs of him, and shall enjoy him forever, and therefore shall not be consumed; he is a portion large and full, inexpressibly rich and great, a soul satisfying one, and will last forever.” Matthew Henry, another theologian, states, “It is our duty to make God the portion of our souls, and then to make use of him as our portion and to take the comfort of it in the midst of our lamentations.” Recognizing the Lord as our portion is important if we are to make it through hardships in life.  With the Lord as our portion, we can always find comfort and hope.

3) Why should God’s love and mercy give me hope?
Some scholars find in the Jeremiah of Lamentations a picture of Christ.  Author Ray Stedman notes, “As you read through this book, you will find many foreshadowings of our Lord weeping over the city of Jerusalem.”   Author John J. Parsons points out that “in many profound ways, Jeremiah pre-figured the prophetic ministry of Yeshua (Jesus).”  Jeremiah also prophesies and previews some of Christ’s main teachings, including salvation and our hope in His unfailing love and endless mercy.  Jeremiah reminds himself that the Lord is always loving and always merciful, which gives him hope knowing God would be with him and help him in the terrible situation the Jewish people were in after the Babylonian invasion and destruction of Jerusalem.  Jeremiah also prophesies about Jesus’ coming, when God will make a new covenant with His people.  God will forgive their sins and write His law in their hearts (Jeremiah 31:31-34).  Author Tim Mackie asserts that Jesus’s life and death announced “the dawn of Jeremiah’s “new covenant.” Jesus would die for the sins of his own people, and simultaneously bring about that great act of forgiveness anticipated by Jeremiah.”  How amazing to see God’s plan for a Savior revealed to His people to give them hope even in their darkest days.  His love and mercy are truly remarkable!

Everyday Application

1) How can I wait quietly for the Lord when I am desperate for help?
Several years ago, I experienced unexplained vertigo.  I was anxious, wondering how I would care for my family if I couldn’t even stand without the room spinning.  I needed to get better fast, not wait on the Lord.  Yet waiting is what Jeremiah recommends in Lamentations 3:26 where he proclaims, “It is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.” Waiting did not seem good to me. But since I was dizzy just lying in bed, there wasn’t much else to do but call on God and wait for His intervention.  I began to understand Andrew Murray’s assertion that God “will never disappoint us.  In waiting on Him we shall find rest and joy and strength, and the supply of every need.”  Quietly waiting on God helped me determine that a prescribed medication was the cause of my vertigo, and I quickly improved.  But waiting on God also taught me I can trust Him with everything.  God showed me that is purpose in the waiting.  Andrew Murray says, “The waiting is to teach us our absolute dependence on God’s mighty working, and to make us in perfect patience place ourselves at His disposal.”  While I waited, my panic abated, and I recognized God was in control and watching over me.  It is not easy to wait when we want the answer NOW, but sometimes it is part of God’s plan.  In Psalm 33:20, David resolves to “wait for the Lord; He is our help and shield.”  In Micah 7:7, Micah vows he “will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.”  Once I calmed down and waited patiently for the Lord, He came to my rescue and became my Refuge.

2) What does it mean that “the Lord is my portion?”
I grew up spending summers with my sister and seven cousins at my grandma’s house.  We had lots of fun, but there were inevitable squabbles, usually over who got to drink out of the favorite green cup or who got the biggest slice of apple pie.  We each wanted ours to be the biggest and the best.  I think of that mindset when I consider the idea of the Lord as my portion.  If I want the best for my life, it is most definitely found in the Lord.  Charles Spurgeon called God’s portion the “infinite possession.”  He said, “It is better to have our good God than all the goods in the world: it is better to have God for our all than to have all and be without him.”  To have the Lord as my portion is to have the hope of eternal salvation and the hope of present refuge in God (Psalm 142:5).  To have the Lord as my portion is to have blessings found only in Christ and hope for an eternal future (Psalm 16:5). When I have God, even when I am weak, He makes me strong (Psalm 73:26). When you accept the Lord Jesus as your Savior from your sin, He becomes your portion.  He takes all of you and gives you all of Him; a trade that works infinitely in your favor!  When God is the Lord of your life, He promises to “supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).  In Matthew 7:8, God promises “everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”  To have the Lord as your portion is to have all that you need . . . the infinite possession indeed!

3) Why should God’s love and mercy give me hope?
In Lamentations 3:21-22, Jeremiah says he has reason to hope because he is reminded of God’s faithful love and his never ending mercies.  We can find hope in God’s love and mercy, too.  Ephesians 2:4-5 tells us, “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!”  God, through His grace, extends salvation to us through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus, who took our sins on the cross so we could be forgiven and have eternal life if we believe in Him.  When we have Christ in our lives, we have great hope.  1 Peter 1:3 tells us God has caused us to be “born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”  We have the hope of life eternal with Jesus, but we also have the hope of friendship with God while we are living this life here on earth.  Jesus tells us in John 15:14-15, “You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father.”  This communion with God is a wonderful way God provides hope to His children!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Faith Or Fear?

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 Relentless 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.

Relentless Day 5 A Blessing Removed

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Judges 6:1-7
Psalm 46
Matthew 5:1-12
Genesis 2
Genesis 3

Relentless, Day 5

The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord,
and the Lord gave them into the hand of Midian seven years.
And the hand of Midian overpowered Israel… (Judges 6:1-2)

Israel had been brought into the Promised Land. The place of refuge and bounty promised for centuries to Israel as their inheritance from the Lord.
Yet, here they were, oppressed by their enemies and starving for food.
Enemies they had been told would be given into their hand.

Once they had enjoyed abundance, now they lived in fear, and turned over whatever meager food they managed to grow to their oppressors.
But wasn’t this the Promised Land?
Where was the Promise?

What they, (and if we’re honest…we…) missed was the blessing.
Abundance. Wealth. Plenty of food. Fine houses. Peace from their enemies.
These were not the blessing.
But Israel had her eyes set on the gift rather than the giver.

Adam & Eve had it all.
A luxurious garden, perfect happiness, meaningful work, and satisfying relationships.
All without……
stress or conflict or hurt feelings or anger or brokenness.

But their exit scene consisted of flaming swords waving back and forth by two militant angels, preventing any future return and signaling a permanent, irreparable rift between Adam and Eve and……happiness.

Ever since the Garden drama, we (as in, all of humanity) have been busily attempting to recover this deeply tragic loss of happiness.

Peace.
Health.
Plenty of money.
Deep, meaningful friendships.
Lasting marriages.
Satisfying relationships.
Laughter.
Significance in work.
Being valued.
Having purpose.
Happiness

Why don’t we experience it in ongoing, continuous fashion?
Why is happiness so elusive?
Why does emptiness set in so quickly?
Where’s the Promised Land?
Why the flaming swords barring our return?
Doesn’t God want us to be happy?

Instead of fullness and rich satisfaction, we experience sibling rivalry, an unfaithful spouse, news of tragic death, depression, mental illness, destructive weather patterns, and deadly disease.

If we were made to deeply enjoy as Adam and Eve once did,
why would God remove the blessing?

Because the blessing is found only in one root: the triune God Almighty.

In the beginning, Adam and Eve enjoyed the pleasures around them
because they were already enjoying the greatest Pleasure: God Himself.

Flaming swords blocked the re-entry to happiness because God was honoring our choice to look beyond Himself for total delight.

He knew we wouldn’t find it.
He knew we would be replacing sheer pleasure with utter brokenness.
But because He loves us well, He allowed us to choose.
And we chose us.

BUT HE CHOSE US

So He pursued, right beside us, never forsaking, with hand outstretched as we walked through loneliness, painful wounds, tragic loss, endless sadness, weariness, and massive burdens we were never intended to bear. He stayed. He pursued.
While we kept looking for happiness.

As one blessing was removed after another for Israel, the Lord kept whittling down the pleasures they could see with their eyes and experience with their flesh, in order for them to finally see what they had been missing all along: God Almighty.

The Lord ached handing over Israel to their enemies.
The Lord grieved in sending Adam and Eve from the Garden.
The Lord mourned as He watched His beloved ones choose lesser loves again and again and yet again.

And His heart breaks when we do the same….
A baby to help fix our marriage.
An abortion to help fix my life.
Extra hours to help my bank account.
Another job to give my kids more gifts.
More food to fill my cravings.

Another cut in my flesh to make me feel something, anything.
More time at the gym as I obsess over my body.
More of this, more of that, and the chase for happiness continues
without ever quite grasping it.

All the while, True Delight is waiting for our eyes to adjust and finally see Him as He is:
The Blessing

There exists nothing beyond God Himself that will satisfy.
No riches.
No house.
No well-manicured lawn.
No perfectly shaped body.
No precious child.
No loving spouse.
No thing.
No one.
None is better or fuller or richer or deeper than God Almighty Himself.

We read Judges and we see Israel’s punishment.
We see a blessing removed.
We see a promise withheld.
But what we miss is the God who wanted Israel to see that HE was the blessed gift.

Look around, lovely friend.
See those blessings removed?
See that emptiness lying there?
See the frustration that grates against your soul?
See the wounds which tear your heart?
Yes, yes, we see those.
But do you see the truest Gift who waits for your return?

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 Relentless 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 Relentless!

Focus Day 3 Wisdom’s Way

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalms 119:140-145
Proverbs 21:19-23
Isaiah 32:17-20
Ephesians 6:10-17
James 1:19-27

Focus, Day 3

“Stop shouting at each other RIGHT this MINUTE!”
The words forced their way across my lips, piercing the air over our dining room table before I even realized I was shouting. Three sets of wide eyes stared at me, and one toddler mouth hung open in surprise.

I expelled the mouthful of air I didn’t realize I’d been holding in one great whoosh.
Perfect, I thought. I did it, AGAIN. Shouting at your children to stop them from shouting at each other…way to effectively parent. Lord, HELP. My spirit is willing, but my flesh is weak.

Have you been there, Love?
You try to juggle all the balls, and somehow you are almost completely unaware of how stressed you feel until the very moment your angry outburst bubbles up and over to scald the nearest person. Adding insult to injury? The person (or in my case, little persons) you scald, has absolutely nothing to do with whatever is your breaking point.
Oh, how the instant regret cuts deep.
And often, Regret is accompanied by her hovering little sister, Shame.

There’s an old saying, “There’s nothing new under the sun”, which is entirely true for the history of humans who struggle to refrain from angry outbursts. We can trace all the way back to the first set of brothers, Cain and Abel, and find the bitter, dangerous fruit that grows from unchecked anger.

In the New Testament, James provides sound advice for believers, gently admonishing us to both hear the Word (Scripture) and obey it. Isn’t it fascinating that as he expounds on this topic, his first instruction is:

“This you know, my brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” James 1:19b-20 NASB

Everyone who has ever lashed out in the heat of the moment knows that when anger begins rising, quelling it is incredibly difficult. Here’s where James’ divinely dictated instruction truly shines. We are challenged to do two things before we even reach his instruction to be slow to anger.

First, we are to be quick to hear.
James doesn’t mean merely listening to spoken words. He means listening with understanding of another’s heart behind their words, but James is also calling us to keep an ear tuned to Holy Spirit’s voice. What is God speaking to us in that very moment when what is happening in the natural, as well as what is happening in the spiritual, verges on angry explosions.

When we begin living and responding from a position of listening first to Holy Spirit’s truth, we will naturally follow the second instruction from James and find ourselves slow to speak. As we slow, we process what we see with our eyes and hear with our ears, as well as listen attentively to what Holy Spirit is showing us. As we test everything we think against Scripture, this slowing down practice will result in new pathways as our thought patterns shift to become more like the Lord’s.

As we continue through James’s instructions, a constant theme begins emerging:
we are called to more than knowledge; we are called to obedience.

For the people in the back, I’ll say it again.

Sister, we are called to more than knowledge.
Every one of us is called to obey.

We are called to hear what the Bible says, and then called to action.
We are called to humbly receive the Word, and then allow transformation to happen.
We are called to gaze at the perfect law of freedom, and then called to persevere in it.
We are called to stay in living relationship with the Lord, and remain unstained by sin.
We are called to recognize position, and then called to honor all.

So, how do we go about doing these actions which are counter-culture, stretching, and one hundred percent opposite of what we might naturally strive to attain. Further, we are talking about a shift in heart posture here.
This is not something we are capable of manufacturing on our own.

Proverbs 2 gives us rock-solid wise counsel that goes hand in hand with James’ words. When we accept and study Scripture, meditate on the Lord’s instructions and allow them to sink deep into our souls, the Lord responds with favor.
When we ask the Lord to speak; He will reveal Himself through the Bible.
Then, we listen.
We press in and place value on the wisdom He freely gives.
As we turn our hearts toward Him, Scripture says He draws near to us, protecting us and blessing us with wisdom, knowledge, discretion, and understanding.
He will guard us from paths leading to destruction and danger by setting our feet on Wisdom’s Way.

You might be thinking, “This all sounds great in theory…but if I were honest, the truth is I simply do not desire to study Scripture. I try. I read it. I want to know what it’s like to long to soak in it, to hear directly from Him. But He’s just not speaking to me.”

Sweet sister-friend. I’ve felt the same.
Can I encourage you to do something different today?
Something that might feel outside your comfort zone?
First, carve out a few moments and find a quiet space.
Talk to the Lord. Have a real conversation with Him.
Tell Him where you are and ask Him to help you, then trust He is faithful and will respond to His beloved daughter!

Lord, thank You for Your Word that brings life and light. Thank you for giving us a way we can hear directly from You. Forgive me for the times when I have not valued Your instruction. Father, I want to hunger for your Word; I want to be the kind of daughter who is transformed when I hear You speak. Show me any areas of my heart and life that aren’t in alignment with Your heart. I yield every part of my life, time, and schedule to You.
Teach me to be more like You.
In Jesus’s Name, amen.

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

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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

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

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

Sketched V Day 5 Saul, All Of Us

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Galatians 5:16-25
Psalm 62:5-8
Luke 10:38-42
Matthew 11:28-30

Sketched V, Day 5

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, and self-control.”
I remember when my life didn’t reflect these words I’d penned through the Holy Spirit’s power.
I was so devoted to the law I missed it’s point.
I missed Jesus.
I chased everything except Christ.
Though He came to save me from working to achieve righteousness,
I savagely continued insisting on preserving the law in me.
Futile though it was.
How hard I worked! Yet how great the price!
How grateful I am for that blessed day Jesus met me on the road to Damascus as His grace arrested me! A grace so great, it freed me to walk in step with His Spirit, unleashing me forever from the heavy chains of performance and not enough.
I am Paul, freed to live by the Spirit.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, and self-control.”
As I shared these words with the congregation this morning, I remembered the past week and its obligations. It was packed with meetings, counseling appointments, decisions, and of course, sermon preparation. I moved as if on autopilot.
Regrettably, I wonder how many times I overlooked the opportunity to show kindness or love.  I know my family would say I’ve been more impatient, but they know I’m busy, it’s simply the reality of being a pastor.
I know I didn’t spend the time I normally do on the sermon, praying through each word, asking for a fresh perspective from the Spirit and letting my words be His.
Will He still do His work without my strivings?
I am thankful for the gift of speaking and the calling of my job,
but the cost is too great to do this without Jesus.
These words from the Lord are vitally important. I will choose to rest in the fresh word He has for me daily.
I’m your pastor, freed to live by the Spirit.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, and self-control.”
When I read these words today, I can’t help but reflect upon my actions the last few days realizing how little they describe me.  I have looked forward to the opportunity to share God’s word with others, but with a deadline looming, I’ve felt less inspired and more stressed, impatient and insecure.
I’ve shown irritability toward my family and neglected precious time with Jesus
in order to “get things done”.
How subtle the shift has been from Christ’s righteousness to self-reliance!
How easy it would be to begin writing without asking for guidance from Jesus as I share His grace with others who need Him as well.
I wrote this Journey Study; I’m Stacy, freed to walk in the Spirit.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, and self-control.”
As I am confronted with these words, I don’t recognize the person I’ve become.
If I’m honest, I’m bitter, angry, selfish and sad.
Every day is a flurry of activity as I get the kids up and fed, off to school and then attend to the needs of the little ones. Lunch, naps, housework, planning dinner and grocery trips, keeping up with the ever-changing demands of raising kids, and striving to be the best wife possible. Date nights, family Bible studies, teachable moments, small group, church responsibilities, my list goes on.
I see other moms thriving, or so it seems from their social media accounts.
How do they have happy kids and husbands, clean homes, and deep spiritual lives
when I feel like I’m drowning?
I miss the days when I could spend long periods of time in God’s Word.
There is so much to do now, I don’t always make the time.
When I do steal a few moments away with the Lord, my mind is always elsewhere and guilt is everywhere. I must get everything done, but at what cost?
My kids hear me speak of Jesus, but my tone doesn’t always reflect His peace.
These words invite me to a different pace. How I need to be reminded to keep in step with the Spirit and not my own frenzy!
I’m the mom you see in the car line, freed to walk in the Spirit.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, and self-control.”
Hearing the pastor share these words this morning, I notice how “accomplishing”, “striving”, and “doing” aren’t included.
Oh, neither is “exhausted”, which is my personal definition of life.
The kids are gone, but life never slowed down.
After all, they still have needs such as babysitting, and I love spending time with those precious grandbabies! There are so many volunteer needs at church or lonely friends, it seems I can never do enough.
At home the needs of my husband are greater after his injury. Taking a part-time job became a necessity to help with bills. I know I need to spend more time personally with Jesus, but He has called me to take care of the ones I love.
What if these words are calling me, inviting me, to spend time in a way that won’t leave me empty. What if learning the rhythm of the Savior is the answer to walking in peace?
I’m the grandma down the street from you, freed to walk in the Spirit.

~~

Dear friends, it’s so easy as capable, busy women to speed through our days “doing all the things” we feel we must without acknowledging our necessity for Jesus.
As in Mary & Martha’s case,
dinner does need to get on the table,
but Jesus commended Mary for choosing the better thing.

Jesus invites us to sit at His feet, learning from Him as we center our lives around dwelling with Him. Here, in this sweet spot, “all the things” fall into a more pleasant pattern and our souls are lightened instead of burdened.
They key isn’t in what we do or don’t do, it’s found in the fuel we do it by.
The more time we spend in the presence of our Father,
the more we will exude His fruit and find His peace.
Come, Daughter, become freed to walk in the Spirit.

His invitation awaits our acceptance….
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take up My yoke and learn from Me,
because I am lowly and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30

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!

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

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Sketched V 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 Sketched V