Gracefully Truthful
  • Register!
    • GT Journey Groups
  • Today’s Journey
  • Previous Journeys
  • Faces of Grace
  • GT Bookstore
  • Our Mission
    • Our Beliefs
    • GT Partners
      • Audra
      • Dee
      • Donna
      • Merry
      • Michelle
      • Rebecca
      • Sarah
      • Sara Melissa
    • Translations Matter

Desperate

Reveal day 13 We Have This Hope

December 23, 2020 by Carol Graft Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 71
Psalm 130
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
1 Peter 1:3-7

Reveal, Day 13

Wars and rumors of wars . . . that is our life these days. One king after another has slaughtered us, starved us, kept us in confusion, unsure of the truth. Unsure of whom to trust.

At a loss, I try to remember the reassurances of my grandmother. “Remember Yahweh’s words,” she would say. “Listen for the prophets.”

But even Grandmother knew the prophets were long dead.

Their words of promise, of hope, are a distant, fading memory. A King to save us? That’s what they all say. Hundreds of years later, there is still no salvation from the bare existence we scratch out day . . . after day . . . after day.

They used to talk about David’s line, his descendants. From his family would come a new King, a Messiah. Ha! David’s line has not been seated on the throne for generations.

What good is Yahweh’s word when it simply isn’t?

It seems no one mentions Yahweh anymore. Not even a whisper.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My father has taken to reading the Torah and the writings of David again. Pulling dusty scrolls from forgotten back shelves, he reads aloud Psalm 130 and Psalm 131.

Hope.
Yahweh.
“Wait on the Lord.”
I can’t see it. But if it makes him feel better, I will listen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tikvah. HOPE. Why are people suddenly talking about this?
Today at the well, one woman was even singing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AND THEN IN THE HEAVENLIES —

“Now. It’s time.”

To the Earth below, there appeared a star, shining brighter than all others in the sky, and the sound of a baby’s first breath.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have you ever had a falling out with someone and not heard from her again?

I’ve been there.

What if you relied on someone to coach you, to give you good counsel, warn you of unwise plans on your part . . . but then suddenly she drops out of touch, just stops communicating with you?

How do you sit with that silence?

Israel sat in silence for 400 years. Generation after generation. An entire nation depended on hearing God’s voice, either directly or more typically, through His prophets, those He called to be His mouthpiece. Whether the prophets delivered words of encouragement and salvation, or chastisement and judgment, at least Israel heard from God.

But then came those 400 years of silence. As if Jehovah, God, locked tight the door of heaven. Silent.

It wasn’t as if they experienced 400 years of prosperity, of great economic growth and health, and stopped pursuing Him. No, they still had their cycles of corrupt governments, of wars, of pestilence.

Of hopelessness.

Maybe after so long without hearing from God, they simply gave up.

After being invaded and taken over by the world power of Rome and living under strict authoritarian rule, they wanted rescue. They wanted to hope in a King, a ruler who would come in like a warrior, defeat the Roman tyrannical rule, and bring prosperity and safety.

Have you ever felt that hopeless, that desperate?
Have you ever felt like God has left you, or you wonder if He was even there at all?

Even in the desperation, the questions, the loneliness, we can have hope.

We have hope in Christ, our God-made-flesh Who came to Earth and was born of a virgin.

Fast forward 30 years. Messiah begins His ministry of Hope. Not as the warrior or ruler Israel thought they wanted, but as a Savior, a Rescuer, and the Hope they needed.

He promised life abundant and life everlasting.
But like Israel, when we are in a hopeless situation, we can’t always see His promises.
We know we want out and want out now.
We want the answer to our hopelessness to be tangible. But it isn’t always.

Having faith in God, putting our hope in Jesus Christ, means trusting in the intangible. (Romans 8:24-25)

And yet, that intangible Hope is a very real anchor for our souls. (Hebrews 6:19)

We no longer need to strive within ourselves. We are free to admit we need something beyond ourselves; we need a Savior.

And so, our GOD OF HOPE gave of His very self to meet our desperate need. Jesus, the same babe born that first Christmas night in a Bethlehem cave, is our Hope. The God-man who gave His life on the cross, was buried, and rose again so we would be free and have eternal life is our living, breathing Hope.

He is your Hope. You only have to ask, to surrender yourself, your needs, and your heart to Him. Our journey in this life will still have challenges and struggles and hardship and hurt, but the One who sustains and controls everything in the Universe can and will be by our side through it all. (John 16:33)

Jesus Christ, our living hope. (1 Peter 1:3-9)

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 Reveal 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 Reveal!

Posted in: Christ, Desperate, Faith, God, Hope, Jesus, Journey, Need, Promises, Reveal, Salvation, Waiting Tagged: God's Voice, Hopelessness, Jehovah, King, living hope, Messiah, Prophets, Remember, rescuer, Savior, silence, Star, Yahweh

Redeemed Day 1 Once Upon A Time

June 22, 2020 by Sara Colquhoun 4 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Ruth 1:1-5
Judges 2:16-23
Isaiah 43:1-7

Redeemed, Day 1

My first wedding anniversary was nothing like I expected.

Just 365 days prior, I was running to my car with sparklers all around, looking forward to the rest of my life with my beloved.

Fast forward a year, my husband and I went out to dinner and headed back to our new home . . . my parents’ house.

You see, the first six months of marriage were great. We were living on our own, taking weekend getaway trips, and learning more about each other.

But then, we hit bumps.

We got pregnant, and at twelve weeks, lost our first baby.

Then, my husband got hurt on the job, causing him to be out of work and both of us to rely on my income alone. We learned he needed surgery, which would further delay his return to work.

Our plans for moving to a condo closer to the city disappeared just as fast as they’d come, and before I knew it, I was crying on the phone with my mom and dad, asking if we could put our stuff in storage and move in with them. It was all we could afford.

I don’t know about your marriage preparations, but we did not cover this scenario in premarital counseling. “What to do if you have to move back home” was not one of the weekly sessions.

Yet there we were.

Our happily ever after went from bliss to desperation in a heartbeat. 

We went from independence
to living with my parents,
my brother,
my sister,
my brother-in-law,
my niece,
and three dogs.
Talk about a full house. 

Our newly-tested faith was still in the wrestling stage as we dealt with the loss of our baby and mourned the life we’d imagined.

We were lost.

I wish I could tell you everything got better quickly, but this is a place of gracious truth.

We got pregnant later that summer and, after six weeks of hospitalized bed rest, we were blessed with our daughter. We brought her home to my parents’, and were able to move out a few months later. Hope began flickering to life as circumstances improved.

But darkness invaded the fledgling light as our marriage took a turn for the worse. I became afraid that redemption of our love and future might never take place. What should have been a joyous time with our newborn daughter was tainted with death and depression.

Death of what my marriage was supposed to be.
Overwhelming depression as I tried to pick up pieces of our very broken home.

My life was not supposed to be like this.

And neither was Naomi’s.

You see, once upon a time, Naomi had it all.
She was married and had two sons approaching adulthood.
I can imagine at this point in her life, she looked forward to her sons’ marriages and grandchildren in the near future.

But one day, her husband died.
And years later, her sons died, too.

From full house to empty within a decade.

Naomi’s story is touched with death and depression.
So much like my own story . . . and perhaps yours, as well?

Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, had moved their family to Moab during years of famine in Israel. What they believed was the right choice to provide for their family ended up being a death sentence.

Dreams of being a grandma, gone.
Dreams of growing old with her love, gone.
Dreams of having her family together, gone.
Dreams of financial security, gone.

Naomi’s life, on paper, was ruined.

She was a widow, beyond childbearing years, and most likely could not perform the physical labor necessary to provide for herself and her surviving daughters-in-law.

Her story could have stopped here. She could have stayed in Moab, empty, and waited to die.

But God.
God was moving in the heart of Ruth, Naomi’s daughter-in-law.
And did I mention Boaz? He will be joining us soon.
Finally, while Naomi couldn’t perceive it, He was continuing to work out His plan for the redemption of all mankind through the life of one frail, hurting, dejected woman.

What could have been the end was only the beginning.

As we journey through the book of Ruth, I want to encourage you. Just like Naomi, my story did not just stop. 

When your world is all hurt and emptiness and death and depression, your story does not just stop.

The redemption woven into my personal years of famine would take hours to tell. There is life, love, joy, and a testimony that could only come from God Himself. My husband and I, with Christ in our midst, are walking forward with true freedom and joy at the way He’s written our story, and this summer we are celebrating six years of marriage.

I encourage you to dig into this Journey Theme over the next three weeks.
Naomi and Ruth’s story is only the beginning.
Let’s see how our redeeming God is at work in their lives, and in our own.

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 Redeemed 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 Redeemed!

Posted in: Desperate, Freedom, God, Hope, Joy, Lost, Love, Redeemed, Redemption, Truth Tagged: But God, gracious, Heartbreak, Naomi, Once Upon A Time, Ruth

Worship VI Streams In The Wilderness: Digging Deeper

November 28, 2019 by Rachel Jones 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 Streams In The Wilderness!

The Questions

1) What does it mean to be “brought up from Sheol” or spared from “the Pit?”

2) What should our response be to the Lord’s rescue?

3) What is the favor of the Lord?

Psalm 30:1-12

I will exalt you, Lord, because you have lifted me up and have not allowed my enemies to triumph over me.
2 Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you healed me.
3 Lord, you brought me up from Sheol; you spared me from among those going down to the Pit.

4 Sing to the Lord, you his faithful ones, and praise his holy name.
5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor, a lifetime. Weeping may stay overnight, but there is joy in the morning.

6 When I was secure, I said, “I will never be shaken.”
7 Lord, when you showed your favor, you made me stand like a strong mountain; when you hid your face, I was terrified.
8 Lord, I called to you; I sought favor from my Lord:
9 “What gain is there in my death, if I go down to the Pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your truth?
10 Lord, listen and be gracious to me; Lord, be my helper.”

11 You turned my lament into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
12 so that I can sing to you and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.

Original Intent

1) What does it mean to be “brought up from Sheol” or spared from “the Pit?”
According to Albert Barnes, the word Sheol means grave or “the region of the dead; the underworld which is entered through the grave.”  King David uses this word in Psalm 30:3 when he sings, “Lord, you brought me up from Sheol; you spared me from among those going down to the Pit.” Albert Barnes also notes the “word pit here means the same as the grave.”  David rejoices that God delivered him from Sheol and the Pit.  Author David Guzik points out, “we don’t know if David here described what we might call a near-death experience or if it would be more like a narrow escape from death. Either way, in his life as a soldier and leader, he had more than one time when death was near, and God rescued his soul from death.”  David makes sure to memorialize the Lord’s goodness to him in a song which is sung at the dedication of his palace (Enduring Word Bible Commentary) He had been delivered from the jaws of death, and he wanted to “Sing to the Lord!” (Psalm 30:4)

2) What should our response be to the Lord’s rescue?
In Psalm 30:1, David extols the Lord for lifting him up and rescuing him from his enemies.  Author Samuel Chandler points out that the Hebrew verb, dalah, “is used in its original meaning, to denote the reciprocating motion of the buckets of a well; one descending as the other rises, and vice versa; and it is here applied, with admirable propriety, to point out the various reciprocations and changes of David’s fortunes, as described in this psalm. . .”  Indeed, David does describe many other times the Lord has rescued him in Psalm 30.  In verse 2, David says he called out to God for help and He healed him.  In Psalm 30:3, David says the Lord brought him up from Sheol and spared him from the Pit.  In Psalm 30:11, David notes how God turned his mourning into dancing.  Each time that God provides rescue, David has the same response.  He praises God and gives Him the glory.  Throughout Psalm 30, David exalts the Lord, sings to the Lord, praises His name, vows to sing and not be silent, and to praise the Lord forever.  Author David Guzik points out that David praises the Lord because “He knew his security and status were the work of God. It wasn’t as if God did it all as David sat passively; he was a man of energy and action. Nevertheless, it was God’s work far more than his own.”  David Guzik further argues that “God worked in David’s life so He would bring Himself glory and appropriate praise. Though it clearly benefited David, it was primarily for God’s own glory He did this.”  Whenever God rescued David from trouble, David responded with praise so God would get the glory.

3) What is the favor of the Lord?
One Messianic Jewish author explains how the “word favor in Hebrew is hen. . . It comes from the word to pardon: l’hon. When you hen someone, you grant favor to a prisoner and cancel his punishment.” According to Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, favor “means gaining approval, acceptance, or special benefits or blessings. There is also a close association among favor, grace, and mercy, which are sometimes used to translate the same Hebrew and Greek words (such as hen and charis.”)  In Psalm 30:5, King David speaks about the favor of the Lord when he writes, “For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor, a lifetime.” David suggests that God’s favor is God’s pleasure, or the opposite of God’s anger.  David also discusses God’s favor when he writes in Psalm 30:7, “Lord, when you showed your favor, you made me stand like a strong mountain; when you hid your face, I was terrified”.  Here, David asserts that God’s favor brings strength and the opposite of favor is God hiding his face. The good news according to Ron Cantor is, “the instant you put your faith in Yeshua, God turned His face towards you. You found favor in His eyes.” Having God’s favor, or His acceptance and blessings, is a gift granted only to those who trust in the Lord.

Everyday Application

1) What does it mean to be “brought up from Sheol” or spared from “the Pit?”
I love the song “Still Rolling Stones” by Lauren Daigle.  In this song, she expresses what the psalmist, David, proclaimed in Psalm 30:3.  He sang, “Lord, you brought me up from Sheol; you spared me from among those going down to the Pit.”  Lauren Daigle sings it this way:

Out of the shadows
Bound for the gallows
A dead man walking
Till love came calling. . .

Six feet under
I thought it was over
An answer to prayer
The voice of a Savior

I cannot express it musically, or even lyrically, but I have felt that same joy and relief at being rescued by my Savior when I was as good as dead.  Before I trusted in Jesus as my Savior, my sins were leading me to the grave, as everyone’s sins do (Romans 6:23) By the grace of God, I have not been a “dead man walking” for over 40 years now!  Some days are easy; many are not, but each day is filled with God’s grace and love and the joy of living a life redeemed by the blood of Jesus.  That freedom in Christ is something to sing about!

2) What should our response be to the Lord’s rescue?
Asking for help is hard for me.  Unless it is reading a map or reaching something up high, I usually muster what’s needed to get the job done.  But sometimes (usually when I find myself in a real mess), I cry out for God’s help.  Without His intervention and deliverance, I would be headed for the Pit like David in Psalm 30:3. God always comes to my rescue. Kyle Idleman tells us the Psalms “reference God as a rescuer about thirty times!“  Psalm 34:19 declares, “One who is righteous has many adversities, but the Lord rescues him from them all.”  Sometimes God swoops in and delivers me.  Sometimes He sits with me as I deal with the fallout of my actions.  Sometimes He holds me while the storm rages, but He always takes my pain and problems and works them out for my good. (Romans 8:28) However He chooses to help me, my response is to praise Him and give Him glory. Psalm 40:2-3 says, “He brought me up from a desolate pit, out of the muddy clay, and set my feet on a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and they will trust in the Lord.” After David’s deliverance, the Lord put a song of praise in his mouth.  David even used praise as an argument in favor of protecting his life: “What gain is there in my death, if I go down to the Pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your truth?” (Psalm 30:9) David knew one reason the Lord rescues is so we will give Him glory and draw others to also find their rescue in the Lord. So, if you are in need of rescue today, know that God is a gracious and loving Savior. His sacrifice of love is the ultimate rescue from death, and His ongoing love provides daily deliverance.  Rejoice with me today that God provides rescue!

3) What is the favor of the Lord?
When I was in 3rd grade, we had a new student several weeks into the first quarter.   The little girl had been in the middle of an art project at her old school, and she brought it with her to work on.  My teacher was kind, but she was also strict and no-nonsense, so I was shocked she let the girl work on the project during class time.  When something went wrong with her creation and the girl burst into tears, I expected the teacher to demand she pull it together and act like a 3rd grader, not a kindergartener.  But she just put her arm around the girl, spoke reassuringly, and let her go to the nurse’s office to get a drink and calm down.  I have always remembered the care and grace the teacher took with this nervous, scared girl.  Her kindness was the key to that girl settling in to our class.  This is how I picture the favor of God in my life.  When I least expect it or deserve it, God pours out His favor on me, wrapping me in His acceptance and showering me with His blessings. Author David Mathis points out that while God often chooses to lavish His people with His favor, there are also certain daily habits that attract God’s favor.  Mathis argues that what “sends our roots deepest, truly grows us up in Christ, and produces lasting spiritual maturity, streams from the ordinary and unspectacular paths of fellowship, prayer, and Bible intake in its many forms.” We can be grateful for God’s unexpected favor, and we can also seek His favor by prayer, fellowship with the saints, and studying the Word of God.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Streams In The Wilderness!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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

Our Current Study Theme!

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

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

Posted in: Deep, Desperate, Digging Deeper, Discipline, Enemies, Excuses, Faith, God, Help, Love, Pain, Worship Tagged: depression, hope, pain, pit, sadness, worship

Esther Day 8 Tears That Move God’s Heart

November 13, 2019 by Rebecca 5 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Esther 4:1-11
Psalm 56
Psalm 66:8-15
James 1:2-3
Romans 5:1-5

Esther, Day 8

Bless our God, you peoples,
let the sound of His praise be heard!
(Psalm 66:8)

Reason for rejoicing must be clear here, right?
Such jubilant praise!
Such rich, ardent voices lifted up in adoration!

But the Psalmist continues….
For you, God, tested us;
you refined us as silver is refined.
You lured us into a trap;
you placed burdens on our backs.
You let men ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water….

Wait, what?
Those are crushing words.
Words, I could have written myself, and have, at various points along my own journey.
Burdened, trapped, pressed in upon, barely breathing, trampled over, scorched by flames, drowning in swirling waters.

Praise?
What kind of people would praise while drowning?
Or maybe better, what kind of deity would want to hear praise in dire trials?

Death had been decreed for Queen Esther and her people.
The date had been set for mass extinction of an entire people group.
There were no backdoors of escape, no democracy to provide checks and balances, only one option, prayer.

Prayer for Old Testament Jews meant a few things, especially in hopeless situations, but among the most prominent were gut-wrenching honesty, humility, petition, and praise.
The prayer book of the Jews was the book of Psalms, it also conveniently doubled as their hymnal. Yes, their prayers were their songs. The lyrics of their worship were the authentic pleadings and praises of their hearts.

Though prayer and the name of God are never explicitly noted in the book of Esther, where there was fasting, sackcloth, lamenting, and mournful weeping for Jews, there was prayer.
And where there was prayer, there was praise.

One only needs a cursory glance through Psalms to find this to be true. Go ahead, try it! Pick up your Bible, open to Psalms, and read a few random songs, skip pages, and read again.

Praise is everywhere, but so is brokenness.

Later in the New Testament, the great Pastor Paul says it like this:
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed;
perplexed, but not driven to despair;
persecuted, but not forsaken;
struck down, but not destroyed.
(2 Corinthians 4:8-9)

As Mordecai wept, ripped his clothing, and dipped trembling, fearful fingers into the dust from which he’d been made and streaked his face with it, he prayed in faith to the God of the Universe.

He knew his weakness.
He recognized his complete and utter inability to change the decree of his own death or the massacre of his people.
Yet, he prayed.

He prayed because he also knew something else.
He knew God’s character could not, would not, be faithless. (2 Timothy 2:13)
He knew God does not abandon the work of His hands. (Psalm 138:8)
And for these reasons, Mordecai, a man on death row, could praise.

When I am afraid,
I will trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me? (Psalm 56:3-4)

No doubt, Mordecai was afraid. He agonized. He mourned. He wailed.
But he knew where to take his fear.

Mordecai did not know how God would answer, nor even if his own life would be spared, but He did trust that God would bring redemption.

Sisters, with tears in my eyes as I write, I too have felt Mordecai’s helpless fear.
My face has been planted into the floor, my clothing as rumpled as my spirit.
My cheeks have been stained with tears (and a whole lot of snot), my hands have trembled with the unknown and the glaring reality of my own endless weakness and inability to change my circumstances.

With upturned hands and downcast, flooded eyes, I’ve begged for mercy, for release, for redemption. I’ve admitted out loud in all gut-wrenching honesty that I did not know if God would bring redemption in my life or, if He did, that it would look as I wanted.

But through praise, lament, and petition, He uncurled my fists and I anchored again in the safe harbor of His sure and certain character.
He would not abandon the work of His hands.

Mordecai couldn’t see the end, but He trusted all the same.
To Esther, he spoke with unshakeable conviction, “For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place…”

I don’t know your fears, your hurt, or your great need for God to redeem and act, but the Lord does know.

You yourself have recorded my wanderings.
Put my tears in your bottle.
Are they not in your book? (Psalm 56:8)

Not a tear falls without the Lord seeing, knowing, holding it, and waiting to redeem it in His time and in His way, which is precisely why we can praise in the midst of floods and fires and ruin and heartache.

Like Mordecai, I do not know how the Lord will work His redemption over my brokenness, but I will shout in triumph in the face of this fear and trembling,
“My enemies will retreat on the day when I call.
This I know: God is for me.” (Psalm 56:8-9)

The rest of that psalm of praise we began this journey with?
The one about being refined as fire, burdened down, and walking through fire and flood?
Here is the worshipper’s refrain on the prayer of his song,
“but You brought us out to abundance.”
(Psalm 66:10-12)

Trust His heart, Lovely One.
Cry the tears.
Rend the garments.
Mourn with authenticity.
Then surrender to the One who holds your tears in a bottle, records your pain in His own journal, and is waiting to bring you into His redemptive abundance!

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 Esther 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 Esther!

Posted in: Attention, Daughter, Deliver, Desperate, Dignity, Esther, Freedom, Grace, Help, Know, Love, Made New, Mercy, Praise, Prayer, Relationship, Strength, Struggle, Suffering Tagged: hurt, known, loved, pain, struggle, tears

Captivating Day 13 His Heartbeat

July 24, 2019 by Kendra Moberly 4 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Colossians 1:7-13
1 Timothy 2:1-8
Revelation 14:6-7

Captivating, Day 13

Our miniature matatu (think African style of a city bus…kind of) bumped up and down and our bodies bounced with it without the constraint of seatbelts. Red dust flew up behind us while some billowed through the windows, filling our nostrils with the ever-present African-dust smell. The chatter of my seven teammates filled the matatu, but I wasn’t hearing them. My senses were in the slums of Kenya, seeing, hearing, smelling, breathing my surroundings, but my heart and my head were somewhere else.
I saw children playing in the streets made of dust, I saw women walking to and fro, and I heard men shouting to one another, but in my mind, the red dust of this town was replaced by red dirt of Southern Utah. Children’s laughter was replaced with the memory of the foster children’s laughter from the camp I’d worked at earlier that year.
Never in my life had I experienced the pull and the weightiness of the world… and I broke. 

As we drove through Kenyan slums, I could literally feel my heart being torn in two, slowly ripping right down the middle. When we arrived at the preschool ministry site for the day, everything came pouring out with deep sorrow. I turned to my leader, Allison, and said, “I don’t know what’s wrong. I’m here, I know I’m here and I’m supposed to be, but I’m so broken for the people in Utah who need Jesus, and I’m aching for the foster children in Kansas City who need redemption. What is wrong with me?”

“Kendra,” she told me gently, “have you ever prayed that God would break your heart for what breaks His?” I slowly nodded my head and squinted my eyes.
“He’s doing that right now.” 

If I was weeping before (which I was), I was weeping harder now.
I didn’t know God’s heart hurt so much for us, and I only had a glimpse.

If we know anything, it’s that our world is shattered and broken.
Spreading the healing hope of the gospel and praying for nations to know the Lord is our urgent mission until Jesus returns. Paul presses the Church to pray for God’s creation in each of his epistles by asking them to pray for other churches, for people in leadership, and for those who are still lost without hope… but, why?

Why do we pour out our hearts in prayer for the
hurting, hungry, desperate, lost, broken people who make up God’s creation?
Because, God… “wants everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4). The Father’s heart is for His Creation.
He longs for us to know His love and be rescued from our sin.

Let us learn from Ezekiel 22:30, where God says He is looking for someone to stand in the gap for their nation, but found no one. We are called to stand in the gap for the nations with the hope of the gospel! Let us, who have the authority to approach the Father’s throne because of Jesus in us, pray for the nations!

Can I be real for a minute? (Ok, ok, I’m always real.)
Sometimes, I feel so overwhelmed with how many people I need to pray for, and how many things I need to pray for, and all the brokenness and lostness and heaviness
that I just don’t pray at all.

I know I need to pray for the nations, for my daughters, for my friends and family, for the people in leadership positions in the Church and in my country, but I don’t always know where to start or what to pray.

I’ve found the best place to begin is rooted in Scripture, following the leading of the Holy Spirit. Read His Word, and be ready to pray whenever and however the Spirit is pressing in.

Pray for the nations’ leaders to be filled with wisdom and be surrounded by wise and godly advisors. Pray for their hearts and ears to listen to wise counsel. (Proverbs 11:14)

Pray for leaders who don’t know Christ to have divine encounters with believers who would point them to salvation. Pray for leaders who are Christians to have steady discipleship pouring into them and that they would have strength to fight the arrows shot at them from the enemy. (Proverbs 2:1-8 and Ephesians 6:12-18)

Pray for unity in the Church in each nation. As each nation writes their own laws and citizens live in ways they feel just, the Church has different struggles in each country. How the Church is being pulled in the United States is entirely different than the struggles for the Church in New Zealand or India. Pray for unity within the Church in each country, and that followers of Christ would base their standards on biblical truth and not what society dictates. (1 Corinthians 1:10)

Sisters, sometimes I feel small.
Sometimes I feel like my prayers and voice won’t matter.
Will the Lord really hear my pleading for the underground church in North Korea?
He will.
He does.
And my prayers are pleasing in the sight of the Lord, as are yours.

Ask the Lord to break your heart for what breaks His.
Ask Him to burden your heart for the lost.
You might be surprised who you feel burdened for, but don’t be surprised when He answers your prayer. When He does, take action and pray for the lost, the hurting, the persecuted, the Christians and the non-Christians, then take steps to bring hope to them!

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 Captivating 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 Captivating!

Posted in: Captivating, Deep, Desperate, God, Gospel, Holy Spirit, Hope, Jesus, Lost, Love, Rescue, Scripture Tagged: broken, Heartbeat, His, hungry, hurting, nations, need, redemption, rooted, sorrow, stand, World

Cross Day 5 Judas

April 5, 2019 by Kendra Moberly 3 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

John 6:64-71
Acts 1:16-20
Matthew 27:3-10
Isaiah 59:1-3

Cross, Day 5

I did everything I was supposed to do.
I followed Him.
I witnessed miracles.
I performed miracles.
I preached about Him.
I cast out demons.

My hands grip the rough trunk of the olive tree, my mouth tastes of the natural fibers of the rope as I climb. The taste of bile still lingers in my mouth, and my stomach turns as I feel the hot acid rising into my throat again. My head pounds and sweat drips down my back. I’m not sure if the pounding headache is from weeping or rage.

“Follow Me”, He said, and I did.
I left everything for Him!
For what? For riddles and jokes?
I left my life to follow a man who scoffed at my lack of faith?
Who demanded worship and said He was God?
I gave up everything for Him?

My grunt, as I climb another branch, turns into a deep growl and then into a shout.

I hate You! You demanded I leave everything behind – my family, my friends, even the extra clothes I owned to further Your name – all for what?
Nothing.
I walked hundreds – no – thousands of miles, my feet bloodied, blistered and filthy, for You to have Your feet washed by a prostitute? While I sat and watched, my feet throbbing with each beat of my pounding heart. And then, Your feet were washed again? By another woman? You told me to give up everything, and yet You allowed two women to waste their expensive perfume just to wash your feet. The other disciples watched in awe, just the sight of their faces, gawking over the exhibition, made me sick.

I look down below, the ground is further away, but not far enough. I can’t climb too high, or the branches will be too thin. My breathing is getting faster by the moment and my thoughts escape with a shout every so often. I pause to catch my breath, wipe my sweaty palms on my thighs, and look out over the land. The scenes of the days before flash before my eyes in fragments.

I tried. I really tried. I tried to make sense of the nonsense sermons He kept preaching.
I tried to answer His question correctly and ask questions to make me seem important and intellectual.
I thought if I acted the part well enough, I could eventually become everything He wanted me to be.
I wasn’t an idiot, like Peter, speaking before I thought, or trying to walk on water when it was impossible.
I left everything for Him.
And then I left Him.
And now, I have nothing.

That nothingness is exactly why I continue to climb.
I take the rope from my mouth for a moment and spit out loose hairs, willing moisture for my mouth, but I’m parched, physically and spiritually.

No matter how hard I tried to follow His rules and obey His commands, there was always something missing. Surely, I wasn’t the only one faking it. There’s no way every other disciple felt the joy and light Jesus spoke of. Balderdash. A bunch of blind sheep following a smooth-talker, and I allowed myself to get caught in it.

Yet…

How did He perform those miracles?
The crazed man who was set free from all those demons?
The blind made to see? The lame made to walk?
The woman healed just by touching the hem of His clothes?
And Lazarus.
We were all there for Lazarus.
…Maybe he wasn’t actually dead.

Maybe.

But Jesus certainly is.

Jesus.

I reach for the next limb, but my hand misses because the tree is moving so violently. I can’t tell if the tree shaking, or if my vision is construed. I can feel my body shaking, almost convulsing, uncontrollably. My head swirls as dizziness overtakes me and my vision grows dark.

I hate Him. I hate who He made me to be.
But I cannot deny His innocence.

I know He loves me.
Just a few days ago, He knelt and washed my feet.

My feet hit the warm water in the bowl just as He began dipping His hands in. He first took my right foot in His hands, taking care to have a gentler touch as He scrubbed close to my blisters. He rubbed one hand on the top of my foot, while the other held the bottom.
He then reached for my left foot, washing with the same care.

He looked up at me, and our eyes met.
His held His familiar knowing, like He always knew exactly what I was thinking.
But this time I saw pain, sorrow, and even love.
How can one’s eyes hold so much?

I looked around at the other men in and considered their friendship and our camaraderie. There had been many moments of confusion and frustration over our here-year journey, but there had been laughter, jokes, and even pranks as well. Inside jokes were our favorite; just a certain gesture or word would spark heaves of laughter.
Friendship grew across tables, on land, in boats, and in strangers’ homes.

But I had already lost it all. There was no undoing what I’d already done.

30 pieces of silver.

The price of a slave.

That’s what I had deemed Him worth.

I finally reach the perfect spot. I sit tall, gazing at the landscape before me.
I work to find even a moment of peace, but there is no peace to be had.

The pain in His eyes when I kissed His cheek. I shouldn’t have looked at His face, but I couldn’t help it.

I imagined his cries as each spike was driven into His skin, ripping out chunks of His flesh.

I’d seen my share of Roman crucifixions. It took little imagination to see Christ’s blood splatter on the ground, pouring from His open wounds.

Inside my head, I could not drown out the mob taunting and jeering, their anger so heavy it was palpable.

I shook my head to rid myself of the scenes that would not leave me.
I had done everything I was supposed to do.

One more image insistently took form before me:
Thirty pieces of silver.

I tried to give it back! I threw it at the priests begging them to take it, begging to hand over my iniquity. But they refused!

I have nothing.
No family.
No friends.
No Savior.

My hands have finished tying the knots and I carefully slip the loop over my neck. I tighten it until I can scarcely breathe. I take one final, labored breath through the constraints of the rope, and let my body fall.

Sisters, Judas thought he was doing everything right. He literally followed Jesus everywhere. He performed miracles and spread Jesus’ Name. Yet, Scripture says Judas did not have a saving faith. He was so caught in the “doing”, he completely missed Jesus’ entire mission: Save.
Judas died by hanging himself after attempting to return the money he’d earned for betraying Jesus. We can only imagine the grief Jesus felt knowing a man Jesus considered one of His best friends, had betrayed Him.

But that wasn’t Judas’ only mistake.
No, his next mistake was believing he wasn’t worth saving. He believed the lie that he was too far gone for even God to save. Jesus didn’t just die for you and me,
He died for Judas, too.

Judas couldn’t believe it. He never believed the truth that God saw him as worth dying for. Oh, beloved sisters, no one is too far gone.
Not Judas.
Not you.
Not me.


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!

A Note About Cross
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters in Scripture and looked through their eyes as they saw the cross. We do our best to research the culture and times and all biblical support surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives as they watched the crucifixion, but we can’t be 100% accurate. These first-person stories are our best interpretation of how these characters viewed Jesus as He gave Himself up for us. Our hope is that by looking through their eyes, we will see the Cross differently as well, and be dramatically changed as we encounter the Savior!
Enjoy!

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 Worship Week Three! 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 Cross!

Posted in: Cross, Desperate, God, Gospel, Jesus, Lost, Salvation, Scripture Tagged: Everything, heart, Judas, Kiss, Olive tree, Tried, Worth

Anchored Day 9 Yoked & Equipped: Digging Deeper

February 28, 2019 by Rebecca 2 Comments

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 Yoked & Equipped!

The Questions

1) What is meant by “if you have been raised”? (verse 1)

2) How is your life hidden in Christ and how does it appear? (verses 3-4)

3) How are “putting on the new self” and “renewed in knowledge” connected? (verse 10)

Colossians 3:1-11

So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5 Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, God’s wrath is coming upon the disobedient, 7 and you once walked in these things when you were living in them. 8 But now, put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator. 11 In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all.

Original Intent

1) What is meant by “if you have been raised”? (verse 1)
Paul is known throughout Scripture for his logical persuasive arguments, taking his audience step by step into a greater understanding of the fullness of the gospel. You can generally spot his points with words like “therefore” or “if”. The latter is a little harder for us to understand in our western way of processing, but if we get in the mindset of seeing Paul building a solid argument, it’s easier to grasp. Paul uses “if” to draw sharp contrasts, helping his audience understand that because of (if) our identity and inheritance in Christ, it only makes sense to live, act, or think a certain way. In contrast, it becomes apparent how foolish it is to live contrary to the lifestyle Paul outlines because we’ve been made new for a purpose.

2) How is your life hidden in Christ and how does it appear? (verses 3-4)
“For you have died…” is Paul’s lead in to a life hidden in Christ. For someone who trusts Christ as Savior and Rescuer that phrase is the best news ever, “For you have died.” He’s not talking physical death, rather a death to the spiritual nature we are born with as human beings. We aren’t sinful people because we sin. No, we sin because our very nature is sinful; we are chained to Sin with no escape. None but Christ. Christ who took our punishment for sin upon Himself. Christ who took Death for us. Christ who broke Sin’s chains transferring us to the Kingdom of Light and Life where our lives are hidden in Him. Death cannot seek us out when our lives are hidden with Him. No evil one can snatch us away. (John 10:28-29) We are hidden deep into His life, if we have been raised. (3:1) One glorious day, when Christ returns in bodily form, the fullness of our lives that has been hidden away will also appear. He IS our life, Sisters. In Him only is life found. (verse 4) In Him we find our being, our very living. (Acts 17:28) When Jesus comes back, whether our physical bodies are dead or alive, (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) He will transform our old bodies to bran-new, glorified ones. (Philippians 3:20-21) Bodies ready to contain the fullness of life Christ has been protectively hiding in Himself and live it out for eternity. Incredible Hope!

3) How are “putting on the new self” and “renewed in knowledge” connected? (verse 10)
God did not set us free from a life of sin and death and place a period at the end with no how-to on what to do next. When we look at the books in the New Testament, it can be easy to see just a list of what we must do to be Christian and what we must not do. But to see that, is to start off all wrong. We must not do something to be Christian. We are made new in Christ, and so we live differently; we live freely. How do we live freely? Ah, now we are at the right starting block! Putting on this new life we have access to as redeemed saints is not something we must do heavy lifting in order to accomplish, rather it begins with a renewing of our minds through the teaching of Scripture. There, in the pages of His Word, the Holy Spirit quickens our hearts, whispers in our ears, and does His work (not ours) of renewing the whole life.

Everyday Application

1) What is meant by “if you have been raised”? (verse 1)
“If” is a big, important question when it comes to our eternity.  To be “raised” is to have died to sin and its control over our hearts as we have surrendered to a new Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. A Ruler who gives delight, freedom, and fullness of life. This new identity comes with new freedoms, rights, and privileges, which are what Paul is passionately espousing in chapters 2 and 3 of Colossians. Are you certain about your eternal destination? How do you know? Have you been raised? If so, Sister, dig in to these two chapters here in Colossians. Whether you’ve been raised to new life for 10 days or 10 years, the Spirit will speak here through His Word. If you’ve been raised, live like it! Walk deeply into the life you’ve been given!

2) How is your life hidden in Christ and how does it appear? (verses 3-4)
Hope is a powerful thing. It’s something each of us need to keep on living, breathing, and doing everyday life. Where is your hope, my friend? New job, new house, finances, or maybe a relationship with your spouse, a friend, or your children? Where is it? That motivator that keeps you going and anchored? When the bottom drops out, what can you still cling to? And when that is gone, what else holds you? Hear me, if what you throw your hands out and clutch in those moments of pure, painful desperation is anything but Christ and the life you have in Him, your anchor will not hold. Only Jesus. Only His life for yours. Only salvation through Him by grace. Only here is life found, tucked away within His life and preserved for eternity to appear at His own glorious appearing. Have you been raised?!

3) How are “putting on the new self” and “renewed in knowledge” connected? (verse 10)
Your work or the Spirit’s? How often do you work at “being” Christian? Going to the right church, not swearing, dressing right, pinning a Bible verse to social media? What if it wasn’t so heavy? What if we began keeping in step with the Spirit by simply sitting with the Savior, learning His ways, and dancing in rhythm to His heartbeat as we read His Words? Suppose we refused to begin a day’s work before we sat still and silent before Him? Paul tells us what will happen. Our minds will be renewed, our hearts will come alive, the Lord will reveal Himself in ever deepening ways as He makes us new. This adventure is not to be missed! Be intentional and choose to let the Spirit renew your mind through His Word!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Yoked & Equipped

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Anchored Week 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.

Posted in: Colossians, Desperate, Digging Deeper, Dwell, Equipped, Fellowship, Gospel, Grace, Holy Spirit, Hope, Identity, Power, Praise, Prayer, Relationship Tagged: Colossians, equipped, hope, Truth, Yoked

Awaken Day 13 Awake My Soul

January 23, 2019 by Bri Bailey 2 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 91:1-4
Psalm 94:16-19
Romans 8:31-39
Hebrews 4:14-16

Awaken, Day 13

Her back against the wall of the dark corner, she slid to her knees. Forehead met floor as she clenched her arms tighter around her waist, trying desperately to muffle her cries. Despite her efforts, the roiling within couldn’t–wouldn’t–be contained, and her keening echoed in the emptiness around her.

Barely able to string words into thought, she flung a desperate plea to the heavens.

“I can’t do it anymore.
It’s too big, too hard, hurts too much.
I can’t.”

Never had the Throne of Mercy seemed more distant. The disappointment He must surely feel thundered in the silence, its weight crushing.

Exhausted, her sobs spent, one final whisper escaped her lips:
“ . . . help . . .”

Into the void, He spoke.

“My sweet girl,
I
am
here.”

She felt a hand on her back, and instantly her frenetic shaking ceased. Lifting her head, squinting through her tears, she saw Him. There. In her dark corner, His other hand reaching out to smooth damp hair from her face. He was there.

He pulled her into His lap, encircling her in the strongest, most gentle embrace.
Peace began to creep into her soul . . . until she remembered.

Remembered what had driven her to this place of desolation.

Overwhelming troubles.
Mountains she had tried again and again to scale, only to fail and fall and crumble.

Or perhaps rejection.
Barbed reminders that she didn’t belong, wasn’t good enough,
and therefore was destined to be alone,
piercing her soul until she was too wounded to stand.

Or injustice might have flung her into this pit,
blindsided and bleeding.

Whatever the root cause, its oppression began to close in again.
Hopeless, she cried out, “I don’t know what to do!”

“Beloved,” He murmured, shattering the encroaching darkness, “it’s time to worship.”

“Worship?” she echoed in confusion . . .

Dear sister, perhaps her puzzlement reflects our own?

Surely heartfelt hymns of praise spring from mountaintop moments,
not deepest, darkest valleys.

And yet, His Word shows us
life and hope and peace
in the midst of
death and hurt and despair
are found in the place of worship.

Praise . . . when it hurts.
Speaking truth we know and believe . . . when we don’t feel it.

When the giants of OVERWHELMED and FEAR and FAILURE loom large before us,
He reminds us:

He is the One Who created our universe (Psalm 95:1-5).
Whose dominion is absolute and glory is all-surpassing (Psalm 97:2-6).
Who performs wonders on behalf of His beloved (Psalm 99:1-3).

He is bigger, stronger, and victorious over
the obstacles we are powerless to surmount on our own.

When the bitter seeds of rejection begin to wither our spirits,
He uproots their lies with His hope-full truth:

We are intimately known by and called to belong to the flock of our Maker (Psalm 95:6-7).
We are deeply loved and faithfully cared for (Psalm 98:3).
We are His (Psalm 100:3-5).

We are never alone: we are the little sheep of His pasture,
created for and belonging to Him, always.

And when the devious cruelty of another leaves us
suffering, despairing, and crying out for vindication,
He is our justice:

He alone is Judge, and His faithfully righteous words speak joy into our aching souls (Psalm 96:10-13).
He sees the truth and will judge fairly (Psalm 98:9).
He loves justice (Psalm 99:4).

He promises to end our story with justice,
turning the wicked intentions of man against us to good,
for the glory of His name
.

Truth begets life.
When we are helpless and hopeless in the place of deepest pain,
speaking the truth about our God revives our dying spirits.

Because the truth is, He is still worthy of our praise.
When we are overwhelmed, alone, wronged,
He is still God.
He is still good.
He is still for us.
And if God is for us, what can stand against us?

Remember that thing, that ugly hurt that drove us to our dark corners?
The truth we access in worship is because of who He is, because of His crazy love for us, He’s got that thing covered.

Drawing in a deep breath, she paused for a moment, biting her lower lip.
In a barely audible whisper, she began, “You are my God. You made me, and I. Am. Yours.” Words of life spoken in her own voice built her courage.

Stronger, now. “I come to You with thanksgiving and praise. Thank you for all that You are, and for being here with me now.

“You are my way through. You are my Good Shepherd and I belong to You.
You are my justice and my vindication.
You are good, and Your faithful love endures, forever.”

The mountains still rose before her.
The pain of brokenness with man remained.
But her Guide was at her side.
His very presence was salve to her wounds.

Slipping her fingers into His, she stepped forward, her soul awakened to deep life.

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 Awaken 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 Awaken!

Posted in: Awake, Broken, Desperate, Jesus, Mercy, Peace, Safe, Worship Tagged: Comforter, Deep Life, Hope-full Truth, I Am Yours, justice, present, Soul Awakened, Words of Life

Awaken Day 3 Awakening The Desperate

January 9, 2019 by Rebecca 2 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

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

Awaken, Day 3

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“…Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”

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

Free from Desperate.
Awakened to Life!

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 Awaken Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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

Posted in: Accepted, Broken, Comfort, Daughter, Desperate, Faith, Fellowship, Forgiven, Freedom, Fullness, Future, God, Gospel, Grace, Hope, Inheritance, Love, Mercy, Sacrifice, Scripture Tagged: dance, father, forgiven, freedom, God, grace, Jesus, mercy, sacrifice
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next »

Social

Follow GT!

Questions or Comments?

Contact@gracefullytruthful.com

RSS Gracefully Truthful

  • Fervent Day 13 Strength Training March 3, 2021
    They say some things are taught while others are caught.    I’m not exactly sure who “they” are, but I couldn’t agree more.    In reading Paul’s letters, I find in the midst of teaching so many truths, Paul exudes much to be caught. His words are not always explicitly cut up for us to […]
    Sara Cissell

Copyright © 2021 Gracefully Truthful.

Lifestyle WordPress Theme by themehit.com