Genuine

Word Day 7 How’s Your Worship?: 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 How’s Your Worship?!

The Questions

1) What are the benefits of following the Lord?

2) David repeats the phrase, “the fear of the Lord”; what does this mean?

3) Why does David write, “bless the Lord”? I thought God blesses us.

Psalm 103

My soul, bless the Lord,
and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 My soul, bless the Lord,
and do not forget all his benefits.

3 He forgives all your iniquity;
he heals all your diseases.
4 He redeems your life from the Pit;
he crowns you with faithful love and compassion.
5 He satisfies you with good things;
your youth is renewed like the eagle.

6 The Lord executes acts of righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
7 He revealed his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in faithful love.
9 He will not always accuse us
or be angry forever.
10 He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve
or repaid us according to our iniquities.

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his faithful love
toward those who fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed
our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
14 For he knows what we are made of,
remembering that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are like grass—
he blooms like a flower of the field;
16 when the wind passes over it, it vanishes,
and its place is no longer known.
17 But from eternity to eternity
the Lord’s faithful love is toward those who fear him,
and his righteousness toward the grandchildren
18 of those who keep his covenant,
who remember to observe his precepts.
19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.

20 Bless the Lord,
all his angels of great strength,
who do his word,
obedient to his command.
21 Bless the Lord, all his armies,
his servants who do his will.
22 Bless the Lord, all his works
in all the places where he rules.
My soul, bless the Lord!

Original Intent

1) What are the benefits of following the Lord?

In this psalm, David lists a multitude of benefits for following the Lord. Just because David was the one anointed to become king (1 Samuel 16:1-13), didn’t mean he was isolated and protected. He was hunted down to be killed by more than one person, including his own son, Absalom. (2 Samuel 17) He faced death often, and even before he was chosen as the next king, he was viewed as insignificant. (1 Samuel 17:33) He was also far from perfect. David murdered (2 Samuel 11:14-18), lied (1 Samuel 21:2-3), and committed adultery (2 Samuel 11:2-4). He still suffered the negative effects of those sins. Yet, he penned this psalm of praise, encouraging everyone to follow the Lord because His way is wise, best and overflowing with benefits. When he committed adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:1-15), David experienced the benefit of the Lord’s forgiveness. (verses 3, 9-10) David knew firsthand what it meant to have his life saved from destruction as he was pursued by enemies. (verses 6, 8, and 13) Because David had experienced the many, gracious benefits of the Lord throughout his life, he confidently proclaimed how the Lord would continue blessing future generations who committed to following the ways of the Lord. (verses 15-19) We see one evidence of God’s generational blessing specific to David and his son, Solomon, in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1:6.

 

2) David repeats the phrase, “the fear of the Lord”; what does this mean?

Fear in this case does not mean being afraid in the sense of terror, rather it means a humble recognition that God is all-powerful and the only One worthy of respect and glory. The fear of the Lord is reverential awe. David’s son, Solomon, would eventually write, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Proverbs 9:10) Fearing the Lord in the Old Testament looked like sacrifices, but it also was tightly connected to the posture of the heart. (Psalm 51:16-17, Isaiah 1:10-15) Brothers, Cain and Abel, both offered sacrifices, but only one brother’s offering was acceptable. (Genesis 4:4-5) Sacrifices were commanded by God because He wanted His people to understand that sinning against Him breaks His relationship with them. Sin pridefully asserts ourselves against God’s righteousness. Because God wanted His people to understand the seriousness of sin, and the reality that sin comes at a price, He instituted the Sacrificial System. Depending on the type of sin, sacrifices were required to pay the penalty of sin. Doves, grain, sheep, and bulls (yes, an entire cow!) were offered as atonement for sin when they stepped away from following God and His law. (Leviticus 19) All of this was designed to help Israel understand that fearing the Lord meant realizing God is righteous and holy while we are sinners, separated from Him. There were a lot of laws to remember, and along the way, Israel’s focus shifted from fearing the Lord to simply managing their behavior with ever-lengthening lists of “how to’s and don’t do’s”. David’s words were a reminder to Israel that fearing the Lord is a good thing; the best thing. Revering the Lord is the right way to live because only in this context, we enjoy a close relationship with the Lord. By walking in the fear of the Lord, God pours out His blessings on generations to come. (verses 13 and 17)

 

3) Why does David write, “bless the Lord”? I thought God blesses us.

There are several types of psalms including lament, thanksgiving, and praise among others. While some psalms combine themes, Psalm 103 is full of praise as the psalmist, David, lists reasons to “bless the Lord, oh my soul” both individually and corporately with other believers. David knew how to praise the Lord because he had witnessed the Lord’s kindness in all aspects of life, whether difficult or easy and he wrote many psalms extolling God’s goodness. He literally danced in the street so great was his desire to bless the Lord. (2 Samuel 6:14-22) David’s “oh my soul” refrain springs from a desire to go deeper in his worshipful adoration of the Lord. In the midst of his praise, David speaks to himself. He isn’t content with merely singing, or even dancing or hand-raising as outward expressions of praise. David wants to praise the Lord from the depths of his being. He wants to be all in for blessing the Lord.   

Everyday Application

1) What are the benefits of following the Lord?

Because the Lord doesn’t change, the benefits of following Him are the same for us as they were for King David and the generations who followed him. (Numbers 23:19, James 1:17) When Jesus came to earth as God incarnate (in human flesh), those who followed God experienced a fuller manifestation of His benefits. After Jesus ascended back to Heaven, He poured out the Holy Spirit to dwell within those who trusted Him. (Acts 2:4) His presence brought a radical abundance of blessing to God’s people. For us today, His benefit may not look like a leper being cleansed (Mark 1:40-45), but it could look like a different diagnosis, being healed completely, or having minimal side effects from a treatment. (verse 3) The benefits in the 21st century may be evidenced as the exact provision we need precisely at the time we need it. Deliverance may not be a physical “parting of the Red Sea”, but it could look like your plans suddenly changing, later realizing the shift ended up being better than the original plan. Even running late could be the Lord’s protection and deliverance from a potential accident. The Lord’s benefits are as simple as a flower’s bloom or as grand as healing, but the most significant benefit from the Lord is forgiveness from sin and redemption from our past. These benefits didn’t end when Jesus died on the cross, they only started there. The price Jesus paid to cover our unrighteousness was for all time. Repent from your sin, believe on the Lord Jesus, and your sins will be washed away just as David wrote, “…as far as the east is from the west.” (verse 12)

 

2) David repeats the phrase, “the fear of the Lord”; what does this mean?

Even today many view God as angry and vengeful when His “rules” aren’t followed. We tend to miss God’s heart’s desire to have a relationship with us. Still, our sin separates us from Him. This is why Jesus came as God in the flesh! Christ came to earth, sacrificing Himself as the full payment for all sin, demonstrating once and for all that God is merciful and gracious. He loves each person. In the Old Testament, sin had a sliding scale of “value”. Different sins mandated different types of sacrifices, some more costly than others. There may have been instances of people not being able to provide the sacrifice required, which meant they were still under the burden of unremitted, unforgiven sin. But Jesus! Jesus paid for all sin, whether large or small, past or present. All sin is sin. There are still consequences to our sins, but if we trust Jesus as our Savior to make payment for our sin and we repent, we are forgiven. The effects of sin remain as long as we are on earth, but the eternal price has been paid at Calvary with Jesus’ blood sacrifice. In our modern age, fearing the Lord should still be the focal point of our everyday lives. His love for us leaves us awestruck! Even when we are deep in sin, we are still loved and can be rescued! A lifestyle drenched in iniquity, a vice we can’t seem to overcome, even a bad attitude can become like mire and keep us trapped in the pit of sin. When we repent and believe in Christ, choosing to follow Him and His ways, we are rescued from the Pit of Hell! (verse 12) We are no longer separated from God! In Jesus, God in the flesh mercifully gave Himself for us. Instead of angry judgement, He gives compassion, love and mercy. We should stand in reverential awe of this divine, selfless grace as He wraps us in His love.

 

3) Why does David write, “bless the Lord”? I thought God blesses us.

We know how to bless others, like family and friends, with kind gestures of generosity or a thoughtful phone call, but how do we, mere humans, bless the Lord God Almighty? In our modern culture we use “bless” and “blessing” to mean bestowing gifts or as a description for receiving good things. But blessing the Lord can stem from nothing less than a true heart of worship. The Lord owns all things and has authority over all things, but He has given us free will to choose whether we will worship Him or worship ourselves. Even as finite human beings, we can indeed bless the Lord by surrendering our hearts in adoring worship to Him. While outward gestures bless people, the Lord looks at our hearts. We can raise our hands, bow our heads, and sing vibrantly, but unless our hearts are humbled before the King of Kings, we aren’t truly blessing Him. David wanted to praise God from his innermost being, to be completely in for blessing the God who rescued him. Psalm 103 lists a whole slew of reasons (if we needed some help) to give the Lord worship and praise. Let’s tap into the very deep core of our spirit, turning ourselves over in genuine worship to give God the praise and blessing due His name!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with How’s Your Worship?!

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 Word 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.

Word Day 4 Follow & Remove: 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 Follow & Remove!

The Questions

1) Why did Jesus go to Jerusalem for the Passover and why is this important to this passage? (verse 13)

2) Why did the actions of the people in the temple make Jesus so angry and why was His anger not sinful? (verses 15-16)

3) Why did Jesus not entrust Himself to them? (verse 24)

John 2:13-24

13 The Jewish Passover was near, and so Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found people selling oxen, sheep, and doves, and he also found the money changers sitting there. 15 After making a whip out of cords, he drove everyone out of the temple with their sheep and oxen. He also poured out the money changers’ coins and overturned the tables. 16 He told those who were selling doves, “Get these things out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!”

17 And his disciples remembered that it is written: Zeal for your house will consume me.
18 So the Jews replied to him, “What sign will you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up in three days.” 20 Therefore the Jews said, “This temple took forty-six years to build, and will you raise it up in three days?”

21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 So when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the statement Jesus had made. 23 While he was in Jerusalem during the Passover Festival, many believed in his name when they saw the signs he was doing. 24 Jesus, however, would not entrust himself to them, since he knew them all

Original Intent

1) Why did Jesus go to Jerusalem for the Passover and why is this important to this passage? (verse 13)
Deuteronomy 16:16 instructed all men to appear before the Lord three times a year. The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which Passover is part of, was one of those times. Jesus would have made the journey to Jerusalem in accordance with this instruction along with all the other Israelite males as Jerusalem was the religious center of Israel. Therefore, the city would have been a bustling place full of travelers. The temple was located in Jerusalem and these travelers were also required to make a sacrifice while they were there. All of these details set up the scene we read about in this passage.

2) Why did the actions of the people in the temple make Jesus so angry and why was His anger not sinful? (verses 15-16)
Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread would have brought many travelers into Jerusalem all of whom were required to offer sacrifices to God according to the Law. While some would have brought their sacrifice with them, several would have arrived needing to purchase an animal for the sacrifice. The people of Jerusalem had chosen to set up a marketplace in the Temple Courts to not only sell animals, but also offer money changing services as people would have needed local currency. These merchants sold for a higher price and took up the space in the Temple that would have otherwise been reserved for worship. Jesus shows up and is angry at what is taking place in His Father’s house. He is angered at the Temple being defiled and people being cheated out of their money. Not only are they defiling the Temple, but they are profiting from their actions. Jesus shows His anger by clearing out the Temple of the merchants. However, this anger was not sinful because Jesus was responding to sin, He was responding to His Father being insulted. Neither was He acting “out of control” in His anger as we read that He had taken the time to “(make) a whip out of cords” (verse 15) as He observed the defilement around Him. Therefore, Christ’s actions were coming from a place of righteous anger and were not sinful.

3) Why did Jesus not entrust Himself to them? (verse 24)
Being the Son of God, Jesus knew the hearts of those standing before Him. He knew when He was being misunderstood or when faith was not genuine. Many eyewitnesses, who followed Jesus and saw all He did during His time in Jerusalem, noticed He was different, but did not embrace Him as the Son of God. Jesus knew they thought He was a good teacher, or possibly a prophet, but they refused to recognize Him as the promised Messiah. As a result, Jesus chose to keep Himself at a distance from those who didn’t genuinely believe Him.

Everyday Application

1) Why did Jesus go to Jerusalem for the Passover and why is this important to this passage? (verse 13)
Jesus went to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover which was customary in His day. There was a sacredness to these days and the Israelites took time to pause and remember what God had done. We could learn a lesson from the Israelites about slowing down and intentionally remembering what God has done in our lives. They spent time preparing their hearts by following customs designed to help turn their hearts to worship. While we aren’t bound by the same Law they were, it is wise to follow their example and set aside specific times in our calendar for remembering and celebrating what God has done.

2) Why did the actions of the people in the temple make Jesus so angry and why was His anger not sinful? (verses 15-16)
As New Testament followers of Christ, we no longer have a temple we are required to make pilgrimages to. However, Scripture is clear that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) In light of Jesus’ high view of the temple in Jerusalem, we should ask ourselves if we are conducting ourselves in a manner worthy of ourselves being called a temple. The Holy Spirit resides in all who have placed the full weight of their trust in Jesus and His sacrifice for us, therefore we should glorify God with our bodies instead of defiling them as the merchants defiled the temple. We can also think about these verses in relation to the church, which is God’s people living out His love to others on earth. We can bring disunity within the church and damage the church’s impact when we become distracted by anything less than worshipping our Creator. Likewise, we should remember there is such a thing as righteous anger. However, in response to sin and injustice, we must be careful to act within the authority we have and not assume the authority of Jesus. We should rise up against injustice and stand up for those who are treated unjustly. We should be angered by sin within ourselves and others. However, we are not called to be the judge and jury for those outside the Body of Believers. Instead, we are called to love the sinner and point them to Jesus. (1 Corinthians 5:11-13)

3) Why did Jesus not entrust Himself to them? (verse 24)
Jesus knew the hearts of those around Him when He walked the earth, and He knows ours as well. He knows if we are genuine in our faith or faking it to the world around us. “Faith cannot be one-sided here any more than elsewhere. Christ gives Himself to those who give themselves to Him. They who so trust Him that He is sure they will follow Him even when they cannot see where He is going; they who trust Him, not in one or two matters which they see He can manage, but absolutely and in all things; to these He will give Himself freely, sharing with them His work, His Spirit, His reward.” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary) There will be challenging days in our faith and we are called to trust Christ, not only when life is easy and we know where we are headed, but also in moments of uncertainty or when those around us waiver. When we choose faith, the reward is large. This past year of 2020, has been a year of staying faithful in the unknown and hard for many of us. However, even in those moments, we are called to genuinely believe and trust Jesus. Following Him won’t always be easy, but it will always be worth it!

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

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 Word 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.

Fervent Day 7 The Zealous Prayer: 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 The Zealous Prayer!

The Questions

1) What are Paul’s reasons for thanking God for those reading his letter? (verse 4)

2) What does it mean for the testimony of Christ to be confirmed in people? (verse 6)

3) If the author Paul were summarizing this section, what would he want his audience to never forget?

1 Corinthians 1:4-9

I always thank my God for you because of the grace of God given to you in Christ Jesus, 5 that you were enriched in him in every way, in all speech and all knowledge. 6 In this way, the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you, 7 so that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you will be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful; you were called by him into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Original Intent

1) What are Paul’s reasons for thanking God for those reading his letter? (verse 4)
You have to slow down to answer this question, re-reading the sentence that begins in verse 4, “I always thank my God for you because of the grace of God given to you in Christ Jesus…” Even once we find the answer “because of the grace of God given to you in Christ Jesus”, it still doesn’t feel like much of an answer. This means we slow down even more (a good study habit for exploring Scripture!). Paul had experienced “the grace of God…in Christ” when he was radically transformed from Christian-hater to Christ-preacher after literally meeting Jesus on the street one day. His whole world shifted with new purpose, new love, and we still feel the shockwaves of his whole-life obedience to Jesus even today. Paul understood in deep ways what it meant to partake of this rich grace of God in Jesus. Through his experience, and because he knew the Corinthian believers also had taken in this indescribable grace gift (2 Corinthians 9:15), his heart was deeply stirred to rejoice often and with great fervency over them. Those who gathered in house churches in Corinth, many of whom he hadn’t even personally met, shared in the same grace of God in Jesus Christ that Paul experienced. This thrilled Paul’s heart and he spent precious time in prayer reveling in this sweet, sacred joy. Going further, he verbalized this genuine thankfulness for them in his letter.

 2) What does it mean for the testimony of Christ to be confirmed in people? (verse 6)
Paul’s letters are abundant with the gospel, it’s transformative power, reasons it is trustworthy, and a pleading urgency to fully surrender to life-saving message that Jesus, promised One from centuries past, came in human flesh as God Himself, to buy back a sinful and rebellious people, dead set against Him. Paul celebrated this gospel message and gave his life to preach it, calling himself a “servant” to it. (Colossians 1:23) God not only used Paul to preach Christ crucified, risen, and coming again (1 Corinthians 15:1-8), but the Spirit of God also inspired Paul to write down clear evidences for the transformed life. Jesus said good “trees” bore good “fruit” (Luke 6:43-45), meaning that lives having been made new by God’s Spirit take on the pattern of good, spiritual growth in everyday life. As Paul penned this letter to the Corinthian believers, he encouraged them by noting some of these “evidences of true faith” that could only result from real transformation. Because they had willingly received God’s grace available through Christ, they had been “enriched in Him in every way” (verse 5). This means that both in outward ways and internal heart ways, Christ Himself was fortifying them, strengthening them, and making them more like Him. Then Paul specifically calls out the Spirit’s transformation in their speech and their knowledge. (verse 5) It’s by these “proofs” Paul recognized the transformative work of God’s grace in the life patterns of the Corinthians. First they were transformed by the renewing of their minds by undertaking to know and understand God better, and this resulted in their speech being transformed. 

3) If the author Paul were summarizing this section, what would he want his audience to never forget?
Unity and fellowship are the undercurrents woven in and out of Paul’s letters, standing up as the purpose behind the beautiful gospel Paul gave his life for. Every letter speaks of their sweetness and strength, painting a picture of the church so stunningly wrapped in unity and fellowship that it’s breathtaking to behold. We, the wretched, the sinful, the ones who have earned a just rejection from God because of our supreme unholiness, are so deeply sought after by God Himself precisely because He desires oneness with us just as He experiences in full within the godhead of Father, Son, and Spirit. Jesus’ own fervent prayer speaks of this desire so beautifully, “May they all be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us, so that the world may believe You sent Me.” (John 17:21) The reason Jesus came was to restore unity and oneness between the beloved (human beings) and God. Astounding! Because of this passionate desire for sweet fellowship far removed from the stain of sin, all believers are now magnanimously ushered in to enjoy the wonderous gifts of unity and fellowship with each other just as they enjoy them with God Himself. Surely, this is a truth so precious it defies description! As he begins his letter, Paul names himself and “Sosthenes our brother” (verse 1) as the senders of these God-inspired words. Paul did nothing alone in his mission to preach Christ, always calling others into fellowship and unity, with the purpose of sharing Jesus. There was no hierarchy in Paul’s mind as he wrote the words “our” and “brother”. They were one team as they lived out unity and shared fellowship made possible because of the grace they were united in from Christ.

Everyday Application

1) What are Paul’s reasons for thanking God for those reading his letter? (verse 4)
We don’t generally spend much time considering the depth of the simple words “the grace of God given to you in Christ”, but Paul hinged the majority of his letters on this easily overlooked concept. If you’re like me, you likely haven’t given prayerful attention to others who have also been rescued from eternal death and separation from God because of their sin as a result of this same, wonderful “grace of God given to us in Christ.” Fervent prayer isn’t made up of long prayers with many religious words or pious actions, rather it’s built upon the simple building blocks of our faith. The more we are familiar with them, the deeper and richer our prayer life becomes. Just in studying today’s text, let’s slow down, all together as sisters, and consider the magnificence of being freely given God’s glorious grace so lavishly in Christ. What does this mean for you? From what have been rescued? For what purpose have you been given this radical grace gift in Jesus? As you look at your day today, right now, what are you freed from and for because of Jesus’ grace in your life? Then turn your thoughts to others who have been given this sweet gift of grace. Start making a list of sisters who you know have trusted Jesus as their Savior and now are free to dance in the same grace you both share. Pray over these names, celebrate them, and let the Lord stir your heart to rejoice over them just as He did for Paul!

 2) What does it mean for the testimony of Christ to be confirmed in people? (verse 6)
Paul described a foundational truth of being transformed by the Holy Spirit when he wrote in his letter to the Roman believers. “Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you… Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2, emphasis mine) First, the Corinthians were transformed by the renewing of their minds by undertaking to know and understand God better, then this resulted in their speech being transformed. (verse 5) Throughout his letters, Paul teaches that the steps to depth and intimacy with God begin with surrendering our hearts in full to Him and allowing His Spirit to renew our thoughts and what we know of God. This results in a transformed life! The more we know our Savior, the greater our prayers will reflect that depth, and the fuller the effect of the Spirit’s work will be felt in the overflow of our everyday life choices. The question for us isn’t, “how do I change this behavior to be more like Jesus”, rather we should come to the Lord and ask Him to help us know Him better. When we do, He will radically transform how we view Him and our sin, resulting in real, genuine life change! 

3) If the author Paul were summarizing this section, what would he want his audience to never forget?
Paul’s introduction not only includes the Corinthians who would hear his words read as the precious words were passed around from house church to house church, but he flings wide his welcome by writing, “to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called as saints, with all those in every place who call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord—both their Lord and ours.” (verse 2) How inclusive he is! “All those in every place”! That’s me! That’s you! It’s your pastor and your spiritual mentor and your friend and all those who have trusted Jesus with everything they have, entering into fellowship with Christ and one another. Such a lavish gift is not to be downtrodden, overlooked, or taken lightly. Yet, oh sister, my heart is convicted as I write, for I know with all certainty I have done all of these. I have enjoyed my time with God, attended church, smiled at my Christian friends, and passed over or skirted around those I didn’t want to be with. I have most certainly not welcomed “all those in every place who call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.” Maybe you’re feeling the Spirit’s conviction call as well? Not the shame of guilt, but the invitation to sit with Him, to know Him, to be renewed by His truth, and to be transformed in how we love and welcome and view our brothers and sisters in Jesus. Such a sweet oneness of fellowship we are missing out on by skipping over this grand welcome! Lord Jesus, humble my heart as I sit with You. Show me how You love Your church, of which You have welcomed me into. Increase my love for You that I might extend it more generously to those around me. For Your sake, Jesus, amen.

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

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 Fervent 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.

The GT Weekend! ~ Follow Week 1

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) Job didn’t know God as deeply or as intimately before he suffered as he did after. Truly following the Lord more closely cannot be pulled out of thin air like shaking a magic 8 ball when you need an answer. Big decision? Time to ask the Lord and get your roadmap, right? This isn’t what Scripture teaches. Real, genuine following, like wisdom, begins by fearing the Lord (Proverbs 9:10) and is continued as an overflow of deepening your relationship over time and struggle. The more difficulties we walk through while leaning into God, the more we come to know and trust the good heart of our Savior. It’s in the toughest times we can learn most steadfastly to listen for His voice and trust His heart. Then, when other life decisions come, we have already learned what it looks like to keep following Him. What are some things you know about God? Go ahead and list them out on paper or your phone. Now make another list of characteristics about God you have experienced as a result of struggle. Spend time in prayer, asking the Lord to keep teaching you to hear His voice leading you and showing you who He is.

2) As human beings, we like to think we have all the control over ourselves. We own our own paths in life and have total control, at least that’s what we like to think. How quickly we forget the Lord God is sovereign over all things. He leads our paths, He pursues our hearts. Often times, it’s the Lord who surprises us with His embrace as He draws us near, amazing us by His tenderness in calling us to follow Him. God called both Abram and Andrew when they least expected it, but His invitation radically changed their lives. Neither man needed to spend long amounts of time trying to decide if they should follow where God was leading, He simply guided them as their hearts chose to respond. Sometimes, we like to make our decisions more difficult than we should, when we are truly just being called to follow and trust His heart as He leads us best. Consider where you’re over-complicating what it is to follow Jesus in your everyday life. What would it look like to lean back and trust His lead instead of your over-complication? Why not simply tell Him about it? Lay it all out before Him, talking out loud of your worries and your desire to trust Him over you; let Him calm your heart!

3) Sarah begins her Journey Study yesterday by asking a pertinent question, “Who but God would invite an ex- murderer to lead an entire nation?” Surely, we would not. Incredulously, God would, because He doesn’t judge our ability to follow Him based on our past performance (or failure). He knows that when we surrender to His power and ability to work through our brokenness, He will do things in us that are far beyond our imaginings. In what ways have you discounted yourself from opportunity because you are peering at it from the vantage point of your lack? Perhaps you’ve even found yourself comparing what you are not to what someone else is. There exists no such measure of comparison with the Lord! He calls us each to follow Him in total surrender of ourselves so He can use our lives for eternal work. Grab a sharpie for your skin, a bright notecard for your mirror, or text a friend to remind you frequently this upcoming week to surrender to His work in you, remembering it is both important and eternal!

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 Proverbs 3:7-8 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Don’t be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
This will be healing for your body
and strengthening for your bones

Prayer Journal
Father God, following is hard. It means a constant dying to myself, my plans, and my ability to see and trust myself. While I say with my words that I want to follow You, and I do mean it, Abba, my actions betray my spoken word at times. In honesty, following You feels dark and confusing at many points. I find it easy to question whether I’m actually, truly following You because it can feel like I’m stumbling down a ravine at midnight. I fear being crushed like Job, waiting for what feels like an eternity as Abraham did, or being continually mocked and criticized like Moses. Remind me over and over that Your definition of success is only summed up in two words, “faithful obedience”. Next time I’m tempted to define my “win” by the standards of the world, a big platform, or plenty of people following me, break through my pride and remind me it’s about my faithful obedience to Your call to do whatever is next. Thank You for loving me enough to provide a plan and a whisper to just follow You!

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

Blessed Day 2 Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit: Digging Deeper

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 Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit!

The Questions

1) What was the situation/context when Jesus began to teach this parable? (verse 9)

2) What was the significance of the two characters in the parable, one a tax collector and the other a Pharisee?

3) What did the Pharisee in the story think of himself?

4) What did the tax collector in the story realize and admit about himself?

Luke 18:9-14

9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee was standing and praying like this about himself:  ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people—greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.’ 13 “But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest and saying, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this one went down to his house justified rather than the other; because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Original Intent

1) What was the situation/context when Jesus began to teach this parable? (verse 9)
The audience for this parable was mainly the disciples of Jesus, though others were likely in hearing proximity. (Luke 17:20-22) Chapters 16-18 of Luke highlight Jesus’ teaching about the difference between a works-focused obedience, which the Pharisees emphasized, and the sincere heart of a God-focused life. The parable in verses 10-14 is preceded by Jesus’ teaching about sincere and persistent prayer. The subtle connection between this parable and the preceding one is that they both include someone who is praying. The link between these two stories of Jesus is the character of the people He mentions and their genuine faith. (Luke 18:8) This parable contrasts those who rejected Jesus’ message regarding real righteousness with those who have understood and received God’s mercy. Jesus is painting a verbal picture to identify the characteristics of these two specific groups of people. In verse 9, the stage is set for the parable which follows. It gives us a description of the heart of many of the religious leaders of the day. Most of the Pharisees who criticized Jesus “were confident that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else.” Their prayers were often presented in pious ways. On other occasions, Jesus’ teaching confronted this kind of self-righteous praying. (Matthew 6:5-8)

2) What was the significance of the two characters in the parable, one a tax collector and the other a Pharisee?
The Pharisees were the Jewish religious leaders of the day who opposed Jesus’ message of mercy. They are seen throughout the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) separating themselves from those they regarded as unrighteous and unacceptable. Whether it was Gentiles or Jews, those who embraced a different view than they held about the Old Testament Law were to be avoided, excluded, and condemned. Their extreme interpretation of the Levitical law caused them to create standards for others that were not intended by God. Jesus consistently rebuked their hypocrisy, exposing their sinful hearts. (Mark 7:6-9) It’s ironic that the occupation of “tax collector” was looked down upon by these Jewish leaders as well as the general public. They were known for their dishonest schemes. Their fraudulently obtained wealth linked them to other tax collectors with whom they formed their own elite clan and separated themselves from the rest of society. (biblehub.com) A significant difference between these two groups – Pharisees and tax collectors – was Jesus’ interaction with them. Scripture indicates that Jesus spent a great deal of His time engaging these obviously unrighteous people. It also reveals that some of them humbly responded to Him, showing us that unrighteous people were more likely to see their need than self-righteous were.

3) What did the Pharisee in the story think of himself?
In the gospels we read that most of the religious leaders thought their own righteousness was so extraordinary it couldn’t possibly fail to bring about God’s acceptance. They held meticulously to the traditions of the Law, even producing their own standards for the people which were not what God had purposed. The specific Pharisee mentioned in the parable is the representation of all self-justifying religious leaders. In this one scene, Jesus gives His listeners a clear and contrasting image of a person who comes before God in arrogance and a person who approaches Him in humility. The Pharisee’s prayer offers no self-awareness of his sinfulness. What he does offer is a self-generated righteousness that confirms his justification before God. There is no hint of praise or thanksgiving to God for this good condition. Even his expression of thanks promotes only himself and elevates his life above the “other people” who live unrighteous lives. (verse 11) Once, there was a man who approached Jesus and rehearsed his good deeds, thinking they qualified him for eternal life. When Jesus stated that sincere desire is exhibited by a generous heart, the man walked away. His achieved goodness was merely a means in which to be self-justified. (Mark 10:17-22)

4) What did the tax collector in the story realize and admit about himself?
Jesus had asked His disciples a question in verse 8, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?” Jesus’ question implies there will be relatively few on earth who believe in Him at His return. (Luke 17:22-30) Although Bible scholars disagree about the specifics of Jesus’ return, His obvious assertion is that those whom God declares righteous “in that day” will not be the ones the Pharisees have thought to be so. (Matthew 7:21-23) In fact, it will be those who recognize their unworthiness who will be received by God. It will be those, like the widow in verses 1-8, who will have their prayers answered. The posture of the tax collector demonstrates his meekness and his sense of unfitness before God. There he is, with his head and heart bowed toward the ground. He is keenly aware of the distance created between himself and God by his own sinfulness. He knows he can only cry out to God for mercy. It is this kind of humility, not self-righteousness, that will be rewarded with eternal life. (Titus 3:5-7)

Everyday Application

1) What was the situation/context when Jesus began to teach this parable? (verse 9)
As I write this Digging Deeper Study, we are in the midst of a world-wide pandemic. It is possible that some of us are in contact with people who have adopted a mindset revealing a self-righteous attitude toward others. Maybe we have allowed prideful thoughts to enter our own minds or conversations as we look down on others based on their opinion. The enemy of our souls (Ephesians 6:11-12) allures us with the same temptations he used against Adam and Eve and Jesus. He strikes at our minds, convincing us that because of our hard work, our education and right living, we are deserving of a life of comfort and ease. We begin looking down on other people and countries and start believing our nation’s power and wealth are signs of being a “blessed” people. We proudly declare our thanks that we are not like “those people.” If that has become a subtle way of thinking for us, this pandemic has possibly humbled us. Jesus’ parable is relevant to us this very moment in time in a brilliant new light.

2) What was the significance of the two characters in the parable, one a tax collector and the other a Pharisee?
It is right for us to have a humble appreciation for how God has richly blessed us as a nation, as well as ways He has personally blessed our lives. But we must never associate the blessings of God as His way of demonstrating favoritism or partiality. If we entertain a mindset that promotes ourselves above others, this is not the posture God intends. Humans have never been very accurate at judging the value of one another. We have a difficult time looking beyond outward appearances. It has been this way since the beginning of time. With a heart of mercy, Jesus has a message for all of us when we exhibit these Pharisaical attitudes. Contained in His message is usually a tale of two hearts, one inclined to self-glory, and one inclined to God’s glory. Often, the unlikely hero of Jesus’ stories is typically the one least expected by the crowd.

3) What did the Pharisee in the story think of himself?
Many modern-day Christ followers have heard this parable so often we immediately recognize what Jesus was teaching. We have possibly studied Jesus’ life and interaction with the Pharisees, and we know to associate the religious leaders with self-righteous hypocrisy. What we may miss is the real point Jesus was making. In Jesus’ day, the Jewish people held these leaders in high regard. The Pharisees were the models of righteous conduct. Maybe the crowd was hardly listening before that gutsy punchline. These leaders were the respected Bible teachers of the day. When Jesus said about the tax collector that “this man went down to his home justified” it was shocking! I can hear the gasps of the listeners even now. But before we rush to criticize this Pharisee in the story, we may need to ask ourselves if we pray similar prayers. And I must examine my own heart toward others. Because in a twist of irony, I can easily find myself rushing to judgment and praying a prayer of thanks that “I’m not like those Pharisees around me.” Ask the Lord to reveal your own heart motives in how you see others!

4) What did the tax collector in the story realize and admit about himself?
This parable offers us a picture of a tax collector who exhibits what Jesus spoke about in the Sermon on the Mount when He said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.” (Matthew 5:3) When Jesus taught the large crowd on the mountainside, I doubt many of them had considered the blessings of God as Jesus described them. Jesus told them that true blessing came in poverty of spirit, in mourning, in humility, in a hunger and thirst for righteousness. This is of great importance to us. Every single person comes to God as an empty, destitute, reviled, penniless, pitiful, desperate spiritual beggar. Just as that tax collector recognized his sinful condition and cried out for mercy, we must confess our need of Christ in every facet of our lives. The evidence of grace in our lives is the recognition that we desperately rely on that grace for everything. We are indeed a people #blessed!
“Just as I am, I would be lost, but mercy and grace my freedom bought.
And now to glory in Your cross, oh Lamb of God I come, I come.
I come broken to be mended.
I come wounded to be healed.
I come desperate to be rescued.
I come empty to be filled.
I come guilty to be pardoned by the blood of Christ the Lamb.
And I’m welcomed with open arms, praise God, just as I am.”
(Just As I Am by Travis Cottrell)

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit!

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 Blessed 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.

Neighbor Day 2 The Neighbor Kids: 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 The Neighbor Kids!

The Questions

1) What was the expert in the law possibly attempting to accomplish with his question?

2) Did Jesus answer the question, “What must we do to inherit eternal life”?

3) How does Jesus interpret for them what was written in the Law?

4) What proves we are a genuine neighbor (the Jesus kind) to those around us?

Luke 10:25-37

25 Then an expert in the law stood up to test him, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 “What is written in the law?” he asked him. “How do you read it?” 27 He answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,” and “your neighbor as yourself.” 28 “You’ve answered correctly,” he told him. “Do this and you will live.” 29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus took up the question and said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him up, and fled, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down that road. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 In the same way, a Levite, when he arrived at the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion. 34 He went over to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him. When I come back I’ll reimburse you for whatever extra you spend.’ 36 “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 37 “The one who showed mercy to him,” he said. Then Jesus told him, “Go and do the same.”

Original Intent

1) What was the “expert in the law” possibly attempting to accomplish with his question?
The “expert in the law” was not a court lawyer like we think of in the western culture of our present day. This was one who would have been considered an authority in the interpretation of the Jewish Mosaic and rabbinical law. In keeping with the traditional sign of respect, the learner stood and outwardly demonstrated a considerate posture. As a student of the law, it’s possible his question came as a serious thinker and seeker, though the phrasing of “he wanted to justify himself” gives us pause to consider his true motive. (verse 29) Though Bible scholars differ on the intention behind the question, the Greek word for “test” doesn’t necessarily imply evil intent. (enduringword.com) His question does, however, offer insight into the scribe’s belief system about securing eternal life. From the wording he uses, the inquiring man was revealing his assumption that humans must do something to gain eternal life. Unlike a payment obtained for services, receiving an inheritance does not typically require the receiver to do anything. Though the intent may not be completely cynical, the question certainly reveals his heart. Much like the wealthy ruler who approached Jesus (Matthew 19:16-22), there was a faulty assumption that doing good works was the way to receive salvation (right standing with God).

2) Did Jesus answer the question, “What must we do to inherit eternal life”?
This question seems to be a perfect setup for Jesus to discuss how salvation is not about good deeds. If I was to guess what the follow-up verse would say, I would have presumed Jesus would respond with “you don’t have to do anything!” Instead, He focused on what actions reveal about people’s motives. It’s interesting that Jesus agrees with the essence of the lawyer’s question. He said, “DO this and you will live.” Let’s pause and take that in for a moment. If we were presently in a setting where someone was teaching about salvation, we might let out a gasp at this response. Surely Jesus was not saying there was something required from them to receive eternal life. Were the local Jewish experts right about good works? The wisest teacher to ever walk the face of the earth, and the only perfect one, knew the heart of the one asking the questions. And as always, Jesus’ response exposed the deepest intentions of the scribe’s questions as well as his deeds. The man may have been an expert in the laws themselves, but sadly, he’d missed the meaning of them. And that was the answer to the question!

3) How does Jesus interpret for them what was written in the Law?
Dr. Kenneth Bailey taught in Egypt, Lebanon, Jerusalem and Cyprus. His insight into the cultural setting of this scene is extremely valuable to understand the context of Jesus’ answer and the parable He shares. “The Bible is an Eastern book. We see it through the colored glasses of Western culture. We do not understand the ingrained attitudes that illuminate a story or illustration. Christ spoke to a Middle Eastern people. What lies between the lines, what is felt and not spoken, is of deepest significance.” It was customary for Jewish children to attend school in the synagogue. Additionally, this expert had even further training in the teachings of the Old Testament. He may have thought he was going to prove his merits to Jesus by the discussion that would ensue. Jesus wanted to reveal the heart of God. The scribe thought he was going to justify himself to Jesus. Instead, Jesus told a story that would demonstrate how merciful love, not good works, is the only way to have eternal life. Jesus had not come to abolish the law the scribe was studying. He came to show that His life and death, which demonstrated loving God and others perfectly, fulfilled it completely. (Matthew 5:17-20)

4) What proves we are a genuine neighbor (the Jesus kind) to those around us?
Biblical parables were “stories that were cast alongside a truth in order to illustrate that truth.” (James Boice) There are approximately 36 parables in the Gospels. The parable in this passage is familiar to many. Even those who would not consider themselves to be adherents of Scripture use this story as an example of being a good neighbor. However, if someone wasn’t raised in a Palestinian culture, there are facets of this story we likely won’t fully grasp with a simple reading. We may not be as astonished as the first-century crowd when they heard Jesus tell it. It was unexpected in light of the answer the expert had given. In that culture, it stood directly opposed to everything the Jewish people had heard regarding their association with others. To make a Samaritan the hero of this story was nothing short of appalling. Jesus was declaring that the way to obey the words of Leviticus and Deuteronomy was to genuinely love God and also the person you least thought of as worthy. Jesus said of the Samaritan’s actions, “Go and do the same.” If this parable was a present-day meme it might read: “This is a Samaritan. The Samaritan was merciful. Be like the Samaritan.”

Everyday Application

1) What was the “expert in the law” possibly attempting to accomplish with his question?
Although we can’t be sure what the ultimate motive of the lawyer was, even if he wasn’t trying to trap Jesus into saying something that would indict Him, it doesn’t appear he was asking a question from a receptive heart. As the passage eventually exposes a man driven by his inward attitudes of superiority, this scene may reveal to us our own tendencies toward prejudice. In an effort to reassure ourselves of eternal life, it’s so tempting to question the validity of the gospel message of grace that is available to every sinner. Skepticism can cloud our thinking if we dwell on all the reasons God should withhold His mercy from someone. We may begin to believe the enemy’s foundational lie: Did God really say? (Genesis 3:1) The law expert thought he knew the answer to the question he posed. But he didn’t. If the gospel we preach doesn’t include our neighbor – whether that’s the people who live next door or our in-laws who live across the state – then we don’t understand the gospel at all.

2) Did Jesus answer the question, “What must we do to inherit eternal life”?
I can’t help but think of Jesus’ friend Martha. We don’t know the exact time frame, but just a few verses later in this same chapter, we find Jesus reminding His friend that “doing” isn’t the way to be right with God. (Luke 10:40-42) Sisters, we feel for Martha, and the expert’s question burns within us too, doesn’t it? Jesus, what must we do? I can sense Him stirring in my heart even now the words He spoke to His disciple Peter sitting by the fire after the resurrection. “He [Jesus] asked him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was grieved that he asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ He said, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ ‘Feed my sheep,’ Jesus said.” (John 21:17) If we were to ask the question the lawyer asked, we’d get the same response from Jesus He gave to him and to Peter. “Do you love Me?” It’s true we cannot earn salvation, but we who are the recipients of the mercy of God will show mercy to those around us, our neighbors because of God’s love alive within us. By this, we convey a heart changed by the gospel of grace which provides us eternal life.

3) How does Jesus interpret for them what was written in the Law?
Jesus answered the inquirer by affirming the two commandments that were stated, but just like the law expert, we try to defend ourselves by rehearsing our obedience. Jesus’ response was not just for that self-righteous lawyer. It is the answer for our own hypocrisy. Even as women of the Word, we can get so consumed with knowing and sharing all the commands in Scripture that we become guilty of breaking the most important commandments of all. Paul said in his letter to the Corinthian church that we can “understand all mysteries and all knowledge, but [if we] do not have love, we are nothing.” Humbling ourselves and loving God with everything we are will naturally lead to a life spent loving others. The law set forth in the Old Testament was merely a shadow of the reality to come through the work of Christ we read about in the New Testament. The great theologian Charles Spurgeon said, “Let it never be forgotten that what the law demands of us, the gospel really produces in us.”

4) What proves we are a genuine neighbor (the Jesus kind) to those around us?
As followers of Christ, we are to demonstrate a changed life by the way we love God wholly with our heart, soul, strength and mind. As we are being sanctified and transformed by the work of the Holy Spirit inwardly, in our attitudes and motives, we begin to outwardly prove the love we possess by generosity, humility, and kindness toward those we meet. The parable of the noble Samaritan wasn’t about good works that produced right-standing with God. The story revealed that if we really love God from a heart that acknowledges the great mercy we’ve been shown, it will be evidenced in the mercy we give to those around us. Most of us have opportunities to extend mercy every day. As moms or grandmas, as sisters or aunts, as friends or acquaintances, as members of churches and community organizations, as foreign missionaries or assistants in local shelters … we have needy people everywhere all the time. Jesus asked the law expert who was truly the good neighbor. He may have mumbled it, but he finally had the right answer: “The one who showed mercy.” Go, sisters, and do the same!

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

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 Neighbor 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.

The GT Weekend! ~ Esther 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) Authentic transparency is one of our core values at Gracefully Truthful because none is more authentic and vulnerable than God Himself. In our culture, we don’t glorify messy, hard things that bring great personal cost. But following Jesus, involves cost, every single time. From the moment we say yes to Jesus, we are called to surrender everything, giving up control of our entire lives. This isn’t a popular, feel-good Christian slogan, but it is the truth. We cannot afford to gloss over the cost of following Jesus, but neither can we ignore the unsurpassable great reward that comes from giving up everything for Him. Where have you seen great reward from saying yes to Jesus? Where is He calling you to surrender?

2) In your life, where have you seen the intersection of painful brokenness and genuine praise play out? When troubles hit the ship of our life, the reality of where we truly anchor our heart is made evident. When life is going well, it’s easy to say, “God is my hope and my strength!”, but when suffering, fear, and brokenness storm our sails, we either cling to the Lord, choosing to praise Him for Who He is, or we fight to swim on our own strength. If you’re in a time of smooth sailing, make intentional decisions to cultivate your relationship with God. If storms are slamming you, surround yourself with solid friends who love Jesus and love you, and will keep pointing you towards the truth of God’s character!

3) At key points all along her epic journey, Esther had the ultimatum of either choosing wisdom or walking in the wisdom of her own eyes, motivated by her fear. She beautifully chose wisdom each time, even though she clearly struggled to surrender her fear at some points. Wisdom adorned her like a beautiful crown and arrested the attention of people around her while opening the way for her people to be rescued. Who do you admire and respect because of their consistent decision to live wisely. Take the time this weekend and write them a note, giving specific reasons why you are grateful for their wisdom. Then set out to ask the Lord to make you wise and gracious while surrendering your own fears!

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 Proverbs 1:8-9 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Hear, my son, your father’s instruction,
and forsake not your mother’s teaching,
for they are a graceful garland for your head
and pendants for your neck.

Prayer Journal
How good and kind You are to hold out wisdom to us, Lord, while also helping us slowly understand how foolish we are without You! Teach our hearts to be humble, to elevate you, and see our own wisdom apart from You as being foolishness. Make our hearts hungry for You alone! It’s so easy for me to think about my outer self, whether in appearance or in mannerisms, and how I will be received by others. Teach me to seek after the true, lasting beauty of Your wisdom and grace, and use it to point others to You and Your glory!

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

Open Day 10 Gaius Who?

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

3 John 1:1-15
Isaiah 58:6-12
Matthew 25:31-40
Luke 14:12-14
1 Peter 4:7-11

Open, Day 10

As I type, the Men’s Final Four has been set.  I am an avid sports fan, and especially love watching college basketball.  Even so, I have absolutely NO idea who won the NCAA Championship last year. Or the year before that.

As I thought about how easily we forget (or didn’t even know) the winners of major sporting events, I wondered how many would know even ONE thing about the man highlighted in today’s Journey Study.

Confession: I attended private Christian school from kindergarten to 12th grade, then graduated from a private Christian university.  I have been going to church since before I was born, and still I had to look up who Gaius was.

I hoped I wasn’t the only one drawing a blank, so I did an official Facebook poll to see who would know him.  Of my friends who responded, most suggested he was a character on a TV show or a historical Roman figure.  Those few who made a Biblical reference only VAGUELY knew about some guy Paul wrote about in one of his letters.

At first, I felt bad for poor Gaius.
He lived his life boldly for Jesus, made sacrifices, faced persecution, and endured hardships of many kinds.  He traveled with Paul (Acts 19:29; 20:4), hosted home gatherings (Romans 16:23), and welcomed traveling teachers into his home (3 John 1:1-8). He was a dear friend of the apostle John and was actually the recipient of John’s 3rd letter. In it, we discover Gaius was well respected, regarded as a faithful follower of God, and known for his deep love and genuine kindness.  Yet, here we are today, barely knowing he even existed, let alone recognize his major contributions to the early church.

In a society where we tend to live for recognition, the idea of not being known, or remembered, seems frightening. We spend our days doing all we can to make a name for ourselves, to leave a lasting legacy, ensuring that generations to come will know us.  Heaven forbid we end up forgotten like Gaius.

Recently, I heard a Casting Crowns song called ONLY JESUS. Rather than striving to win trophies and leave a mark the world remembers, the band sings of embracing a much different approach.  They suggest a more selfless mindset, “I don’t care if they remember me…Only Jesus.”

I think Gaius must have had this perspective, thousands of years before Casting Crowns wrote a song about it.

You might have heard the verse, “I have no greater joy than to hear my children are walking in the truth.”  I actually have this Scripture hung in our house and pray for my girls to live for Jesus as I pass by the sign, but I had no idea John was writing these words in reference to our man Gaius!!!

In his letter to Gaius, John commends his friend for faithfully serving those who are spreading the gospel message.  Gaius doesn’t personally know these people, but because they are fellow believers and administers of the gospel, he opens his home to them.  These men have reported back to John about Gaius’ hospitality, and John is delighted to hear how ‘one of his children is walking in the truth’.

Perhaps Gaius understood firsthand how incredible a homemade meal and warm bed felt after a long day of preaching in an unfamiliar city.  In Acts 19:29, we read how Gaius was one of Paul’s traveling companions.  In the following chapters, we see how Paul and his crew had quite the trip traveling from one city to the next and sometimes back again sharing the Good News.  As they traveled, Gaius heard Paul compel other believers to support those who were making sacrifices to spread the gospel.

Gaius took those words to heart.
Having been welcomed into strangers’ homes as he traveled with Paul, Gaius later opened his door to strangers as they worked to make Jesus known.

Gaius didn’t just know the truth.
He walked in it.

What about us?

We have heard the verses about loving your neighbor, visiting those in prison, feeding the hungry, caring for the orphans and widows.

We KNOW the importance of hospitality, but are we living hospitably?!

When new neighbors move in, do we take them cookies?

When a family at church has a baby, do we bring them diapers?

When we get an email about hosting an international student for Thanksgiving,
do we set an extra plate at the table?

When we see a post on Facebook about the need for foster families, do we go to the informational meeting?

When we are handed a flyer about a women’s clinic and the opportunity to host a teen mom, do we put fresh sheets on the bed in the guest room?

When a co-worker has surgery, do we drop by with flowers?

When our kids are playing at the park, do we set our phone down and chat with moms?

Big or small, our hospitality probably won’t win us any medals or make us famous.
Books won’t be written and movies won’t be made featuring our willingness to be open. Like Gaius, people will most likely forget (or never even know) the sacrifices we make, the gifts we give, or the time and money we spend loving others.

And that’s okay.
Recognition is NOT the goal of living hospitably.

May we sing along with Casting Crowns, “I don’t care if they remember me…Only Jesus.”

May we live like Gaius, knowing that as we open our doors,
God’s love will spread and His kingdom will grow.

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 Open Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

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

Captivating Day 11 Love For The Nations

2 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 28:18-20
Psalm 96:1-13
1 Kings 8:41-43
1 Thessalonians 5:14-18

Captivating, Day 11

“Even for the foreigner who is not your people Israel, but has come from a distant land
because of Your name — for they will hear
of Your great name, strong hand, and outstretched arm,
and will come and pray towards this temple.
May You hear in heaven, Your dwelling place, and do according to all the foreigner asks.
Then all the peoples of the earth will know Your name,
to fear You as Your people Israel do.”
1 Kings 8:41-43

King Solomon prayed these words at the dedication of the Temple. The words are nestled solidly in the Old Testament, many generations before Jesus spoke the words of the Great Commission. In the Great Commission, the Lord challenges us to “go and make disciples of all nations.”
King Solomon’s words prove that the concept of all nations knowing the Lord is not a new one.

However, as I read the words prayed by King Solomon, I sensed my “You Are Here” pin on my mental map shifting. Had I been living in the time of King Solomon, I would be the foreigner. I would be the one coming from afar to learn of the Lord. With that reality sinking in, I found a new humility washing my perspective on the Great Commission and my role within it. Instead of looking out my door and searching for people to tell the good news to (which is not a bad perspective to have in general), I sensed my heart shifting to focus on the Lord first. From that starting line, I simply engage those I encounter, trusting He is the one who has put them in my path. The entire process became far less about me and much more about Him.

It was with this renewed mindset I began reflecting on previous mission trip experiences and my interactions with the missionaries ministering in those locations. I have had the opportunity to travel to countries with extreme poverty and visiting homes for eight people made from cardboard. I’ve also walked the streets of first world countries where taxi after taxi were all high-end cars. In each scenario, the same truth proved true of those serving there. These missionaries had allowed themselves to be rooted in their respective ministries, and moved with the flow of the Lord in their land, because they had locked their eyes on the Lord first and followed where He led.

As you read the words of the Great Commission, may your gaze on the Lord guide you into all that He has prepared for you. If you feel the call to physically go abroad, keep your eyes on Him and obey with all you have. You will be astounded at the places He sets your feet. If you do not feel called right now to serve overseas, you are still vitally important to missions. Yes, you can help financially by sending others and have a tangible impact, however, there are other avenues as well.

For the last few years, the Lord has opened the door for me to travel to Estonia on short term mission trips. The team from my church visits the same location every year in effort to invest in and encourage those serving full-time. On our last trip, I asked what impact our trips and presence have. The lead pastor, who is originally from England, said our visits bring needed encouragement and support in a variety of ways. Sometimes that looks like manual help at the church or homes, other times it looks like a listening ear and prayer for those serving. Still other times, it is simply allowing those serving full-time to rest in the presence of other believers, especially in locations that aren’t open to the Gospel.

One of the most significant statements, however, came from a young Estonian woman who serves in the church. She explained that the team consistently returning and some members coming back year after year sent the message to everyone that they are significant and the investment is genuine. She noted how our consistency and intentionality conveyed that we care about her and her relationship with the Lord as our promises to return proved to be more than lip service.

You may not be called to leave your zip code to physically serve in another country or location; however, you can impact the nations regardless. Is there a missionary you know who could use consistent encouragement? Would a note, email, or care package remind them they are not forgotten and provide some empowerment to carry on? Why not ask how you can pray for them specifically?

The Lord’s heart is for the nations and the individuals within those nations to know Him. This concept is woven throughout the Word in both Old and New Testaments.
Lock your gaze on Him and tune your ears to His voice.
Through your obedience, you will help advance the Great Commission!

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!