The GT Weekend! ~ Eden Week 2

April 30, 2022 by Katelyn Palmer 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

1) In the beginning of Genesis, we catch a glimpse of the life God intends for us. We see beauty in every aspect of life, even, or perhaps especially, in work. In our broken world, we can easily lose sight of the biblical significance of labor and its fruit. Society’s version of work leaves us disheartened, unfulfilled, and stressed because it shifts the focus off God. When you find yourself in the thick of it at work, what’s your focus point that renews your strength and motivates you? If it’s anything but God, you will eventually find it insufficient. When we change the lens through which we view labor, filtering our perspective through God’s character, we realize the gift of work! Each day, God provides opportunities to glorify Him and align ourselves with His character as we enter work attempting to model Him as He diligently labored over Creation. When you struggle to push through whatever labor you face, pray for God to shift your lens and align your heart with His. Don’t be discouraged should you not see tangible fruit from your labor, instead remind yourself of the truths Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:58, “be steadfast…excelling in the Lord’s work because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain,” and Galatians 6:9, “let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.”

2) Temptation is perhaps Satan’s most effective tool to spiritually attack mankind. He merely sets up situations that pull at the sinful desires of our flesh, knowing our bodies are at war with the Spirit of God living inside us, leaving us weakened and vulnerable. The best illustration of handling temptation is on display as Jesus suffered temptation in the wilderness after His baptism by John. He spent 40 days and 40 nights being tempted by the devil, but effectively resisting the urge to sin. (Matthew 4:1-11) Each time Satan spoke, Jesus replied using Scripture from the Old Testament. He used God’s words, the very words we read in our Bibles today, to expose Satan’s lies with Truth. This requires us to spend intentional time studying the Bible. Scripture is God’s favorite way to talk to us. What are some activities you could sacrifice in order to make time to listen to God and equip yourself against temptation? Could you wake up 30 minutes earlier, or turn off the television a little bit sooner, or scroll on social media a little less?

3) Jesus didn’t spend his time as a human here on earth building marble laden castles, throwing lavish feasts, and laughing drunkenly in wide hallways ordained with gold and silver. He walked the dirt lined paths of His earthly kingdom with His bare feet alongside messy, imperfect people, healing the sick and despised. He engaged them with questions that illuminated truth, tore holes in their lies, brought understanding and healing, and exposed those who weren’t yet ready to hear the answers they sought. God has never stopped asking us questions, engaging us in conversation to illuminate, heal, and expose the sin in our lives and lead us back to Him. His goal has always been to share in relationship with His creation, so make it a point, today, to follow His lead and engage the next person you run into with His love. Be open minded and intentional. After all, you never know where a question could lead, or how the Lord could use your obedience to rescue a soul for eternity!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from 2 Corinthians 11:12-15 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

But I will continue to do what I am doing, in order to deny an opportunity to those who want to be regarded as our equals in what they boast about. For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no great surprise if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will be according to their works.

Prayer Journal
Dear Yahweh, I thank you for being the guiding star that ever points north and whose light never falters. Each morning, You give me a day full of new opportunities to bring glory to Your name. I ask for Your help in shifting my gaze back to You when I lose sight of this gift. Please give me a heart that aches for Your Word and a soul thirsting for truth. I ask for Your direction when navigating worldly temptation. Please, Holy Spirit, remind me to put on Your armor in protection of the enemy as Ephesians 6:10-18 commands. Help me recollect Scripture in my times of weakness and allow me to move forward with the shield of faith and my feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace.

Give me courage to explore the power of asking questions not just with my loved ones and close friends, but with strangers and even my enemies, as I remember this battle we are in is not against flesh and bone, but against spiritual powers beyond what my eyes can see. Help me remember You love my enemy just as You love me. Thank You, Yahweh, for Your endless grace and mercy. May Your will be done in me today and every day. Amen.

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

The GT Weekend! ~ Wilderness Week 1

March 12, 2022 by Rebecca Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend!

Worship Through Journaling

1) We began our Journey Into Wilderness with an easily forgotten Old Testament wanderer, Cain. Perhaps you’ve never read his story, or maybe you only think of him as the murderer who jealously killed his own brother. Maybe, like me, you’ve never considered how your wilderness may have reflections of Cain’s wanderings. Remembering that every story in the whole of Scripture is meant to point toward the grander narrative of the Lord Jesus’ rescue for sinners and His magnificent love for them, how can you see God’s gracious love toward both Cain and Abel? (read their full story in Genesis 4) We may want to excuse ourselves from the wrecking shame and damage of sin, by claiming we’ve never done “that”, where “that” is our “unthinkable deed”. In doing this, however, we easily gloss over our other sins. None of us can be excused from the deadly price tag of sin. All sin breaks relationship, no matter how large or small. As you reflect on Cain’s story this weekend, ask the Lord to convict you of sin. Then take the next step and bravely confess that sin to another fellow believer and ask them to hold you accountable in not choosing that sin.

2) On Wednesday, Paula provided us with comparison between our lives and embroidery work. The backside is a seeming disarray of crisscrossed, zig-zagging threads jumbled, cut, and tied in a ridiculous maze. Only when flipping over the final product can we make out the lovely scene produced by the apparent tangling of threads. What scenes of your life feel, or have felt, chaotic, mismatched, and meaningless? As you reflect on these, what emotions are the strongest? Put names to them and think about the pains involved in those scenarios. Considering Job’s losses in the areas of health, friendships, wealth, respect, and family, which ones most closely connect with your story? Job’s pain ran deeper than he ever anticipated, as evidenced by his desire for death and his wish to have never been born. Still, he refused to curse God, and insisted the Lord was sovereign and good. What truths will you adamantly cling to as you re-frame your wilderness season? Are these truths reliable? How do you know? Spend time in this weekend reading Job 38-42 and glean stabilizing truths!

3) “If I become a Christian, my life should be easy, successful, and enjoyable.” This is an easy misconception to fall into, but we only need to briefly read Scripture to understand that belief system isn’t supported by biblical teaching. If Christ Jesus, as God the Son, entered the Wilderness, was persecuted, threatened, disowned, mocked, ridiculed, and torturously killed, why would His followers expect to be treated royally with a life of ease? Why would anyone decide to commit their lives to following this kind of Savior? Have you asked yourself this question? Amazingly, our reasons for why we follow are layered into Jesus’ wilderness experience. He holds all authority. Though He took on human flesh, and chose humanity, He still retained His deity. At any point during His wilderness Jesus could have ended Satan’s attacks and sent him packing. But He didn’t. He chose suffering again and again, so He could be our personal Savior. The God who holds all authority also loves with empathetic compassion having lived humanity like us, but was without sin, unlike us. In incredible love, He did what we could not accomplish on our own, and He holds out this gift freely for all. Yes, following this Savior is worth everything.

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 Job 23:10-12 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Yet He knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will emerge as pure gold. My feet have followed in His tracks; I have kept to His way and not turned aside. I have not departed from the commands from His lips; I have treasured the words from His mouth more than my daily food.

Prayer Journal
Lord Jesus, I am a mess. My heart loves myself. My circumstances are a swirling mess of puzzle pieces. I get lost in alternating waves of doubt and trust for You. My faith is weak. This pressing on all sides wears me thin. Still, in all of this, Your Word says I am known. My ways are known by You. My brokenness, my weariness, my doubts, fears, and desperate places as I wander this wilderness are all known by You. Lord, my God, my only Hope in life or death, You promise to bring me forth through all of this as pure gold. Lord, what a breathtaking wonder! What an astounding, attentive, loving Sovereign! My Jesus, remind me of this truth when I’m tempted to only fix my attention on my surroundings. You are worthy of my constant praise! May my heart learn to worship and trust You alone in this process of refinement!

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

Wilderness Day 2 Marked & Lost & Grace: Digging Deeper

March 8, 2022 by Multiple Authors 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 Marked & Lost & Grace!

The Questions

1) Whose teaching was Jesus referencing in verse 21?

2) How does Jesus’ definition of sin differ from the teaching of His day? (verse 22)

3) Why is it important for us to reconcile with one another before offering our gift to God? (verses 23-24)

Matthew 5:21-24

“You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder, and whoever murders will be subject to judgment. ²²But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Whoever insults his brother or sister will be subject to the court. Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to hellfire. ²³So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, ²⁴leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.

Original Intent

1) Whose teaching was Jesus referencing in verse 21?
This teaching is part of a broader one, commonly known today as The Sermon on the Mount and His subsequent teaching about being the salt of the earth and the light of the world. (Mathew 5:13-16) At this time in history, it was the scribes and Pharisees who “taught”, offering their interpretation of what we know as Old Testament texts. The scribes and Pharisees interpreted the passages on murder, Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17, based on physical actions. In essence, if you do not murder anyone you have fulfilled the sixth commandment. People thought they were in right standing based on this teaching. But studylight.org tells us “The Jewish religious leaders used the law to govern outward actions, but Jesus wants to control the heart.” Indeed, there was more to that commandment than was understood by the Pharisees and scribes. (written by Marietta Taylor)

2) How does Jesus’ definition of sin differ from the teaching of His day? (verse 22)
Teaching during Jesus’ day was on a narrower view of the law than what was intended by God’s design. Surely “The Word”, Jesus, would know what that original intent was as He was fully God. He starts verse 22 with, “But I tell you”, letting everyone know He is going to challenge a longstanding belief. Jesus proceeds to teach not only is murder a punishable sin, but also the anger that proceeds it. James 1:14-15 says first we have evil desires that give birth to sin which leads to death. Jesus illustrates this with His teaching on anger. It’s not just the ending action, murder, that is the problem. No, it begins with the anger that leads people to murder. “It is easier to keep the commandment against murder than it is to avoid anger in one’s heart.” (Working Preacher) Jesus was shutting down the easy path. His teaching was calling the people to a higher standard. They were being challenged, and I would dare say commanded, to look not just at their actions but also their thoughts and feelings. Was the law flawed? No. Jesus was challenging the interpretation, not the law. “He is in no way diminishing the Law. He is showing that the keeping of God’s Law has always been an issue of a heart out of which flows that person’s loving obedience for God and his fellow man.” (Precept Austin) This is true not just with murder but with all sin. (written by Marietta Taylor)

3) Why is it important for us to reconcile with one another before offering our gift to God? (verse 24)
In the middle of His discussion on foundational understandings of God’s purpose and intent in His Law and the far-reaching standards of holy righteousness, Jesus turns the conversation from general “everyone” and “whoever” (verse 22) to a clearly pointed “you” (verse 23). What Jesus is about to impart cuts to the heart of something deep and exceptionally personal. Radical compassion and unity fleshed out by forgiveness are core-essentials of Who God IS. Were God not fundamentally compassionate, He would have stopped short of sacrificing Himself and being willing to break unity within the godhead for the sake of forgiving those (us) who had rebelled against Him. (Romans 5:10) It simply would be unfathomable for this kind of sacrifice to occur were God anything less than wholly compassionate. (Psalm 103:8, Joel 2:13) Notice three things about Jesus’ directive for reconciliation. 1) The “remembering” happens in the midst of worship. Jesus’ audience understood Jesus was referencing “right in the act” of slaying an animal for worship. Right there. At the altar. Before the Almighty. There is something radically holy about entering the Lord’s presence for worship, then hearing from His Spirit reminding you of a strained or broken relationship in need of repair. 2) It’s Urgent. The worshiper is instructed to go quickly with immediate haste, while leaving the animal sacrifice on the altar. Reconciliation attempts are far more pressing to God than worshipping the Almighty God while our hearts are out of sync in our relationships for our worship cannot be properly honoring to God in this state. 3) Jesus’ words don’t focus on the worshipper’s anger or bitterness (though it could certainly be present), instead Jesus specifically says, “your brother or sister that has something against you.” (written by Rebecca Adams)

Everyday Application

1) Whose teaching was Jesus referencing in verse 21?
The Pharisees and scribes did all interpretation of Scripture. Today we have many preachers, teachers, and speakers who offer their interpretation of what the Word says and how it applies to our lives. It’s easy to abdicate our responsibility to read, study, and know God’s Word for ourselves because there are so many easy choices to consume teaching. Joshua 1:8 instructs, “This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it.” How much are we reading and meditating on the Word instead of relying on someone else to do this precious work for us? We may argue that the Bible is hard to understand, which is true in some ways. However, James 1:5 says, “Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him.” Jesus wasn’t giving instructions that could not be followed. Not only can we ask Him for the wisdom to understand His Word, but, if we cooperate, we have the Holy Spirit to help us fulfill the requirements of the law, even today. Spurgeon says, “Only citizens of the Kingdom of heaven, genuine believers, can obey Jesus’ instructions and commands, doing so not because of outward constraints (not “under Law”) but because of an inward life (“under grace”) enabled by the indwelling Spirit of the Living God.” What He requires of us, He equips us for. And He has given us the grace to allow Him to teach us Himself through our own time spent reading, studying and praying over Scripture. (written by Marietta Taylor)

2) How does Jesus’ definition of sin differ from the teaching of His day? (verse 22)
It’s easy to look at a commandment and say, “I don’t do that”, and it’s true for many of us. But God calls us to a higher level of accountability. It’s not just the actions themselves, but what can and often does lead to sin that precedes those actions, our heart-attitude. The Pharisees and scribes choose the lesser burden, for themselves and therefore the people following their teaching. Jesus was the author of the original intent and its meaning for us today; He knows our struggle. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15-16) He wants us to evaluate our thoughts and feelings before they lead to sin. If you trace backwards from the action, the seed was planted through thoughts and feelings. David Guzik says it this way, “The laws of the people could only deal with the outward act of murder, but Jesus declared that His followers understood that God’s morality addressed not only the end but also the beginning of murder.” God, being loving and merciful gives us the way to avoid punishment. As the saying goes, “nip it in the bud”. In other words, stop it before it ever really starts. How do we do this? As in Hebrews 4:16, take our thoughts and feelings to God in prayer, asking for His help. Let Him give us another path, His, that leads us toward righteousness and away from sin. (written by Marietta Taylor)

3) Why is it important for us to reconcile with one another before offering our gift to God? (verse 24)
Believers are called to live lives without offense, neither picking it up to carry around as offended, nor choosing it as weaponry to intentionally, underhandedly offend. This understanding that someone else has something against you can only be uncovered when we are choosing to worship in spirit and truth, coming with all humility and allowing the Spirit to stir our hearts with the conviction only He can bring. (John 4:23-24) Is this how we enter worship? On Sundays as we make our way to gather with believers, are we asking the Lord to show us where reconciliation is absent in our relationships? (Matthew 18:35) On Tuesdays in the afternoon and on Friday evenings, are we coming to the Father and asking who are we “out of unity” with and how can we go to them with all urgency to offer reconciliation? Note also that Jesus tells His audience to return to the altar. (verse 24) This return isn’t dependent on whether the other person accepts reconciliation attempts, but rather the emphasis is on our worship being acceptable when we extend it. Why does this come so close to the heart of God? It’s exactly what He does for us. It’s His posture toward us in our everyday lives, “I spread out my hands all day long to a rebellious people who walk in the path that is not good, following their own thoughts.” (Isaiah 65:2) Let’s worship the Lord with the same model He give us in the middle of our own sin, and mess, and rebellion. Compassionate, urgent forgiveness. Are you holding it out? Have you taken it in from the Lord? (written by Rebecca Adams)

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

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.