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Surrender Day 7 Spilling Our Treasure: Digging Deeper

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Surrender Day 7 Spilling Our Treasure: Digging Deeper

Rachel Jones

January 31, 2023

Adoring,Forgiven,Gift,Worship

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Spilling Our Treasure"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Luke 7:36-50

36 Then one of the Pharisees invited him to eat with him. He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 And a woman in the town who was a sinner found out that Jesus was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house. She brought an alabaster jar of perfume 38 and stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to wash his feet with her tears. She wiped his feet with her hair, kissing them and anointing them with the perfume.
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “This man, if he were a prophet, would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—she’s a sinner!”

40 Jesus replied to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

He said, “Say it, teacher.”

41 “A creditor had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Since they could not pay it back, he graciously forgave them both. So, which of them will love him more?”

43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one he forgave more.”

“You have judged correctly,” he told him. 44 Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she, with her tears, has washed my feet and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but she hasn’t stopped kissing my feet since I came in. 46 You didn’t anoint my head with olive oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfume. 47 Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; that’s why she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 Those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Why would the woman give so extravagantly to Jesus? (verses 37-38)

Luke 7:37-38 describes a woman, probably a prostitute, according to Bible student Charles Ellicott, who approached Jesus to wash His feet with her tears, dry them with her hair, and anoint them with perfume. The foot washing itself was an act of service and honor, and the perfume was an extravagance that proved her love and devotion to Jesus.

Rod Mattoon explains, “Alabaster jars of perfume were so valuable in the first century they were often purchased as investments. This box may have been extremely expensive, as costly as one year’s wages.” Though the woman sought out Jesus when she heard he was at Simon’s house, we are unsure exactly how she knew about Jesus. Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer points out, “The woman through the influence of Jesus (it is unknown how; perhaps only by hearing His preaching and by observation of His entire ministry) had attained to repentance and faith, and thereby to moral renewal”.

This woman left a life of sin behind her when she came to Jesus, and she wanted to thank Him for the freedom that came with His forgiveness. (John 8:36) Her freedom from sin and oppression was worth more to her than the cost of the perfume in the alabaster box. (Romans 6:22) Humbling herself by washing and kissing Jesus’ feet was a way to show Him how much she loved her Savior. (1 Corinthians 13:4-5)

Liz Curtis Higgs suggests “We’ve called her silent adulation worship. What she really poured all over his feet was love. Her tears, her hair, her kisses, her perfume. Love, love, love, love.” This nameless woman’s unspeakable joy of salvation poured forth in lavish gifts of worship to the One who loved her so much that He would pay for her sins. (Titus 2:14)

The Everyday Application

1) Why would the woman give so extravagantly to Jesus? (verses 37-38)

Have you seen those stories of celebrities visiting sick or underprivileged kids, or kids who have accomplished some great feat or act of service? These kids receive extravagant gifts, visits to concerts or sporting events, and videos and selfies to memorialize the moment. These sweet accounts give me all the feels! But I rarely see stories about celebrities lavishing swag on “bad” kids; the bullies, the addicts, the misfits and losers. But this is exactly what Jesus does in Luke 7:37-38.

He treats one of the “bad girls” of the Bible with love and honor, forgiving her sins and accepting her worship, even though it was offensive to their Pharisee host, Simon. The woman couldn’t keep herself from worshipping Jesus, because He had freed her from her sins and she had to express her joy!

The religious leaders still regarded Jesus with caution, doubting His claims, and treated Him with more suspicion than respect. This woman of ill-repute honored Jesus in ways his host failed, by washing His feet. She used this humble deed as an act of worship (Romans 12:1) by pouring out tears and wiping them with her hair, though unbound hair in public was not acceptable per religious laws (F.F. Bruce). Nor could she hold back from pouring out expensive perfume on his feet, indicating her Lord was worthy of all her worship.

Lawrence Richards writes, “That was an act of love; an expression of gratitude. Her ‘many sins’ had been purged, and her tears were tears of joy.” Let’s follow this woman’s example of extravagant worship to the One who has given us everything and is worthy of everything we have. (Revelation 5:12)

The Original Intent

2) Why did Jesus point out the difference between how the woman treated Him and how the Pharisee treated Him? (verses 44-46)

In verses 44-46, Jesus pointed out how differently Simon the Pharisee treated Him than a prostitute who heard Jesus was at Simon’s house and came to see Him. Jesus asked Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she, with her tears, has washed my feet and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but she hasn’t stopped kissing my feet since I came in. You didn’t anoint my head with olive oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfume.” (verses 44-46)

Matthew Williams explains there were certain rules about visiting someone’s home in Bible times. “In Jesus’ day, three rituals were common: a kiss of greeting, washing of feet, and anointing with oil. . . Simon has set up Jesus for social shame. No Pharisee who liked Jesus would have done this.” Simon already held Jesus in contempt, but the Pharisee was shocked when the sinful woman entered his home and Jesus allowed her to touch Him. He even made a barbed comment that if Jesus was a prophet He should know all about the kind of woman who was washing His feet. (Luke 7:39)

Jesus made it a point to show Simon that this sinner loved Him better than Simon. He wanted Simon to consider that the woman’s sins were not the most important thing about her, and that Simon’s education and traditions did not make him better than the sinful woman. Jesus wanted to emphasize that forgiving sinful people was the very reason He came to earth from Heaven. (1 Timothy 1:15) Jesus did not want to distance Himself from sinners; He wanted to befriend them and bring them into God’s family. (Luke 19:10)

The Everyday Application

2) Why did Jesus point out the difference between how the woman treated Him and how the Pharisee treated Him? (verses 44-46)

Everyone loves the story of an underdog who defies the odds and comes out on top. From Little Orphan Annie to Rocky Balboa, people love to cheer on those who are looked down on and misused by others. Reading about the unnamed woman who washes Jesus’ feet is reminiscent of just such a tale as the unwelcome woman defies the religious elite, Simon, when she approaches Jesus at Simon’s home. Simon thinks that Jesus’ attentiveness to the woman and her gift is inappropriate, but Jesus points out that this sinful woman has behaved better than His self-righteous host. (Luke 7:44-46)

Jared C. Wilson notes how Simon “grumbles inwardly, not just because he doubts Christ’s holiness in allowing this scandalous scene, but because he considers himself to have higher standards than Jesus has.” Jesus wanted Simon and the onlookers to recognize that He “accepted her worship, covered her with dignity, and regaled her with forgiveness.” (Ifgathering.com)

Simon the Pharisee thought he was better than this woman with a sinful past and that he was more righteous than Jesus, who associated with her. Jesus wanted Simon to know that His forgiveness made scarlet sins as white as snow. (Isaiah 1:18) In pointing out the disparity between their treatment of Jesus, Christ emphasized that all people are sinners in need of a Savior (Romans 3:23), including the woman from the street and the sanctimonious Pharisee.

Jesus pointed out how her worship, while it made the establishment uncomfortable, was more acceptable than Simon’s pious hypocrisy. Jesus lovingly forgives everyone who comes to Him in true repentance (Ephesians 1:7), and He loves the praise and adoration of those who worship Him. (Hebrews 13:15-16)

The Original Intent

3) What does it mean that the one who is forgiven little, loves little? (verse 47)

When a promiscuous woman came to Simon the Pharisee’s house and washed Jesus’ feet, Jesus explained why He considered this an act of worship by telling Simon, “Her many sins have been forgiven; that’s why she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” (verse 47)

Jesus declared this woman’s sins, every single one, to be forgiven. David Guzik points out, “She wasn’t forgiven because of her great love; her great love was evidence that she had been forgiven, probably privately on a prior occasion and now publicly.” Simon had not shown Jesus even the common kindness of foot washing, and Jesus was associating this “little love” with Simon’s lack of awareness of his own need for forgiveness.

Kelly Barbrey notes, “In reality, both the woman and Simon are ‘debtors’ in need of forgiveness. The biggest difference, however, is the passion and awareness with which the woman confesses and the faith she has in Jesus’ forgiveness. Simon is similar to the debtor who owed the smaller sum. (Luke 7:41-42)

In denial of his own shortcomings, he haughtily looks down his nose at the woman who seems to have accumulated a lifetime of transgressions.” Simon didn’t believe he needed to be forgiven of anything because of his perceived superiority. After all, he was a Pharisee, one who studied and taught the law and the Scriptures. He thought he could learn nothing from a prostitute and a traveling teacher.

Jesus wanted Simon to see that God’s forgiveness was the great equalizer, making everyone who called on Jesus a child of God (John 1:12), blameless in His sight (Colossians 1:22), and desirous of sharing the love that had been lavished upon them.

The Everyday Application

3) What does it mean that the one who is forgiven little, loves little? (verse 47)

My friend made some disastrous choices that alienated his family. He recognized he was on a path to ruin and sought God’s forgiveness and restoration. Since then, he has lived like a man with a new lease on life. He is joyful in serving and compassionate with others who need God’s forgiveness. Even when consequences from bad choices continue to surface, he is humbly grateful for God’s forgiveness.

He reminds me of the woman who washed Jesus’ feet in Luke 7:47 of whom Jesus said, “her many sins have been forgiven; that’s why she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” My friend loves much because he knows how much God has forgiven him. He appreciates what God saved him from and what God has graciously allowed him to do, despite his past mistakes. Dave Roper explains that “Sin can make us more appreciative of God’s forgiveness and can lead us to a deeper, more extravagant love for Him than we could otherwise attain.”

Those who don’t seek God’s forgiveness don’t have the same perspective and can only “love little.” Vance Havner suggests that today, “Few alabaster boxes are broken in tearful joy over forgiveness. Sin has been glossed over; men do not regard themselves sinners and consequently feel no burden of guilt and, of course, no relief in His pardon.”

When you realize your need for God’s forgiveness, the comfort and love you experience is overwhelming; this joy is yours every time you come to Him. Christ never responds to our repentance with, “You again?” He never says, “You had enough chances.” In fact, Jesus urges us to ask Him for forgiveness when we pray (Matthew 6:12).

Anytime your sins cause you to turn away from God in shame, remember He is waiting to forgive you and love you. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

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disciple,gift,humility,Lavish,surrender
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The GT Weekend! ~ Eden Week 2

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) 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

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The GT Weekend! ~ Wilderness Week 1

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) 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

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out 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. 22 But 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. 23 So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave 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

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

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Wilderness 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.

Build Day 9 Building Perseverance: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Building Perseverance!

The Questions

1) How does being justified by faith give us peace with God? (verse 1)

2) How does affliction produce endurance? (verse 3)

3) Why would Paul say proven character produces hope that will not disappoint? (verses 4-5)

Romans 5:1-5

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 We have also obtained access through Him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance 4 endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. 5 This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who was given to us.

Original Intent

1) How does being justified by faith give us peace with God? (verse 1)
Romans 5:1 says, “since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” We become justified by faith when we trust in Jesus and accept His free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23), which means we are no longer separated from God because of our sin. Author John Piper explains, “God laid on [Jesus] the iniquities that we performed, and God laid on us the righteousness that He performed. He takes our sin, though He didn’t perform it. And we take His righteousness, though we didn’t perform it.” Though we are guilty of sin, we are justified through the blood of Jesus, and that reconciliation through Christ gives us peace. We have peace because we are no longer enemies with God. (James 4:4) R.C. Sproul asserts, “We cannot understand the full ramifications of this peace unless we are fully convinced of what our relationship to our Creator was truly like before we knew Jesus. Scripture describes this relationship as an all-out war.” In Romans 8:7, Paul describes the mindset of the flesh as hostile to God. Sin creates enmity (bitter fighting) between every human being and God. (Genesis 3:15) Being justified by faith in Jesus erases that hostility caused by sin and brings us into communion with God, giving us peace. We are no longer at war with God because we are one with God who is our peace. (John 14:20, Ephesians 2:14) May we all fully embrace the lasting peace that only comes from knowing God today!

2) How does affliction produce endurance? (verse 3)
When we experience afflictions, we have two choices: give up or keep going. Romans 5:3 encourages perseverance when we face trials because “we know that our affliction produces endurance.” Paul admonishes that, when we experience difficulty and keep moving forward, we become stronger for God uses all things for His glory and our good, even the times we feel most weak or incapable. (2 Corinthians 12:8-10, Romans 8:28) When we believe God can be trusted in every situation (Proverbs 29:25), we are willing to persist in faith even when the situation becomes difficult. The hardships we face with God’s help strengthen us. (1 Peter 5:10) Kathryn Butler suggests, “With our eyes set on Him, our suffering refines us, as iron in the forge. The cross infuses even our most harrowing tribulations with purpose.” Going through trials with God sustaining us, and coming out on the other side victorious, builds our faith and teaches us we can endure anything because God is with us. (Romans 8:31) As He proves Himself faithful, our faith increases. Priscilla Shirer asserts that pain “is the gift that keeps us from further discomfort. When we feel it, it becomes a teacher pointing us to the only correct Answer. . . . [God]. [He] desires for us the blessing of pain because, mysteriously, it keeps us, comforts us, humbles us, teaches us and drives us back to safety.” God uses our pain and problems to teach us to rely solely on Him and, in the process, we realize we can endure all things in Christ alone.

3) Why would Paul say proven character produces hope that will not disappoint? (verses 4-5) Paul teaches in Romans 5 that going through hard things produces proven character, which produces hope. (verse 4) When we come through adversity stronger than we entered it, character is built. (James 1:4) We have to come to know and trust God’s character more deeply by relying on Him and His promises; He has built His faithfulness inside of us. Persevering through struggles builds our character and gives us hope because we know that what God says is true and the love and help He promises is real. R.C. Sproul suggests, “perseverance refines our character, creating stability and integrity, and such stability strengthens our hope. When we see God’s faithfulness to us through our periods of suffering, we are encouraged to grasp the hope of glory.” Romans 5:5 declares, “This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Learning to abide and trust God in harrowing times, allows the opportunity for God to make us more like Christ. (Galatians 2:20) Through perseverance, we know our hope is genuine and we can rely on God’s love and His Spirit’s power to cause us to endure. No circumstance can take us off course because we have a hope we’ve come to know is trustworthy and true. Kathryn Butler asserts, “Those who know Christ have a hope which no calamity or disaster can wrench from us. It points our eyes away from this sin-sick world, toward Christ, who makes all things new (Revelation 21:5).” With disappointment looming large in many areas of our world, our culture, and our everyday lives, what a blessing to have a sure and certain hope in Jesus that will not disappoint!

Everyday Application

1) How does being justified by faith give us peace with God? (verse 1)
There is no magic number of good deeds we can do, or amount of money we can donate to a worthy cause to make us “right” before the Righteous Lord. (Titus 3:5) We like to think God accepts us if we are “good” people, but truthfully, without Christ’s redemption, there isn’t one person who is righteous. (Romans 3:10) However, if we believe in Jesus and accept His redeeming love, we are justified by faith in Him. Jesus took our sins upon Himself, so God sees us as righteous because Jesus is righteous. David Guzik explains, “because of what Jesus did, the righteousness of God is given to all who believe. The guilty sentence is transformed into a sentence of justified, and justified by faith.” There is deep peace in knowing we don’t need to do anything to earn God’s love or His forgiveness. There is no pressure to keep all the rules without making a mistake, because God has already perfectly done the work that saves us. We can add nothing to it, for even our “good deeds” are considered “filthy rags” according to God’s standard of righteousness. (Isaiah 64:6) God knows we will mess up, even after we have surrendered to following Him in faith (1 John 1:8-9), but His grace sets us free, forgives us completely, and equips us to follow Him. Titus 2:11-12 states, “The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age.” We can enjoy God’s declaration of righteous over our lives because of Jesus and we can delight in the peace of living life inside the very life of God.

2) How does affliction produce endurance? (verse 3)
When I look up endurance in the dictionary, I expect to find a picture of my friend, Timothy. He grew up in an abusive home and relied on the Lord to sustain him. (Psalm 55:22) He became a missionary in a war-torn country and lost a loved one while there. Again, he allowed the strength of the Lord to carry him. (Isaiah 46:4) He lost his first child and spent months in the hospital with another baby, praying alongside hundreds of believers and watching that child grow and heal against all odds. He was replaced in a ministry position he loved, but he allowed the Lord to use that loss to birth a new ministry which blessed and served others and eventually led him into pastoring. He lost his church building due to denominational red tape, which led him to an under-served area of town where he now has a thriving congregation. He is a brilliant example of Paul’s teaching, “And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance.” (Romans 5:3) The first time Pastor Timothy trusted God to get him through a situation, his faith was strengthened, and he learned he could endure because of God’s grace. This growing faith helped him face each subsequent situation with the belief that God would come through. He faced these afflictions and others, including betrayal, rejection, and life-threatening illness, by persevering in faith, enduring with the Lord, and coming out stronger because of his reliance on God. I think of my friend when the going gets rough for me, because his example reminds me that God can handle anything, which means I can handle it because I have access to God and His strength! (Philippians 4:13)

3) Why would Paul say proven character produces hope that will not disappoint? (verses 4-5)
One of my favorite poems is Emily Dickinson’s “Hope Is The Thing With Feathers.” “Hope” is the thing with feathers/That perches in the soul/and sings the tune without the words-/And never stops – at all.” This stanza reminds me that hope goes against expectation and outlasts when it seems like it shouldn’t. These lines come to mind as I read Romans 5:4-5, “…endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Hope in God will never disappoint, even when that hope seems to go against everything the world and the culture tell us. Our hope in God is an “anchor for the soul, firm and secure.“ (Hebrews 6:19) When we know God will constantly be with us in everything (Joshua 1:9), seeing us through anything (Psalm 121:8), our faith is built stronger. Having a proven character that trusts the Lord completely (Proverbs 3:5) makes us hopeful for all God will continue to do according to His promises. When we have hope, we believe God is in control no matter what the prognosis or the projected outlook. (Psalm 22:28) We don’t feel lost or shaken when unsettling news comes our way because our hope is anchored in the steadfast love of a God who faithfully sustains us. We understand that “The reality of God’s love in a believer’s heart gives the assurance, even the guarantee, that the believer’s hope in God and His promise of glory is not misplaced and will not fail.” (preceptaustin.org) This hope we have in God sings in our hearts as we realize His unfailing love will never disappoint us!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Building Perseverance!

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 Build 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.

Training Day 3 Lovely Conversation

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Training, Day 3

Luke 11:1-13
Philippians 4:2-7
Ephesians 6:18-20
Matthew 6:5-8
1 Kings 18:20-46

“Prayer is just talking with God.”
If you grew up in church, you likely heard this phrase.
What IS prayer, actually?

A mystery?
A spiritual connection?
A conversation?
A school?

Talking to God is part of prayer, but it’s not nearly the whole, not according to people who truly prayed prayers that made their mark in the heart of God.

Wouldn’t we all want that?
For our prayers to assuredly hit the mark on God’s heart?

I do.

We want to be heard. We want to know that what we say matters.
More so, we want to know we’ve been warmly received, heard, known.

The prophet Elijah stood on a mountain before a crowd of haters and, against all odds, prayed aloud for the Lord to consume an offering dripping in water with fire. The Lord answered by sending a flame that consumed not only the offering, but also the water. 

His prayer hit the mark.
How do we pray like this?

Have you ever tried to buy a gift for someone you don’t know?
Or for the person who seems to have everything?
H A R D

Instead, consider preparing a gift for someone you dearly love.
It may take time, but likely, clarity will come and, ultimately, the gift carries significant relational weight. It no longer becomes about the gift, but about the depth of love conveyed by the gift.

So it is with prayer.

The goal is to know the heart of God.
To live and pray from this place of knowing Him. 

This deep, personal knowing is why Elijah could face his enemies with boldness.
He knew the heart of His God.
This kind of praying requires something often missed, yet quietly found, inside the loveliness of conversation.

Conversation conjures up images of coffee mugs, tea cups, and warm bread. It looks like hearty laughter, eyes glistening with delight or brimming with tears. It’s shoulders lunging forward in eagerness, and fingers curled around another’s hand when words are choked by tears. Conversation is open, safe sharing; it’s listening, hearing and being heard, knowing and being known. It’s sacred loveliness.

Herein is the invitation of the Almighty for each of us.
“When you pray, go into your private room, shut your door,
and pray to your Father who is in secret.” (Matthew 6:6)

Found in the messy, scary, and vulnerable is the secret place of authentic prayer.

Not long ago, I began to understand prayer is actually a school, a training ground, for learning how to deeply converse with the God of the Universe. We simply cannot come into prayer expecting to understand all nuances and effective means for striking God’s heart. The twelve disciples, who saw Jesus wake up every morning, stretch His arms, yawn, eat bread, teach, become exhausted, and wake early the next day to pray, asked Him how to pray.

“He was praying in a certain place, and when He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray[…]” (Luke 11:1, emphasis mine)

I’ve been praying since I was a toddler, and in this moment, I feel as if I’m quite certainly on the shallow end of learning to pray. Yet, how wonderfully my Savior has already taught me! The more I learn, practice, and train in this magnificently tender discipline of prayer, the more I am wondrously delighted to discover an infinite amount of closeness yet to be uncovered in the secret place of lovely conversation.

As Jesus finished His ministry of teaching His disciples to pray, He declared an unfathomable truth, “The one who believes in Me […] will do even greater works than these.” (John 14:12) He was returning to His throne of all power and authority with the Father. From this place, He would endow all believers, through His indwelling Spirit, to accomplish even more through prayer than He had! (John 14:13-14)

When we grasp this truth, breathing it into our everyday moments, then we begin to converse differently, deeper, with the Almighty. In understanding that the Lord truly meant His instruction, “In everything, through prayer […]” (Philippians 4:6), the importance of every minutia is elevated. All things encompass the parking spot request, praise for the last box of food, prayer for the grieving heart, the cancer patient, the broken washing machine, the sorrow we feel, the anger inside, the gratitude flooding us: All Of It. In the normalcy of intentionally choosing to pray about all things, at all times (Ephesians 6:18), we find we are actively uncovering the riches of the Father’s heart to a greater degree with every single prayer.

For me, and many believers through the ages, a little “holy imagination” assists us in visualizing the reality of lovely conversation with God. (St. Teresa of Avila) My favorite imaginative scenes for conversing include walking through a field as a child, with face upturned to the Savior who holds my hand, listens, and speaks. I love to sit on the front porch, coffee mug in hand, speaking with the Christ and breathing in the majesty of this God who chose to be fully human and fully divine that He might pay the death penalty we owed because of our own arrogant, prideful sin. Perhaps, like me, you might breathe out your pain between sobs, grasping His wrists and feeling His scars as you look into eyes that share your pain, because He knows what you feel. (Hebrews 4:15) Do you sense His arms encircling you, holding you up, lifting Your face to see His glory, reminding you this lovely conversation is exactly what His heart desires? (Psalm 3:3)

All things.
All times.
Pour out your heart to Him. (Psalm 62:5-8)

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
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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 Training Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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

Kneel Day 11 In The Gap

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 18:20-33
James 2:20-26
Romans 6:15-23

Kneel, Day 11

“Will you really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?” (Genesis 18:23)

Abraham’s question to the Lord hung in the air. The Lord had proclaimed the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah because of the cities’ unrelenting depravity. Abraham knew he had no right to ask, but love for his nephew Lot, a resident of Sodom, drove him to boldly seek mercy, to intercede for him and his family.

Abraham continued his plea, “What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away instead of sparing the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people who are in it?” (Genesis 18:24)

He knew the character of the Lord, who led him out of Ur of the Chaldees into a new land. God had shown mercy to Abraham again and again. Not only was God just and righteous, He was also Abraham’s friend.

“You could not possibly do such a thing: to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. You could not possibly do that! Won’t the Judge of the whole earth do what is just?” (Genesis 18:25)

God listened to Abraham’s plea. He agreed to relent from destroying Sodom and Gomorrah if there were 50 righteous people. Abraham continued interceding, because he understood the pervasive immorality of the cities, and the unlikeliness of finding 50 righteous people. Finally, he negotiated down to ten people. Abraham counted Lot, his wife, two daughters, and his future sons-in-law. That was six people; surely, there would be four others.

But there weren’t.

Unfortunately, Lot and his two daughters were the only people saved from the destruction when God rained down burning sulfur on the cities (Genesis 19:24-26), which some scholars believe may now be buried beneath the salty Dead Sea.

Reading about the utter destruction of two cities is very sad. Though the people of Sodom and Gomorrah didn’t know the God against whom they sinned, they still were held accountable for their actions.

Generations before the Law was given in order to make Israel explicitly aware of the depth of their sin, we nonetheless see the stark differences between the heart postures of Abraham, a God-follower (Genesis 18:1-8), and the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, who were bent on immediate self-gratification at any cost (Genesis 19:4-9).

In the residents’ response to the heavenly messengers’ visit, there is not only a total disregard for any holy purpose or message the visitors might bring (check out how Jesus would instruct the disciples to handle such rejection of His call in Luke 10:1-12), but also a revelation of a people devoted to violence and lust and the abuse of power. They were, in fact, a culture built on sin.

And sin results in death. As Romans 6:23 states, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We may not live out the specific sins of corruption and perversion that characterized the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah, but we have been equally corrupted by our own sin. Our definition of good will never be good enough compared to the holiness of God. We are people of unclean lips, stained by our sin, unable to approach a Holy God. (Isaiah 6:5)

God’s perfect holiness demands a consequence for sin. Just as a good and fair judge ensures guilty people are punished for their crimes and restitution is paid to victims, God must hold people accountable for the harm they have caused. If He didn’t, He would be unjust!*

As Abraham was interceding for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, they had no idea of their imminent destruction and need for salvation. Similarly, the people around us may have no awareness of their need for a Savior. Still, like Abraham, we can intercede for them and pray for God‘s mercy despite their sinfulness. We can also pray for our country, state, and city, just as Abraham prayed for those two cities.

This story of justice also shows God’s mercy. He was willing to spare the cities from the consequences if there were only ten righteous people. Abraham‘s plea for mercy shows the power of intercessory prayer. Intercession can unleash God’s mercy and blessing in other people’s lives and alter the course of history. Our prayers can stand in the gap for our country and our city.

How can you pray for God to have mercy on our nation, community, and the people around you?

—

*We would be remiss if we ended the conversation on sin and justice here.
God is holy and just. He is also love (1 John 4:16), as is evidenced by His display of mercy even in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, He spared Lot and his daughters.

Because He loves us with a depth we struggle to understand (Ephesians 3:17-19),
He sent His Son, Jesus, to pay the just penalty for our sin. (Hebrews 9:15)

When we acknowledge our guilt before God, seek His forgiveness for our sin, and embrace Jesus’ gift of salvation, our relationship with God is restored through His mercy.

Would you like to learn more, or experience God’s love and mercy for yourself?
Reach out in the comments, or send us an email! We’d love to talk with you!

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 Kneel 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 Kneel!

The GT Weekend! ~ Kneel Week 2

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Jesus is the greatest authority of all time. He is the beginning and the end, the life-giving vine, and He made himself low that we might have fellowship with Him and abide in Him. He is present with us, and He is our great High Priest, which means IN HIM, we have direct access to God the Father. How would your prayer life change if you fully embraced the knowledge that Jesus Himself presents our requests to the Father? He says that whatever we ask in His name He would give us. Consider the Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. Read the prayer out loud and consider what it could look like if God were to answer each of the requests listed there for your life. If you want to study this prayer with fresh insight, pick a few studies from our Journey Into Prayer theme. Then take a moment to examine your heart. Are you abiding in Christ? Is there a pattern of sin in your life that you need to repent from? Is there someone you have wronged and need to make amends with? Repent of your sins, make a plan to be at peace with everyone as much as it depends on you (Romans 12:18), then boldly approach the throne of God (Hebrews 4:16), making your requests known to Him with thankfulness (Philippians 4:6). Don’t be afraid to pray big and pray specific. Speak your requests out loud and worship your God. He can do far more than you can ask or imagine. Watch to see how He works in your life.

2) On Wednesday, Bethany challenged us to pray while assuming the best about God. She reminded us we are called to pray about everything, that God wants to know us better, that He is characterized by giving good gifts, that He knows us and what we are struggling with, and finally that He is gracious to us. Which of these truths do you struggle to believe the most? Talk to God about this today. Write down one or two of these truths that are difficult to accept. Why are these harder to believe? What holds you back from accepting God’s character and graciousness toward you? What would need to change for you to believe it? After you consider these questions, look back at the Scriptures Bethany presented to confirm the truth about God’s character. As you read the words God gave us about Himself, consider what would change for you if you truly embraced these things about God. Finally, write a prayer asking God to help you assume the best about Him, and pray as though you do believe those things. God can and will meet you even in the midst of unbelief. He will help you, because He desires you to know Him more.

3) When Daniel prayed to God on behalf of the people of Israel, he didn’t ask for forgiveness because he or the people deserved it. He acknowledged before the Lord how they had done nothing to deserve His forgiveness or action on their behalf. Instead, Daniel asked because he knew the Lord had (and still has!) abundant compassion. Even in our weakest moments, we can rely on God’s character to remain the same. He is gracious and compassionate. “What are you waiting on? What are you wrestling through? What are your hardships? Bring them to the Lord.” Ponder in your heart if you can agree with the Apostle Paul when he says, “When I am weak, then I am strong.” And Sister, remember you do not need to be strong on your own. When we have a personal relationship with Jesus, He gives us strength for each day. (Ephesians 6:10) As an additional help, His church is meant to support one another. As you face your struggles today, would you walk in humility and share your journey with a trustworthy Jesus-follower? As we allow others into our trials, we give them the gift of seeing the Lord work in His great strength along with us. Paul boasted of His weakness that Christ would be made great. We can join in this gift with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

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 Colossians 1:9b-13 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

…We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, so that you may have great endurance and patience, joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light. He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.

Prayer Journal
Dearest Heavenly Father, boldly we approach the throne room of grace. Not by any merit or achievement, but only by the work of Jesus Christ on our behalf. Thank You for hearing our prayers. Thank You for making a way for us to speak with You directly. You are present with us at all times, whether we are aware or not. Help me, Oh Lord, to live and breathe a life of prayerful dependence on You. May I never lose sight of my deep, abiding need for You. My weaknesses, whether on display or hidden away, show me my inadequacies, but You Lord are strong in all my shortcomings. Lord, I believe You when You say You give good gifts to You children. I believe You know all things, even before I speak. I believe You are gracious. Help me in my unbelief. You know the deepest desires of my heart. You know my greatest needs and my hardest struggles. In Your mercy, hear my desperate cry for help, and be my Rock, my Anchor, my unfailing Refuge. Guide me in paths of righteousness for the sake of Your great Name. Help me to walk in Your faithfulness, ever mindful of my need for You, casting my care upon You at all times.

Worship Through Community

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Kneel Day 2 Restored Relationship: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Restored Relationship!

The Questions

1) Where is Ezra traveling to and who is going with him?

2) What prompted Ezra to pray for a “safe journey”?

3) Why did Ezra fast and pray?

Ezra 8:21-23

21 I proclaimed a fast by the Ahava River, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us, our dependents, and all our possessions. 22 I did this because I was ashamed to ask the king for infantry and cavalry to protect us from enemies during the journey, since we had told him, “The hand of our God is gracious to all who seek him, but his fierce anger is against all who abandon him.” 23 So we fasted and pleaded with our God about this, and he was receptive to our prayer.

Original Intent

1) Where is Ezra traveling to and who is going with him?
This passage is full of plural pronouns which tell us there are more travelers than Ezra alone. If we back up to Ezra 7:11-26, it is clear these verses are referring to any Israelites in captivity in Persia who desire to return to Jerusalem. King Artaxerxes declared, “Any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including their priests and Levites, who want to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.” (Ezra 7:13) The Israelites were being released from captivity to travel back to their homeland of Jerusalem. The Israelites, who choose to return, are headed back to the Promised Land, their inheritance from God as His chosen people. An inheritance they had been removed from because of their rebellion against the Lord God 70+ years prior.

2) What prompted Ezra to pray for a “safe journey”?
The journey the Israelites are embarking on is 900 miles as it stretches from ancient Babylon to Jerusalem. The trek would largely be made on foot, making it incredibly long with plenty of danger along the way. Ezra is fully aware of the risks he and his fellow Israelites will face, but, interestingly enough, he chooses not to ask the king for armed protection. (verse 22) Instead, he turns to the Almighty God, seeking protection for their journey. Ezra confidently knows God is more than able to provide exactly what they need and the challenges they will face.

3) Why did Ezra fast and pray?
Ezra knows God is the One allowing Israel’s return to their homeland of Jerusalem. God’s sovereignty supersedes all human rule and authority. He also is confident God will protect His people, but through his action of humble prayer and fasting, he also demonstrates his understanding that God desires His people to ask for their needs to be supplied through faith. As a result of Ezra’s leadership, the Israelites commit to fasting and prayer. This time of setting aside their physical desires through fasting allows them to spend uninterrupted time petitioning God to accomplish what only He can for His people. Through this act of intentional humility, the Israelites demonstrate faith in the God who provides, and they acknowledge God for Who He is and His all-powerful ability. Then, they choose to actively trust God to fulfill their requests.

Everyday Application

1) Where is Ezra traveling to and who is going with him?
The Israelites were provided the opportunity to go back home, but first, they must accept the invitation the king was offering. If they decided not to return with Ezra, they were actively choosing to remain in the same circumstances of exile they had been living in for most, if not all, of their lives. While our circumstances are much different than those of the Israelites, we are given a similar invitation. Jesus came to earth, died on the cross for our sins, and rose from the tomb, taking our punishment so we could have the opportunity to go Home with Him for eternity. However, we must choose to either accept the invitation provided in Jesus’ sacrifice or reject it. Rejection of Christ relegates us to the same status we already live with, active rebellion against God whose wrath we rightly incur because of our sin. Acceptance of His offer to forgive our sin completely and give us new life through His Spirit opens the door for us to go Home with Him just as Israel was free to go home to Jerusalem. Acceptance of this gift necessitates our true repentance and turning away from our sin.

2) What prompted Ezra to pray for a “safe journey”?
Ezra prays publicly for a safe journey after he makes the choice not to ask King Artaxerxes for armed protection. Verse 22 tells us he was ashamed to ask the king for infantry and cavalry because he had already told the king God would provide for them. Ezra’s confidence in God’s provision was sure and certain. We each face our own set of challenging journeys throughout our lives, and while ours likely won’t look anything like Ezra’s, we should look with confidence to the same God Ezra did. Only the One True God can provide safety for us along the journey we are walking. The dangers and temptations of this world bombard us on a daily basis and we have access to the One who can provide the safety we so desperately need; all we need to do is ask!

3)Why did Ezra fast and pray?
We face difficult times and situations in life just as the Israelites. When we do we should turn to the Creator of the Universe who holds everything in His sovereign hands. One effective way we can demonstrate this is through fasting and prayer. Jesus Himself spent 40 days fasting in the wilderness and praying to His Father. (Matthew 4) As there is no better example to follow than Jesus’, surely, we would not be so arrogant as to think we have no need for the humble disciplines of prayer and fasting. As Jesus fasted, He was tempted by Satan and His tactic for combatting temptation and fleeing sin was to wisely wield the truth of Scripture. When we fast, we are actively demonstrating a complete dependence on God and are provided with time and space to fill with prayer and meditating on His Word. We can follow Jesus’ example and use this time in Scripture and prayer to fight against the schemes of Satan. Instead of taking time to eat, we can spend those minutes in the presence of the Lord, denying ourselves physically and instead feasting on His Word and asking Him to accomplish what only He is able to do. As we face difficult times, sisters, let’s be challenged to turn to the God of the Universe through fasting and prayer, bringing our needs before the Only One able to provide all we will ever need.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Restored Relationship!

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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