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Fervent Day 9 When All Seems Lost: 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 When All Seems Lost!

The Questions

1) What is our identity as believers? How Does Living “in Ephesus” and “in Christ” affect identity? (verse 1)

2) What are the spiritual blessings we have in Christ? (verse 3)

3) How do these blessings in Christ bring hope? (verse 18)

Ephesians 1

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will:
To the faithful saints in Christ Jesus at Ephesus.

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. 5 He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8 that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 He made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ 10 as a plan for the right time —to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him.

11 In him we have also received an inheritance, because we were predestined according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will, 12 so that we who had already put our hope in Christ might bring praise to his glory.

13 In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. 14 The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.

15 This is why, since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength.

20 He exercised this power in Christ by raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens— 21 far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he subjected everything under his feet and appointed him as head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

Original Intent

1) What is our identity as believers? How Does Living “in Ephesus” and “in Christ” affect identity? (verse 1)
Our identity is often connected with our basic core values which then dictate the choices we make (e.g., relationships, career). Where we live and how we grew up are also tied to our identity; this was also true for the Ephesians. “The ancient city of Ephesus was the third-largest city in the Roman empire. Located on the southwestern corner of modern-day Turkey, Ephesus was a busy port city. It was the hub of four major roads going out into Asia Minor. In addition to being a commercial center, it was the link between Rome and the East. This unique position made it a diverse city of multiple ethnic groups. Ancient Ephesus was home to the temple of the Greek goddess Artemis (or Diana to the Romans). Artemis was the goddess of fertility, magic, and animals. The temple built in Ephesus was considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, with a size that was four times as large as the Parthenon! …  Tradesmen made their living selling silver statues of the goddess. The Ephesians had a vast array of gods and goddesses to choose from and they worshiped many of them.” [First 5 Bible Studies in Ephesians] In contrast to this pagan world, Paul brought the Gospel to the Ephesians. Those who trusted Jesus were given a new identity in Christ. They no longer served other gods or worshiped idols like other citizens of Ephesus. Being “in Christ” meant more than a way of worship. They were set apart; taken out of the world and placed in Christ. Their faith gave them freedom from the slavery of sin which was all around them. They had a new citizenship in heaven. Ephesus was no longer their home! They were “in Christ”.

2) What are the spiritual blessings we have in Christ? (verse 3)
All who surrender to Jesus are redeemed. The ancient Greek word for redemption is lootruo meaning “to liberate on the receipt of a ransom.” (Gaebelein) Our sin incurred a debt, the price of death according to Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Christ paid the punishment for our sins through His death on the cross. We are accepted (chariot meaning “highly favored” or “full of grace”) because of Christ’s work to redeem us. God chose us before the foundation of the world before we did anything for Him, and He offers His grace to all willing to accept Him. (verse 4) Strong’s Concordance says grace (xáris in Greek) means God is “always leaning toward (us)”. Can’t you see God leaning over the rails of heaven waiting for us to respond by accepting His wonderful gift? He adopted us as His own. (verse 5) In Roman law, “The person who had been adopted had all the rights of a legitimate son in his new family, completely losing all rights to his old family. Even old debts and obligations previously connected to him were abolished.” (Barclay) Gaebelein adds, “Believers in the Lord Jesus are not merely adopted into the family of God; they are born again. There is no “previous life”. Think about our old identity prior to salvation; what a relief to have all guilt and shame removed! David sang, “How joyful is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” (Psalm 32:1-4) All believers have unspeakable spiritual riches! (verse 18) Considering Ephesus was the “bank of Asia”, it is significant that Paul mentions the believer’s wealth in Christ. Our bank is in heaven where the fullness of our glorious inheritance awaits! (See Warren Weirsbe’s Be Rich for a great resource on heavenly inheritance!)

3) How do these blessings in Christ bring hope? (verse 18)
When we accept Christ’s wonderful gift of salvation, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is like earnest money. His indwelling in a believer is the proof of God’s guarantee that He will follow through with His promise and bring us home to dwell with Him forever in Heaven. This is our confident hope! One glorious day we will be fully alive and free from the temptation to sin as we live eternally in God’s physical presence. We have a guaranteed inheritance through Jesus. Paul wanted the Ephesian believers to know the great magnitude of this rich inheritance in God’s people. We usually think only of our inheritance as salvation, righteousness, or Heaven, but Paul wanted the Ephesians to understand they were so precious to God that He considered them His own inheritance. Knowing our spiritual poverty, we wonder how God can find anything of value in us, let alone His only inheritance. Yet God creates unspeakable riches out of poor men and women because He invests Himself in them. He has invested riches of love, riches of wisdom, riches of suffering, riches of glory, and riches of holy transformation. These things accrue to a rich inheritance in the saints. (Enduring Word) He has invested Himself in us and His return on that investment will be magnificent!

Everyday Application

1) What is our identity as believers? How Does Living “in Ephesus” and “in Christ” affect identity? (verse 1)
My identity includes farmer’s daughter, baker of sweets, musician, computer programmer, and yes, a Yankee (I was born in Ohio, raised in Wisconsin). When I married Michael, I became a mother to two boys (9 & 14). My identity immediately changed from single working girl to pastor’s wife and mother while also transplanting to the south. My new family consisted of Georgia boys who rooted for the only ball team, the Georgia Bulldogs. Before long, we were expecting a child. Though we lived in Georgia, we chose a regional hospital just across the border of Tennessee to deliver our baby. I teasingly told the boys, “I didn’t want to have my baby in Georgia; thus, I was going over the state line to the birthing center in Tennessee.” Oh! We had fun joking about our baby’s identity. Now 29 years later, his blood runs Georgia red, as does mine! Our place of birth, our residence, our career, and environment we grew up in all play a role in how we identify ourselves. As Christians, however, our core identity is steeped in faith in Jesus. Those who have professed their faith in Christ are new creations! (1 Corinthians 5:17-21) We are citizens of heaven, but also ambassadors to the world around us. We are called to point others to the eternal life available only in Jesus! (Philippians 3:20, 2 Corinthians 5:11) We are on a journey to our true home and to bring along as many as possible. (1 Corinthians 9:19-27) Just like the church in Ephesus, all believers are a chosen people (Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 2:9-10); set apart for godliness and holiness as children of God. (Psalm 4:3, John 1:11-13) Can others see your full identity? Are you bringing as many as possible to heaven with you?

2) What are the spiritual blessings we have in Christ? (verse 3)
God’s unfolding plan for those who surrender to Him not only includes the blessings of salvation and personal transformation, but also a warm, confident relationship with the Father. (Guzik) My own earthly father was loving and caring who demonstrated God’s love. As a child, I loved to sit on Daddy’s lap or cuddle next to him. This comforting image of a good father has translated into my spiritual life. When I have a problem, I climb right into God’s lap and we talk about it. I am blessed to have this personal, confident relationship with the Father and it’s available to all! As His child, we can go before Him boldly because He is our loving Father. (Hebrews 4:14-16) Charles Spurgeon said, “We are not sitting here groaning, and crying, and fretting, and worrying, and questioning our own salvation. He has blessed us. If you think little of what God has done for you, you will do very little for him; but if you have a great notion of His great mercy to you, you will be greatly grateful to your gracious God.” (Enduring Word) When we realize His great mercy, we cannot help but “make every effort” to live holy and godly lives in worship toward Him through the power of the Holy Spirit. We are not only to praise God for what He has done, we are to live a wholly surrendered life before Him and share His glorious hope with others! (2 Peter 1:3-11) Honoring the Lord with our lives and sharing the gospel with those around us are to be marked with and woven through with love. Clarke reminds, “But as love is the fulfilling of the law, and love the fountain whence their salvation flowed, therefore love must fill their hearts towards God and each other.” Pray for opportunities to share the Gospel in love and be intentional in engaging with people as you point them to Jesus!

3) How do these blessings in Christ bring hope? (verse 18)
“Because of His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…” (1 Peter 1:3-9) What a glorious hope we have! I urge you to read the entire passage in 1 Peter. No matter what we face in life, hope in Jesus is certain and sure, never fading away. This confident hope comes from the sealing of the Holy Spirit. We know, that we know, that we know, that God holds our lives and our souls for eternity, sustaining us through His Word. We can trust Him with eternity, with our next breath, our next celebration or tragedy; He will never change or abandon us. We can remind ourselves of His faithfulness by 1) reading accounts of His perfect timing in human history (see The Hall of Faith in Hebrews; look for “faithfulness” in the Psalms 66, 74, 80, 81, 89, 111, 114, 135, 136; read God With Us by Christoph Barth ); 2) read about His faithfulness to the apostles (The Acts of the Apostles); 3) and encourage one another about His faithfulness for all believers (Hebrews 10:23-25), including you! Holding tightly to our assured hope is hard, but if we keep a written record of God’s specific blessings, we can remind ourselves of His faithfulness when our faith is weak. In my own life, there have been many trials, but my hope is found in knowing God is faithful and never fails. I like to use Psalm 136 as a template to write my own blessings from God; repeating after each blessing, “His faithful love endures forever.” I pray you have this confident hope in Christ! It is yours by giving your life completely to Him. Leave everything in His hands and you will find peace, hope and security.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with When All Seems Lost!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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

Our Current Study Theme!

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

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

Questions 2 Day 14 More Than A Bargain: 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 More Than A Bargain!

The Questions

1) Who was Isaiah?

2) How do water, milk, and wine connect with this prophecy? (verses 1-3)

3) Can God really forgive wicked and sinful people? (verses 7-9)

Isaiah 55:1-13

“Come, everyone who is thirsty,
come to the water;
and you without silver,
come, buy, and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without silver and without cost!
2 Why do you spend silver on what is not food,
and your wages on what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,
and you will enjoy the choicest of foods.
3 Pay attention and come to me;
listen, so that you will live.
I will make a permanent covenant with you
on the basis of the faithful kindnesses of David.
4 Since I have made him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander for the peoples,
5 so you will summon a nation you do not know,
and nations who do not know you will run to you.
For the Lord your God,
even the Holy One of Israel,
has glorified you.”

6 Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call to him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked one abandon his way
and the sinful one his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord,
so he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will freely forgive.

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
and your ways are not my ways.”
This is the Lord’s declaration.
9 “For as heaven is higher than earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For just as rain and snow fall from heaven
and do not return there
without saturating the earth
and making it germinate and sprout,
and providing seed to sow
and food to eat,
11 so my word that comes from my mouth
will not return to me empty,
but it will accomplish what I please
and will prosper in what I send it to do.”

12 You will indeed go out with joy
and be peacefully guided;
the mountains and the hills will break into singing before you,
and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thornbush, a cypress will come up,
and instead of the brier, a myrtle will come up;
this will stand as a monument for the Lord,
an everlasting sign that will not be destroyed.

Original Intent

1) Who was Isaiah?
Isaiah is considered one of the major prophets in Scripture, not because he was among the most important or because his message was better, but simply because he had the most to say. Bible students categorize Old Testament prophets into 2 sections, Major and Minor, based on length of their prophetic books. Isaiah’s book contains the longest recorded prophecies in Scripture. As prophet, Isaiah was God’s mouthpiece. The Holy Spirit spoke God’s messages to prophets, in this case, Isaiah, then the prophet would speak God’s word aloud verbally, and often in writing, to Israel. Isaiah was the main prophet of God for 60 years though he was a contemporary of other prophets, Amos, Hosea, and Micah, who championed social justice.  Isaiah served four kings and survived multiple sieges by invading armies. Like most prophets, he endured intense persecution, which necessitated him living underground in tunnels and caves for a time. As one of God’s prophets, Isaiah knew in advance what God was doing as He revealed certain events, but he could neither prevent nor stop them. He gave warnings or encouragement to God’s people, but their decision to either repent or rebel was up to them. It’s also interesting to note, Isaiah is the most quoted prophet of New Testament writers. 

2) How do water, milk, and wine connect with this prophecy? (verses 1-3)
At the time of Isaiah’s writing, the once unified nation of Israel had long been divided into two nations, Judah (where Jerusalem was) in the south, and Israel in the north. The nation of Judah was usually the one following, or making some attempt to follow, Jehovah. This time, however, they had turned away from God as they persistently ignored Him so they could continue pursuing their own sinful lifestyles. These verses are an invitation for Israel to repent and receive restoration from the Lord’s own hand. By turning back to Jehovah, they would find all the fullness and satisfaction they so desperately sought in lesser loves. God was telling His people they had been wasting their money on things that brought momentary pleasure. Then, finding themselves still lacking, they repeated their chase of counterfeit indulgences over and over again. God had other nourishment to give His people, sustenance that would endure. He was offering them complete satisfaction for their souls. Water is absolutely necessary for life, and Jesus came to bring “living water” where life would be found to the fullest and most abundant in Him alone. In ancient times, water was kept in cisterns, but it turned flat. Though still hydrating, it wasn’t as fresh as free-flowing water. Jesus came to give the very best of life in sustenance and satisfaction. By offering wine, God was expressing He would bring His people joy and encouragement that would satisfy forever. Milk, a first food for infants to sustain life, is rich in nutrients and is life-giving. God included milk in His invitation of return to His people to demonstrate the richness of His word and His blessing as a gift for nourishing life to its fullest.

3) Can God really forgive wicked and sinful people? (verses 7-9)
The people of Judah got into trouble because they stopped listening to Jehovah. They saw their neighbors, and other nations who seemed more prosperous and powerful, and they wanted to run their nation their way instead of God’s. They listened to those who came into their city either as visitors or as captives and slaves from a battle victory and decided full surrender to God was less appealing than following the ways of their lusts. They allowed other voices besides Jehovah’s (and His prophets) to speak to them because they wanted to stop hearing about repentance. They took up lifestyles of those who weren’t following Jehovah because they seemed to offer more pleasure and more fun, at least that’s how it appeared. But it wasn’t life giving, or life sustaining. Sin never is. The wise author of Proverbs says it like this, “But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they don’t know what makes them stumble.” (Proverbs 4:19) The New Testament author, and half-brother of Jesus, James, later wrote, “each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.” (James 1:14-15) God repeatedly warned His beloved people through Isaiah (and other prophets) to turn back, repent of their sinful, wicked ways; always coupled with the promise of forgiveness and restoration. He is reminding His people in these verses that, contrary to their thinking, He does know what He’s doing, He is a God of second chances, and rich redemption. He is repeating His plea from verse one, “Come to Me. Be forgiven!” (Isaiah 44:22)

Everyday Application

1) Who was Isaiah?
Have you ever thought to yourself, “I wish I had seen this coming!”? While this sounds appealing at first, I’m not sure I personally would want to know all that was ahead in life. I think if it were negative, the weight and anxiety would be too heavy to bear. Although, I’m sure in my younger years I probably thought otherwise! In life, we occasionally, or sometimes frequently, encounter situations we wished we could be removed from, because they’re painful, sorrowful, or extremely difficult. Sometimes the struggle is a result of our own making, when other times, it simply happens to us. Perhaps you’ve wished for the ability to turn the clock back and prevent whatever your struggle is, or at least see into the future to find out how long it will last. Isaiah knew specific armies would overthrow his nation, and he knew times would come when neither he, nor other prophets of God, would be safe. Prophets, in general, were not well-loved and weren’t winning any popularity contests because God’s messages spoken through them were usually of impending doom as a consequence for rebellion. Most kings Isaiah served under did not appreciate his downloads from Jehovah. Even though Isaiah had a heads’ up from God as to what was coming, he still had to trust He would do as He said He would, and that He would preserve Isaiah through it. God asks us to do the same, even though we can’t see the future. We are invited to cast all our cares on the Lord because He cares for us. (1 Peter 5:7) We are told countless times in Scripture to trust Him over ourselves (Proverbs 3:5), and to know that our strength and help certainly come from the Lord God, maker of Heaven and earth. (Psalm 121) Where can you start choosing trust over fear starting today?

2) How do water, milk, and wine connect with this prophecy? (verses 1-3)
Have you ever felt like you were just spinning your wheels in life; continually looking for something? Chasing something? Day to day going around in circles with nothing accomplished or little to show for it? God is offering nourishment for spiritual hunger and thirst, and encouragement to strengthen you. He is actively calling you, in this moment, into a life that is deeper, fuller, and more satisfying. No matter how long you have walked with Jesus or even if you have never crossed the line of faith, there is more fullness to discover about God. Isaiah wrote, “Come, everyone who is thirsty…”. (verse 1). All. This invitation was not just for the Jew, but also for the Gentile. Jesus picks up the theme of “all welcome” throughout His ministry on earth. His heart is for all to know Him, repent, and be given fullness of life. (John 4, 1 Timothy 2:3-4) This includes you and me! Isaiah’s prophetic invitation is a timeless one calling through the millennia that we too can have restoration in God! Jesus came, and sacrificed Himself for us, that we might not perish apart from Him as a result of our sin. (2 Peter 3:9) We labor for things that will only temporarily satisfy us. We are always thirsting for more, but if we continue seeking pleasures that will fade, we will forever want for more. In sharp contrast, Jesus says He alone is the source of abundant fulfillment. (John 10:10) Jesus, who calls Himself Living Water, offers a continuously fresh, life giving, always flowing supply of satisfaction like nothing else can. The life Jesus offers drenches and soaks deep into your spirit, never running dry. (John 7:37-39,  Revelation 21:6) As we lean into more of God and seek after Him, we will experience His love and mercy towards us in ever-deepening ways. Come! Seek Him while He may be found and find the fullness of life! (Isaiah 55:6)

3) Can God really forgive wicked and sinful people? (verses 7-9)
Scripture is clear God wants no one to perish! (2 Peter 3:9) It can be tempting to think Isaiah’s words, written thousands of years ago, just aren’t relevant to us today. But they are. God’s message of repentance and welcome for all people and His promises of forgiveness and redemption are available in this very moment to all of us. (2 Corinthians 1:20, Joshua 21:45) Because of Jesus’ sacrificial death and resurrection for all people, forgiveness and redemption are available to all sinners. We can take these Old Testament promises for us today because of Christ. Jesus calls us back to repentance, back to Him, back to a full life with Him. He invites us to turn from our sinful ways. “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:32) Our sinful patterns may not be a result from listening to captives from a pagan land, but perhaps we are listening to a friend or influencer who isn’t following the Lord God. These temptations often catch us in moments of weakness, we quickly take up that appealing but sinful, life-sucking (if we are honest) desire. Take comfort, oh sinner just like me, God’s promises of compassion are timeless! It is challenging, even if you are a Christ-follower, to genuinely trust that He knows all, and His ways are better than ours. In His loving kindness and grace, He lovingly guides us in our everyday moments, giving us many opportunities to return to Him as we learn to trust Him in complete surrender. Even knowing we will get bruised and maybe fall flat on our face, He is faithful to pick us up, calling us His own. His mercies are new every morning and His love is boundless. (Lamentations 3:22-23) We have this assurance because of Christ and His ultimate sacrifice as He surrendered His life so ours can be spared, forgiven, redeemed, and welcomed into life everlasting! Have you given Him your everything?! (John 15:13, John 3:16, John 10:27-28)

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with More Than A Bargain!

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 Questions 2 Week Three!
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.

Questions 2 Day 10 Close Enough

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 14
Romans 3:21-31
Psalm 36

Questions 2, Day 10

“What? It IS clean, Mom! You cannot complain about that, you don’t know what it looked like before I cleaned it!”

This is the reply I’ve heard a thousand times as one of my kids responds to my raised eyebrows and look of, “Seriously? You think this is clean?”. Every single one of my kids have vivid dramatizations playing in their minds of me walking around their “clean space” and picking up countless “somehow unseen” objects. They like to call it “Un-Stuffing” and if it’s really bad, they know I’ll start singing “Little Girls” by Cameron Diaz from Annie, replacing “girls” with “things”.

“Little things, little things
Everywhere I turn I can see them
Little things, little things
Night and day I eat, sleep, and breathe them.”

Toilet paper scraps, pencil shavings, marker lids, I can see it all and will gladly bring their attention to their lack of detailed cleaning. While I am playfully (and sometimes, not so playfully) reminding them that our definitions of clean are not the same, I’m encouraging them to work harder, not be lazy, and definitely not get caught “stuffing little things” as they work to raise their standard of “clean” to my own.

While this may work in our homes when it comes to tidying up, it is absolutely useless when it comes to our hearts. Maybe you’ve seen the quote, “Cleaning house while raising kids is like shoveling in a snowstorm.” When it comes to making our own hearts and lives righteous before God, it’s impossibly futile!

Pastor Paul quoted King David and Isaiah in Romans 3, all of whom were inspired by the Spirit of the Living God to make Himself known to us,
(We are all) under sin, as it is written,
“None is righteous, no, not one;
no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
All have turned aside; together they have
become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.” (Psalm 14:1-3)

All-inclusive language is something my husband and I work hard to stay away from in our marriage, because it’s “almost never” accurate. J Phrases like, “You never listen to me,” or “You always attack me” are fighting words full of anger and hurt with the intention of wounding. However, these all-inclusives from the Lord God are not intended to hurt us relationally, but to awaken our hearts to reality.

None righteous.
Not One.
None understands.
None seek God.
All have turned aside to their own ways.

“Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive
The venom of asps is under their lips.” (Psalm 140:3)

“Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” (Psalm 10:7)

“Their feet are swift to shed blood;
in their paths are ruin and misery,
and the way of peace they have not known.” (Isaiah 59:7-8)

Much like my kids’ attempt to clean their rooms while neglecting under their beds, we are altogether filthy because of our sin. We love to pretty it up with a glossy Instagram filter or toned-down phrases like, “white lie” or “mistake” or “not my fault” or “I’m a good person”.

Regardless of what we believe, or how we want to feel about ourselves, a holy God holds the final word on sin and righteousness. He is altogether perfect, which requires Him to justly judge who is sinful and who is granted access to be with Him forever.

No one can follow the law of God perfectly.
There is no “close enough” with God.

We can’t work harder to reach His standard, strive for “less lazy”, or determine not to sin anymore. If you’ve lied, stolen anything, lusted in your heart, or even been angry, you are guilty of breaking God’s law.

Breaking the law requires payment, and because God is just, He requires that payment to be made in full.

The payment for sin is death.

Christ came, as God the Son, deity, fully divine, to live under the law perfectly for us, knowing we could never pay the debt on our own and be at peace with God.

Yes, Jesus came in the form of a baby, but He was 100% God,
living in a 100% human body, with a specific mission to save us from our sins.

“As long as I believe God exists, I’ll go to Heaven, right?”
This wasn’t true at the beginning of time with Adam and Eve, for the prophets of old, for the disciples as they walked with Jesus, for passionate Pastor Paul, or for you, me, my children or your friends.

Either we are covered completely by His righteousness, purchased for us at the cross where Jesus gave His perfect life to cover for our impossibly flawed one, or we are on our own.

And on our own….we will always turn aside to our own ways;
we will forever be without righteousness.

Is your trust in Jesus an “I believe He exists” kind of trust,
or an assertion that “I am utterly sinful apart from the righteousness of Jesus”?

Are you “close enough” or “all in”?


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Questions Day 9 100%: 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 100%!

The Questions

1) How can Jesus be the way and the truth?

2) What does it mean that Jesus is “the life?”

3) Why must we come to the Father through Jesus?

John 14:6

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Original Intent

1) How can Jesus be the way and the truth?
John 14 opens with Jesus telling His disciples of His impending departure to prepare a place for them. He assures them inverse 4 know the way to where He is going, but His disciple Thomas is confused, “We don’t know where you’re going. How can we know the way?” (John 14:5) Instead of answering Thomas’ question with explanations of His upcoming death and return to heaven, Jesus tells His disciples, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) In a nutshell, Jesus is telling His disciples the summation of everything He has taught them over the last 3 years they have been together. His statement gives His disciples the all-important information on how to get to Heaven and be right with God. Having total access to the Father is only found through Jesus. What He is about to do for them by dying on the cross will bring them eternal life. In all clarity, He is revealing the truth they are searching for is Him. He is the answer to every question they have. The Expositor’s Greek Testament tells us, “Thomas craved knowledge sufficient to guide him in the present crisis. Jesus says: You have it in Me.” In this pivotal moment before His death, Jesus lets His disciples know He is the Way because He is not only their example to follow in living life, but their bridge to the Father. He also promises them He is not only telling them the truth, but He is the truth. As author Randy Alcorn asserts, “Jesus is the source of all truth, the embodiment of truth and therefore the reference point for evaluating all truth-claims.” We can be grateful that God provides the Way and the Truth in the person of His Son, Jesus.

2) What does it mean that Jesus is “the life?”
When Jesus says “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6), He is telling His disciples they can find truly abundant life, at present and eternally, only through Him. He is the life because He is the link to life everlasting due to His work on the cross. (John 3:16) Because Jesus, wholly God and wholly human, gave up His life as payment for our sin then conquered death by rising from the dead, He justifies all who come to Him and offers His eternal life to them when they surrender. Similarly, in John 11:25, Jesus tells us He is “the resurrection and the life.” We also see in 1 John 5:11 that God offers us eternal life through the life found only in His Son. Not only is Jesus the life because He is the pathway for eternal life, but He is also the life because He gives us spiritual life here on earth. We read in John 1:4, “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.”  When we have the life of Christ living in us, He gives us the light that comes only from Him. Author John Ritenbaugh notes that “Jesus’ life gives us firsthand knowledge of what the true way of life is, allowing us to cooperate with Him in His purpose.” God gives us the power to follow Christ’ example of a life lived well. We can love like Jesus (John 15:9), care like Jesus (Mark 6:34), pray like Jesus (Luke 5:16), relate like Jesus (Matthew 7:12), and disciple like Jesus (Matthew 28:19-20), when we surrender our frail lives for His full one. We can live a glorious life here on earth, following Christ’s example by the power of His Spirit living within us, while we look forward to eternal life in heaven one day.

3) Why must we come to the Father through Jesus?
When Adam and Eve sinned, they changed the relationship dynamics God had designed to share with all of humanity. They could no longer enjoy daily intimate interaction with God because their sin separated them from God. God’s plan to bridge that gap between man and God was the man Christ Jesus, God’s Son. Jesus, as God the Son, would take the sins of all people on Himself, although He was sinless, and cover their sins with His perfectly righteous blood as a sacrifice to pay the penalty of our sin. That redemption made a way for people to be united to the Holy God once again. There is no other way for people to access God on our own because of our sinfulness. Jesus tells us in John 14:6 that no one comes to the Father except through Him. We must go through Christ, who is the bridge between Father God and humankind. There is nothing we can do to earn our salvation. All we can do is believe in Jesus and accept God’s free gift of access through His Son. Author Craig von Buseck notes, “In every other religious system besides Christianity, a spiritual scale hangs over the head of the individual, with all of the sins they have committed on one side and all of their righteous deeds on the other.”  With Christ, we don’t need to tally our good and bad deeds because we don’t count on our deeds of righteousness to save us (which is ridiculously impossible!), rather we rely on His mercy and grace to save us. (Titus 3:5-7)

Everyday Application

1) How can Jesus be the way and the truth?
If there were ever a time when people seem confused about the way and the truth, it is today. Our culture teaches truth is relative and there is not just one way to get to heaven.  We are told to find our own way in life and make our own truth. This has left many of us feeling lost and confused. God has provided for such a time as this in His Word. He told us in John 14:6 that He Himself is the way and the truth. For those of us trying to forge a path through the chaos, He tells us He is the way. He says something similar in John 10:9, where He tells us “I am the gate. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved. . .”  Hebrews 10:19-20 refers to Christ’s sacrifice for us as a “new and living way” to draw near to God. He also reassures us He is the truth. Jesus tells the Jewish believers in John 8:32-36, “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” He later explains what He means by saying, “if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.” Jesus, the Son of God, is the truth who sets us free.  We can know the truth, and the truth is a person: Jesus! He made a way for us to draw near to God by His death on the cross, and His life and teachings show us how to live our lives.  He is the truth we need, shining the light of His Word in every dark place we encounter. (Psalm 119:105)

2) What does it mean that Jesus is “the life?”
Have you ever looked up from a binge-watch session, surrounded by food wrappers and soda cans, and thought, “I gotta’ get a life?”. The thought is that you need something better to commit your time and energy to.  It is easy and enjoyable to have some down time, but ultimately, we each crave a meaningful life. The good news is that when we have life in Christ, He gives us a life with meaning. Jesus tells us He is “the way, the truth and the life.” (John 14:6) He does not only show us how to have a good life; He Himself is life for us. He came to earth so we could have abundant life. (John 10:10)  1 Corinthians 15:22 tells us that in Christ all are made alive. If we want to live a life that fulfils us, we need to live our life in Christ. Not only will He fulfill us here on earth, but He offers us this fullness and satisfaction in overflowing endless measure all the way into eternity. (1 John 5:11) This certainty of our coming hope provides a peace and comfort when things don’t seem to be going our way. Even when things are tough, God is still teaching and growing us (James 1:2-4) and even working all difficult things for our eventual good and His glory. (Romans 8:28) 

3) Why must we come to the Father through Jesus?
In our pluralistic, tolerant society, claiming to have the definitive answer to anything is controversial. We like to say, “You do you,” and we assume we are all on different paths to the same destination.  So Jesus’ claim that “no one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6) sounds jarring to modern ears. It seems exclusive and unloving to say there is only one way to God, yet God, very lovingly, states this emphatically in Scripture. For it would certainly be quite unloving to promote all road access when it truly wasn’t! In Acts 4:12 we read, “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.” We also learn in 1 John 2:23 that “no one who denies the Son has the Father.”  While it may sound exclusionary to some, God’s redemptive plan is actually open to everyone who accepts Christ’s free gift of salvation for themselves. (Romans 6:23)  Any person, regardless of race, class, gender or background, is invited to believe in Christ, repent of their sins, and accept the freedom God offers through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. (1 Timothy 2:4) Author Jonathan Parnell explains, “It doesn’t matter how messed up your life is, or what mistakes you’ve made, or how dismal you see your tomorrow . . . It doesn’t matter what language you speak, or what color of skin you have, or how much money is in your bank account, if you turn from your sins and trust in Jesus, you will be saved.” God loves us all and wants us to be His children (John 1:12) and He offers that gift to all of us for free. If you have never done so, I urge you to accept that gift today. if you are already a child of God, I urge you to share this good news with someone who crosses your path today!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with100%!

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 Questions 2 Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

The GT Weekend! ~ Questions 2 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) One of the most prevalent questions in our shared human experience is, “What is the meaning of life?”. We have found many different ways to answer this question on our own terms, but Monday’s Journey Study brought us face-to-face with one of the most common false answers and also with the truth. Many people think that getting the most pleasure out of life is what “it’s all about”, but God tells us glorifying Him and remaining in close relationship with Him is the only path to true fulfillment. How have you regarded fun and pleasure in your own life? Have you placed the false promise of pleasure above your need for relationship with God? If I’m honest, I frequently choose pleasure over relationship with God. While it is not wrong to find pleasure in our lives, when pleasure becomes a stumbling block to following Christ, we must make a choice. Will we follow God’s will or the siren call of “fun?”  Write down two ways you can choose to forego a pleasure that is tripping you up and choose to glorify God instead. This may look like fasting from social media for a time or giving up a certain TV show that is fun, but not glorifying to God. Ask God to show you where you can bring Him the most glory.

2) You may have heard it said that all religions are basically the same. They all boil down to the idea that if you are a good person and do good things, you will go to heaven when you die. Contrary to this common belief, the astonishing truth is following Christ means acknowledging you cannot be a good person or do enough good things to get to Heaven. Jesus is the only way to Heaven. On Wednesday, we saw how believing in Jesus and receiving His grace is the only way for us to be saved. Have we taken the time to really reflect on the wonder of this truth? God’s grace doesn’t depend on our ability to “be good.” God lavishes His grace on us even when we least deserve it. Sister, do you believe that? Or have you been burning the candle at both ends working to try to earn God’s favor? If you believe in the work Jesus did for you on the cross, you can take time today to rest in Him. Thank Him that His work is enough and find comfort in knowing you are secure in His grace.

3) Have your conversations with God ever felt one-sided? You sit down to pray, asking God for your deepest heart-felt desires and then… nothing. All is quiet. You wonder why you even bothered to try. Then as time goes by, you keep bringing your requests before Him, asking Him to do as He promised. And one day, your prayers are answered. Maybe not the way you had thought they would be, but God proved Himself faithful in the end. I have many stories of times I had all but given up on God answering my prayers, and yet, He has never failed me. If you don’t have any stories of answered prayers, I would challenge you to go back and look at past prayers. Look for the ways God has been working in your life. If you don’t have any prayers to look back on, start today. Write down your requests and your prayers to God. Then eagerly look to see how He answers them. When you see how God works in your life through your prayers, write down what you observe and thank Him for His faithfulness. Remember the truth that God gives good gifts to His children, and glorify Him when He shows up for you!

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 Ephesians 1:3-8 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight.

Prayer Journal
Praise the Lord! Praise His holy name forever! You, oh Lord, give meaning to our lives. You make a way for us to behold Your goodness. You hear our prayers. Forgive me Lord for the ways I have neglected to glorify You in my life. Forgive me for the ways I have chosen pleasure and comfort over Your good plan for my life. Help me to identify the idols in my heart that draw me away from You. Thank You that I do not need to earn Your grace, but that while I was yet a sinner, You gave your life for me. Help me to treasure the gift You have given me and to share it eagerly with others. Most of all, I thank You for hearing my prayers and giving me just what I need, even when I do not know how to ask.  Forgive me for my neglect of prayer and my disregard for Your faithful answers. Help my heart to be attuned to the wonder of Your glorious answers to my prayers. .Help me to say, “the Lord has helped me to this point!”

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

Reveal Day 14 We Have This Hope: 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 outWe Have This Hope!

The Questions

1) What is the “new birth” Peter refers to in verse 3?

2) What is the “inheritance that is… kept in heaven” in verse 4?

3) Why does Peter tell his readers to “rejoice” in spite of “suffering grief in trials”? (verse 6)

1 Peter 1:3-6

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 5 You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials.

Original Intent

1) What is the “new birth” Peter refers to in verse 3?
This isn’t the first time in Scripture a new birth is mentioned. Jesus and Nicodemus discuss this very subject when Nicodemus visits Jesus in the night in John 3. Peter is referring to salvation and becoming reborn when we become believers. It is the same concept Paul writes about to the Corinthian church in 2 Corinthians 5:17 where he reminds the believers there they are a new creation in Christ. Peter is reminding his audience that, when they accept the salvation Jesus offers, they are a new creation in Him. They have now been included into God’s family.

2) What is the “inheritance that is… kept in heaven” in verse 4?
Inheritance is not a new tradition. In the ancient days of Israel, inheritance was bestowed to a father’s sons upon his death. It consisted of all that belonged to the father including his land. The eldest son typically received the greater portion while all other sons received a smaller portion. God had also promised the Israelites the inheritance of the Promised Land; a gift He bestowed on them as His chosen people. Peter is using Israel’s common understanding of an inheritance to remind his audience of an eternal, incorruptible inheritance promised to all believers whether Jew or Gentile. Jesus spoke of a treasure stored up in heaven where moth and rust will not destroy (Matthew 6:19-20) and Paul spoke of an inheritance in several of his letters. Peter is referring to this same inheritance that will never fade. (For more in depth study on this incredible inheritance, check out the Journey Theme, Incorruptible!)

3) Why does Peter tell his readers to “rejoice” in spite of “suffering grief in trials”? (verse 6)
Rejoicing while suffering trials sounds absurd. However, that is exactly what Peter intentionally writes. To understand it fully, we must keep reading. Peter is clear that suffering reveals a character only found in Christ, a character that shows an unbelieving world what only Jesus can do in spite of terrible trial. Peter wrote as one who knew suffering well. He walked through the three days before Jesus rose fully knowing that in Christ’s last moments he had betrayed Jesus. Although Peter preached a strong message, it was a message which met opposition along the way. Peter suffered many trials, eventually giving his life, for the sake of the Gospel so that an unbelieving world would have the opportunity to know Jesus.

Everyday Application

1) What is the “new birth” Peter refers to in verse 3?
When we accept the salvation offered through Jesus’ sacrifice we become a new creation. We are born into the family of God and forever have a place within it. Peter is referring to this as he writes about a new birth. Just as we were born into our earthly family the day we were physically born; the day we choose to place our faith in Jesus, we are born into God’s family. This new birth solidifies us as heirs with Christ. In his book, “The Knowledge of the Holy”, theologian A.W. Tozer explains, “Self is so subtle that scarcely anyone is conscious of its presence. Because man is born a rebel (to God), he is unaware that he is one. His constant assertion of self, as far as he thinks of it at all, appears to him a perfectly normal thing. He is willing to share himself, sometimes even to sacrifice himself for a desired end, but never to dethrone himself.” When we are willing to allow Christ to remove ourselves off the throne of our lives, giving Him rule and reign, we are reborn with His nature instead of our selfish one.

2) What is the “inheritance that is… kept in heaven” in verse 4?
An inheritance is bestowed on a member of the family when someone else dies. Even today the idea of an inheritance is familiar. Peter is writing not of an earthly inheritance but a heavenly one; this coming reward will surpass all sin, death, and even suffering in this world. The inheritance available through Christ is guaranteed to us when we become members of God’s family at the moment of salvation. If we trust in the work Jesus did to die in our place, taking the punishment for our sin upon Himself once and for all, we are welcomed as His and given His own great reward as our inheritance. It will outlast this world because it is founded in our relationship with Jesus, who beat death and conquered the grave, and therefore it’s an inheritance which is kept in heaven with the promise of our receiving it for eternity. Take heart! Christ has overcome the grave and gives Himself to you for now and for eternity if you take Him as your own!

3) Why does Peter tell his readers to “rejoice” in spite of “suffering grief in trials”? (verse 6)
Peter knew what facing trials felt like. Yet, time and again he chose to continue forward in the mission of the gospel, rejoicing in the Lord for what He had done and continued to do. Our lives are not promised to be free of suffering or trials. However, just as Peter could rejoice so can we! As believers, we have a hope found in Christ that is a gift like nothing the unbelieving world knows. When we choose to rejoice in Him regardless of our circumstances, we look different than those of this world who haven’t experienced the rebirth of Christ. While we live in this world, we are no longer of this world because we have a hope in what is to come. We know the end of the story, and we know the joy of knowing Jesus. Therefore, regardless of our circumstances we can choose to live in the hope promised to us and rejoice even when we walk through suffering and trials just like Peter.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up withWe Have This Hope!

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 Reveal Week Three!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

The GT Weekend! ~ Worship VII Week 3

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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) “He Will Hold Me Fast” has been a theme song for me through the last few months as we have experienced uncertainty surrounding stay-at-home orders, political and social unrest, and even natural disasters which have shaken our world. The reminder that Christ will hold me fast is a blessing and a comfort to my weary soul. I don’t need to strive or work harder to be safe, because the God of creation is my safety. Consider setting aside some time this week to go for a quiet walk and reflect on what God is doing in your life right now. How is He holding you fast? Listen to this song before you go, and then leave the distractions behind. As you walk, talk to God specifically about the ways you have seen Him work, the ways you have hoped in Him, and the ways you continue to trust Him. You could even write down a few Scriptures beforehand to take with you and refer to as you walk so you can pray them back to Him.

2) What a profound and stirring truth we read in this Journey! The God of the Universe stepped down from Heaven while we were yet sinners, with not one good deed to our credit, and gave His life so we could be justified to Him. We have the opportunity to be saved from a life of sin and death and utter darkness, and to be brought into true unity and love with the only wise and good God. Because of the work Jesus did, your sins can be erased. Have you accepted God’s free gift of salvation? If not, what is holding you back? Stop here and write down your objections. Then go to a Christian friend or pastor and ask them your questions. Don’t let anything hold you back from the Good New of Jesus. If you have believed, are you faithfully walking in the freedom of your calling? Are you living as a victorious child of the King? Or are you continuing to enjoy the sins of the flesh? Beloved, Jesus died so you could live as a wholly authentic human. You do not need to carry the burdens of your sins any longer. Name your burdens and lay them down at the foot of the cross. Ask the Lord to carry them far from you. Remember, His work is what makes you free!

3) Amazing Grace is a well-known and well-loved hymn, not only in the church, but also in the culture at large. Something about the reminder of God’s grace poured out on sinners, bringing light to our eyes, and helping us find our way, strikes deep in the hearts of men and women. John Newton was not a perfect man, and he was well aware of this fact. It may seem harsh to call oneself a wretch, but surely we know without Christ, we have no good thing to offer. Have you ever considered where you would be today without the amazing grace of Jesus? While it is not healthy to wallow in self-doubt and pity, it can be good to consider what God has saved us from. Consider the trajectory of your life before you knew Christ. Even if you were saved at a young age, you know your sinful tendencies. Consider how those would play out un-checked by the Spirit. Write down a possible scenario of what your life would be like, had He not intervened. Spend time thanking God and worshiping Him for His great work in your life.

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Lamentations 3:22-24 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

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

Prayer Journal
Great and merciful God, Your abundant love for me has drawn me to my knees. You were brought low that I may have life in You. Jesus, You allowed men to treat You shamefully and brutally murder You so I may have life to the full through Your victory. I did not, nor do I, deserve Your compassion, but You have lavished it upon me continuously. Help me to never forget the depths of Your great love. I confess I have sinned against You. I have taken for granted Your precious gift of life and have chosen to go my own way. Cause me to hate my sin. Help me to take up my cross, die to myself, and follow You daily. Thank You for Your forgiveness and Your never-ending mercy. Show me how I can reflect Your goodness to the people around me. Make me aware of the needs of my community and shape my heart to value sacrificial service over pleasant comfort. May I abide in You, remembering You have prepared good works for me to do so that I may walk in them. I know following You requires discipline, and You give strength to Your servants. Thank You for Your marvelous work of transformation in my life.

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Worship VII Day 13 One Day

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Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Corinthians 4:1-5
Romans 5:6-11
John 3:16-21
Revelation 22:6-20

Worship VII, Day 13

What a difference a day makes!

I remember the day I came face to face with the knowledge that I was hopelessly lost. Old Slew foot, the devil, had blinded my eyes to the light of Life found only in Jesus. He said, “You’re a good girl. You have nothing to worry about.” Even though my parents, and their parents, and their parents before them were all Christians,
I was still lost in the darkness of my sin.

The old evangelist preached hard that night. Was it his warning of hell and damnation or the fact that my grandfather had recently passed that got my attention? Maybe both. The Spirit of God was opening the eyes of my heart, and I was brought into His Light that day. I recognized I needed a Savior so, at an old-fashioned camp meeting, I walked the aisle and gave my heart and life to the Lord.
Oh, what a day when I came into the Light!

At the turn of the 20th century, another great evangelist, J. Wilbur Chapman, was also intently determined to preach the Gospel. Chapman served several pastorates before going into the evangelistic circuit. He preached with the legendary D. L. Moody at the 1893 World’s Fair before traveling with gospel singer, Charles Alexander. Their first campaign in Philadelphia saw 8,000 conversions followed by Boston and 7,000 recorded conversions. Chapman and Alexander continued having tent revivals all around the world for the next 10 years until his death in 1918. [Wholesomeword.org]

While Chapman will be forever known as a great evangelist, he also blessed the Church with many hymns like “Our Great Savior (Jesus, What a Friend of Sinners)”.  Perhaps he “gave the Christian world the greatest gospel content song of all time when he penned the words for “One Day.” [Truthful Words Biographies]

“One day when Heaven was filled with His praises.
One day when sin was a black as can be.
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin,
Dwelt among men, my example is He.”

It was indeed a dark day when sin began running rampant and men turned from the living God to please themselves. Ever since that day in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3), men and women have been impossibly lost in sin with no hope to save themselves. Until that one day when, at just the right time, God sent His angels to proclaim the miraculous, Jesus had come from Heaven to earth! (Luke 2:8-12) He came to the sinful and impossibly lost, born of a virgin to live fully as a man experiencing everything we experience, yet, living a sinless life because He was and is God Almighty. (1 Peter 2:20-25)

“Living He Loved me.”

How much God loves us! We are familiar with John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His One and only Son…” But, even better, the darkness of our sin is chased away by His glorious light! (John 3:16-21)

Not only does He love us, but He came to provide our forgiveness before we even considered asking for it or being remorseful. (Romans 5:6-11) He loved, and forgave, while we were still deep in our sin.

“Dying He Saved me. Buried, He carried my sins far away.”

Yes, one day they arrested Jesus and falsely accused Him. That day, He took on our sin to pay our debt of punishment for that sin on a cruel cross.  He carried our sin upon Himself so it would no longer rule our lives. In Jesus, our sin has been removed “as far as the East is from the West.” (Psalm 103:12)

Our debt of sin has been erased! Gone! Forever Gone! Praise the Lord!
“He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations,
that was against us and opposed to us,
and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.”
(Colossians 2:14)

“Rising, He justified freely forever”

Even greater than taking on the punishment of death we deserved, after three days in the grave, He rose again, breaking the power of sin and death. On that day, He freed us forever from the slavery of sin. In Jesus, we can be both saved from our sin’s punishment and justified before a Righteous God! Jesus moves our status from “hopelessly sinful” to “just as if I’d never sinned!”. This doesn’t come automatically because we’re alive, faith is required. (Hebrews 11:6) Faith that places our full-weight trust in Jesus Christ and His work on the cross to pay for our sin. Do we believe what the Bible says about Jesus? If we accept His offer of salvation in genuine faith, we will live forever with Him in Heaven one day.

“It will be credited to us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.
He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.” (Romans 4:23-25)

“One day He’s coming, Oh Glorious day!”

Ah! Yes! One day! One day He is coming again for us!
When Christ ascended into Heaven, the angel come down with a promise that ONE DAY, He would return just as He had left in the clouds. (Acts 1:6-11) It will be a glorious day when he comes and sets up His kingdom.

And who can enter in?
“Those who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
(Revelation 7:14)

I am ready for that Glorious day!
Are you?
Have you repented of your sin and asked to be free from the slavery of sin and its punishment of death? Make today your own “One Day” that changes everything!
What a difference a day makes!

“Both the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let anyone who hears, say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who desires take the water of life freely.”
(Revelation 22:17)

Author’s Note:
Though this hymn is over 100 years old, listen in to Casting Crowns for a remade version!

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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!

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Worship VII Day 10 King Of Kings

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 1:1-23
Ephesians 1:3-14
Luke 4:14-21
Isaiah 53
Acts 2

Worship VII, Day 10

I’ve had the opportunity to speak at several of my church’s womens’ ministry events. One phrase I use almost every time is “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” There is something about the majesty, power, and authority of His title that grounds me in Who Jesus is. One of the reasons I love the song “King of Kings” is its rich evidence of Who Christ is, as well as Who and what He should be to us.

“In the darkness we were waiting
Without hope, without light
‘Til from heaven You came running
There was mercy in Your eyes
To fulfill the law and prophets
To a virgin came the Word
From a throne of endless glory
To a cradle in the dirt”

The last book of the Old Testament is Malachi, and the first four books of the New Testament are the Gospels. Throughout the Old Testament, there are hundreds of prophecies of the Messiah, the Deliverer of the Israelites, Whom we meet in the Gospels. For example, Isaiah 61:1-3 speaks of the Messiah coming to comfort, provide, and make righteous. Jesus quotes it in Luke 4:18-19. Then in verse 21, He announces the prophecy has been fulfilled. Can you imagine being present for that? The long-awaited Messiah is standing in front of you!

Malachi ends by proclaiming a messenger will come ahead of the Messiah (Malachi 4:5-6), which echoed Isaiah 40:3. John the Baptist quotes this prophecy in John 1:23 to identify himself as that messenger. After Malachi’s conclusion,  four hundred years pass. Can you imagine waiting so long? I can barely wait 4 minutes! But were they truly waiting in the darkness with no hope? They were invaded and ruled by the Greeks, briefly gained their independence, then fell to the Romans in 63 BC.

So the New Testament opens with the Israelites still waiting for the Messiah to save them from oppression by another foreign nation.

All the while, their sins remained an insurmountable barrier between themselves and their God. And let’s not forget the oppression of the corrupt, self-righteous religious leaders, the Pharisees and Sadducees.

I cannot imagine their despair.

But Jesus was on the way! The Messiah had awaited this moment, willingly surrendering His heavenly throne to put on flesh and save His people. (John 1:14-18) Enter a young virgin, who miraculously gave birth to Jesus, the Word Who fulfilled every. single. word. of prophecy. (John 1:1, Matthew 1:18-24, prophesied in Isaiah 7:14).
Hallelujah!

Why would Jesus make such a sacrifice?

“For even in Your suffering
You saw to the other side
Knowing this was our salvation
Jesus for our sake You died”

The answer is found in a treasured verse of Christians, John 3:16:

“For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

God loves us so much, He would not leave us separated from Him. Through Jesus, we are reconciled to Him despite our sin. There is no animal, ruler, or leader who could grant us salvation. Only the Lord of the Universe could accomplish it. So the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords came for each of us.
Praise Him!

But Jesus’ death is only part of our redemption story:

“And the morning that You rose
All of heaven held its breath
Till that stone was moved for good
For the Lamb had conquered death”

Jesus is Lord over death. It had, and has, no power over Him. On the third day, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords rose from the dead. (Matthew 28:5-7) With His resurrection, our redemption was sealed. Our place in heaven is reserved, if we trust in Him.

Not only did He conquer death; Ephesians 1 says He went beyond salvation. He also gave us “every spiritual blessing in the heavens” (verse 3), a glimpse into God’s plan (verses 9-10), an inheritance (verse 11), and the seal of the Holy Spirit (verse 13). I could cry in amazement that the One Who created all, and is over all, cares so much for us.
Glory!

“And the Church of Christ was born
Then the Spirit lit the flame”

Christ’s church was born on Pentecost, when the disciples received the promised Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4), Whom we also carry as Christians. Peter, in his love for Christ and the power of the Spirit, explained to the gathered crowds how Jesus fulfills every prophecy of old. (Acts 2:17-36) Thousands of people believed, and became the first church. This is the same church, the same family, into which we’ve been adopted (Ephesians 1:4-5) in Jesus!
I am honored to be your sister in Christ.

Truly grasping Who Christ is, and Who He is to you, is highly personal. I beg you, sisters, to reread the passages and verses listed here. Read cross references. Ask God to make you more aware of Jesus as King of Kings. And when He does, praise Him!

“Praise the Father
Praise the Son
Praise the Spirit three in one
God of glory
Majesty
Praise forever to the King of Kings”

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Worship VII Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Worship VII!