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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. 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 things right with? Repent of your sins, make a plan to be at peace with everyone (as much as it depends on you), then boldly approach the throne of God above, making your requests known to Him. 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. Then watch to see how He works in your life.

2) On Wednesday, [author] challenged us to pray assuming the best about God. She reminded us that 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 that today. Write down one or two of these truths that you are struggling to believe. Why do you not believe it? 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 that [author] presented to confirm the truth about who our God is. As you read the words God gave us about Himself, consider what would change for you if you truly believed 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 for you to know Him more.

3)When Daniel prayed to God on behalf of the people of Israel, he did not ask for forgiveness because he or the people deserved it. He acknowledged before the Lord that they did not do anything 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 that you do not have to be strong on your own. When we have a personal relationship with Jesus, He gives us strength for each day. 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, do we come to You. 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 and 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

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

Kneel Day 9 Believing The Best Of God: 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 Believing The Best Of God!

The Questions

1) To whom should the believer demonstrate graciousness (gentleness)? (verse 5)

2) Why should the believer demonstrate graciousness? (verse 5)

3) What does Paul encourage believers to use as a defense against worry? (verse 6)

4) What will be the result of our obedience to pray about everything? (verse 7)

Philippians 4:5-7

5 Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. the Lord.

Original Intent

1) To whom should the believer demonstrate graciousness (gentleness)? (verse 5)
This isn’t a trick question! But it is a weighty one, isn’t it? Most of us want some sort of clarification for the commanding statement in Paul’s letter. Maybe the original readers did too. Anytime we read a word as inclusive as “everyone”, we typically begin to look for parentheses to offer some sort of exception. Much to our chagrin, there is no clause excluding certain people or situations. The believer is to let our “graciousness be known to everyone.” The Greek word (epieikes) used in this verse conveys that our attitude toward others, all the others, is to be gentle, equitable and patient. Digging into the context of the verse helps us understand Paul’s instructions regarding relationships. In verses 2-3, he encourages two women in the church to strive toward unity, implying there are far-reaching gospel implications in their pursuit of reconciliation. Their discord could drastically affect how others are hearing and receiving the peace of Christ. He writes that these women had “contended for the gospel at my side”. (verse 3) They were faithful servants with Paul in the work of sharing Jesus. Whatever had caused the disagreement wasn’t nearly as important as the commonality they shared in Christ and their goal of telling others about the freedom and peace He brings. It was essential that the gospel (What is the gospel?) they proclaimed not be hindered by their disunity. This message regarding unity and humility wasn’t only for these two women. It was for all believers at the church in Philippi. Graciousness was to be demonstrated by every believer and toward everyone who witnessed their interactions.

2) Why should the believer demonstrate graciousness? (verse 5)
The graciousness we are to show to all people is painted with a broad brush. Our human tendency may be to flinch at the command to treat everyone with grace. It means that our kindness and patience is not just toward those we love or find desirable. Our heart-motivation is key to genuineness! We do this because “the Lord is near.” (verse 5) Sandwiched between the more well-known and oft-quoted “rejoice-in-the-Lord-always” and “be-anxious-for-nothing” verses is this treasure. “Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.” When the believer lives with the awareness of Jesus’ daily presence and His pending return (Hebrews 9:27-28), it becomes easier and more significant to rejoice in the Lord and show gentleness to all people. Since we know Jesus will settle every wrong when He returns, we carry our personal struggles and conflicts to Him because we can trust Him to make things right in our sin-stricken world. James tells us that receiving God’s grace and giving His grace are linked. (James 1:19-27) Our time with Jesus in prayer and in the Word is evidenced by our graciousness. When we exhibit the humility of Christ, we season the gospel in a way that adds flavor. We adorn it. Our graciousness gives credibility to our gospel message of grace. When Paul wrote to his disciple Titus, he reminded him to encourage all the believers in sound doctrine and motivate them toward gracious living. (Titus 2:1-14) The Lord is near. He is with us now through His Spirit and His bodily return is forthcoming. Therefore, we live in such a way as to preach the gospel with our lives as well as our words.

3) What does Paul encourage believers to use as a defense against worry? (verse 6)
Paul tells the believers at Philippi to reject worry and instead “present your requests to God.” Though we may never fully grasp how our prayers and God’s will work together, the Bible makes it clear we are to pray. The Greek gnōrizesthō means “to make known, declare, know, discover.” We are to make known to God our worries. Yes, He does know everything, but Scripture repeatedly tells us to confess our sins, to confess our needs, and to confess our desires. We do this by bending our hearts in prayer and taking a humble posture toward God’s purposes. We do not come to Him asking humbly because God is reluctant to answer, but because He is the sovereign Lord of all. He deserves our humble hearted response. (2 Corinthians 9:7-15) We make our requests known to God because He commands us to do so. Had a Syrian woman with a demon-influenced daughter not been bold enough to approach Christ with her request, she would have missed the opportunity to demonstrate her faith in His power to heal. (Mark 7:24-30) Had a blind beggar not cried out to Jesus for mercy, those in the crowd wouldn’t have witnessed Jesus’ power to give sight to the blind. (Luke 18:35-43) God says we often go through life without answers to our prayers because we do not ask, or we ask with the wrong motives. (James 4:2-3) Prayer is the means of defeating the enemy of our souls who constantly presses against our peace. (Ephesians 6:18-19) We can take our thoughts captive by replacing big fears and little worries with pleas to our good Father. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5) We acknowledge the presence of our great high priest, and are then able to approach God boldly with our requests. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

4) What will be the result of our obedience to pray about everything? (verse 7)
This promise is AMAZING! Who would not desire to have this kind of peace? “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Praying from a thankful heart is the key to unlocking the door of peace. If something completely fills a space, the only way another item can fully fit is to switch the items. Paul wanted his readers to understand they could not simply sideline worry without making an adjustment in their minds. Replacing worry with its antidote was imperative! Praying about everything serves as a kind of guard in our hearts. It fills the space that worry might occupy. Nothing that produces angst can get past the guard of peace. Colossians 3:15 tells us the peace of Christ is to serve as a ruling umpire in our hearts and minds. The way we fill up on peace is by praying for it. As we pray, God provides peace to us that we are unable to fully explain. I love how Bethany wrote, “Paul assumed God was good at giving good things. If what he was praying about was a good gift, he assumed it came from God…If Paul was petitioning God for something, he assumed what God had already given and was going to give was good, too…In everything, God’s good provision meant that prayer could coincide with thankfulness.” God takes our obedience of replacing worry with prayer and provides the good gift of peace to us. A supernatural peace only He can give.

Everyday Application

1) To whom should the believer demonstrate graciousness (gentleness)? (verse 5)
We read in the New Testament that the apostle Paul was a mentor to several young men in the faith. I’m especially struck by some of his final instructions to his dear “son” Timothy. He told him to pursue, among other things, gentleness! (1 Timothy 1:2 6:11) He mentions this along with “righteousness, godliness, faith, love and endurance.” My sweet sister, even those of us who may have studied these verses many times, let’s not miss this. Our gentle disposition is an integral part of demonstrating the power of God in our lives. We find the strength to radiate this beautiful grace only through the power of the Spirit. Galatians 5 tells us the fruit of the Spirit include the characteristic of gentleness. (Galatians 5:22-23) Oh that I would exude graciousness when everyone is expecting fretfulness! I long to get up from my knees with an energy to conquer my worry and fears evidenced by a gentleness that mimics Christ. In the power of our Lord and Savior, I have the provision I need to do exactly this.

2) Why should the believer demonstrate graciousness? (verse 5)
We demonstrate graciousness because God is good and full of grace! I believe one of the greatest testimonies of a woman of prayer is her Spirit-induced ability to maintain kindness to everyone in the midst of conflict. What a beautiful gospel picture we are proclaiming when a peaceful spirit oozes from us. I love picturing Jesus’ dear friend, Mary, sitting at His feet, enthralled in His presence. (Luke 10:38-42) Why was her sister Martha fretting? Because she hadn’t learned where rest comes from. She had missed the way to be at her absolute best. I don’t think Jesus was scolding her for attempting to check off her To Do list. Rather, I think He was reminding her there is only one authentic way to peace – remembering Jesus’ nearness and presenting our worries to Him. I think if Mary were here today, she would joyfully join singing with us:
Come find what this world cannot offer.
Come and find your joy here complete.
Taste the living water, never thirst again,
rest here in His wondrous peace.
Come and find your hope now in Jesus.
He is all He said He would be.
Grace is overflowing from the Savior’s heart.
Rest here in His wondrous peace.
Oh the goodness, the goodness of Jesus!
Satisfied, He is all that I need.
May it be, come what may, that I rest all my days in the goodness of Jesus.
(The Goodness of Jesus by CityAlight)

3) What does Paul encourage believers to use as a defense against worry? (verse 6)
Paul’s instruction here is more than a soft word of encouragement. It’s possible that in our attempts to not offend others, we sometimes don’t emphasize the wealth that is found in our obedience to this command, “Don’t worry about anything.” Let’s face it, sweet friends, this isn’t written like a suggestion, is it? Paul is urging his Philippian friends to live at peace with another and within themselves through the command of rejecting worry. I’m so thankful he does not leave us hanging though; Paul continues by telling them to pray about everything. Well, my goodness. We are to be gracious to everyone, not worry about anything and pray about everything. I’m beginning to feel my skepticism rise within me. This feels impossible! And you probably know what’s coming next. It IS impossible! When Jesus used hyperbole in Matthew 19:23-26 to teach His disciples that riches were a hurdle for some to enter God’s kingdom, they were astonished. But He looked at them and stated a dramatic reality: “With God, all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) We are able to graciously interact with others. We are able to face difficulties and conflict with inner peace. We are able to maintain a thankful heart. We are able to do these because God has given us access to Himself through prayer. It doesn’t even need to be eloquent or long. It just needs to be sincere.
Lord, I believe You are who You say You are. You are able to do anything. But in my humanity, I’m weak and frail. I fret and flounder. Lord, help my unbelief and replace my worry with worship. Amen.

4) What will be the result of our obedience to pray about everything? (verse 7)
We pray because Jesus taught us and showed us it was essential to pray. It would seem to us if anyone did not need to pray, it would have been Jesus. After all, He was God in flesh. But as Bethany reminded us in her Journey Study, “Paul assumed God wanted to hear it all.” This assumption was borne out of hours spent in prayer to God for His glory to be shown through himself and others. Jesus prayed not only for something, but out of something. He prayed because of His already-established relationship with the Father. He came to His Father through prayer as an obedient, faithful, and loving Son. For the believer, prayer should be like breathing, easier to do than to not do. Yet we know many things keep us from approaching God. Unconfessed sin, distractions, doubt, and even plain old forgetfulness crowd out our intimacy with God. Friend, I’m committing anew to let “everything” mean “everything.” I’m expectant and hopeful to watch my powerful, faithful, and loving Father work in ways that will astound me and bring me unexplainable peace. “For this reason, I kneel before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. I pray that he may grant you [and me], according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through His Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:14-19)

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Believing The Best Of God!

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 Kneel 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.

Kneel Day 7 On Our Behalf: 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 On Our Behalf!

The Questions

1) What is the “new and living way” inaugurated by Jesus? (verse 20)

2) How are our hearts sprinkled clean and our bodies washed in pure water? (verse 22)

3) How do we hold onto the confession of our hope without wavering? (verse 23)

Hebrews 10:19-23

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus— 20 he has inaugurated for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh)— 21 and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. 23 Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful.

Original Intent

1) What is the “new and living way” inaugurated by Jesus? (verse 20)
In Hebrews 10:20, we are told Jesus’ blood has made a new and living way to enter the sanctuary of God. Before Jesus’ death on the cross, the high priest sacrificed an innocent animal every year to atone for the sins of God’s people. (Leviticus 16) Because of Jesus, people have a “new and living way” to access the Father. When the sinless Savior took our sin upon Himself, He redeemed our lives and reconciled all who believe in Him back to God. We are no longer separated from God but can come boldly to His throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16) through the “new and living way” of Jesus. Andrew Murray suggests “Christ’s death was something entirely and essentially new, and so also His resurrection life; a life out of death, such as never had been known before. This new death and new life constitute the new and living way, the new way of living in which we draw nigh to God.” The reason Jesus came to earth and sacrificed His life was so we could live an abundant life (John 10:10) in communion with God (1 Corinthians 1:9). His death made a way for us to draw near to our righteous God without the hindrance of our sin. As David Guzik points out, “Now under the New Covenant we have access because of the perfect sacrifice of the sinless Son of God, and it is as if the living, resurrected Jesus ushers us into the throne room of God.” We can remain in God, and He remains in us (John 15:4-8), because Christ’s work on the cross brings us into relationship with God.

2) How are our hearts sprinkled clean and our bodies washed in pure water? (verse 22)
In the Old Testament, priests sacrificed an animal and sprinkled its blood on the altar to signify cleansing and payment for sin. They would also wash themselves, signifying holiness, before wearing tabernacle garments to make the sacrifice. (Leviticus 16:4) Kenneth Wuest explains how the “high priest would sprinkle the blood of the sacrificial animal seven times on the ground as he approached the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies.” (Leviticus 16:14) The author of Hebrews references this in writing, “Let us draw near [to God] with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.” (Hebrews 10:22) It is Jesus, our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14), who cleanses us from sin through the blood sacrifice He made for us at the cross. We are sprinkled clean and washed pure by His blood. Some, like David Guzik, suggest this passage also references water baptism. “With the perfect cleansing available to us, described in terms of promises of the New Covenant in the Hebrew Scriptures (hearts sprinkled) and the Christian practice of baptism (bodies washed), we can draw near to God in a way never available to someone under the Old Covenant.” Jesus’ sacrifice made a way for us to have a vibrant relationship with the living God! Andrew Murray asserts, “The blood [of Christ] has put away the thought of sin from God; He remembers it no more forever. The blood puts away the thought of sin in me too, taking away the evil conscience that condemns me.” What an incredible reality, that we can commune with the Holy God who frees our conscience from evil and sprinkles our hearts clean, free of condemnation! (Romans 8:1)

3) How do we hold onto the confession of our hope without wavering? (verse 23)
The author of Hebrews 10:23 admonishes readers to “hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful.” According to Chuck Swindoll, this letter was written to “Jewish Christians in Rome, who were struggling under Nero’s persecution and were considering moving back toward the Mosaic Law. The writer to the Hebrews showed these Jewish Christian believers that, though they were faced with suffering, they were indeed following a better way . . . and they should persevere.” It can be hard to stay committed to biblical beliefs when doing so incurs mistreatment from others. It can be easy to waver, or even fall away, from truth when following Christ becomes difficult. This verse tells us that, because God is faithful and keeps His promises, we should hang on with hope without faltering. R.C. Sproul explains, “The faithfulness of His Word and His activity through history give us the basis for our hope and confidence that God will do all that He promises. Because of this faithfulness, we too must be faithful to Him.” God’s Word tells us all Christians will face persecution (2 Timothy 3:12), but the hope we are holding onto in the promises and Person of Jesus is worth any persecution we face for following Jesus. In fact, the Bible calls those who are persecuted blessed for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. (Matthew 5:10) God grants us the grace (John 1:16) to be faithful to Him as He shows faithfulness to us in all situations.

Everyday Application

1) What is the “new and living way” inaugurated by Jesus? (verse 20)
Recently at church, our fancy printer for checking kids into class wasn’t working, so I told parents we were “kickin’ it old school” using ink pens and stickers instead of technology. Of course, “old school” is relative; when I was a child, kids were simply dropped off without official security measures. Everybody knew everybody else and the street where they lived. The “new system”, even with a downgrade to markers and stickers, was still better than the “old system” I’d grown up under. In relating with God, Jesus has given us a “new system” described in Hebrews 10:20 as “the new and living way” which is immeasurably better than the old system. Instead of relying on a priest to temporarily atone for our sins through animal sacrifice, we can freely access God because Jesus took our sins upon Himself once and for all. (1 Peter 2:24) We don’t need to worry about not measuring up, or working to atone for the impossible debt our sins have incurred, because Jesus paid the debt-price (1 Corinthians 6:20) to cleanse us from “all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Dan Cruver describes what it’s like for us to “enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus” (Hebrews 10:19) when he writes, “Our confidence to enter is not based upon what we’ve done or not done but upon what Christ has done through the shedding of His own blood. Our confidence is based upon the work of Christ.” There is much freedom in knowing my salvation does not rely on what I do or fail to do. My righteousness before God is because of Jesus’ righteousness; all I need to do is accept His love and mercy made available through the “new and living way”! (John 3:16)

2) How are our hearts sprinkled clean and our bodies washed in pure water? (verse 22)
I was saved from my sin-debt at age 5, so the idea of being made clean and whole didn’t resonate with me as deeply then as it does now. Since then, I’ve grown in understanding of my sin, its offensiveness to the Holy God, and my deep need for a Saving God to cleanse me. There are numerous sermons, songs, books and movies describing the blood of Jesus washing us because it’s a life-altering experience. Hillsong United’s song, Clean, declares, “The highest Name has set me free/Because of Jesus My heart is clean.” In her song, “Clean,” Natalie Grant sings, “There’s nothing too dirty/that you can’t make worthy/You wash me in mercy/I am clean/ Washed in the blood of your sacrifice/Your blood flowed red and made me white/My dirty rags are purified/I am clean.” When your life has been tinged with the guilt and shame of sin, being delivered from the heaviness of condemnation is whole-life-liberating. Only the blood of Jesus, shed for us, cleanses us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:7) and frees us from sin and death (Romans 8:2). According to author Liz Curtis Higgs, “God doesn’t just clean us up, fix us up, straighten us up. He recreates us in the image of His Son. He starts from scratch. He makes us new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) In Christ, we become “a new being” (Good News Bible), “a new person” (New Living Translation), “a new creature altogether” (Amplified Bible), and have “a fresh start” (The Message Paraphrase).” This freedom is available to all who choose to turn from their sin and trust Christ to pay their sin-debt! Being made new, clean and free, stirs us to share this Good News with everyone!

3) How do we hold onto the confession of our hope without wavering? (verse 23)
I’ve always been inspired by Christians whose lives demonstrate a life that “hold(s) on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since He who promised is faithful.” Corrie Ten Boom was a Christian Dutch woman who hid Jews from the Nazis in the Netherlands during World War II. “In concert with her religious beliefs, her family experience, and the Dutch resistance. Her defiance led to imprisonment, internment in a concentration camp, and loss of family members who died from maltreatment while in German custody” (encyclopedia.ushmm.org) Though she and those she loved suffered much, she was still able to say, “In darkness God’s truth shines most clear”. (Corrie Ten Boom) She held onto the unwavering hope she had in Christ and the truths of the Scriptures in her darkest hours, then emerged to share that hope with others around the world. There are stories from all over the globe like this one, of people holding fast to Jesus in the face of intense struggle. The recent coup in Myanmar left people fleeing into the jungles for survival, but hope persists for those displaced Christians. Lindy Lowry reports, “Like so many situations where God’s people are pressed on every side (2 Corinthians 4:8,) faith continues to survive in persecution. Our local partners [in Myanmar] report that increasing numbers of people are turning to Jesus for their hope.” In Nigeria, Boko Haram has harassed Christians who refuse to convert to Islam, yet “many Nigerian Christians forgive their persecutors, and some even share the gospel with militants” (persecution.com) Stories like these remind me that holding on to my hope in Christ without wavering is important because it keeps me connected to God’s promises and it encourages others who may be struggling.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with On Our Behalf!

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 Kneel 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.

Kneel Day 6 On Our Behalf

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 8:32-34
Hebrews 4:14-16
Ephesians 1:20-23
Acts 7:54-60
Hebrews 10:19-23

Kneel, Day 6

What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived,
Jesus did for us. (1 Corinthians 2:9)
He died for our sins (Matthew 27),
rose from the dead (Matthew 28),
and ascended to Heaven (Luke 24:50-53).
He is sitting at the right hand of the Father far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given. Everything is subjected under His feet and He is appointed over everything for the Church. (Ephesians 1:20-21)
What a place of glory and assurance for those who believe in Him!

He assured us He has gone to prepare a place for us in Heaven; eventually, He will come and take us to be with Him. (John 14:2-3) But while we wait for His return, we are not free from the challenges of a broken world, including pain, loss, and persecution. When faced with such sufferings, it’s easy for us to lose sight of Christ’s victory, and become discouraged.

Scripture assures us Jesus is making intercession for us (praying on our behalf). He is a great high priest who has passed through the heavens; He empathizes with our weaknesses and is able to help us in times of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16) He understands our experiences, because He also lived in the world in human form, faced struggles, and overcame. Now, having conquered sin and death, with everything subjected under His feet, and sitting at the Father’s right hand, He is able to help us.

When believers first began to spread the Good News, they faced intense persecution. One man, Stephen, was stoned by the Jews for preaching about Jesus. As he was dying, he had a vision of Jesus standing at the Father’s right hand. (Acts 7:55-56) While Scripture often describes Jesus sitting, Stephen saw Him standing. What does His posture signify? I see it as a symbol of Jesus actively interceding for Stephen before the Father in his greatest moment of need and sacrifice, possibly reminding the Father of the ransom He paid for Stephen. It could also have been an assurance of heavenly welcome for Stephen.

Like Stephen, we are assured no one can condemn us, because the only One who has that power is Jesus, and He instead intercedes for us before the Father. He helps us when we are tempted, and advocates for us when we sin. Despite pressure from the world, Scripture assures us He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear; He will always make a way out for us to follow in obedience. (1 Corinthians 10:13) If we lose sight of His grace and yield to temptation by sinning, He is our advocate before the Father. He is the righteous One, the atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 2:1-2) If we confess our sins, He forgives us. (1 John 1:9)

Reconciled with God through Jesus, we can approach the Father in confidence.
“[L]et us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith [. . . holding] fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, since He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:22-23)

Furthermore, we hold an assurance that He hears our prayers:

“This is the confidence we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked of Him.” (1 John 5:14-15, emphasis mine)

Did you catch the qualifier, sisters?

According to His will.

Our faith in Jesus does not guarantee an affirmative answer to any and every request. We must remain in Him and put His will above ours, learning to align our wills and prayers with the Father’s heart and plan. Jesus explained, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you.” (John 15:7) Similarly, Scripture tells us that when we ask with wrong motives, such as to satisfy our pleasures, we do not receive what we asked for. (James 4:2-3)

In my personal walk with God, prayer has been paramount. But not long ago, I realized why so many of my prayers were not answered as I wanted. I held on to “Ask, and it will be given to you” (Matthew 7:7), while neglecting “If you remain in me and my words remain in you[.]” (John 15:7) It dawned on me that I must keep a close relationship with Jesus by studying and meditating on His Word always, just as God instructed Israel’s leader, Joshua, so long ago. I realized that my relationship with Jesus is what counts in the place of prayer.

Now, the pattern of my prayer has changed. I see prayer as an opportunity to worship and thank God, and not just asking Him to “give me-give me.” He has clothed me with His righteousness; I owe Him thanksgiving without end. Whatever need I have, I tell Him, and trust in His Word. While I have confidence He answers me, I submit to His perfect will over mine. I must testify that the result has been tremendous!

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Kneel Day 4 Fierce Faith: 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 Fierce Faith!

The Questions

1) Why does Paul admonish Timothy to be strong in the grace of Christ? (verse 1)

2) What should the reader understand from the examples of solder, athlete, and farmer? How do they relate to Paul’s suffering? (verses 3-9)

3) How do the truths declared in the short hymn in verses 11-13 impact our everyday faith?

2 Timothy 2:1-13

You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in the concerns of civilian life; he seeks to please the commanding officer. 5 Also, if anyone competes as an athlete, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer ought to be the first to get a share of the crops. 7 Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead and descended from David, according to my gospel, 9 for which I suffer to the point of being bound like a criminal. But the word of God is not bound. 10 This is why I endure all things for the elect: so that they also may obtain salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 11 This saying is trustworthy:

For if we died with him,
we will also live with him;
12 if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he will also deny us;
13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself.

Original Intent

1) Why does Paul admonish Timothy to be strong in the grace of Christ? (verse 1)
Submitting to God’s will for his life was not easy for Paul. He endured many trials, but he never wavered. Instead Paul persevered. Some of the men who ministered with Paul however, did not persevere. Instead, they deserted Paul (2 Timothy 1:15-18). Paul, who considered Timothy his spiritual son, offered instruction and encouragement to Timothy in his letter. First, Paul instructs him to be strong. According to the Enduring Word Commentary, “This is one of the twenty-five times Paul encouraged Timothy to be strong and endure in his work in Ephesus.” Living his life for the Lord was not easy for Timothy, just as it wasn’t for Paul. But Paul didn’t simply tell Timothy to be strong, He told Timothy how: “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus”. Paul knew from his own experiences the strength Timothy needed in order to endure would not come from himself. Manufactured strength would absolutely not cut it. “Our strength, both as Christians and as ministers, lies in Christ, and not in ourselves.” (studylight.org) Paul declared this truth for himself (Philippians 4:13), and he gave Timothy a gift in directing him to the only One who could sustain Timothy in his ministry work – Jesus. (written by Marietta Taylor)

2) What should the reader understand from the examples of solder, athlete, and farmer? How do they relate to Paul’s suffering? (verses 3-9)
In verse 3, Paul tells his son in the faith, Timothy, to “share in suffering”. He is repeating his admonishment from earlier in his letter. (2 Timothy 1:8) Based on the Greek translation, Paul wants the reader to be encouraged to “suffer hardship together.” He is implying his desire for the saints to be unified in their suffering along with Paul even though they lived apart. (biblehub.com/greek) Through this joint mission of suffering, they would experience the reward of the Lord. He would provide everything they needed to endure. (verse 7) Paul provides three examples he has previously used (read 1 Corinthians 9) regarding endurance. 1) A soldier understood the importance of remaining untethered. He could not be tied to the routines and expectations of normal civilian life. The soldier’s life is not his own as he has committed to serving his commanding officer first and foremost. 2) An athlete trains to deny himself certain things if he desires to win. He competes by submitting physically and mentally to the game. He trains by disciplining his body in regard to food and other pleasures, and then competes by submitting to the rules and boundaries. 3) The farmer may be the least glamorous of the three examples. His reward isn’t a medal or a trophy. His reward is the yield of good fruit resulting from demanding work. The examples Paul gives serve as a reminder to the reader that suffering for the sake of the gospel will require unwavering loyalty, long-term endurance, and humble persistence.  (verse 9) The soldier, the athlete, and the farmer have their eyes fixed on one thing: the reward. The faithful ones of Jesus do the same in their hardships as they focus their lives on Him. (verse 8) Here is where fierce faith is built! (written by Melodye Reeves)

3) How do the truths declared in the short hymn in verses 11-13 impact our everyday faith?
Faith that endures is a faith that has walked into the heat of suffering. (verse 3) Truly tenacious, fierce faith is built one small step at a time as we learn, on repeat, to die to ourselves and our sin, while living for Jesus. This is utterly impossible unless we have first been crucified with Christ. Paul closes this chapter on suffering and strength through His grace by singing of Christ’s crucifixion because His example leads us to do the same with our sin nature. We cannot follow Christ when we do not have His nature within us; our default nature is sin, which is full of lies, lust, and vile rebellion against God. Christ died, but as Paul exhorted Timothy to remember, anchor on, and lean into, “Jesus Christ,[is] risen from the dead…”. (verse 8) Christ died and rose victoriously, conquering death and sin. (Romans 6:9) So are we to die with Christ, crucifying our flesh (Galatians 5:24), that we also might share in His resurrection. (Philippians 3:10) When we daily choose to take up His cross of crucifixion, we become radically freed to walk in new life from the Spirit of God! In this kind of living, we are given power to endure suffering as well as the right to reign with Him in eternity for our relationship with Him has been restored. (verse 12) In Jesus, sin no longer stains us or stands between us and God; we have been clothed in the very righteousness of God Himself! (2 Corinthians 5:21) (written by Rebecca Adams)

Everyday Application

1) Why does Paul admonish Timothy to be strong in the grace of Christ? (verse 1)
Ministry may look glamorous, but it can be hard work. If you try to “muster up” the strength to endure, you will quickly burn out. The apostle Paul knew this well. He told of his source of strength in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, “And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” This is the grace and strength Paul encouraged Timothy to tap into for his work at Ephesus. It is no different for us. According to Calveryfullerton.org, “If you expect to just be strong in yourself, you’re going to fail.  If you think that God owes you some strength because you “deserve” it, you’re going to fail. But when you get to the point where you realize that you don’t deserve a thing, but that you desperately need God’s help, then you have a chance.” Timothy was in Ephesus teaching and defending the gospel and making disciples. That’s our job too (Matthew 28:19-20), though it will look different for everyone. Whether we are in full time ministry like Timothy, discipling our kiddos, or volunteering at church, we all need the grace Christ provides to do any of it well and to the glory of God. This was what Timothy needed, and it’s what we need too. (written by Marietta Taylor)

2) What should the reader understand from the examples of solder, athlete, and farmer? How do they relate to Paul’s suffering? (verses 3-9)
Paul did not mean that a believer, specifically a minister or church leader, should never enjoy life or find pleasures in recreation. His goal is the gospel. It’s always the gospel! Whether it’s the mundane or the magical, our hearts are to be single-minded in purpose. This unifies all brothers and sisters in the world around the message of Jesus. It is the Spirit of God through the Word of God who will give us courage and perseverance as we face trial and hardship in life. In our season of suffering, He will provide His grace. “For the Lord will give you understanding in everything.” (verse 7) We can trust Him to provide for us everything we need to endure and grow in our faith. We don’t need to give into temptation even as we suffer. We are not alone in our suffering. (2 Peter 1:3-4) And Sister, praise His Name, we have His word! It is alive and working in us. It “is not bound.” (verse 9) Look to the soldier, the athlete, and the farmer as your example to persevere. Look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our salvation for it is HE who suffered the death we deserve. It’s in His life we have the endurance we need to never give up! (Hebrews 12:1-3) (written by Melodye Reeves)

3) How do the truths declared in the short hymn in verses 11-13 impact our everyday faith?
The closing words of this early church hymn reverberate with ground-breaking freedom, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”  No matter the inky blackness of our sin, or the many times we return to the putrid nature of death despite our new nature of life, God remains ever-faithful to Himself. He cannot abandon His own Life at work in us by His Spirit. He absolutely will not. We can dance in this confidence every moment of our lives regardless of circumstance. He will never prove unfaithful. Do whatever you must, right now, to ensure you remember this truth in the next breath, the next 5 minutes, and the next 5 months. Christ will not prove unfaithful to the work He has begun in us as long as we have surrendered ourselves to Him completely! (Philippians 1:6) However, there is one line we must not overlook, “If we deny Him, He will deny us.” (verse 12) Pause and breathe those words in. Re-read them. Uncomfortable? Me too. To deny Him is to be utterly without hope for He will most assuredly deny knowing us. Jesus’ own words are clear, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in Heaven.” (Matthew 7:21) What is this “will of My Father”? To become like Him in His death that we might become like Him in His resurrection. (Romans 6:5) If we refuse to surrender to the death of our sin nature, we are denying Him, which will result in Him denying us for eternity. The pathway of cultivating fierce faith is strewn with suffering, but it leads to life and the faithful love of God toward us. Choose His life, and sing in victory! (written by Rebecca Adams)

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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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Our Current Study Theme!

This is Kneel Week One!
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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.

Advent Day 15 The Beginning

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Hebrews 2:14-18
Genesis 3:13-15
Philippians 2:5-8
Revelation 1:7-8

Advent, Day 15

I know, most people finish their story with the ending, right?

It’s Christmas Eve, Jesus is here!

Angels are singing and stars are twinkling as new parents take in their freshly birthed son… Of The Living God. God Himself wrapped in a 6-pound bundle of wrinkled newborn skin, dark eyes, cheesy vernix, baby poop, and blood.

None would look at this tiny babe and proclaim He is the Great Almighty by Whom and through Whom, the Universe exists.
Yet He Is.

None would kiss His silky head and press their finger to curly toes and consider He is God sent to die as a criminal for humanity’s rescue.
Yet He Is.

None would feel His feeble fingers curl around their thumb and declare Him to be the One sent to crush the head of Satan.
Yet He Is.

He is…
The Arrival of Satan’s Defeat
The One Foretold
The Great Light
Our Immoveable Anchor
The Suffering Servant
Our Perfect Priest
Our One True Shepherd
The Carol of Abraham and Isaac

Jesus is all of these and He always has been. In fact, while today we celebrate the beginning of His life on Earth, the truth is, Jesus has been with us since the beginning of time. If you’ll allow me, I’d like to take you from the side of Christ’s makeshift cradle to the Garden, where it all began.

In Genesis 3, the unbelievable has occurred. God’s perfect garden, His perfect world, has been marred by sin, ushered in by a single act of disobedience. In these verses, God listens as Adam and Eve play a round of the blame game, ultimately pointing their fingers at the serpent, Satan. We can sense God’s heartache and righteous anger as He delivers a curse to each of the guilty parties: first to the serpent, then to the woman, and finally, to the man.

Yet, in this heartbreaking moment, we also find a seed of hope: the first prophecy of a Savior. As swiftly as the curse is given, the plan of redemption is promised. Jesus will come. He will set this wrong to right. There is no hesitation from God. No, it seems in the very moment His creation rejects Him, He chooses to pursue us.

Surely as God, there were infinite paths He could have chosen to save us. Say the word! Snap His fingers! Scrap the whole “Earth project” and start again (this time without the snakes).

But He chose none of those paths. Instead, as Philippians 2:6-8 tells us, Christ chose to humble Himself by taking on the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.
So the Christ was born as a defenseless child to penniless parents.

What kind of God chooses to become one of His creations?
What kind of God chooses to come as an infant instead of a king?

God promises the serpent will one day bruise the heel of Adam’s offspring, as Satan does in Christ’s death. But He also promises this Child will utterly crush the head of the serpent, as Jesus does through His resurrection. The reason Christ came to Earth as a baby was to fulfill this very prophecy in Genesis.
He came to crush the serpent’s head.
He came to break Satan’s power over us.
And He will come again.

Friend, we stand in the glorious in-between of two advents: Christ’s birth and Christ’s return. While much of Christ’s story lies behind us, we are invited into the anticipation and longing for the next chapter of His great unfolding when He will come as Victorious King, riding on a cloud, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.

So you see, the Beginning we celebrate on Christmas Eve merely points us to another Beginning . . . the beginning of a Kingdom that will never end. In this kingdom, there will be no more tears, no more sickness, and no more shame. (Revelation 21:3-4) Just as in the garden, all those years ago, we will experience perfect fellowship with our God. Finally, we will experience the beautiful, yet mysterious union of the divine and those declared righteous because of the precious blood of the Only Begotten Son of the Living God.

No, I don’t imagine anyone gazing into his sleepy, newborn eyes could believe this child to be the Promise fulfilled and Everlasting King.

Yet He is.

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Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

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

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Advent Day 13 The Carol of Abraham & Isaac

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 22:1-18
Hebrews 12:1-3
John 19:1-42

Advent, Day 13

Genesis 22 begins with the Lord directing His devoted follower, Abraham, to travel to Mount Moriah and offer Isaac as an offering of worship.
Isaac, the long-awaited son of Abraham’s old age.
Isaac, the miracle child through whom God promised to fulfill His covenant with Abraham.
Isaac, to be the first of Abraham’s descendants more numerous than the stars in the sky.

Isaac, to be bound and laid on an altar, his blood spilled by his father’s hand, his body consumed by flames.

Wait . . . what?

At first glance, this story seems to be nonsensical at best, contradictory to everything we believe about God’s character at worst. But dig in, sisters, because today we’re going to see how our good and loving God used Abraham and Isaac’s story to foreshadow the promise of Jesus’ sacrifice and the redemption it would bring.

Dashing through the snow in a one horse open sleigh . . .

While I don’t know the climate of the region through which Abraham and Isaac traveled to reach the site of their offering, I imagine snow probably did not dot the landscape, certainly not the drifts that come to mind when singing this classic Christmas carol. Singing carols of generations past and new lyrics to celebrate the season is a favorite tradition. Suppose we were to consider the threads of ancient biblical biographies as lines to a Christmas carol that all creation has longed to sing in preparation for the coming King?

It came upon a midnight clear, that glorious song of old…

Upon hearing the Lord’s voice, Abraham responded with immediate obedience.
He ensured that when he arrived at the correct location, he would have everything he needed to do exactly what the Lord had commanded. He had the wood, the fire, the knife, and Isaac. (Genesis 22:3)

When they reached the point of leaving the donkey and servants behind, Abraham put the wood on Isaac’s back and they finished the last distance to the burnt offering site, just the two of them. (Genesis 22:4-6)

Is anyone else catching the foreshadowing to Jesus’ sacrifice for us?
No, they weren’t singing songs of celebration, but a chorus of rescue was being woven by the Lord God just the same.

Abraham knew the burnt offering must be accomplished because the Lord had commanded it. God the Father knew Jesus’ sacrifice must be completed in order for us to have eternal communion with Him.

Isaac carried the wood. (Genesis 22:6)
Jesus carried the cross. (John 19:17)

Joy to the world, the Lord has come…

What went through Abraham’s mind as he bound Isaac? Did he wonder if the Lord would provide a substitutionary sacrifice? Did he start to process how the Lord might resurrect Isaac if no physical ram arrived? Did he believe he was truly saying goodbye to his promised heir and beloved son, Isaac?

No matter the answers to those questions, Abraham still raised the knife in preparation to spill Isaac’s blood as required for a true offering. Abraham trusted the outcome of his obedience to the Lord.

God the Father still allowed Jesus to be crucified. At any moment, He could have called down all the force of heaven to stop Jesus’ crucifixion, in His becoming the offering for our sins, but the Father knew the outcome of Jesus’ obedience and saw that it was for our eternal good. God saw the joy on the other side of the sacrifice: eternity with us.

The manger scene wasn’t the beginning of the Christmas carol. Its chords echo all the way back through the prophets, the kings, and one man’s obedience to worship the Lord by offering his only son.

Do you hear what I hear? 

What must Isaac have been thinking when he asked Abraham where the lamb would come from? Did his trust in his father begin to waver at all as his dad bound him and laid him on the altar?

What sense of relief and exaltation must Abraham have felt when he heard the Lord tell him to stop his raised hand from killing Isaac? Did the bleating of the ram evermore become the sound reminding him of God’s faithfulness?

In the Genesis 22 account, we witness how Isaac trusted his father,
and in turn trusted the Lord.

Jesus trusted God the Father as He willingly allowed Himself to be nailed to the cross.

Isaac was spared by the ram in the bush the Lord provided.
We were spared from the cost of our sins by Jesus, the Lamb crucified.

Indeed,
O come let us adore Him . . .
The One who gave Himself that we might be forever rescued from the weight of our sin.
This is a carol, whose vibrancy has been building since time began.

Go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born…

Oh Lord, thank You for loving us with such intentionality and intensity! You knew of the sacrifice Jesus would make centuries after Abraham and Isaac lived. You commanded and documented a parallel story to help us see just how long You have been preparing our salvation.

Jesus, thank You for walking out the story to a completion Isaac never could have. Thank You for becoming the sacrifice that became the payment for our sins.

This Christmas, as the air is filled with Christmas songs new and old, may we embrace the Christmas gift the Lord anticipated giving us from the very beginning: Jesus and eternity with Him.

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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 Advent 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 Advent!

Advent Day 11 A Shepherd’s Heart

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ezekiel 34:1-16
Isaiah 40:9-11
Psalm 23
1 Samuel 17:34-37
John 10:11-18

Advent, Day 11

As you read these words, we find ourselves once again in the midst of the Advent season, and in this particular Journey Theme, we turn our eyes backwards from the first nativity to see what came before.

This truly is my favorite time of the year (followed, of course, by fall and all things pumpkin spice – yes, I’m one of those people!). As much as I love this time of year, I’m also quite well-acquainted with the stress associated with all the holiday hustle and bustle. We as women (and especially if we’re also moms) may find ourselves believing we must be all things to all people during Advent. We burden ourselves with unrealistic expectations and over-the-top standards of making all the cookies, hosting all the parties, partaking in all the activities, doing all the crafts, and more.

Eventually, we find we are no substitute for the One Who truly is all-sufficient, Christ Himself, Whose first coming we celebrate during Advent.

Just as we realize we are a shoddy substitute for the King of the Universe, so, too, Israel realized what a shoddy substitute human “shepherds” can be for the One True Shepherd!

The prophet Ezekiel proclaimed, “The word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy, and say to them, “This is what the Lord GOD says to the shepherds: Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who have been feeding themselves! Shouldn’t the shepherds feed their flock?”’” (Ezekiel 34:1-2)

Those whom the Lord had given positions of leadership (metaphorical shepherds) had instead turned on the people of Israel and done everything but protect and shepherd them. Contrast this with the prophet Isaiah’s words describing the Messiah, whose coming Advent commemorates:

“He protects His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them in the folds of His garment. He gently leads those that are nursing.” (Isaiah 40:11)

Even as Israel waited with great anticipation for the coming of this true and tender Shepherd, the Israelite David,  who ultimately identified Yahweh as his personal shepherd, was raised up by God to shepherd His people in an earthly sense. As king of Israel working in God’s stead to shepherd His people, David relied on the One True Shepherd for the ability to perform this important task. Instead of trusting himself and his ability to care and guard Israel, He trusted the Father God to lead him as he led Israel. David knew he alone could not possibly be all things to all people.

When faced with an enemy who seemed unconquerable, David proclaimed,
“Your servant has killed lions and bears; this uncircumcised Philistine
will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” (1 Samuel 17:36)

When the going got tough and trial upon trial came up,
David repeatedly relied upon the One whom He referred to as
“The Lord, my Shepherd.” (Psalm 23:1)
King David understood his position, a God-given one, was under God’s protection and authority, even as he lived in anticipation of the One True Shepherd, King Jesus.

When King Jesus came, He proclaimed of Himself,
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)

The One Whose coming we commemorate and celebrate this month is not only a shepherd. He is a good shepherd and, as a good shepherd, He lays down His life for each of us.

As the promised One True Shepherd, Jesus sacrificed His own life for the sheep.
While we celebrate the joy of Advent as a Babe in the manager, the ultimate purpose of this Advent was yet to come at the empty graveside which Christ’s once-dead body had abandoned to life. Christmas Advent is beautiful because it leads us to an empty tomb, a defeated enemy, and a restored eternity with our Father!

Easter is possible because of Christ’s obedience and deference to the Father in full submission. He was a good shepherd because He did as the Father instructed. Just as David, king and shepherd of Israel, relied on God to shepherd his heart, so we see this perfectly fulfilled in Christ as He submitted to the Father. In the meantime, though, while we still find ourselves months away from Easter and smack dab in the hustle and bustle of the Advent season, I want to remind us of something: it isn’t all on us, just like it wasn’t all on David or Jesus.

Yes, we all want to make this season special for our loved ones, but let’s avoid stressing ourselves with all the things we’re “supposed to do” that we set ourselves as the One True Shepherd, the ultimate One to care for and tend to our people in this season. Reserve that seat for the only One who can truly fill it, the Christ Whose advent we celebrate.

After all, our calling is not to break ourselves in the process of shepherding others. Rather, we are called to point others to the One True Shepherd Who was already broken for them.

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Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Adevnt Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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The GT Weekend! ~ Advent 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) When I think of an anchor, I think of boats. But buildings have anchors too, otherwise known as the “cornerstone”. It orients the building in a specific direction and provides the necessary stability to support the structure. In Monday’s Journey, Rebekah taught us about the immoveable anchor, Jesus. When we recognize Him as our Cornerstone, He orients us toward salvation, obedience, peace, and His presence. In what ways do you daily orient yourself towards Jesus? How do you see yourself being directed toward His Presence? How does the story of Anna motivate you to further allow Jesus to shape your life? When we don’t acknowledge Christ as our cornerstone we orient ourselves toward rebellion, temptation, and destruction. Have you ever found yourself oriented away from Jesus? If so, was your course corrected and how? After reading one or more Journeys from Justice, journal how fixing our eyes on anything other than Jesus leads to depravity, destruction, and injustice. Pray that you will always stand on Jesus, the Cornerstone, for your own salvation and the glory of God in everyday living.

2) Sacrifice. It’s not something we put on our bucket lists. Yet in Wednesday’s Journey Study, Sarah asks a poignant question, “He (Jesus) sacrificed His life for us. What have we sacrificed for His sake?” Ponder this question for a few moments. Jesus came from Heaven to live in a perishable body amongst sinful people. He was criticized, despised, and eventually crucified, all for our sinful selves. How does reflecting on this change your perception of sacrifice? How can you sacrifice for the One who has sacrificed so much for you? (If you need help with this prompt, check out this journey from Repurposed) One would think that after Jesus’ great and unthinkable sacrifice, we would do better in regards to Him. But no. We continually turn from Him and do our own thing. Yet He still lovingly helps, protects, and provides for us. Would you want to stay in a relationship where you were always doing the heavy lifting? Yet this is what God does for us. Write a prayer of surrender and love to Him, expressing your gratitude for His sacrifice and faithful love.

3) Friday’s Journey Study offered us a challenge, “Consider Jesus”. What does this mean? Glad you asked! It means meditating on the perfect Priest who was the perfect Sacrifice because He was perfectly sinless even as He bore the payment for our sins on the cross. But why? So we could “live for righteousness”. Do you ever consider Jesus’ righteousness on our behalf? If so, journal some thoughts on what that means. How do you live for righteousness? Even though we don’t like the term “sinner”, this is what we all are. We sin pretty much every day because we’re not fully free of our sin nature until Heaven. We only gain Heaven through our Rescuer, Jesus. If you were to fully embrace your identity as sinner in need of a Rescuer, what thoughts or feelings would you wrestle with? How can you make the most of the gift of salvation Jesus provided? One way to do this is sharing the Good News, a gift too good not to share. Who can you share it with? Write down their names. Write a prayer asking the Lord to create sharing opportunities for you. Ask Him to prompt you when it’s time to speak of Him, and ask Him to give you the right words.

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 Isaiah 53:5-6 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

But He was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds. We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished Him for the iniquity of us all.

Prayer Journal
Dear Sweet Jesus, You have loved me so well. Just thinking of You in that manger as a helpless infant when you are the King of Kings does me in. Even more than that, knowing You were there so thirty three years later You could die for me is even more sobering. I must ask myself, have I honored His extravagant gift? I wish I did more often and more fervently. So Lord, this is my prayer today. Help me consider You. Let me meditate on Your sacrifice and Your never-ending love for me. Then spur me on to good deeds and the planting of good seeds of the Gospel. I love You, Jesus! Thank You for being the Way, the Truth, and the Life. (John 14:6) Amen

Worship Through Community

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