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If Day 13 Un-Risen

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Corinthians 15:12-22
Matthew 28:1-7
John 10:14-18
Romans 6:1-11
Ephesians 1:18-23

If, Day 13

When we read the accounts of the Lord Jesus Christ in the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), we are awed by His greatness. He preached the kingdom of God and performed different kinds of miracles. He was full of love and mercy; wherever He went, He healed the sick, provided food for the hungry, and even raised the dead. For these reasons, a large crowd was always following Him. As Jesus continually met the basic needs of humanity, it follows that people would throng to Him.

But what if, after His death, His body decomposed, and His bones remained in the grave? Would He be any different from other religions’ leaders?

While the accounts of His life portray Him as unique,
His end would have been the same.

The figureheads of all other religions lived at a point in time, and their lives included some memorable events for their followers. They all died and were buried, and their tombs remain closed around their remains. The best their followers could do to remember them was to make those tombs into shrines for visitation and rituals.

What if the story of Jesus was the same?
What impact would an un-risen Jesus have on our faith, our spirits?
Apostle Paul addressed this question by explaining,
“And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Those, then, who have fallen asleep in Christ have also perished. If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone.” (1 Corinthians 15:17-19)

But thank God, Christ did not remain in the grave as other religions’ leaders; “He has risen, just as He said.” (Matthew 28:6) Indeed, Jesus predicted His death and resurrection. He said to His disciples, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and after He is killed, He will rise three days later.” (Mark 9:31)

“This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay down on my own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.” (John 10:17-18)

Hallelujah, what a Savior! Is that not powerful?
Christ laid down His life for us at will, and took it back after paying off the price for our sins. My people in Nigeria have a saying, “If someone promises you a shirt, look at the one on his body first.” The message is, no one can give what he does not have. Thank God, the Lord Jesus Christ lives forever and He has given us life in Him.

The death and resurrection of Christ provides all who believe and trust in Him with our unshakeable identity, both for this life and in eternity. In this life, we enjoy a new existence in Him; in eternity, we will live with Him forever.

Scripture says,
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

“Therefore, we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4) We can walk in “newness of life” because Jesus’ resurrection conquered the sin nature that once ruled us; now, through the Spirit, God remains in us. (1 John 3:9)

Finally, Scripture testifies, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God [and . . .] everyone who has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith.” (1 John 5:1-4)

Through the death and resurrection of Christ, we receive the grace of God, through the Holy Spirit, to live victoriously over sin and Satan. Christ is seated at God’s right hand in the heavens, “far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given.” (Ephesians 1:20-21) Furthermore, “[God] also raised us up with [Christ] and seated us with Him in the heavens with Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 2:6)

What does this mean for us?
We are also seated in Him, far above every authority of the devil. Glory be to God! We are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. (Romans 8:37)

Yes, we experience struggles in this world whose god is Satan, yet we have the assurance that we have already been saved from death to life, just as our God was raised from death to life. (1 John 3:14) Death was not His master, and neither is it ours who trust in Jesus, for “we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when he appears, we will be like him because we will see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2)

Then we will say, “Where, death, is your victory? Where, death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55)

Let the Good News ring out, Christ is risen!

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If Day 11 Free Ride

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 13:44-46
Romans 5:1-5
Matthew 6:25-34
James 1:2-4

If, Day 11

“Yes, but it’s going to cost you.”
Have you heard a version of this phrase, if not those exact words?

I have. Sometimes it’s said with the humor of a friend; other times, it has been spoken with all seriousness.

Cost.
We understand it from a monetary sense pretty easily. Do I have the money needed to buy this? How much do I need or want said item, and what am I willing to do to ensure I can make the payment?

But do we grasp the concept of cost beyond dollar signs?
Do we recognize cost is involved in every decision we make?
Beyond that, do we recognize we are changed by every decision we make?

In the business world, return on investment, otherwise known as ROI, is a recurrent phrase. Will an investment provide a return that is worth the cost of the investment?
Will our investment of following Jesus provide a valuable return?

Suppose following Jesus cost us nothing?

Cost is significant.
Upon reflection, I honestly cannot think of a time when cost was not connected to change in my character or life.

Even when I’ve received a free gift, I am aware of the significant cost to the giver.
Cost is always involved. 

With these thoughts swirling through my mind, I sat down to write this study.
What if following Jesus cost us nothing?

If my brain were a literal computer, I would be receiving an error message. In fact, my mind is unable to compute that sentence, and I think of the movie Mean Girls, in which a character says, “The limit does not exist” during math class.

We’re either following Jesus, or we’re leading ourselves.
We’re seeking His kingdom, or we’re building our own.
We’re either counting the cost to follow Him, or we’re not investing.

Adam and Eve chose to invest in the words of the serpent and we are still reaping the returns on their investment. From the very beginning of time, cost has been at play.
Our relationships with Jesus are no different. 

The Bible says a difficult road and narrow gate are the way to heaven. Narrow means lots of decisions are involved in staying the course. Narrow means potentially being misunderstood by those walking the broad paths. Narrow means uncomfortable seasons and various invitations for growth.

Narrow means there will be a cost,
and the final return on investment is Heaven.

But what if…
following Jesus cost us nothing?

We willingly pay out for what we view as valuable.
If we aren’t willing to pay, we deem the value as worthless.

Eternity with Jesus is a pretty significant return on investment, and motivates many people to choose to trust Him. However, Heaven is not the only return we receive when we truly follow the Lord.

Galatians 5:22-24 highlights the fruit of the Spirit, and outlines the cost of their cultivation. When we “crucify the flesh with its passions and desires,” we allow the Spirit to move within us and He pours out love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

The brutal language describing the cost of following Jesus boldly declares to us that holiness, not happiness, is the aim of the Christian life. The way of change, the way of transformation, the narrow way of daily putting to death the sin nature wrapped around our spirits since Adam and Eve’s initial investment . . . this is the way of great cost.

We gladly pay the cost because the benefit far outweighs the price tag of surrendering self to the Savior who gave Himself wholly for us, choosing to hold nothing back. (2 Corinthians 4:17)

Whole surrender is the way of Jesus, who sacrificed everything from His human body to His very existence in community with the Father.
This is the way of Jesus-followers, who are called to walk in His footsteps by picking up our own crosses.

Oh yes, the cost is great.
But the reward, “the joy set before [us],” Jesus assures us, is far greater.

For in return for Jesus’ sacrifice, we receive redemption, the knitting back together of our spirits once torn apart by the claws of our sinful choices.
In return for our costly sacrifice, we become more like Him, the One who sacrificed all for our redemption.

Thus, not only do we know Him more deeply, but we reflect Him more clearly to the searching world around us.
“Come,” our lives say, “Here is the One who can breathe healing and life into your shattered soul.”

Finally, in Ephesians 6:10-18, we learn how God equips and sustains us through the attacks we will experience during our days on earth. The Lord does not leave us alone until we get to heaven. He is faithfully with us, teaching us how to navigate this lifetime. Again, the benefit of never being alone or ill-equipped adds to the value of following Jesus with our whole lives.

We have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, we have the Word of God to read and learn, and we have the Heavenly Father loving us deeply. The Lord’s love is infinite and His mercies are new every morning.

While the sacrifices and challenges involved in following Jesus are quite costly, the ROIs of following Christ are infinite. I will gladly invest to gain Christ and heaven for eternity, and to point others to His open arms during my time on earth.

I am so very grateful that following Christ costs me something.
This is a gift I can never repay.

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If Day 10 Under The Rug

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 90:13-17
Isaiah 53:3-12
Luke 6:27-36
Psalm 20
Revelation 20:11-15

If, Day 10

“Lord, I plead for justice. How long, Lord, before you turn and bring vindication? Don’t you see the oppression and suffering? I know your heart grieves injustice. When, Lord? When?!”

The words flew from my pen as morning mist hung low over the tranquil pond. I was on a spiritual retreat, and the dialogue between me and the Lord was fairly one-sided. I was angry and wanted the Lord to bring justice. Or at least my definition of it.

The tears flowed furiously as hot anger rose. Surely, the Lord would see, hear, and act on my behalf. Didn’t He see how right I was? I had walked with honor, acted with humility and love; still, I was treated unjustly. Wasn’t it the Lord’s job to defend me?

As my anger escalated, my eyes fell on my open Bible.
Tears blurred my vision, but one line was all the Spirit wanted me to hear.
“In His humiliation, justice was denied Him.” (Acts 8:33)

Full stop, Sisters.
My pounding heart took on a different rhythm. I had just been confronted with the tender mercy and righteous justice of the Lord God Almighty by the work of His Spirit living within me and actively speaking through His Word.

The clash of horrible injustice against a holy God collided with my perspective on personal justice.

We’ve each experienced injustice against ourselves or a loved one. Whether it’s on a personal front or a cultural battle, our hearts know the familiar ache for justice.

Shouldn’t God dole out justice on our behalf?
When can we watch our enemies fall?
Is God even just at all? How can He delay?

All good questions.
But, perhaps, you, like myself that morning, have forgotten what true justice would mean for all of us.

In our self-righteousness, we raise our eyebrows, cross our arms, and hope a parade of jurors have prepared their sentence of “guilty” for the offender. (Luke 18:10-14)

Can I be blatantly honest about that morning encounter?
The Lord showed me myself, then He showed me Himself.

I am a sinner.
Not a mistaker; a wretched sinner.
Every sin I commit is a slap in the face of a Holy and Righteous God who sacrificed Himself to save my unworthy self simply because He chose to set His love upon me. (Deuteronomy 7:7-8) When I forget how lost I am without Jesus, and incapable I am of doing good on my own, my sense of justice becomes ridiculously slanted as I elevate myself.

God is perfectly holy.
No flaw exists in Him, nor ever will.
From everlasting to everlasting, His ways, thoughts, actions, and emotions are always righteous. (Psalm 90:2, Isaiah 30:18)

No sin escapes His eye.
None.

Not my distant body language.
Not my subdued tone of voice with a hundred undercurrents of anger.
Not my bitter thoughts.
Not that little lie I told.
Not that lusting look I allowed to linger.

None.

Each and every sin carries a price tag because it offends a Holy God. The price is eternal death and forever separation from the loving, gracious holy God. (Romans 6:23)

This is justice.
I don’t deserve to be in the presence of Holiness because of my sin.

“Your iniquities are separating you
from your God,
and your sins have hidden His face from you
so that He does not listen.”
(Isaiah 59:2)

We should all be nodding our heads at this point.
It makes sense, doesn’t it?
If I want my spouse to apologize for acting and speaking rudely, while I’m also rude at times, how infinitely greater is my sinful offense to a Holy God Who has never sinned?

There is no *wink* *wink*, let this sin slip through the grid, Lord.
Just slide this under the proverbial rug since I’ve done many other good things.
This is utterly impossible.

Knowing this, King David cries out,
“If you, oh Lord, kept a record of wrongs, Oh Lord, who could stand?!” (Psalm 130:3)

None.

David’s point is clear.
No one can stand with clean hands and heart before God.
If justice were served, all would be condemned, from the “greatest sinner” to the “greatest saint”, for all have sinned. (Romans 3:23)

You. Me. Your pastor. My friend. All. Of. Us.

So I sat, stunned to silence as the fog lifted around my heart and the Spirit sunk His words deep into my soul. “In His humiliation, justice was denied Him.”

Jesus Christ, wholly innocent, humbled Himself entirely, allowing justice to be denied Him that I might be set free. He, who knew no sin, became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

My Sin.
My price tag of death.
Jesus paid it all and gave me His flawlessness instead if I say yes to Him.

No, God cannot sweep injustice under the rug.
But He did die in our place to pay for every last lustful thought and bitter word.
Then He hands us our freedom wrapped with infinite love.

He is a just and righteous God.
He hears every plea for mercy.
He paid the price for every sin.
And His gracious response to our sinfulness is to offer outlandish mercy.

“For He is gracious to the ungrateful and evil. Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.” (Luke 6:36)

Do I feel the sting of injustice in my home, at work, my city, and my nation? Oh YES!
Does God feel it? Far deeper than I do.

His response?
Mercy

I will stand up for the oppressed just as my Father God has stood up for me.
I will humble myself, not insisting on my justice, for my Father knows.
If the Holy God can respond in mercy, then how can I stubbornly do less?

While I extend mercy as my Father has, I’ll wait in confidence, knowing that One
Glorious Day, all injustices will be reversed.
All unrepentance will be met with perfect justice.
On that day, all creation will tremble at its Righteous Judge.

Blessedly, for all who have trusted Christ to pay the penalty for their sin, judgment has already passed over us, finding us flawless, for Christ’s righteousness has become our own. God’s wrath was already poured out on Christ on the day our freedom was purchased.

Lord Jesus, in view of God’s outlandish mercies (Romans 12:1-2),
renew my mind and let me bravely stand against injustice while holding out Your mercy.

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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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If Day 8 Easy Life

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 3:8-13
Isaiah 1:11-19
Luke 9:23-25
Philippians 3:7-11
Ephesians 1:3-1

If, Day 8

What if God gave Christians an easy life?
A life free from pain and sorrow;
everything went as desired without any discernible problems.
Life would be sweet, right?

This may seem appealing, but if it were so, we would feel we earned an easy life through salvation. Salvation would be like a business transaction; a contract initiated between two parties, and consummated; chapter closed. In other words, once we pray to Jesus for salvation and receive an easy life, the whole deal is completed.
Let each party continue on;
no need for any abiding relationship with Him;
we have what we wanted.

If salvation was simply an exchange to ensure ease in this present life, would that fulfill God’s intent for salvation? No, God’s plan for our salvation reaches far beyond physical ease. His plan is to restore us back to an abiding relationship with Him, repairing what we have broken through our sin.

In the garden of Eden, our ancestors committed treason against God. Their desire to be as powerful as God made them eat the fruit of the forbidden tree. (Genesis 3:1-7) Immediately, their expectations of self-glory turned to disaster: they ended up with nothing except guilt, shame, and death. So, they went into hiding; they could not face the Holy God with Whom they’d once freely fellowshipped. Sin created a barrier between them and their Creator.

Scripture says, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12)

The sin of our ancestors, Adam and Eve, became our sin because we came into existence through them. But God, Who is rich in grace and mercy, out of His great love set in motion a way to restore the lost relationship. When Adam and Eve hid, He sought them out, calling, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9)

His voice, calling out for His lost children, echoes through the generations. We hear Him calling out to the Israelites who abandoned Him for other gods, saying, “Come, let’s settle this”. (Isaiah 1:18a) Again and again, God declared His plan for restoring man back to an enduring relationship with Him.

The Lord Jesus also made this clear when He lamented over Jerusalem, saying, “How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” (Luke 13:34)

Furthermore, He seeks relationship rather than mere behavior modification; the Lord Jesus told His disciples to remain in Him, and He in them, for without Him they could do nothing (John 15:4-5). Again, to demonstrate His commitment to establishing a relationship with them, He said, “No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.” (John 15:13-14)

Though He directly addressed His disciples, His words are also for us. He laid down His life for us all, and we are also His friends. What is more, He became sin that we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21) What amazing love!

Sometimes I imagine the Lord Jesus on the cross, His hands and feet nailed, His head carrying a crown of thorns, and blood oozing over His body. Above all, carrying the weight of our sins upon Himself resulted in excruciating agony and total separation from the Father. He is left all alone, abandoned to the consequence of our sins.

Often, I end up shedding tears because my heart cannot comprehend such indescribable love. Sisters, how could such great love and sacrifice possibly be diluted down to the cold distance of a business-like transaction for an easy life?

We see this practically in the life of Apostle Paul when he came to terms with the reality of Christ’s love. His greatest desire was to enjoy a deep relationship with Jesus Christ.

“But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ.” (Philippians 3:7-8)

As Paul vividly explains, there’s nothing to be cherished in life more than having a deep relationship with our Savior and Maker. Our desire to be free from the problems of this present life should not override our commitment to loving Him. Our love for Him should motivate us to go through every hardship in Him, rather than to simply enjoy an easy life outside of Him.

Standing upon His promise that nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ, let us embrace the Jesus-life, with its joys and sorrows, valuing above all else a deeply relational walk with our Savior.

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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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The GT Weekend! ~ If 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) What if Jesus was not God? What if He was just a prophet or a good teacher, but not God in flesh? Or even if He wasn’t fully God, but something lesser? Considering these questions can either drive us away from the Lord or drive us straight into the arms of a loving, trustworthy, and faithful God. We saw in Monday’s Journey Study some solid reasons to believe Jesus was, and is, exactly the fully divine God He claimed to be. He defeated sin by living a perfect life. He defeated death by raising Himself from the dead. Because of these things, and more, He is worthy of our worship. We serve a powerful God. The great King of Glory does not fear our questions. There is no question too big for Him. Will you commit to bringing your questions to the Lord? Will you be honest with Him about your doubts? Will you faithfully search the Scriptures and consult wise, mature believers as you seek out your answers? What questions do you have? Where have you been looking for answers? Write down one or two questions about God along with the name of someone you know whom you could ask to help you find the answers. Pray over your question and ask the Lord to give you courage to step out in faith and search for truth!

2) Like making cake without flour, trimming the grass without a mower, or, perhaps most apt, drinking water from an empty glass, so is absolutely anything we attempt in the Christian life without the power of the Holy Spirit. We, as finite, prone-to-sin human beings, are utterly incapable of accomplishing the holy, righteous work of becoming like Jesus on our own power. We cannot forgive more freely, love more deeply, give more wholeheartedly, or treat others with more lavish kindness without the power of the Holy Living God taking up residence within our beings. Going further, even if we have genuinely surrendered our lives to Christ and He has faithfully given us the Holy Spirit inside of us, we can still adamantly choose to reject His power at work in us. Classic author Andrew Murray writes of every day being a battle of wills between our fleshly desires and the work of God. We can either choose to surrender moment by moment to His work, or we can stubbornly insist on our own abilities to accomplish His righteousness. Determine today to live in a constant state of surrender by practicing the simple hand motion of raising one or two palms upward. When you face a challenge of your will versus God’s way today, choose total surrender to the Spirit by rotating your palm upward and breathing a prayer of surrender!

3) Rejoice with me as we think about our great God! His character is so far above our comprehension of holiness. He is unable to sin because of His great power and might. He is perfectly just and perfectly merciful. He is unchanging, unshakable, steadfast, and He gives us direct access to Him. Even when we fall short, He is faithful because He cannot violate His own nature. Write a prayer of thanksgiving and praise to the Almighty God! Spend time contemplating what His sinless nature means for your relationship with Him and your obedience to Him. You may begin to feel discouraged by the weight of your own sin and your own shortcomings as you worship. Feel that weight, but don’t stay there! When we turn our eyes upon Jesus, we receive freedom from our sins. Repent and move forward in the strength of the Lord only He can provide. You don’t need to make yourself better to come to Him. Simply focus on His greatness, and He will work a mighty change in 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 Colossians 1:15-17 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

[Jesus] is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn over all creation.
For everything was created by Him,
in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions
or rulers or authorities—
all things have been created through Him and for Him.
He is before all things,
and by Him all things hold together.
He is also the head of the body, the church;
He is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead,
so that He might come to have
first place in everything.

Prayer Journal
Who is this King of Glory? Who is this God who would condescend to walk the Earth as a man, perfect and righteous? You are our God, the blessed Three-in-One, wholly loving, almighty, immovable, and the perfect lover of our souls. You have not left us on our own in our questions and our weakness, but You have rescued us by Your great hand! Forgive me, oh merciful God, for my doubts, my weakness, and my desire to have my own way. I have often resisted Your will and questioned your goodness. Thank You for your great mercy and grace. Thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit to work in my heart and guide me in obedience. Thank You for comforting me with truth as I search out your goodness. I ask for Your help as I surrender my will to Yours. Use my questions and my doubts to draw my heart toward You rather than toward the darkness. I believe in You, oh Lord, help my unbelief.

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

If Day 5 Without Sin

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 18:22-26
Deuteronomy 32:1-4
Job 34:10-15
James 1:13-18
2 Timothy 2:11-13

If, Day 5

My six-year-old daughter is full of questions. If she’s not asking what set the sun on fire, she wants to know why our noses point down instead of up. It’s a fun and exhausting season as I find myself trying to explain ideas I’ve taken for granted. My favorite questions, though, are the ones she asks about God.

One such question came up as I tucked her into bed the other night, “Mama, can God sin?”

“No, Baby, God is wholly good; He can’t sin.” I quickly replied, hoping this wouldn’t delay her imminent bedtime. Seemingly satisfied, she rolled over and fell asleep; leaving me alone with my swirling thoughts, wondering . . .

But, What if God Could Sin?

Throughout Scripture, the prophets and saints tell us with passion and certainty that God is without sin.

In Deuteronomy 32:4, Moses declared God to be “[t]he Rock–His work is perfect; all His ways are just. A faithful God, without bias, He is righteous and true.”

During his diatribe to a grieving Job, Elihu said, “It is impossible for God to do wrong, for the Almighty to act unjustly.” (Job 34:10)

In his letter to the early Church, James warned, “No one undergoing trial should say, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ since God is not tempted by evil, and He Himself doesn’t tempt anyone.” (James 1:13)

It’s clear then, according to Scripture, God is without sin, He could not possibly act unjustly, or fall into the temptation of evil. 

But what if God could sin? What would that mean for His character? What would that mean for us? What if, just for a moment, we considered the impossible? Perhaps, it would lead us to love the Lord just a little bit more than we already do.

Daring to Engage With the Possibility
First, we need to understand what sin is. In his book, Systematic Theology, Dr. Wayne Grudem asserts, “Sin is any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature”. (p. 491)

Sin violates God’s law either by action (ie: physically stealing someone’s belongings) or attitude (ie: coveting someone’s possessions). But it’s also anything that violates God’s law by nature. What does that mean?

When Adam and Eve sinned against God by eating the forbidden fruit, they ushered in a new human nature. Their “DNA” was altered, so to speak; it became corrupt. Therefore, every human thereafter is born into this world bent toward sin and destruction, in direct opposition to the will of God.

This is what makes our situation so hopeless without Christ. We come into this world inherently opposed to God, with no way to reconcile ourselves.

Uncovering The Real Question
Now that we’ve defined sin, we understand “could God sin?” really means, “could God violate His own moral law?”

According to 2 Timothy 2:13b, the answer is NO: “if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”

In other words, God cannot be anything other than Who He is.
So who is God?
Well, among many other things, God is omnipotent, righteous, and holy.

God is Omnipotent (all-powerful). God’s omnipotence means He can do anything, right? But if He can’t sin, is He truly omnipotent?

Yes. You see, when we sin, it is often because our will fails and we bend to Satan’s power. So, in order for God to sin, He would have to give in to temptation; His will would have to bend. But because God is all-powerful, His will can never fail. No temptation can overpower Him. If God could sin, it would be a sign of weakness, proving He is not all-powerful, and therefore, no god at all.

God is Righteous. In His letter to the Romans, Paul considers human nature and declares, “There is no one righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10). God, however, is righteous, meaning He always does what is right and just. (Psalm 119:137-144) If God was able to sin, He could act unjustly or even cruelly. An unjust (and all-powerful) god would be a terrifying reality.

Finally, God is Holy. To be holy means to be untainted by sin and set apart for the service and glory of God. If God could sin, He would no longer be holy. And no longer holy Himself, He would have no power to make us holy, leaving us without hope and without a savior.

After consideration, I am compelled to agree with Scripture: God is, indeed, without sin.
He cannot act unjustly or cruelly.
He cannot deny Himself.

I’m so thankful for these truths. And I’m thankful to serve a God who invites us to come to Him as a child- a crazy, inquisitive child- and seek His truth. For when we do, our hearts cannot help but echo Jeremiah 10:7 in exclaiming,

“Who should not fear You, King of the nations?
It is what you deserve.
For among all the wise people of the nations
And among all their kingdoms,
There is no one like You.”

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If Day 4 Indwelling: 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!
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The Questions

1) What does Jesus’ statement in verse 5 imply at first reading?

2) How does Jesus know the disciples’ hearts are filled with sorrow? (verse 6)

3) What hopeful words does Jesus share with His disciples when He tells them He is going away? (verse 7)

4) What did Jesus teach the disciples in verses 8-15 about the coming Counselor and His work in the world?

John 16:5-15

5 But now I am going away to him who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 Yet, because I have spoken these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment: 9 About sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; 11 and about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. 12 I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own, but he will speak whatever he hears. He will also declare to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. 15 Everything the Father has is mine. This is why I told you that he takes from what is mine and will declare it to you.

Original Intent

1) What does Jesus’ statement in verse 5 imply at first reading?
At first reading, it appears Jesus is bothered that His disciples have not questioned Him about His departure. Had they ignored His previous mentions of going away? Since the Bible indicates they had previously asked Jesus about His departure, it seems Jesus was making another point to them about His leaving. In John 13:36 and John 14:5, Peter and Thomas inquire about where Jesus is going. On both occasions, there is much evidence that the disciples are asking from concern for themselves. What will happen to them when Jesus goes? In all four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), we read the subtle, and not-so-subtle, predictions by Jesus regarding His future death and resurrection. Even though they heard His words, the disciples were either confused, in denial, or afraid to question Him further. (Mark 9:32) Maybe, like any human who has grown to depend on someone, they didn’t really want to consider what life would be like without the presence of their beloved Jesus. Their responses, coupled with the fact that Jesus knew their heart motives (John 2:24-25), likely revealed their self-interest only. In this passage, Jesus prods them to consider something beyond themselves. Why had they not considered what would happen to Him when He goes? Though He does not give an answer concerning where He is going, He assures them He will not leave them alone.

2) How does Jesus know the disciples’ hearts are filled with sorrow? (verse 6)
Jesus said some extremely hard things as He walked with His followers along the Sea of Galilee and surrounding areas. The crowds loved His miracles of healing, but some of His teachings were challenging to hear and some were difficult to understand. Jesus once said to those around Him, “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you do not have life in yourselves.” (John 6:53) Who wouldn’t be confused?! John tells us in John 6:66 that many people left at that point, and no longer followed Jesus. When He turned to question the Twelve (Matthew 10:2-4), Peter spoke up and said sincerely, “You’re all we have. We believe in You. Where would we go?” (John 6:68-69) There is such insight to be gained in this scene. The relationship between Jesus and His chosen disciples was intimate and genuine. They had seen more in three years with Jesus than some would experience in a lifetime. (John 21:24-25) Even when they did not fully understand what He was teaching or showing them, they had grown to trust Him and believe He was truly the way to LIFE! When Jesus spoke about His leaving, He knew their hearts were concerned and sorrowful. He knew them well. He had seen their confusion and fears through His years of ministry. (Mark 4:35-41, Matthew 14:22-32) He knew they would be fearful of facing the future without His physical presence to guide them.

3) What hopeful words does Jesus share with His disciples when He tells them He is going away? (verse 7)
The disciples could not comprehend how Jesus’ departure could possibly benefit them. (Other translations use words like “advantage”, “expedient,” “better” and even “best”.) Again, Jesus’ words fell on confused hearts. They had never met anyone like the Master, Jesus. Surely, they felt the deep and painful sting of separation at this point. “It is for your benefit that I go away …” (verse 7) Maybe Peter remembered his own words to Jesus on the day He had asked them if they were leaving too, like those who had decided it was too costly to follow Jesus. Perhaps he considered the same question now. “To whom would they go without Jesus?” But Jesus did not want them to fret. “If I go, I will send Him to you,” He said. Jesus had never reneged on a promise He’d made. They confidently knew He was faithful and true. Still, this felt so different. Jesus must have seen this anxiety in their eyes and on their faces. So, He highlighted His words in verse 7 with “I am telling you the truth.” Although the coming of the Counselor was beneficial, it wasn’t necessary for Him to come until Jesus left. He wanted them to believe that the benefits of Him leaving and the Counselor coming would far outweigh what they could ever imagine.

4) What did Jesus teach the disciples in verses 8-15 about the coming Counselor and His work in the world?
In John 14:26, we discover the Counselor (paraclete) is God, the Holy Spirit. Bible scholars tells us that finding an appropriate English translation for the Greek word (paraklētos) is quite difficult because no single English word conveys its depth of meaning. (Netbible.John14.37) When the word paraclete is used of Jesus in 1 John 2:1, translations almost exclusively use the word “advocate.” Jesus and the Father and the Spirit work together on our behalf. During His earthly ministry, Jesus had guided His disciples to think rightly about God. He had protected them through miracles, shared with them the very thoughts of God toward sin, and had demonstrated courage when faced with opposition. Now He assures them that the Comforter, the very Spirit of God, will always be with them rather than Christ’s own limited physical presence. Although verse 8 does not begin with a positive spin (the New English Translation says that “when He comes, He will prove the world wrong”), these ARE words of hope. We read in Luke about a tax collector named Zacchaeus who gained his wealth on the backs of his fellow Jews. Jesus told Zacchaeus that the very reason He came was to rescue people just like him. (Luke 19:1-10) Even though the Pharisees looked upon Jesus’ loving rescue with deep disgust (Luke 15:2), we know Jesus came to earth to rescue tax collectors and pious religious leaders. (Luke 19:39-44) The benefit of the Spirit’s presence is that He carries on Jesus’ message of truth and mercy in and through the lives of every believer! (verses 12-13) No one must climb a tree to get to Jesus. Through the work of the Spirit of God, hearts are convicted about “sin, righteousness, and judgment” (verse 8) so that no one needs to die without knowing the grace of Jesus. (2 Peter 3:9, 1 Timothy 2:3-4, 2 Corinthians 5:20-21)

Everyday Application

1) What does Jesus’ statement in verse 5 imply at first reading?
Jesus resumes the conversation He had previously begun about His departure. (John 7:28-36) Though the disciples had heard it before, this time seems different. More real. Christ’s time was pending! Can you imagine the scene? You have walked by the side of your cherished mentor for three years and have learned so much. Yet, you know there is infinitely more to learn! You can’t imagine anyone teaching you like them. When someone we share life with must go from our lives, in our own humanity we feel the sting for ourselves at first. We can relate to the disciples’ pain and sorrow. In our own frailty, we don’t consider asking questions related to their next journey. We simply know it hurts that they are leaving. Here is where we must remind ourselves to think like Jesus, who did “nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider(ed) others as more important… Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4) Jesus knew His friends were suffering. We can learn from His experience, to ask our kind Father to teach us how to demonstrate selfless concern for those who may need to pass from our lives.

2) How does Jesus know the disciples’ hearts are filled with sorrow? (verse 6)
Jesus showed mercy to His disciples despite their lack of interest in His future. Knowing their great sorrow, He did not dwell on their misguided, self-focused concern. Friends, what a precious Savior we have! The disciples could only see the sorrow in His leaving them. Yet, Jesus knew His departure was essential for them to become dependent on God for saving and sustaining grace by His Spirit. The disciples’ sorrow represents the sentiment we often have when a loved one who has trusted Jesus is dying. We may tell family and friends it will be better for them to go with Jesus, and we are comforted for the soon-coming relief from current suffering on earth. We know they will be with Jesus! But in these times of grief, we rarely consider it to our benefit that their presence will no longer be with us. The disciples were a bunch of human fellas standing with their fearless leader, the Coach of a lifetime, Who had revealed Himself as the very Son of God. Even though much of what they had witnessed was beyond their understanding, they knew they had been in the presence of the Messiah. (Matthew 16:15-20) Oh Sister, there was nothing in them that felt like celebrating. But Jesus knew more. Jesus knew better.

3) What hopeful words does Jesus share with His disciples when He tells them He is going away? (verse 7)
Some of us may have experienced our parents using a phrase when they disciplined us. “It’s for your own good.” Maybe you even used it with your own kids. Thankfully, there has been some wisdom passed down through the years of parenting suggesting better ways to guide our kids in realizing the benefits of boundaries and consequences. Still, we all know the four words “it’s for your good” aren’t always easy to take. Knowing Jesus as I have come to know Him (from His Word), I think He probably said this as gently as possible. But it is probable that the only words the disciples heard ringing in their ears were “I am going away.” (verse 5) Jesus was focused on His words “for your benefit.” (verse 7) David Guzik gives such insight into their humanity as he imagines the disciples’ dismay if they were to really understand all that was to come. To our benefit that Jesus is arrested? To our benefit that Jesus’ ministry of teaching and miracles is stopped? To our benefit that Jesus is beaten? To our benefit that Jesus is mocked? To our benefit that Jesus is sentenced for execution? To our benefit that Jesus is nailed to a cross? To our benefit that Jesus dies in the company of notorious criminals? To our benefit that His lifeless body is laid in a cold grave? (Enduring Word John 16) Jesus gives to His sorrowing disciples, and to all who know Him, a resounding YES! It is better. “The Spirit inside of us is greater than even Jesus beside us.” (Jesus Continued by JD Greear)

4) What did Jesus teach the disciples in verses 8-15 about the coming Counselor and His work in the world?
In answering this question regarding the passage’s original intent, I said “the benefit of the Spirit’s presence is that He carries on Jesus’ message of truth and mercy in and through the lives of every believer.” Jesus told His disciples that the Spirit knows what the Father thinks and will reveal it to His followers. (John 16:13) But it is essential to take this truth in the context of John’s book, the New Testament, and all of Scripture. In no way was Jesus saying or implying that our salvation makes us all-knowing. Nor are we to conclude that we can have a word from God that is incompatible with Scripture. The Spirit teaches us everything we need to know about how to be saved and how to live for God. He does so through the Spirit-inspired words of the Bible’s writers. (2 Peter 1) When Zacchaeus took Jesus into His home he was convicted to turn from his wrong ways. (Luke 19:1-10) “Look, I’ll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord. And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I’ll pay back four times as much.” Jesus told him, “Today salvation has come to this house.” After Jesus ascended to the Father, and the Spirit came at Pentecost, Jesus was continued through the acts of the Spirit living within every Believer! (Acts 2:37-41)

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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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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 :-))

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If Day 3 Indwelling

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 16:5-15
John 14:12-31
Galatians 5:13-26

If, Day 3

What if Christians were merely saved from sin?
Suppose we were rescued, then left alone to traverse the difficulties of life?Divorce, loss, financial ruin, emotional trauma, grief, persecution, sinful temptations…suppose God rescued us only to leave us alone until we somehow crossed the line of Eternity?

Would He be a loving God?
One who came in the flesh, but left us utterly alone?
Does love abandon?
Does God?

At Gracefully Truthful, we care quite a bit about original languages. Some believe the Bible you hold in your hands, or read on your phone, has been “translated” so many times and is so far removed from the original manuscript, it’s impossible to know if anything we read in the Bible is factual. At first glance, this premise seems to build a convincing argument that the Bible is unreliable and nothing more than a fictitious collection of stories passed from generation to generation, modified by each storyteller.
This renders the Bible, God’s very Word to humanity, nothing more than a crutch.

Thankfully, none of that is true.
Ergo, original languages are our jam.
And if you aren’t living in the United States, allow me to translate the colloquial phrase “jam” as meaning, “thick, good stuff we love to take pleasure in; it’s our ‘happy place’.”
See, language, it’s more important than we might think.

When modern-day Bible translators are writing the Bible in a new language, they study from the original language copies that have been preserved for centuries. Yes, those Bible translators are reading copies that were in circulation while many of the original disciples were still alive. Still Alive!! This means they could have easily refuted what was being circulated if it wasn’t in keeping with the original. And we don’t have just one copy, or two, or even ten. For Shakespeare’s writings, we have roughly 235 surviving copies, and no one questions his authorship. For the New Testament books, there are over 5,000!

When GT authors share a word from the “original language”, take notice. This carries significant weight because the Bible is the living active Word of God preserved by the Spirit of God, spoken out by the Spirit of God.

This God wants to be known by us. Deeply.

The how He goes about being known…. Pause with me for a holy hush… Is by His Spirit.

Like looking at a pencil drawing, and then blinking as it floods with vibrant colors, brilliant 4D movement, and suddenly, personal, comforting, deeply knowing interaction with you. THIS is the Holy Spirit’s work, making the drawing of God on a page, come to life inside you, calling you to Himself, singing over you, moving you forward into the seemingly impossible, holding you up in the midst of tragedy, anchoring you in the eye of the storm, pointing you always towards understanding exactly who this God of the Bible really is.

The Spirit who hovered over the waters at creation’s dawn. (Genesis 1:2)
The Spirit who came upon David and drew him into dancing in the streets. (2 Samuel 6:14)
The Spirit who empowered Nehemiah to courageously lead in the face of intimidation. (Nehemiah 4:7-14)
The Spirit who made a donkey talk (Numbers 22:28)
gave Samson the power to tear a lion apart (Judges 14:6),
fueled Joshua to march around an impenetrable city, and watch it fall. (Joshua 5:13-6:7)
The Spirit who overshadowed Mary and brought forth Jesus. (Luke 1:35)
The Spirit who raised Christ back to life from the dead. (Romans 8:11)
The Spirit who fell upon the disciples, allowing them to preach in multiple languages they didn’t even know. (Acts 2:4)
The Spirit who permanently lives inside every man, woman, or child who calls out in saving faith to the Lord Jesus Christ to rescue them from sin and its deadly consequences. (1 Corinthians 3:16)

Holy things. Holy work.
All initiated, led, and accomplished by the Holy Spirit.

He is not separate from God, trying to translate God for you.
No.

When God came to earth to redeem mankind back to Himself,
He did not send a representative.
He did not ask the archangel, Michael, a great leader like Moses, or a great prophet like Elijah; He Came HIMSELF as Jesus, God the Son.
And this is exactly true of the Holy Spirit. He is not outside of God.
He IS God.

רוּחַ

These are the Hebrew letters forming the sound, “ruach”, which translators most commonly render as “breath”, “spirit”, or “wind”.

When we think of the Holy Spirit, we should think of the very breath of God.
His Spirit, His own Spirit is His wind, His breathing; the Spirit is the “everything of God”.
But, unlike our breath, which vanishes the moment we exhale, the Spirit of God is fully God, always present as God.

All the wisdom.
All the power.
All the understanding.
All of His always-never-leaving presence.
Co-equal. Co-eternal. Everlasting to Everlasting.
The Spirit of God, is the everlasting breath of God’s fullness, intended to show us who God is through personal engagement.

Moses removes his sandals. (Exodus 3:5)
Holy

Isaiah weeps. (Isaiah 6:5)
Holy

Peter falls down. (Luke 5:8)
Holy

Every person who calls on the Name of the Most High God trembles. (Isaiah 66:2)
Holy

This Holy Spirit of the Living God has taken up residency within believers
(Romans 8:10-11),
sealing them forever (Ephesians 1:13),
promising to hold them all the way into eternity (John 10:28),
guaranteeing to never leave (John 14:17),
to always bring His comfort (John 14:16),
to always teach (John 14:26),
to always remind (John 14:26),
to always reveal more about God (John 14:21).
Holy

This is the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit, given to all who truly trust the risen Savior, Christ the Lord. It is His holy work in us, making us holy like Him, that we may live and move in Him! (Acts 17:28)

When you read His Words in Scripture,
when you raise your hands in response to Him,
when you pray fervently as He bids,
when you stand hushed at His holiness,
you are moving in cadence to the Holy One.
No, we are not left alone.
We are forever knit together with the very fabric of the Living God woven into our souls. Here, in this sweet union with God Almighty, we dance together with Him.
Let’s enter His rhythm and live in step with the Spirit!

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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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Sketched IX Day 10 Peter’s Pursuit

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Acts 10:1-43
Galatians 2:11-14
John 14:1-31

Sketched IX, Day 10

I did it again, Lord. Why can’t I seem to get this? Why do I so desperately want to follow You, only to fail miserably?

Over and over, You have loved me when I have passionately succeeded at the wrong thing. Instead of lashing out at me when I cut off that servant’s ear, You healed him and let them lead you away. All I wanted to do was serve and protect You. But that wasn’t Your plan. (John 18:10-11)

It was never part of Your plan.
It all makes more sense now. Well, most of the time.
I still think about all You spoke to us while You walked with us. You told us over and over You were showing us the Father. (John 14:1-11) You told us You would be going to the Father, but the Holy Spirit would be coming in Your place.

At the time, I subconsciously categorized Your words into my mental folder tagged, “Sure, Jesus.” That folder held Your teachings I partially understood, but weren’t urgent for me to completely figure out. You would always be with us. You were the Christ. Er, You are the Christ. I assumed You would be walking with us into victory, instead of into what felt like such a depressing defeat.

After You died and reappeared to us in your resurrected body, I understood an entirely different level of victory. You had defeated death! Not even Lazarus did that permanently.
When You ascended, You were lifted up, fulfilling Your words about going to the Father.

I miss You, Jesus.
Don’t get me wrong. I love the gift of the Holy Spirit and am so thankful for His presence. I just wish, sometimes, I could see Him. I could watch You love the unlovable and understand how I could do the same. I could sense the tone of Your words and feel the peace emanating from You.

Now I need to navigate each day without You physically beside me. I know the Holy Spirit guides me, but sometimes He’s not easy to understand.

Like when I had the vision about the sheet of unclean animals and was told to eat them. It was repeated three times and a voice told me to kill and eat. When I replied that I would not eat anything unclean, the voice responded, “What God has made clean, do not call impure.” (Acts 10:15)

Lord, that was very confusing. Yet, as soon as those men came to the gate of the house where I was staying, I knew it was the Holy Spirit telling me to go with them. When we arrived at our destination and I found myself being honored in the midst of God-fearing Gentiles, the words from the vision came back to me.

Who was I to call these people impure? If God orchestrated this meeting, He had a purpose, a clean one. A holy one.

Lord, You showed up when I began to speak. I shared of Your love for them and then You unleashed the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, You. Poured. Out.  (Acts 10:44-46)

We were all dumbfounded. I thought for sure I would never forget the lesson I’d learned over those few days. You came for anyone and everyone. Jews and Gentiles alike, You welcome us all.

Yet, here I am again, Lord. I feel the same sinking feeling I had when I began to flounder out on the waves. I so valiantly tried to serve You, and I am once again in need of rescuing. (Matthew 14:22-33)

Paul called me out. Paul, the one who previously persecuted Christians and never physically walked with You the way I did. He reminded me of the truth I preached to Cornelius on the day I thought I’d never forget.

Well, I forgot.

It became easier to add a few conditions to the truth of Your love to make it more palatable for my Jewish brothers to embrace the Gentiles. I know You never loved us with contingencies, Lord, but it felt easier for me to keep the peace.

But Paul is bolder than I. He declared the expectation of circumcision was not part of Your criteria for entry into the Kingdom. As Paul likes to remind us, we are saved by grace, through faith. How did I forget this important truth? (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Oh Lord, forgive me. Once again I ask You to catch me, helping me find my solid ground again. Help me live and love as You did, Jesus. Help me know the Father as You do.
Holy Spirit, guide and lead me on.

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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

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

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Here’s a link to all past studies in Sketched IX!