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Enough Day 1 Creation’s Groan

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 2:15-17
Genesis 3:1-24
Leviticus 16:1-34
Hebrews 10:1-4

Enough, Day 1

One small act changed everything. Once Adam and Eve tasted the fruit, there was no way back to the innocence they had previously known.

At first glance, it seems like such a small transgression – just a bite of fruit – but at its heart, it was a rejection of God. It was “no” to Him, and “yes” to self, and in one brief moment, God’s “very good” creation was broken.

Before that dreadful moment, Adam and Eve had enjoyed an open and trusting relationship with God and one another, the sweet fellowship of walking together in the garden unafraid and unashamed. But their act of rebellion opened the door to fear and shame. Trust and intimacy gave way to hiding and separation.

The consequences were severe: ejection from the garden, and a curse of sin left as the legacy for all generations to come, ultimately leading to both physical and spiritual death.

“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)

It is a tragic tale. How Adam and Eve must have wished they could turn back the clock and make a different choice, but there was nothing they could do!

But, even there in the garden, we see a faint glimmer of hope. Whereas God could have destroyed Adam and Eve, or abandoned them to the path they had chosen, instead He sought them out and gave them a tantalising glimpse of a day in the future when One would come, the offspring of a woman, who would crush the serpent’s head, defeating sin and evil forever.

Before they were banished from the garden for good, God also provided Adam and Eve with clothes made from skins. An innocent animal was sacrificed to cover their shame.

This was the first sacrifice, but it pointed ahead to God’s instructions given to Moses at Mount Sinai many years later. In the generations since Adam and Eve, the story of the Bible had been one of people’s sinfulness and God’s faithfulness. When we join Moses on Mount Sinai, God has led His people out of slavery in Egypt, and they are headed to the land He has promised them, but the issue of sin remains. Nonetheless, God still wants a relationship with His sinful people, and so a sacrificial system is instituted.

The book of Leviticus describes it in detail. There were burnt offerings, grain offerings, sin offerings, guilt offerings . . . all involved sacrifice, and most required spilled blood. A flawless animal had to be slaughtered to pay the price for the people. It was not a simple matter for a sinful people to approach a holy God.

“According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 9:22)

Despite these regular offerings, there was still the need for the Day of Atonement once a year, when the High Priest would enter the Most Holy Place where God’s presence resided. First, the priest would slaughter a bull as an offering for his own sins and those of his family; then, he had to sacrifice a goat on behalf of the people.

A second goat was chosen to be a scapegoat. The High Priest would lay his hand on the goat’s head and confess the sins of the people, symbolically transferring their sins onto the goat. The goat would then be driven out into the wilderness as a sign of the people’s sins being carried away.

The sacrificial system provided a way to approach God, but it also presented a vivid illustration of the severity of sin and the separation it brought. Romans 6:23 states that “the wages of sin is death,” and the people were reminded of this devastating truth on a regular basis as they brought their sacrifices to God, again . . . and again . . . and again.

No matter how fervently they resolved to do better next time, they always sinned again, so the sacrifices reminded them not only of their sin and its consequences, but also of the inadequacy of the sacrifices to permanently cover their sin.

Sacrifices provided a temporary solution, but Hebrews 10:4 explains “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”

What then was the answer?
Where would this serpent-crusher come from, and Who would it be?

Creation groaned as it waited for God’s plan to be revealed and for His solution to come.

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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

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

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Awaken Day 1 A Prayer For Mercy

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 6
Psalm 13:1-6
2 Corinthians 1:3-7 

Awaken, Day 1

One of the beautiful things about Gracefully Truthful is the vulnerability required to write each Journey studies. From the beginning, we have strived for authenticity, as our desire has been for other women to know we are walking the reality of the Journeys we write.
Rarely do I write from distant experience,
I write what the Lord is revealing in my heart moment by moment.
It is messy, I cry many tears as I write,
and I trust that the Lord will somehow use my scattered words to bring Him glory.

With that transparency I tell you, sisters, I am walking through an incredibly dark valley.
My future is uncertain.
My dreams are shattered.
My heart is broken.

In the midst of this valley, the Psalms has brought comfort, putting into words prayers I haven’t known how to pray. I’ve spent days sitting in one Psalm drawing as much truth and comfort from it as I can hold before moving onto the next.

It is beautiful to see how the Bible has so many dimensions!

The same verses I clung to as a little girl learning the Lord is my shepherd, are the same verses God used to makes me lie down in green pastures.
Today, those same verses remind me I will never walk alone.

The Bible never changes.
But I change.
Because of that, the Bible will always be relevant.

God spoke through Psalm 6, meeting me exactly where I am.
But His word is ready to meet each of us in every circumstance
because His Spirit makes it come alive!

Women trying to conceive can pray these words back to the Lord.
Mamas grieving loss can read these words as the Spirit ministers directly to their souls.
Soldiers could feel as if this psalm was written just for them, finding solace in His rescue.
God’s Word is relatable, bringing us life!
His Word is for each of us!

“Be gracious to me, Lord, for I am weak;
heal me, Lord, for my bones are shaking;
my whole being is shaken with terror.
And you, Lord—how long?”
Psalm 6:2-3

My heart echoes amen and amen.
And countless hearts down through the centuries do the same.
Our beings shake.
Be gracious, Lord!
And Lord?! How Long??

The older I get, the more I realize how incredibly messy life is.
Even in the beautiful seasons, there will always be trials to face.
Every single person reading this page has faced a trial of some kind,
so we can all draw comfort from His Word.

“Save me for the sake of your steadfast love!”
Psalm 6:4

Oh sisters, how weak I have felt in this valley!
How deeply I’ve begged, “Save me for the sake of your steadfast love!”
I’ve never experienced the shaking of my bones quite like I have lately.
Often, I find myself crying out to God,
“How long? How long will this season last? Surely this valley can’t be any deeper?”

Are you weary from your groaning?
Is your pillow drenched every night?
Do you wait until your kids are in bed, then let the tears flow?
Do you hold them in for as many days as you can, until they just burst while you’re driving?
Me, too.

Take comfort in this, Dear One, the Lord sees every single tear that falls.
He catches those tears in a bottle (Psalm 56:8); He knows the source of those tears.
He knows the heartache, the grief, the loss, the suffering, the anger, the disappointment.

Are your eyes swollen from grief?
Does your head throb from the overwhelming thoughts running through it?
Does your body ache from exhaustion as you long to sleep just one night without the interruption of horrible dreams or racing thoughts?
Does your jaw hurt because of the constant clenching?
Me, too.

He sees.
He knows each thought, each dream, and your aching body. (Matthew 11:28-29)
He longs to give you rest.

As I sat in my counseling session sharing with my therapist the anger I was feeling, he explained that my grief will come like the tide, sometimes it will roll in and come further up on the shore before descending back down, but like the tide, it will surely come.
The beauty of grieving, he explained, is that I am able to understand even more deeply the devastation caused by sin, and therefore, grasp the need for a Savior even more than I ever have before.
But I do not have to walk through grief alone.
As I enter into a new phase of grief I can bring it to the Lord,
transparently asking Him to walk with me.

The Lord has heard the sound of my weeping!
He hasn’t turned a deaf ear to my pain.
He hasn’t blocked out my mourning or allowed it to become like white noise mixing with the sounds of weeping across the globe.
He has heard each individual cry.
Yours. Mine. Your neighbor’s. Your child’s. The hungry child in Honduras.
The mourning father in Guam. Each and every wail is heard by the Lord.

And the Lord accepts my prayer.
Not only has He heard.
He listens. He accepts.

I look forward to the day I can write a Journey like this from the other side.
But I’m not there yet, and I won’t be for a while.
So, I sit in the peace that is offered in Psalm 6 and throughout the rest of Scripture.
The Lord knows my pain. He knows my tears.
He knows exactly how long this season will last.
And He will walk with me every step of the way.

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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 Awaken Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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

Incorruptible Day 11 Food For Life

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Peter 2:1-5
1 Peter 5:1-6
1 Corinthians 3:1-3
Hebrews 5:12-13
Ezekiel 36:22-38 

Incorruptible, Day 11

My husband has the biggest sweet tooth I’ve ever known.
Actually, the second biggest.
My Papa had him beat by just a little bit.

Because of Matt’s love of all things sweet and mouth-watering, I knew our twin daughters would be exposed to delicious desserts sooner than most babies, and I chose to embrace that and laugh whenever the time came…

At six months old, their daddy gave them a taste of his strawberry ice cream. I can still remember their big eyes as that freezing goodness slid onto their tiny tongues. They continued opening and closing their mouths as trying to figure out exactly what they were experiencing, because it certainly wasn’t their mama’s milk… it was better!
Their big eyes shifted into a sparkling gleam and the corners of their mouths turned upwards into grins, as they savored the new delicacy.

Eventually, their teeth came in and as they grew and developed, so did their love for food, expanding from mama’s milk and strawberry ice cream to vegetables and protein.
With that first taste of ice cream, they knew that “grown up food” was good and they began their journey into developing their palates for solid food. 

It is natural in our physical lives for the food we eat to change and broaden as we grow.  

Just as with our physical palates we grow and broaden in flavor profile and food choices, so it with our spiritual lives. As we spiritually mature, our spiritual taste for spiritual food deepens and widens, moving from beginner’s milk to nutrient rich “meat and potatoes”.  

But sisters, we can’t do it alone or overnight.  

I never expected my daughters to transition from milk to solid food in the span of 24 hours, or without my guidance. They needed me to provide them with milk, then they needed me to cook and mash their food for them, and now, I still need to cut their food into small pieces before they can digest it.  

We cannot grow deep in our faith on our own. 
We cannot live a holy life by sheer will power and determination.  

Scripture teaches this truth, but I also know it to be true from experience. 
Trying to live like Jesus on my own strength is not only exhausting,  

It is impossible.  

We MUST have Jesus living in us and transforming us from the inside out.
We MUST surround ourselves with biblical community, walking alongside brothers and sisters who also are being transformed by God’s Spirit, who can encourage us and hold us accountable to grow deep.

A simple Google search on the importance of community reveals hundreds of results on the significance of surrounding yourself with people who are encouraging and uplifting.
That age-old quote, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with,” is hard to argue with.

To grow in maturity with Jesus, it’s simply a non-negotiable to surround ourselves with a community who reflect 1 Peter 2:1, people who have “rid themselves of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander”.  

Yes, Jesus loves the lost and broken, the slanderers, the liars, the gossip, the adulteress, and the murderer, but He never intended them to remain in their sin.
He came to free us!
He offers depth and maturity and full redemption!

Jesus spent plenty of time with people who weren’t walking in God’s redeemed grace.
These were who He came for!
But these were not the people He made His community.  

Redeemed people, those who have intentionally crossed the line of faith and said yes to Jesus, were designed to grow.
We were given a new heart and the Spirit of the Living God inside us,
we were made for more! (Ezekiel 36:26-27)

The Lord designed our palates to move beyond mushed up carrots and peas,
but to get there, we must consistently spend time in His Word.

Just as any relationship, growth means investment.
We invest by joining community groups and small groups at church, studying the Bible, consistently worshipping at church, and in our own precious time with our Father through Scripture and prayer.  

When we invest like this, we’re moving beyond milk, growing our appetite for maturity in Christ. We’re starting to get the really good stuff! 

Sisters… if you’re wondering,
“There has to be more? This isn’t everything I thought it would be?”
THERE IS!
There is so much more.

If you feel your walk with the Lord has plateaued, or maybe even slowly dwindled,  then you’re still just drinking milk.

Are you craving His Word like sweet strawberry ice cream?
Taste and see that the Lord is good, His food is rich for life! 

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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 Incorruptible 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 Incorruptible!

Roads Day 12 The Weight Of Hopelessness: 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 The Weight Of Hopelessness!

The Questions

 

1) What was the man hoping to hear from Jesus when he approached him?

2) What did Jesus’ response reveal about true hope? 

3) Why did the man walk away dejected, despite the fact that Jesus did give him an answer?

Mark 10:17-22

17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: Do not murder; do not commit adultery; do not steal; do not bear false witness; do not defraud; honor your father and mother.”
20 He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these from my youth.”
21 Looking at him, Jesus loved him and said to him, “You lack one thing: Go, sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 But he was dismayed by this demand, and he went away grieving, because he had many possessions.

Original Intent

1)  What was the man hoping to hear from Jesus when he approached him?
I can almost hear this man’s thoughts as he runs up and kneels at Jesus’ feet, seeking His approval, and desiring to justify himself.  Did you notice the man called Jesus a “good” teacher, and Jesus brought that out in His response?  Jesus tells the man that if he acknowledges Him as “good”, he is agreeing that Jesus is a prophet/teacher from God and is therefore owed the authority and deference that would be given to one sent from God.  Without saying it, Jesus essentially warns the man, “Remember that you called me ‘good’ when you don’t like my answer.”  The man asks Jesus what is required for eternal life.  Jesus reminds him of the commandments, and the man quickly responds, “Teacher, I have kept all these from my youth,” (verse 20).  CHECK.  AND.  DONE.  The man had to feel victorious in that moment.  Jesus knew the man wanted the easy answer of “you’ve done enough.”  The man’s works were the center of his hope.  He wanted to hear that he was good enough, had done enough, and was “in” for eternal life.  All because of his own efforts.  

2)  What did Jesus’ response reveal about true hope?
Jesus knew the reality that this man was putting his hope in his own works and earthly possessions before He ever heard his answers, yet it didn’t change Christ’s love for the man.  In fact, Jesus loved this man enough to tell him about true hope.  Jesus exposed to the man what was still a false hope in his life (his works and his riches).  Jesus then shared with him that hope always has to be in a Person, not in things or works.  “Follow me” was the only hope this man would ever know and it would require him to let go of all else. 

3) Why did the man walk away dejected, despite the fact that Jesus did give him an answer?
Jesus was clear about His expectations and not afraid to ask for more.  The man had hoped his works would be enough.  But Jesus said there was more required: to give it all up and follow.  However, the man’s riches proved to be a hindrance that would keep him from fully following Jesus.  The man loved what he had more than what he would gain from accepting Jesus’ challenge.  In that moment, the man chose to love his riches and the false hope of good works, over the One who could have given him everything he truly desired.

Everyday Application

1) What was the man hoping to hear from Jesus when he approached him?
Just like the man who approached Jesus, many of us and those we know, look for the same answers: easy checkboxes that say “Yep, you’re good and don’t need to do anything else.”  However, the work of sanctification is a lifelong pursuit.  We will never fully arrive. We never get to the point of being done and accomplished on this side of eternity.  There will always be more growth for us to do.  Psalm 39:7 says, “Now, Lord, what do I wait for?  My hope is in you.”  Jesus alone completed the work of a perfectly righteous life.  As humans, we are unable reach that level of perfection.  Instead, all we need is to believe that Jesus was the perfect son of God.  And His perfection makes it possible that we don’t have to be.  

2) What did Jesus’ response reveal about true hope?
Are you willing to hear the truth about hope?  Jesus’ teaching proved to be much harder to accept than the man in this passage had bargained for.  Often this is our same experience.  But just like this man, Jesus loves me, and you, enough to tell us the truth about hope.  Titus 3:7 says we are justified by grace through Christ’s death on the cross, which gives us hope.  Jeremiah 14:22 warns us that worthless idols can do nothing, so our hope must be in God alone.  Ephesians 1:18 promises us the hope that comes through His calling in our lives; He gives us meaning and purpose in a way that nothing else can. 1 Timothy 4:10 says that since our hope is in Christ alone, this is the reason why we labor, rather than in any wasted effort to save ourselves.  And what about those you know who are putting their hope in good works?  Are you willing to share the truth about hope?   To ask them how they will know when they have reached enough?  To let them know that hope comes in Christ alone? 

3) Why did the man walk away dejected, despite the fact that Jesus did give him an answer?
Unfortunately, I can resonate with this man’s story.  For years, my career was the one thing I would bargain with God over. ”You can have anything in my life…please just don’t ask me to give this up.”  What about you?  Are you clinging to anything over Christ?  Like the man in this passage, what do we miss out on when we make that choice?  Psalm 62:5 says, “Rest in God alone my soul, for my hope comes from Him.”  Trying to earn our way in and do enough is exhausting.  Rest comes when we place our trust in Him alone.   When we are finally willing to make that transition, our rest and hope will be noticeable to the world around us that is still busy striving to earn something. In those moments, we have the opportunity to share the truth of the gospel, the “…reason for the hope that is in [us],” (1 Peter 3:15).   This is our calling. This is why we have been set apart, to bring His hope to the world around us that is still busy striving and looking for more.

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

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 Roads Week Three!
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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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Roads Day 8 How Much Is Enough?

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ephesians 2:1-10
1 John 2:1-6
John 1:1-18 

Roads, Day 8

Imagine a young woman named Fatima who grew up in the Islam faith. 
As far back as she can remember, she has seen her mother quickly cover her head, kneel on her prayer rug, and pray five times a day during the namaz (required memorized prayers).

She has watched her brothers being sent to the Imam (EE-mom) weekly to learn recitation of the Quran in Arabic. Arabic wasn’t Fatima’s native language and though poorly understood, was necessary for recitation as it was chosen by Allah.

On Fridays, her brothers and Father proudly wear their white caps and Kurtas (long shirt) and pray at the mosque.

Fatima’s mother has strictly taught her to keep her skin covered in front of men, following the example of Prophet Mohammad’s wives. Allah’s command is for women to be modest so as not to entice men. She regularly hears her parents sneering at their unbelieving neighbors who eat unclean pig, drink forbidden alcohol, and flaunt their women instead of protecting them.

As Fatima seeks to obey the principles of Islam, she sees how this pleases her parents and she is filled with pride. The more she denies herself with fasting from “worldly” desires, the more she is seen as righteous. She feels a strong sense of pride in being Muslim. 

This is a common picture for an Islamic family today.
Taking pride in their religion is taught from a young age as Muslims are family and community based. Their communities are centered around mosques; religious practices are outward, not private or personal.

The biggest difference between Christianity and Islam is how Jesus is understood.  Muslims are taught Jesus was a great Islamic prophet.
Believing Jesus is the Son of God will send you to hell. (Quran 5:72)
Christianity believes Jesus is the Son of God and belief in Him, as being fully God, will save you from Hell and grant forgiveness.

What does this mean in everyday life?
Since Islam does not believe in Jesus as Savior, good works attain salvation.
Salvation in Christianity is based on grace and faith alone, with no good works in order to be forgiven. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
How will we know if our good works have finally achieved salvation?
How much “good” is good enough?
And, of course, there is the constant pressure to perform and perform, better and better.  

In my conversations with girls like Fatima, I have often asked,
“What happens to you after you die?”
They respond, “I will go to heaven if Allah wills.”
When I ask, “How do you know if Allah wills it?”
They shrug their shoulders saying,
“We cannot know for sure. 
We hope our good works outweigh our bad, 
and hope Allah will be merciful.”

These words break my heart!
Our gracious, loving God has given us His truth that we may indeed know for certain He will rescue our souls for eternity!

The Qur’an teaches that in the last day, Allah will bring out a scale, weighing good versus bad deeds. Many hope their prayers and rule-keeping to be enough to grant acceptance by Allah on judgment day. 

All religions and belief systems, except for one, are the same as Islam;
they are man-made,
relying on our ability to work for forgiveness and eternal security.

That one that’s different?
It’s Christianity!
The Bible teaches faith in Christ’s work on the cross for eternal salvation is,
and will always be,
enough to cover the sins of the truly repentant heart.
This stark contrast between true Christianity and all other religious belief systems, including Islam, should give us confidence as we share our faith with others!

One reason Christians feel inadequate, even scared, to share the Good News with Muslims is because they aren’t sharing regularly with anyone.

Learn to share the Gospel and begin sharing 
with everyone God puts in your path!
As evangelism becomes more natural, through faithful obedience and dependence on God, you will be able to adapt and adjust to whatever religious or spiritual background you encounter.  

There’s no silver bullet in how to share with a Muslim, but Christianity and Islam share much common ground we can utilize to begin and continue spiritual conversations.

Both religions believe in creation, monotheism, similar prophets, Torah/Psalm/Injeel (New Testament), many of God’s qualities (such as omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence), and many things about Jesus (such as His virgin birth, no sin, many miracles, His ascension to heaven, and His future return to earth). 

Want to help a Muslim understand the gospel?
Intentionally make a friend!  
Because Muslims practice their faith in community, many immigrants to America feel isolated. Take this opportunity to disprove any wrong presuppositions they might have toward Christianity as they get to know you.

What does that mean practically?
Humanize them!
These are the faces of individuals with many of the same problems as you:  finances, marriage, raising children, workplace difficulties, etc.
Invite them over for birthdays, holidays, and special events.
Start regularly praying for specific concerns they have.  

As your friendship grows, be intentional to share the Good News both directly and indirectly.
This isn’t time to shy away until you “know each other better”.
Direct sharing is as simple as sharing your Gospel-focused story of how Jesus remade you! As you gain their trust, you can ask what they believe about Jesus, Christianity, and the Bible. Not all Muslims believe the same way. This will provide opportunities to humbly use God’s Word to correct wrong understanding of Christian principles and beliefs.

Indirect sharing can be accomplished by drawing them into your everyday life. Allow them to witness the sincerity of your faith in the way you treat your spouse, children, and time spent in worship and prayer. Don’t pull away from your regular spiritual practices out of fear of offending your Muslim friends.  

There is a good chance that a woman like Fatima lives near you.
Be intentional, share in her life, faithfully pray for her, and speak of Jesus often with reverence and love, using Bible stories about Him.  At the appropriate time, you can gift a Bible in her heart language (the New Testament, Psalms, and the first five books of Old Testament are acceptable portions of Scripture in Islam).
Then, if she is willing, teach her how all the books of the Bible fit together!
Just as Islamic women are proud of their religion, let us also be unashamed of the Gospel of Christ! 
Let’s pray for boldness in reaching Muslims around us, in order to bring them into eternal Christian community!
Because Jesus is more than enough!

*Written by Janna Comfort 

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

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Here’s a link to all past studies in Roads!

Screenshot Day 8 Go Get The Sheep

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 18:10-14
Jeremiah 29:11-14
John 3:16-21

Screenshot, Day 8

Imagine this: you are babysitting three children. While they all play contentedly, you go to the kitchen to prepare dinner. After you finish cooking, you set the food on the table, and call them to eat. As you round the corner into the living room, your stomach drops and panic ensues.
There are only two of the three children present.
The other is nowhere to be found.
You now begin frantically searching the house while your mind begins thinking of all possible worst case scenarios. Finally, you see a little pair of feet sticking out from under the bed. Phew!
Your heart is immediately filled with relief and joy knowing the child is safe and can now join the others who are happily eating.

A similar picture is painted in the parable of the lost sheep.
A shepherd has one hundred sheep and one is lost, which prompts the shepherd to leave the ninety-nine in search of the one.
On finding his lost sheep, he rejoices and calls his community to celebrate with him as he brings his lost one home.

As I read through this parable, Chris Tomlin’s beautiful song, Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone), comes to mind.

Amazing grace
How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I’m found
Was blind, but now I see

‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed

My chains are gone
I’ve been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, amazing grace

The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures

This song so perfectly shows our Lord’s heart for us.
Like a parent searching for their lost child, or a shepherd searching for a lost sheep,
He will not stop searching for us.

He will continuously pursue the soul separated from His grace
that He might rescue them from sin and death,
lavishing us with His celebratory love of redemption and welcome!

We, each one of us.
You, me,
the girl across the street,
the man on the corner,
the pastor at church,
and the saintly ones we look up to…..
we are wretches before the Just and Righteous God.

We’ve each turned away from His grace, “become His enemies”, and “like sheep, have all gone astray.” (Romans 5:10, Isaiah 53:6)
What separates us?
Our sin.
Black, ugly, all-consuming.
Just one sin is enough to sentence us to an eternity separated from a God who is blameless, perfect, and flawlessly holy. If He were to abide with sin, He would no longer be the Holy and Righteous God.

But, oh sisters, you and I both know we have more than 1 solitary sin against us!
This is the sin that drives us away from the fold of sheep.
This is the sin that keeps us lost.

But God.
Shows His love for us in this.
While we were still sinners.
Christ died for us.

He died to bring us back.
To exchange our status from lost to found.
From shame and hiding to adored and celebrated!
He brings us back into the fold because He longs to give us hope and a future, found only in His righteousness, which He graciously gives as an exchange for our sin, made possible through the sacrificial blood offering of Jesus who took Death in our place. (Jeremiah 29:11-14, Romans 5:6-11, John 3:16-21)

Jesus left heaven, put on flesh, became one of us in order to win us back from the grip of Sin and Death.
The invitation is bold, freeing, and life-giving.
If you haven’t trusted Jesus, for your eternity, what’s holding you back?
What ties you to the identity of being lost rather than found? Is it worth it?

As believers, let this parable from the heart of God challenge us!
God has been showing me in my own life that if I am to be like Christ the Shepherd, then I must begin by throwing off all I claim as self-importance,
that Name of the Lord can reach one more person as I surrender to His ways.

We as believers get comfortable sometimes.
Too Comfortable.

We build church buildings.
And stay inside.

We open the doors.
Expecting people to come in.

But are we going out? 

Here in the Bahamas, we do baptisms differently. Instead of baptizing new believers in the church, we take baptisms to the beaches as we celebrate the sheep that is now found.
We take church outside of the walls in order to reach just one.
It is a beautiful thing.
We have been blessed with the opportunity to be open and bold about our faith unlike many of our brothers and sisters across the globe who suffer silently for their faith.
What are we doing with those freedoms?

Are we going out and getting the lost sheep?
Or are we just staying with the ninety- nine?

Staying with the ninety-nine is comfortable and easy.
Going to get the one is hard and painful.

Getting the “one” looks like fostering children from broken homes,
engaging in a ministry to regain territory from Satan,
evangelizing people that are hard to love,
baptizing on the beach,
or embracing people who are broken and hurting.
It looks like going beyond our borders.

All of these are hard to do.
They require sacrifice.
They require prayer.
They require being visible and possibly ridiculed.
They require being uncomfortable.
They require obedience to this glorious gospel by which Christ has set us free!

God’s mission is to go out and get the sheep, will you join 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 Screenshot Week Two! 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 Screenshot!

The GT Weekend! Worship III, 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) Reflect for a moment on the death of Jesus. Read back through the account of Jesus’ crucifixion in Matthew 27. What does the cross mean to you? What emotion is stirred up while you read? Who in your life needs to hear the Good News of Jesus’ death and resurrection?

2) Write out Ephesians 6:13-15 and post it in a prominent place. Examine the different pieces of protection God offers you to put on. How can you actively choose to wear these defenses in the battle against the devil? Which ones are easier to pick up? Which ones are more difficult?

3) If you are a follower of Jesus, you have access to the power of Jesus displayed in His death and resurrection. Why do you think it’s so easy to ignore that power? Why do we skip calling on the name of Jesus when we’re tempted in sin? Or when we need boldness to share His Truth with someone? If you have yet to surrender your life to Christ, reach out to us with your questions at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com .

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Ephesians 1:7-14 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding. He made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ 10 as a plan for the right time—to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him.
In him we have also received an inheritance, because we were predestined according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will, so that we who had already put our hope in Christ might bring praise to his glory.
In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.

Prayer Journal
Dear Father, as I sit and reflect on Your good gift of life through Your son Jesus, I’m in tears Lord. That You would make that sacrifice for me is unbelievable. Thank You for Your continual pursuit of me and of all Your created people. Lord, Your perfect provision of redeemed life coupled with the gift of the Holy Spirit, is the physical representation of Your love.

Let me listen closely to what You are saying and where You are leading. I need help walking with You. Father, I often want to run ahead and pretend I know what I’m doing apart from You. Draw me near to Your precious side, Lord!

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

Misunderstood Day 3 God Wants Me To Be Happy

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
Psalm 84
Psalm 16:11
John 15:9-11
John 16:33

Misunderstood, Day 3

I kept telling myself I should be happy.
After all, my dream had come true. 

I had been accepted into a music performance course.  It was a highly regarded course with very few spaces, and this had been the focus of my efforts and attention for two whole years.  I had never worked harder for anything in my life, and I had been so excited to find that I had been accepted, but only a few days into the course I was left feeling that something was missing.

As the year went on, it only got worse.  The course was demanding, the atmosphere was competitive to the point of hostility, and no matter how hard I worked, it never seemed to be enough.  I began to lose the joy I had previously found in music, and I was left wondering why something which had promised such happiness had left me so disappointed.

There was also the question of where God was in this situation.  I had prayed, and I believed He had led me there.
Why had He done that if He had known it would be so disastrous?

Didn’t He want me to be happy?  

I think there are two common misconceptions we can have when thinking about God and happiness.

The first is thinking that, above all, what God wants is for us to be happy.
We have this idea that if we are following Him,
everything should fall into place,
our plans should succeed,
and life should go well.

The second misconception is thinking that God is uninterested in our happiness. Sometimes we get the idea that He only cares about our obedience.
If we surrender to Him, He will ask us to do the last thing in the world that we want to do. We will be miserable.

So, what does the Bible actually say?
Does God want us to be happy?

Yes!
He does!
But much depends on where we are seeking to find that happiness.
Sometimes the problem is that we’re looking in all the wrong places.

Solomon knew all about that.
The book of Ecclesiastes recounts his search for meaning in life and his pursuit of pleasure.  In worldly terms, he had it all: huge homes and beautiful vineyards, slaves to attend to his every need, larger herds and flocks than any king before him, abundant wealth. “Everything a man could desire” belonged to Solomon. (Ecclesiastes 2:8 NLT)

Yet none of this provided the happiness he was seeking.
Solomon obtained all the success he yearned for,
yet his conclusion was that it was futile and meaningless.

It’s just as easy to fall into that trap today.
Whether it’s success in music, academic or sporting achievements, relationships, wealth or popularity, it’s very easy to be drawn into seeking happiness in the wrong places.  There’s nothing wrong with enjoying these things, and they are good in many ways, but none of them can fully satisfy our desire for happiness.

Psalm 84 gives us a different perspective:

  • “Happy are those who reside in your house, who praise you continually.” (v4)
  • “Happy are the people whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.” (v5)
  • “Happy is the person who trusts in you, Lord of Armies!” (v12)

Here is someone who has found happiness.
It wasn’t from wealth, or success, or fame,
but from knowing God.
From praising Him.
From resting in His presence,
drawing strength from Him,
setting his heart toward Him,
and trusting Him.

This is true happiness, not the fragile, fleeting happiness we can find in favourable circumstances or success, but deep, lasting happiness that is secure.

Following God certainly doesn’t guarantee us a life free from trouble and suffering.
If I’m honest, sometimes I wish it did, but Jesus is clear:
“You will have suffering in this world.”  (John 16:33)
At the same time, though, He promises that in Him,
we can find joy that is complete.  (John 15:11)

We may not be happy about our circumstances,
but often the difficult times highlight our need for God and turn us to Him.

Looking back, we can sometimes see how He was at work, using those situations to refine our character. Even in the midst of them, there is joy to be found in knowing His presence is with us as David describes:
“In your presence is abundant joy; and at your right hand are eternal pleasures.” (Psalm 16:11)

Looking back, I am grateful that music failed to provide the happiness I was seeking, because it caused me to look elsewhere.
I realised my happiness would never be fully satisfied by success and achievement.
Instead, I was invited to seek that “abundant joy”
that can only be found in knowing God and His presence with us!

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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 Misunderstood Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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

Bride Day 4 Empty Identity: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days...are a pretty big deal at GT!

We search God's Word together, ask questions as we read, dig around to find the original intentions at the time of writing, and then make some applications to our everyday lives.
Along the way, we hope you'll pick up some new tools to study Scripture and you'll see truth in a new and accessible way!
Dig In!

The Passage

Looking for yesterday’s
Journey Study?
Check out Empty Identity!

Matthew 16:24-26 Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it. 26 For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life?

The Questions

1) In what ways are we called to “deny ourselves”?

2) How do we “lose” our lives because of Jesus?

3) What point is Jesus making with His questions in verse 26?

The Findings for Intention

1) In what ways are we called to “deny ourselves”?
To be a disciple in Jesus’ day, was to be an apprentice. Young Jewish boys, whose fathers wanted them to become religious leaders, would spend their days following specific rabbis, copying what they did and learning from them. Over time, their entire identities would become shaped by the teachings and lifestyles of these rabbinic leaders. They had to be willing to give up everything about themselves in order to be molded and shaped in this apprenticing relationship. With Jesus, the disciples did not come to Him, rather He chose them. And in His choosing, He chose fishermen and tax collectors, those least likely to become religious leaders. He was turning the world upside down. The then-current idea of apprenticeship would take on a deeper meaning as Jesus drew His disciples out of their current lives to give them all new ones, lives they didn’t even know they wanted. He was inviting them to drop their old life for an entirely new one that required full commitment.

2) How do we “lose” our lives because of Jesus?
James and John and other disciples were fishermen by trade before Jesus called them. They owned the family business with their father and likely would be handed down the business when their father passed. They had dreams. Lives. Goals. Matthew (or Levi) was a tax collector. He had education, wealth, a reputation, and was seemingly doing quite well with his course in life. But Jesus’ invitation to become His disciple came, and everything changed as their lives were turned upside down. James and John immediately left their nets, the huge cash flow of fish they had just caught, their father, and the business they were to inherit. Matthew also immediately left his money changing tables, his profitable business, and his reputation to follow Jesus. These men were “losing their lives” for Christ. They were giving up their ideas for how their lives should go as they surrendered their plans to Jesus.

3) What point is Jesus making with His questions in verse 26?”
We only have one and if we do not care for it, no one else will, no one else even has the ability to do so. We are the stewards of our souls. The essence inside of us, that makes us…”us”. Our will, emotions, hopes, dreams, fears, all of it is wrapped up in our soul. To lose the soul is to lose everything, it is to lose “life” as the word is translated in the passage above. All would be meaningless without a soul, so it would seem of utmost importance to both care for the soul now on earth and for eternity. Jesus’ words imply that our souls can indeed be in danger of being lost. “For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life (soul)?” None can buy back their own soul after having lost it, it’s simply gone forever. With this weighty understanding, the supreme importance of following Jesus is brought into perspective. Choosing Jesus isn’t a matter of planning for retirement or whether we like attending church or have an aversion to moral decay, rather the eternal destiny of our souls hangs on the balance of what we do with our lives. Will we lose them for Christ or hold onto them for ourselves, finding in the end that we really couldn’t grasp them anyways?

The Everyday Application

1) In what ways are we called to “deny ourselves”?
Jesus’ offer for discipleship extends far beyond the first century to our own. He is still choosing disciples; He has extended His offer for new life to each one of us! But there is a cost we must consider. Luke recounts Jesus teaching, “whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:27). This “cross” signifies the crucifixion of one’s self, our desires and the way of life that was common to us before coming to Christ. When Jesus, the great Rabbi, or disciple-maker, extends His invitation, He brings newness of life that will overrun the former way of living. The old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17) If you’re a disciple of Jesus, what “old ways” of thinking and living are you still holding onto? Where are you clinging to the safety of familiarity rather than surrendering your ways to the Master? The cost seems great indeed, but the reward is infinitely greater than the sacrifice! For Gomer, in yesterday’s Journey Study, “denying herself” would have meant exchanging the empty identities she carried for the love and acceptance she was being offered in Hosea.

2) How do we “lose” our lives because of Jesus?
Luke’s gospel tells of Jesus inviting some to follow Him, but they replied with excuses. Family matters, other relationships, other priorities, these were their excuses and Jesus responded by warning them that unless they were “all in” for becoming a disciple of Jesus, then they had no place in His kingdom. Following Jesus will cost us our lives, but He gives His own in exchange. You will never find a genuine Christ-follower who, after choosing to “lose their life” for Jesus is met with regret. The fullness that Jesus brings satisfies every desire we have in ways that we never dreamed possible the more that we choose to surrender to Him. Whatever your passions, your dreams, your talents, your job, or your social status, Christ is inviting you to lose your life and find full satisfaction in what He will bring! Does it mean all will become pastors and teachers? Not at all, but it does mean He will shift your focus to amplify His glory and as He brings you good. Losing your life for Christ results in truly finding it!

3) What point is Jesus making with His questions in verse 26?
In yesterday’s Journey Study we see that Israel “chose to be her own savior and lost everything.” This is exactly the picture portrayed here in Matthew by Christ’s words and it should motivate us to consider what we are chasing, why we are chasing it, and if the investment of our lives is worth the price of our souls. What we give our lives to, the manner we do it in, and the motivation of our doing, is the proof of who the Master of our souls is. Have we lost our lives for Christ or are we trying to hold onto control while still trying to make our lives appear Christian-like? Only if our lives, our very souls, are turned over to Jesus, allowing Him to bring us real life and guide us with how to steward our lives, will the things we do in this life even matter.

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I Can Do That!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read through it (always more than a verse or two).
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!

The Community!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into
Bride Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion. 
We’d love to hear your thoughts!

The Tools!

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources.  Just type in the verse you’re looking at and Boom! It’s right in front of you in English and Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament), which are the original languages the Bible was written in.

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. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want to get more background on a word or phrasing or passage? 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 :-))

The Why!

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.

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

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
See all past studies in Bride!