Remade

Calling Day 7 For This Reason: Digging Deeper

Leave a Comment

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 For This Reason!

The Questions

1) How does Paul suggest we be filled with all the fullness of God? (verse 19)

2) How does God do above and beyond what we can ask or even think? (verse 20)

3) Why does Paul say his afflictions are for the glory of the Ephesians? (verse 13)

Ephesians 3:1-21

For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 2 assuming you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that he gave me for you. 3 The mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have briefly written above. 4 By reading this you are able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ. 5 This was not made known to people  in other generations as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: 6 The Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and partners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 7 I was made a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the working of his power. 8 This grace was given to me—the least of all the saints—to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches of Christ, 9 and to shed light for all about the administration of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things. 10 This is so that God’s multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens. 11 This is according to his eternal purpose accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him we have boldness and confident access through faith in him.13 So, then, I ask you not to be discouraged over my afflictions on your behalf, for they are your glory. 14 For this reason I kneel before the Father 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. 16 I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, 19 and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.20 Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us— 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Original Intent

1) How does Paul suggest we be filled with all the fullness of God? (verse 19)
In Ephesians 3:19, Paul prays his readers will be “filled with all the fullness of God”. “Fullness” comes from the Greek “pleroma” and “describes the full measure of something with an emphasis on completeness.” (Precept Austin.org) When Paul prays for the Ephesians to be filled with all the fullness of God, he begins by praying they would be “rooted and firmly established in love and be able to comprehend the length and width, height and depth of God’s love that surpasses knowledge.” (Ephesians 3:17-19) To experience this love beyond any measure is the beginning of being filled with all the fullness of God.  Author Stephen Cole suggests, “Paul is praying we will attain to spiritual perfection, having all that God is fill us to overflowing. As our capacity to receive it grows, He keeps filling us again and again. The idea of fullness implies total dominance or control, so that God perfectly controls our minds, our emotions, and our will.”  We can be filled with all the fullness of God when we give God all access and full control of all parts of our lives.  The better we know Him and His love, the more willing we are to let Him in to fill us and change us.  Paul follows this prayer to be filled with God’s fullness by reminding us that God can do much more than we can think or ask. (Ephesians 3:20) This extends to filling us with His love and with everything that God is and has for us.  He can fill us to a fullness we can’t even fathom!

2) How does God do above and beyond what we can ask or even think? (verse 20)
In Ephesians 3:20, Paul exhorts the Ephesians to give glory to the God who is “able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us.”  It’s not lost on his readers that Paul writes this encouragement from a prison cell in Rome, where he sits because of his unceasing desire to preach the Gospel.  Yet, Paul is focused on how the power of God in us can do far more than we think possible.  Author Priscilla Shirer observes that Paul is “just spilling over himself, tripping over himself trying desperately to figure out how to communicate the greatness and the grandeur of God’s capacity and His ability to work miracles in our lives and to be engaged in the details of our everyday living.”  Even in his difficult circumstances, Paul believes God’s power is beyond human comprehension.  Author Thomas Constable asserts, “The basis for Paul’s confidence that God is able to do far beyond what he had prayed for or could even imagine was the work God had done to bring Jews and Gentiles together in one body.”  Preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles became Paul’s life work, and he had daily proof that God could bring about unity and harmony in Christ beyond what Paul ever thought possible. Paul’s faith in God’s vast power was also based on his own conversion experience, which found him walking toward Damascus with intent to harm Jesus’ followers and instead encountering Jesus Himself. This experience turned his life upside down.  Instead of persecuting Christians, he was now converting others to Christianity, which was abundantly more than he could ever have considered.  Paul knew better than anyone how far God can go beyond our petitions and our thoughts; this knowledge caused him to give glory to God.

3) Why does Paul say his afflictions are for the glory of the Ephesians? (verse 13)
When the apostle Paul told the Ephesians his afflictions are their glory in verse 13, he wasn’t speaking flippantly.  Paul’s mission since his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9) had been to share the Good News of Jesus with the Gentiles. Fulfilling this mission caused him countless problems, including beatings, stoning, imprisonment, shipwrecks, and various physical dangers and discomforts. (2 Corinthians 11:25-26) Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesians while under Roman house arrest, and the people worried about him.  Paul told the Ephesians he didn’t want them to feel bad he was going through hard times for them because everything he faced was part of his heavenly mandate to bring the message of salvation to them. Through his hardships, they received the message of God’s redemptive love, and that was worth everything he suffered.  Author Peter Pett notes Paul declared his trials are “either a cause for them to glory, or will result in glory for them, or both. Without his imprisonment there may well have been no letters, and what would we have done then?”  Paul was as zealous to convert people to Christ as he had been to condemn Christians before his own conversion.  Every trial he faced brought the Gospel to more people, which was cause for rejoicing.

Everyday Application

1) How does Paul suggest we be filled with all the fullness of God? (verse 19)
It still amazes me some days that God chose to redeem me and chooses to love me.  I wouldn’t do it if I were Him.  I would have given up on me a long time ago, but God’s ways are far above mine. (Isaiah 55:9) He not only chose me, redeemed me and loved me, but He has all kinds of blessings and good things in store for me. (Ephesians 1:1-14) Paul calls it “being filled with all the fullness of God”. (Ephesians 3:19) He wants to make me more and more like Him by filling me with His fullness. He wants me to look like Him so I can draw others to discover Him. The best part is, I don’t need to do anything in my own strength to accomplish this! I cannot fill myself with all the fullness of God.  He fills me up with His love, His mercy, His grace, His compassion, and all the other things He is, so I will spill over with “His fullness”.  He fills me to capacity, and then when I grow, He fills me to capacity again.  Sometimes, He fills me just by pouring out His love and His goodness on me.  Sometimes, He fills me by letting me struggle and grapple and pursue.  Even when what I feel as being empty, He is actually in the process of filling me with hope and faith.  I agree with Paul that “God’s love surpasses knowledge” (verse 19), and I am grateful He keeps filling me as I grow to be more like Him.

2) How does God do above and beyond what we can ask or even think? (verse 20)
I have always been a tea drinker.  I believed all teas were about the same, until a friend gifted me a tin of gourmet cinnamon tea sachets.  Once I tasted that brew, I was ruined for any other cinnamon tea! I tried going back to cinnamon tea in the grocery aisle, but it would no longer suffice. The store brand tea was flat and bitter compared to the gourmet blend with hints of citrus. I think of this experience when I read Paul’s words in verse 20, “God’s power in us can do more than we could ask or dream up”.  Before my friend’s gift arrived, I had only known to ask for regular cinnamon tea, but this special blend was beyond anything I’d imagined!  It is important to consider this truth when I am asking God for things or imagining how I want things to go.  God has plans and purposes beyond what I can dream that are abundantly more than I can comprehend.  He puts His power in me so He can do great things beyond my wildest imaginings to bring Him glory.  I need to ask Him for what I can imagine, then trust Him to do more beyond that.  He doesn’t want me to be limited by what I can think or what I know to ask for; I need to be open to all He has for me.  Usually that doesn’t come in a package that says, “better than you can imagine.”  It often comes wrapped in change, difference, discomfort, and unknown. This is why Paul prays for the Ephesians to be “strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit and to have faith.” (verse 16) He knows that trusting God is key.  May we trust in Him to do abundantly more than we can even think to ask Him!

3) Why does Paul say his afflictions are for the glory of the Ephesians? (verse 13)
The internet is full of beautiful stories about people shaving their heads to show solidarity with loved ones losing their hair to chemotherapy for cancer.  My tears fall with every pass of the razor when I watch those clips!  When I was a kid, I had a pal who was one of the only red heads in our small town, and he suffered a lot of teasing and embarrassment as a result.  His mom decided to dye her own hair red so he wouldn’t feel so alone.  These stories of people willing to endure hard things for their loved ones are deeply inspiring to me. The love they have is powerful. Even more inspiring to me is the lengths the apostle Paul was willing to go so he could share the Gospel with the Gentiles. He suffered much more than losing hair! He opens his letter to the Ephesians by calling himself the “prisoner of Jesus Christ on behalf of the Gentiles“. (verse 13) He endured intense persecution to preach salvation to those who would listen.  Jesus’ love for Paul was so radical and bursting with grace, Paul was compelled to give this love away.  Christ got Paul’s attention when He revealed himself to Paul on the road to Damascus, and Paul lived his life from that moment on with the singular purpose of sharing God’s love with everyone he could.  He was glad to suffer abuse if it meant the Gospel would be preached to more people.  He wanted everyone to know how deep and how wide God’s love is. (verse 18) He experienced God’s powerful love, and it made him able to love others profoundly, even when it cost him dearly.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with For This Reason!

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

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

The GT Weekend! ~ Open Week 1

Leave a Comment

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) Sit still, Bible open, pen ready. This could be harder, and more convicting, than we’d like to admit. Open to Luke 19:6-7. Read these two verses over and over, slowly, quickly, again. Pray over them as you read, asking the Spirit to stir your heart. The rejected, hated, outcast man was downright giddy to be welcomed in. The ‘righteous’ crowds? The despised Jesus’ actions. Disgusted. Angry. Who sits at your table? Who is on your ‘to invite over’ list? Who do you spend time, talent, and treasure loving on? Write down those names, they are important and Jesus loves them and how you invest! But is anyone offended by your willingness to love the ugly, outcast, hated, rejected? Beg the Holy Spirit to bring to mind those faces, because maybe you don’t know their names, who you could invite in, but very intentionally haven’t. Write down those names, they are important and Jesus loves them; He’s calling you to invest!

2) Radical, generous hospitality finds its roots in obedience. But not blind obedience to a cosmic being dictating morally good acts. Rather, truly loving hospitality stems from obedience grown from the bedrock of deep, abiding faith. The knowing who God is and trusting His heart. Is your openness towards generosity feeling a little rusty or maybe even stingy? How’s your faith? Who do you say God is? Is He faithful and trustworthy enough to provide for you? How stingy do you view Him?

3)  Yesterday, Parker challenged us to ask the Lord a question when we begin to interact with someone we find challenging to love, let alone like. “Jesus, show me what you love about them.” Challenge yourself to take this question to the next level this weekend by journaling out the names of the people in your closest circle. Maybe your closest friends, your spouse and children, or parents and siblings. One by one, pray over these names and ask the Lord this question, writing down what the Spirit brings to mind. Remember these aren’t qualities you admire, rather you’re asking the Lord for His vantage point. Then, take the opportunity when presented to share these small treasures with each person you named!

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 Matthew 25:40 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

“And the King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Prayer Journal
Lord, in brokenness I come to You. My total inability to love like You is so evident as I live out this precious life You’ve given me. I mis-prioritize, I choose my comfort over going beyond myself, I choose my schedule over loving intentionally because it’s costly, it’s difficult, and mostly because I am selfish. Lord, make me new. Not once, but over and over and over. Remind me that You are always on the horizon, arms spread wide celebrating when I return and ask You to fill me again. I want to love like you, Abba. Remind me that only when I sit here with You, like father and child, can I love others well and, in so doing, show You love. May my life declare Your love, 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

Screenshot Day 4 Treasure Kingdom: Digging Deeper

1 Comment

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 Treasured Kingdom!

The Questions

1) Why is the treasure buried?

2) In what ways is the Kingdom of Heaven like a treasure?

3) Why would Jesus use the analogy of a field?

Matthew 13:44

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure, buried in a field, that a man found and reburied. Then in his joy he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field.

Original Intent

1) Why is the treasure buried?
Paul says, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18) Jesus teaches in this min-parable that while the Kingdom of Heaven is of supreme value, it’s true value is often overlooked and remains unseen. The incredible glories of the gospel, the freedom found in Christ, and the overwhelming riches of sharing in His inheritance are breathtaking for the believer, but to the person who doesn’t believe, it’s nothing but foolishness. In Jesus’ story, the owner of the field had to first discover the vast treasure before he was willing to forfeit everything else for its gain. In the same way, we too must discover this beautiful treasure, both of Christ Himself and His eternal, heavenly Kingdom.

2) In what ways is the Kingdom of Heaven like a treasure?
In Revelation 3:18, Jesus says, “I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.” He was speaking to the church in Laodicea, which was a city well known for its wealth, its fine clothing, and its medicinal eye ointment. These were the things they held the corner market on; these made them well-known. Jesus took their everyday livelihood and pointed their focus to Him and His riches. He teaches that He alone holds all wealth, He owns the clothing of righteousness without shame, and He will heal their “eyes” that they might see Him as their ultimate treasure. In the parable in Matthew, Jesus teaches that He alone is worth all sacrifice we might make for the gospel and for building His kingdom. Paul says it like this, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake, I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8)

3) Why would Jesus use the analogy of a field?
Fields generally appear barren and empty for the majority of the year. Everyone enjoys a full harvest of healthy crops, but for the most part, the field is overlooked. It’s just dirt. In the agrarian society of Jesus’ day, a field was intended for one thing, growing food for sustenance. Food to sell and make a living from and food to eat and nourish bodies. Without the field and the crops, neither of these could take place. Fields were critical. Jesus takes this everyday necessity and says the Kingdom of Heaven is buried here in the seemingly barren, normal, everyday dirt and toil of life. The treasure of His kingdom is found in the mundane; it’s where it flourishes.

Everyday Application

1) Why is the treasure buried?
Consider how you view the treasure of the gospel of Jesus. What value do you place on daily taking it in and allowing the Holy Spirit to transform you through the gospel into a more clear image of Jesus? Value enough to carve out daily time with Him? Value enough to speak of His goodness others? Value enough to let Jesus be your satisfaction instead of relationships, finances, or control? The man in Jesus’ story was willing to give up everything to own that treasure, digging deep to uncover it. Is any price too high for you to pay as you consider the value of the gospel and the Kingdom of Heaven?

2) In what ways is the Kingdom of Heaven like a treasure?
The cost of following Jesus is high, even Jesus said so. (Luke 9:61-62, Luke 14:33) Jesus taught that following Him would cost us everything as we learn to surrender our will to His. But the treasure we gain is not even worth comparing to the pain associated with the loss of our way and our will. (Romans 8:18) Everything is rubbish compared with the greatness of knowing Christ. Knowing Him is much like uncovering that buried treasure. The deeper we dig into His Word and the more transparent we are willing to become in the process, the more precious Jesus and His Kingdom perspective will become as well. What’s holding you back from uncovering that beautiful treasure a little more?

3) Why would Jesus use the analogy of a field?
Jesus used the analogy of His Kingdom being buried in an ordinary field. Paul, in similar fashion describes the glorious treasure of Christ being hidden away in the weak, ordinary clay jars that are our physical bodies. (2 Corinthians 4:7-11) “ But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” The valuable treasure of the gospel is what unleashes priceless Kingdom work in our lives. Again, Paul says, “(we are) always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” (2 Corinthians 4:10) Our lives may seem ordinary, repetitive even, but do not lose heart! The Kingdom work the Lord will accomplish in and through us if we surrender everything for the sake of the gospel will surpass our wildest dreams!

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

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

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

Misunderstood Day 15 We’re All God’s Children

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 7:13-23
Luke 13:23-30
John 1:9-13

Misunderstood, Day 15

You’ve probably heard it said that “We’re all God’s children.”
While this phrase is meant to be all nice, fluffy, and inclusive,
I feel like I need to let you know that it’s a lie.

Even typing those words makes me a bit uncomfortable,
but I since we’re all friends here,
I have an obligation to tell you the truth.

Kind of like if you had something in your teeth, or the tag was showing on your shirt.
I don’t want you to be blindsided and confused as to why no one cared enough to tell you
one of the biggest misconceptions we face in our daily Christian walk.

Our culture today has become incredibly focused on our political correctness,
even to the point of misleading and misguiding our fellow believers and those who don’t believe in Jesus.

Now before I go any further, I do want to clear a few things up.

God both created and loves every single human being on planet Earth.
He wove us together in our mother’s womb, and numbered every hair on our head.
But, God the Father, has only one begotten Son, Jesus.
The rest of us, must be adopted into God’s family, as it is written,
He is the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6)

In order to be a child of God, and in God’s family,
we must ask God, through Jesus, to adopt us.

We also can’t just believe in God.
James writes, “Even the demons believe—and they shudder.” (James 2:19
We have to accept Him and surrender to His lordship.
This means agreeing with God about our sin, recognizing that because of our sin we are eternally separated from the Holy God,
then truly want to repent, and turn away from our sin,
running towards the grace of Jesus.

Adoption isn’t about believing in God,
it’s about a relationship with God.

“But to all who did receive Him,
He gave them the right to be children of God,
to those who believe in His name.” John 1:12

Jesus is both tolerant and intolerant;
utterly exclusive and wholly inclusive.
He made it plain and simple in Scripture:
“No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
There are no other “gods” (Buddha, Gandhi, Muhammad..),
simply, only, Jesus.
Because He alone is able to save and stand in the gap and take our punishment for sin.
Jesus Christ lived the human life flawlessly in our place, being fully God, yet becoming fully human,
He alone could bear the full measure of God’s wrath upon Himself.

Yet, beautifully.
Gracefully.
This Truth of the gospel is for everyone!

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29

“For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13

The narrow gate to Heaven is wholly inclusive.

As I’ve prepared for this journey study I spent more hours than I’d like to admit diving into the teachings of pastors like Rob Bell and Joel Osteen. These men are widely known, and followed by masses, yet they continuously preach a false Gospel message of inclusivity.
“Universal Salvation”, they preach; claiming that “love” wins.

The idea that everyone ends up in heaven is false doctrine, Sisters.
And we need to be know the truth!

But is Rob Bell’s love…..really love?
A love that doesn’t insist on justice?
A love that says there is no consequence for sinning against the Holy One?
Is it love that declares Hitler innocent?
No, it isn’t.

Is it love that says everyone can go to Heaven?
Everyone who has sinned?
Everyone who has spit in the face of God?
Shunning His ways, rejecting His truth, stomping on His righteousness and boasting in ourselves instead?
No, it isn’t.

Praise Jesus for the gospel!!
Only in the gospel do we see the vast love of God married to the flawless justice of God,
overflowing in abundant invitation of adoption to all.

Our sin, which requires death, demands justice.
And because we could never pay the penalty, Christ did it for us in our place.
Justice.

It’s love that holds out nail-pierced hands, wounded for our transgression,
and invites with deep, unknowable love, “Come to me, all of you.”
Love.

Being a child of God means that we:
Love Jesus John 8:42
Believe that Jesus is the Savior 1 John 5:1
Love well John 13:34

Are His Own Galatians 4:6
Adoption.

Justice + Love = Adoption
THAT is how love wins!

Jesus warns, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers! (Matthew 7:21-23)

Charles Spurgeon says it like this:
“Many loud professions of faith will count for nothing in that day of judgment.
All of us must see to it that we have more than a mere profession of belonging Christ.
There is no hope for (the one whom Christ does not know).
To be unknown to Christ is to be devoid of hope forever and forever.” 

The good news here my sisters is that there is hope.
There is room for each of us in the family of God.
Are you His?

Want to chat more about this?
Comment here or send me an e-mail.
Let’s hold onto truth, as we wrap ourselves in grace!

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
Join us for every Journey Study by signing up!
Looking for yesterday’s Journey Study?
Share your thoughts from today’s Study!

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

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Misunderstood Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

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

Sketched III, Day 6 Bathsheba

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Samuel 11:1-26
2 Samuel 12:15-25
Proverbs 31:25
James 1:12-15

Sketched III, Day 6

“Precious son, don’t cry,” I whisper, and I gently bounce and sway back and forth.
A song breaths through my lips as I hum into my little one’s ear. His fuzzy head and sweet, new-baby smell engulf my senses. So much joy, and yet, still remembrances of a deep sorrow…

He is not my firstborn.
He wasn’t the first I had labored into this world.
Will I get to hold him beyond his first week?

The road to now hadn’t been easy.
And while I try to forget, the memories flood back.…

I was a young wife – a wife.
Everything I had dreamed about was unfolding before me.
I was married to an incredible warrior. He was valiant, noble, and a hard worker.
I dreamed of our future, and prayed for his safety while at war.
Uriah. How I loved him!

It was at war, when the dreams began crumbling.I was bathing, cleansing myself from my monthly flow as is required by the Law. This was my time for purification before the Lord.

As I was finishing, royal messengers were pounding at my door.
My heart hammered furiously with anxious unknown.
You know the kind perhaps? A twisting in your gut?
They had a summons from King David, for me.

The King does not summon just anyone.
Was it Uriah?
My heart beat faster with fear, as I prepared myself for the worst.
But not this.

The King…. he had seen me bathing, enjoyed my beauty, and even though he knew I was married to one of his own warriors, who was at this moment in battle for the King himself, he had sent these men to bring me to him.

He clearly didn’t care whether I was married or not.

I knew, just as everyone else, that he was not even supposed to be here in the city.
All kings go to war at this time of year.
Why would our trusted king pull back from his responsibilities like this?

And so, I went.
Because who could refuse a king?

Just a short time later, I realized I was pregnant.
I tried to ignore the lingering “knowing”.
I just ate something that didn’t settle well, I would tell myself.
But I knew.
Deep down inside, I knew life was forming inside me.

I remember telling King David I was pregnant. I had sent a messenger with a note.
I didn’t know what he would do, or how he would respond.
But I knew that I had to do something. If my baby was born while Uriah was away, I would be a disgrace to my family; Uriah would certainly divorce me.

Weeks passed and I never heard from him.

But then news came…
Uriah, my dear husband, who fought so hard, and remained faithful to me, was dead.
His death plotted by the King as he tried to cover his own sin.
Sin brought death.

King David took me as his wife, again hoping to cover for his sin that no one would see how he had chosen his own heart’s desires over God’s.

I remember feeling my stomach grow; the baby kicking and turning.
First those movements felt of butterflies, then they began to jab just a little more until some days, my breath would catch.

Reminding me, this wee baby was part of me.
I grew to love him, even before he was born. The deep love I carried for him, steadied me.
Despite his beginnings, this little life needed me;
and I knew I needed him.
The labor was intense; I’d never felt pain so great, but then, neither had I felt such intense joy as when my eyes saw the one I already loved: my son.

But he became ill.
Though my body ached from labor, my heart’s pain for my baby was a hundred-fold more intense.
Just as I knew I was pregnant with him,
I knew I was going to lose my sweet baby.
I wrapped my arms around him and sang to him.
I whispered in his ear, “I love you, son, know that! You are mine. I am yours. You will always be part of me.”

He looked up at me, one last time.
And I knew he loved me, too.
And he was gone.

That pain is still so fresh.
That precious week I had to hold my son will never be enough;
yet I am thankful I had a week at all.  

The sharp pain dulled little by little and one day, I realized I was with child again. My emotions were a muddled mix of fear, joy, and still… sorrow.

I begged the Lord to keep this child safe: to let this child live.
“Lord, give my baby wisdom beyond measure.
Let my little one to grow to be a great leader; a warrior of warriors.
Let this baby grow to know Your love.”

I was almost afraid to grow close to this new baby.
I was afraid to dream for a future with this little one.
My pregnancy crept along, but almost too soon, it was time.
When that time came, instead of fear, gracefully, I felt peace.
Throughout labor, peace consumed me, a peace I had not felt in several years.
Peace came with this baby.
Solomon.
—

Bathsheba is a well-known wife of King David, but the process by which she became his wife is ear-marked by David’s moral failure. Whether Bathsheba was a willing partner or not, Scripture doesn’t clearly say, but what the Bible does focus on is David’s own path of sin. Sin that started in his heart as he lusted after a woman who was not his wife.

And sisters, sin always gives birth to death.
This can mean death in relationships, death in advancements, or even physical death, like when David killed Uriah.

James 1:14-15
But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.
Then desire, when it has conceived gives birth to sin,
and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

But Bathsheba’s story highlights God’s gracious redemption!

God redeemed Bathsheba and David’s loss as she birthed the future king of Israel, who also authored part of the Bible: Solomon. She was the Queen Mother, having wise influence on Solomon’s decisions, and helping Solomon become King, which brought peace from chaos as King David neared his death. And amazingly enough… God even used her in the lineage of Jesus!

Heartache marked her life, but God’s redemption overshadowed her grief as she became a woman of valor!

Whatever our sin, whatever our circumstances, the God of redemption sees us, knows us, and loves us deeply. Let’s give Him our stories and let Him be our Redeemer!

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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 III 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 Sketched III!

Sketched III, Day 5 Barabbas

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 27:15-26
Mark 15:1-15
Luke 23:1-25

Sketched III, Day 5

After weeks of waiting in prison, the day has finally come.
I, Barabbas, have been convicted of treason against Rome.
My punishment is the worst imaginable – crucifixion at Golgotha.

I joined the insurrectionists because I believed in their mission – to rebel against the iron fist that was Roman rule and the elite upper class of Israel. Joining the zealots gave me a sense of purpose and belonging.

My name means “son of the father”, but I have no family.
This guerilla rebel group took me in and showed me that I could make a lasting impact on the world – for good or for bad.

During the riots, I felt full of fire and passion, like I would never get caught!
I robbed and I murdered.
I became notorious among the people as a revolutionary, gained popularity among other insurrectionists, and sympathy from the common people.
My life was going great, but in the back of my mind,
I wondered when my luck would run out.

Finally, it did.
I was arrested at our most recent uprising, and I’ve been in jail with other rebels ever since. I knew I was in trouble the moment the Roman soldier grabbed me.
The Romans don’t go easy on people like me.
They don’t care if I’ve stolen or if I’ve killed someone.
My sentence is for treason, the highest offense in Roman eyes.
When I was arrested, my first thought was of crucifixion.
I knew that would be my fate.

But I have one small hope, Paschal Pardon, the Jewish Passover custom of releasing to the crowd one prisoner of their choice.
So my fate lies in the hands of an angry mob.

I’ve been told that the governor, Pontius Pilate, is going to offer to the crowd me and one other man, Jesus of Nazareth. This man is also convicted on treason,
but He’s nothing like me.
I’ve heard He’s been creating quite the commotion around the city.
I’ve heard He performs miracles.
I’ve heard He heals the sick and dines with the poor.
Some say He is a good teacher.
Others say He is the Messiah.

Jesus landed himself in this position because the chief priests and scribes are angry at Him. He claims to be the Son of God – blasphemy in their eyes.
He said that the temple would be destroyed, but He would raise it up in 3 days (John 2:19). More blasphemy.

Getting the chief priests and scribes angry may play to my advantage, though.
They have influence and they will be in the crowd today. They want Jesus out of their way and they will do whatever it takes to make it happen!
If they argue for Jesus’s crucifixion, surely the crowd will as well.
—

I’ve gotten word that the crowd seems to be favoring my release over Jesus! I may have a second chance at life! I feel so full of relief, vigor, excitement, deliverance, and…

Guilt.
This man has done nothing to deserve death!
When He came into Jerusalem at the beginning of Passover, He came riding in on a donkey and people praised Him shouting, “Hosanna!” (Matthew 21:1-11).
He has brought hope and healing, not death and destruction like me.
Who could this man be?
Is he a good teacher?
Is he a prophet?
Or is he really the Messiah?

How could this innocent man die in my place?
Me, a sinful and guilty man!
If this Jesus really does die for me, I must find out the truth.
Why He is here and why He died.
——

Barabbas was the forerunner of all people to be saved by Jesus’ death. Barabbas was guilty for his sins. He deserved death. Instead of receiving what he deserved, he was shown mercy. Jesus took his place on the cross so that Barabbas would not that have to die that day.
Today, we are all Barabbas.
We deserve death for the sins we have committed, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life and died the death we deserve. Imagine the relief Barabbas must have felt when he learned that he would not be crucified. May we also experience that kind of appreciation and thankfulness for our salvation through Jesus Christ!

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
Join us for every Journey Study by signing up!
Looking for yesterday’s Journey Study?
Share your thoughts from today’s Study!

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

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 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 Sketched III!

Woven Day 4 Meant To Be: Digging Deeper

Leave a Comment

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 Meant To Be

Revelation 21:1-5 Christian Standard Version (CSB)

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new! ”Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

The Questions

1) What is the greater context of this passage?

2) How is the new heaven and new earth described in this passage?

3) What is the biggest difference between the new existence that John writes about and this present one?

The Findings for Intention

1) What is the greater context of this passage?
Revelation can be a little confusing sometimes. It is the last book of the Bible and brings all things to close in scripture. It is full of prophecy of things that will “soon take place” and hope for Christ’s return that will make all things right. One main purpose of Revelation is to give a glimpse into the rest of the story. This passage specifically gives a picture of what the “new” redeemed existence will look like when creation will no longer “groan” for the day of redemption because it will be here (Romans 8:22)! The time when what was “supposed to be” will be as it was meant to be once and for all.

2) How is the new heaven and new earth described in this passage?
John, the write of Revelation, spends a great deal of time in a state of having “visions” within the book of Revelation. He sees things and records them as he sees them. In this passage, he sees what he calls the “new heaven and new earth. There is no sea in the new earth and all the things of the old earth have passed away. He sees a “new Jerusalem” coming down. This is thought to be symbolic of the Christian church, the Holy dwelling of the righteous and redeemed. It isn’t a literal city but rather a picture of an eternal state of dwelling for those who follow Christ. God is dwelling there with His people and the perfect state found in Genesis 1-2 has been recreated.

3) What is the biggest difference between the new existence that John writes about and this present one?
The biggest difference between this present age and the one to come is that God dwells with His people and there is no sin in the new heaven and new earth. God wipes away all of the old broken and tattered world and makes all things new. The redemption of all of creation, including humanity is complete. The days of longing for something more are fulfilled in the new heaven and new earth.

The Everyday Application

1) What is the greater context of this passage?
Some of my favorite passages of scripture are found right here in Revelation 21 and 22. It gives me as a believer a glimpse of what I have been waiting and hoping for since meeting Jesus. Revelation is like looking at a trailer of coming attractions. It reveals just enough to make you want more, yet not enough to always fully understand what the whole movie is about from beginning to end. I don’t have all the answers, but I can read clearly here that God will return, He will set all things to the way they were meant to be, and He will dwell with His people for all eternity.

2) How is the new heaven and new earth described in this passage?
This passage gives a joyful and hope-filled eternal lens from which to view life in this present age. Romans 8:18-25 gives a vivid picture of the pain and suffering of this world and the “eager expectation” that comes with the belief that Christ will return and make all things right. The new heaven and the new earth described in Revelation 21 gives us the answer to the longing. The answer to the day-to-day struggle of this life is to have HOPE, for there is coming a day of redemption! There is coming a time when God will wipe away every tear, death will sting no more, and O, HAPPY DAY- the old has passed away and the new has come!

3) What is the biggest difference between the new existence that John writes about and this present one?
There are so many passages within scripture that give us insight into what eternity will look like. Read Genesis 1-2, read Revelation 21-22. The first book of the Bible and the last reveal what God intended and intends, what did happen and what will happen, the past that only the blood of Christ erases and the future He holds secure! We long for something more because we are knitted together and woven in His image, for His purpose and for His glory. This present age seeks to kill, steal, and destroy that but we know how it ends! God will once again be with His people, dwelling as He did in the Garden! Eden restored, just as it was meant to be!

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!
Join the friends at the GT Facebook Community!

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
Woven 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 Woven!

Woven Day 3 Meant To Be

16 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 1:26-31
Genesis 3:1-24
Romans 5:12-21
Revelation 21:1-5

Have you ever had one of those days where everything just seems to be going wrong?

You know the kind of days I mean?  It’s not necessarily anything major, just day-to-day frustrations mounting up: traffic delays, work overload, uncooperative people, failed plans, underlying worries- the kind of day when despite your best efforts nothing seems to work and you wonder why everything has to be so hard.

Of course, sometimes it is the major things.  As we look at the world, at those around us, or even at our own lives, there is plenty of brokenness to see:
war, cancer, divorce, abuse, racism, poverty… the list goes on.
No matter what we do to try and make life work, it just feels like something is broken.

Surely this is not how it is meant to be.

Often the only way we can make any sense of our individual stories is by seeing them in the context of God’s big story, and as we look at the opening chapters of the Bible, we can see that our instinct is right.
This is not how it is meant to be.

God created Adam and Eve in His image:
to be in relationship with Him and with one another,
to enjoy the good things He had given them,
to be fruitful and multiply,
to reign and rule over His creation.
He looked around and He was satisfied.  It was very good.

That is how it is meant to be.  If only it could have ended there…
But there was an enemy, and Eve was deceived. 

First, he caused her to question God’s instructions:
“Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1
Then he caused her to question God’s goodness, to think that, rather than having her best interests at heart, God was holding back something good.

Despite the fact that she was already made in God’s image, Eve was persuaded that eating the fruit would make her like God, so she succumbed.  She ate, then offered the fruit to Adam, and the perfection of God’s creation was shattered.

Trust and intimacy were replaced by shame and fear;
openness was exchanged for hiding;
their relationships with God, with one another, with the world,
and even with themselves
were broken.

The fallout was catastrophic as that first sin led to a domino effect of sin through the ages!  The disease infects us all, and none of us are immune.

This is the world we are born into:

  • A world that is beautiful, but broken.
  • A world which bears the mark of the Creator, but is also tarnished with sin.
  • A world where people, made in God’s image, continue to destroy the world, and one another.
  • A world that is not as it is meant to be.

The story could have ended there.
It would have been perfectly understandable for God to have left us in our mess,
or even to have destroyed us,
but fortunately He had another plan and He chose a different way…
a way of restoration.

Because of His unfailing love,
He chose to pursue us and to bring us back,
which means there is hope,
even in our broken stories.

Right from the moment Adam and Eve sinned there are glimpses of it.
There is the promise of One who will come, the offspring of the woman, who will bruise the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15).
There are garments of skin God makes to cover Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:21), which meant a sacrifice: death of the innocent to cover the guilty.

While Adam and Eve couldn’t possibly have understood at the time what this meant, looking back, we can see.

God sent Jesus, born of a woman, to defeat evil and “to destroy the devil’s works” (1 John 3:8), and it is through His ultimate sacrifice on the cross,
the innocent dying for the guilty,
that we can be forgiven and restored to right relationship with God.

While Adam and Eve’s sin had far-reaching consequences,
Jesus’ sacrifice was even more momentous:
“For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.”  (Romans 5:17 NLT)

We may not see exactly where God is at work in our broken situations,
and sometimes our hearts ache for restoration,
but we can hold onto hope,
knowing that His love never fails,
and that no matter how great the sin and the brokenness we see around us,
Jesus’ power is greater.

And while we may not understand all that happens in the middle of our stories,
we have the reassurance of knowing how the story ends.
Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, one day we will live in a reality
free from pain, suffering, and death,
restored to a perfect relationship with God forever,
and to a life that is, finally, how it is meant to be.

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!
Join our Facebook Community!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Woven 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 Woven!

Grow 2018 Day 4 The Lie Of Perfect Growth

Leave a Comment

Welcome to “Grow”! These stories are from the hearts of regular, everyday women just like you in the GT Community. They are boldly sharing how God has grown them, met with them, strengthened them, and taught them solid truth as they have discovered anew that Jesus is our everyday Savior! Today’s story is shared from the heart of Rebecca Chartier. 

Jeremiah 31:3
Psalm 46:10-11
Exodus 14:14
Isaiah 43:18-19
Romans 8:28

Grow, Day 4

Initially, when I thought about my growth this year, there were several specifics that came to mind. I didn’t write them down. I was working on another piece of writing, working a lot at my J.O.B., getting ready for Christmas…just downright busy. Then the enemy lies started in:
“You haven’t grown.
You’re no different than you were last year.
You’re even worse in some areas than last year.
Didn’t you say…??
Are you really a Christian??”

So, I put off this project.
It wasn’t a conscious decision to be a slacker. It was simply a lack of prayer on my part and lots of taunting from the enemy.

Do you ever get stuck in a rut like this?
You have a lot to do, you think you’re handling everything, and then something creeps up on you?
Not. Good.

Here we go with growth. I have grown this year. A little.
When perfection is the goal,
any growth can seem so miniscule.

Sometimes I feel defeated.
But then I remember: perfection doesn’t happen until heaven.
Any spiritual growth that happens on this side of heaven brings us closer to the Lord, molds us to be more like him, pleases him and glorifies him!
(Take THAT, Satan!!)

Early this year – February, to be exact – I began leading a ladies’ Bible study group in my home. This one step of faith has changed my life in many ways.
I have kept my home tidier.
I have been scanning important documents onto an electronic drive and shredding paper.
I have been in prayer more.
I have read and studied more.
I have opened myself to these ladies and made new friends.
And I have been blessed by them and by the studies we have gone through together.

One that was especially poignant was “Not A Fan” by Kyle Idleman.
This series of videos reminded me that work can be done in the church and/or in the name of God, but with a wrong heart…a heart that doesn’t truly love the Lord. It caused self-reflection and a warning to guard my heart.

Speaking of my heart, it has been a little bit broken for the past few months.
A longtime friend has become distant.
But I believe that God is taking the broken pieces and gluing them back together with new friendships that have grown this year.
He’s also leaving some spaces for me to practice contentment; He knows that I tend to move to a different apartment every year or two in an effort to be in a nicer environment. Where I am now is just fine.

Another area which the Lord is shaping is my readiness, directly affected by spending and saving. I have been recently convicted that I am not ready to help in a time of need, and I felt terrible. This reshaping of my spending habits hurts, sisters, because I can totally justify everything. Again, it goes back to contentment. (Do I really NEED a new home computer? I did spend 9 hours today trying to update…)

This year I walked the Kansas City Half Marathon with Team World Vision for the first time. The encouragement and support that I received from other walkers, World Vision organizers, family and friends was amazing! The team was a sort of community of its own right. It was a community that I had never experienced before and it changed me and allowed me to see another side of myself.

Another community that is changing my life is the Gracefully Truthful community. Sisters, I have been in Bible study, in Bible college, and leading groups, but the experience of writing something that resonates with you – and hearing you share your experiences – is altogether more beautiful.
Don’t get me wrong. I love a good talk and a hug, but I can easily forget what was shared. This media is tangible to me. And through GT, I can read and cry, and read and cry, as many times as I want! (Trust me, it happens a lot.)
I have been encouraged and challenged by reading other writers’ Journeys and Digging Deeper studies too. Thank you, GT Ladies, for stepping into your calling!

And to my sister across the screen,
if you are sensing the Lord calling you to do something for Him,
don’t let the enemy bully you and make you afraid.
Go ahead and step into it!
My past year has shown me that obedience, even in small ways,
results in good, solid growth toward the goal of perfect Christ-likeness.

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!
Join our Facebook Community!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Grow 2018! 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 stories in Grow 2018!