Seeking

If Day 11 Free Ride

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Read His Words Before Ours!

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

If, Day 11

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

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

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

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

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

Suppose following Jesus cost us nothing?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But what if…
following Jesus cost us nothing?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Nations Day 15 Praying For The Nations

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Revelation 7:9-17
1 Thessalonians 1:2-10
Titus 2:11-3:8

Nations, Day 15

“When we meet someone from a different culture, race, or social class
who has received the same grace (of Christ), we see someone who has been through
the same life-and-death experience.

In Christ, we have both spiritually died and been raised to new life. And because of this common experience of rescue, we now share an identity marker even more indelible than the ties that bind us to our family, our race, or our culture.”
Tim Keller, Center Church: Doing Balanced Gospel Centered Ministry In Your City

I grew up in the church.
But my eyes focused on myself and how “good” I was because I was associated with the church.

Then I hated the church.
Finding hypocrisy everywhere, I spurned God and loathed the “false cover” of “church”.

Then, I became passionate about my local church.
In discovering the heart of God, I loved church, for it was His Body. Still, my eyes saw only the inside of a building.

Gradually, the Lord brought friends into my life who challenged me about my ethnocentric way of viewing life and church. I didn’t even see the peoples and nations around the globe, let alone how they were represented in my own community.

Graciously, the Lord shattered my view of church and began replacing it with His own.

The Black family down the street whose son loves to play monster trucks with my boys. The Muslim couple who walks my neighborhood streets. The Buddhist shop owner who schedules my daughter’s nail appointments. The Indian man and his family who makes the most delicious chicken pulao. They each have names, families, stories and a hole that only Christ can fill.

Sisters, the Nations are at my front door and yours.

For far too long, my response has been to focus on the work being done inside the four walls of the building I call “church”, when really, I, with you, with my Nigerian sister, with my Indian brother, with my Malay friend, are the Church.

So I urge you, please, beg the Lord to expand your view of His beautiful Church, then step up and in and love the Nations as you courageously hold out the unshakeable Hope of Jesus Christ to all people.

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people.” (Titus 2:11)

For three weeks, we have read the stories of women just like you who are passionate about sharing Jesus in their cultures. I plead with you now to not let these stories simply pass you by. Instead, let’s ask the Lord God to stir our hearts to pray for the Nations.

Pray for Sarah and the local churches in Nigeria.
Turn the tide of darkness back on itself, Lord God. Bring revival among the wives, daughters, and young women of Jos. Silence those who place their hope in witchcraft, using Enemy tools as an excuse to remain in darkness. (Pray 1 Peter 2:9-10 for Nigeria)

Pray for Marietta and the Black community.
Give our Black brothers and sisters endurance and boldness to keep fighting for righteousness. Lord Jesus, stir us all to deep, radical, transformative love. Remind us that none who follow You can innocently stand by as injustice continues unmitigated. (Pray Isaiah 30:18 for the oppressed)

Pray for the persecuted believers in Malaysia.
Lord Jesus, embolden the believers in Malaysia to hold fast to truth and invest deeply in relationship with their Muslim friends and neighbors. Encourage them and feed them from Your truth. Remind them they are not alone and the cost of following You is worth it! (Pray Deuteronomy 10:18-21 for Malaysia)

Pray for Lesley and the people of Scotland.
Lord God, bring boldness where fear threatens. Shine the light of Truth on these believers as they face the reality of living within a nearly “unreached people group” for the gospel. Raise up ordinary men, women, and children to speak truth in love. (Pray 2 Thessalonians 1:3-8 for Scotland)

Pray for Christine and the churches in Australia.
Being submerged in a culture that runs so counter to You, we pray Your Spirit would make every believer’s life to blaze with the brilliance of Your glory.  We ask for the believers to be bound together as they urge one another to seek out the sick and lost with love and Hope. (Pray Matthew 25:35 for Australia)

Pray for Anna and the believers in Switzerland and Sweden.
Lord Jesus, You love all people of all nations and races. Press this truth upon those who love and follow You in Sweden and Switzerland. May they view their unique place in the world as a means of sharing how You bring all of us together in Yourself. Anchor them in truth. (Pray Isaiah 42:5-7 for Switzerland and Sweden)

Pray for Laurie and the orphaned in Zambia.
Jesus, give Your wisdom to those who love You and who love the people of Zambia. Give them clarity in knowing how to communicate the full satisfaction that comes from trusting You alone. Stir hearts to embrace You as the One True God above all others. (Pray Isaiah 45:5-7 for Zambia)

Pray for Janna and church planters across North America.
Father, the work of planting your gospel seed and shepherding Your flock is long and difficult. Encourage those You have called to lead Your church in North America. Embolden them to study Your Word and train others to tenaciously hold to truth as they seek Your face. (Pray Titus 2:11-15 for North America)

Lord, may each one of us seek to know You more deeply and love Your Church more tenderly as we bring Your hope to the nations!

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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 Nations 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 Nations!

The GT Weekend! ~ Nations 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) “Today, most people of Scotland have no idea what the Bible says nor any interest in finding out.” Lesley’s quote from Monday speaks volumes of the spiritual state of her home country. If you were to make a similar summary statement for your country, your city, neighborhood, or even extended family, what would it state? What biases or bents can you identify from your statement? In what ways do you feel your personal journey with God has been influenced by the prevailing spiritual attitude in the culture around you? If you had the ability to radically shift your culture over the next decade, what areas would you intentionally influence and why? How does your prayer life and everyday choices reflect this desire for deep cultural impact? As you consider the nations of the world, the offer of Hope only found in Jesus, and the intentional calling of your life as a committed Christ-follower, what role do you think the Lord may be inviting you to stretch into?

2) “Don’t be so judgy.” It’s one of my teenager’s favorite lines when she senses my eyebrows will soon rise at her life, or clothing, choices. No one like to be on the receiving end of “judgy”, but oh we are so quick to justify why we have the right to be, don’t we? Or is that just me? I’m already thinking of all the reasons why I have the right to raise my eyebrows at my daughter. What are some scenarios where you feel rightly justified to also “be judgy”? If we sit still long enough, and pray honestly, the Lord will surely bring us some scenes just from the last week where we feel justified in our position. It doesn’t take much for us to stand on a higher pedestal than someone else, does it? As Christine shared of her country’s radical shift over her lifetime from ethical moralism to lack of tolerance for Christian morality, it made me consider how necessary relationship is as the foundation for genuine life transformation. Christine’s authenticity really struck me, and maybe it will you also. “I’ve spent most of my life with the healthy, people who already have a relationship with God, but now, God has called me to go to the sick.” The sick, being all those we easily default to “judgy” towards. I need to confess my sin of judgement to the Lord, you too? Let’s be willing to “go to the sick”. How about we both start praying for opportunities to do this right now?!

3) Anna’s experiences in moving countries called into question her identity as a Christ-follower. What is it that truly makes someone a Christian? Several nations have identified as “Christian nations” in various forms over the ages, while many have not. How have your experiences growing up in your family of origin as well as your homeland, shaped your expectation of what it means to truly identify as Christian? Maybe for you it meant going to church or mass on Sundays, or reading religious texts, saying prayers, or perhaps attending a worship gathering on special holidays. For Anna, her move really made her heart assess why she believed what she did, and if it was strong enough to support her life. Thinking through our beliefs is a difficult, sometimes frightening task, but it’s exceedingly important. What questions are you afraid to ask about your faith? Have you ever brought them up to anyone? What would it take for you to walk away, or run towards, the Christian faith? What about faith is attractive to you and what turns you off? These are all important questions we should ask! Be encouraged that God is not hiding behind a curtain hoping you don’t dare ask big questions. He encourages seekers to keep on seeking! No matter how long we have followed Jesus, there are more questions to ask, more things to ponder, and more seeking to be done. What a marvelous mystery that the One True God can both be welcomed by us, while also so vast and mysterious that we could seek Him for eternity and still never fully understand Him!

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 John 17:20-21 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in Me through their word. May they all be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us, so that the world may believe You sent Me.

Prayer Journal
Lord, I hear You. For my heart to prepare to actively engage in the work You are already doing in the nations, I have sins holding me back. Jesus, I want free from these sins so I can love Your people better! Only in You can I find freedom from these sins I have clung to again and again! I’m bringing You my ugly pride in thinking I have no room to grow and nothing to change in order to build Your kingdom here. I’m bringing the lie that my way is best, and that other parts of the world, true members of Your Body, aren’t as important as my corner of the globe. Forgive me for ignoring those different than me, for elevating myself and my vantage points over others. Forgive me for claiming to love Your Word, but shunning, shaming, and refusing to engage others crafted in Your image just as I am. Lord, here in this place of forgiveness, let me see Your face and the faces of the nations. Teach me to love like You, Jesus. Teach me to pray fervently alongside them. Break down my walls, that together, we may bring Your kingdom here.

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Worship VIII Day 15 There Was Jesus

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Deuteronomy 31:1-8
John 16:31-33
James 1:2-3

Worship VIII, Day 15

Have you experienced times when you couldn’t see Jesus?
When the fog of confusion or pain cloaked you in isolation and fear?

I have. Recently, I was in such despair, I was blinded to Jesus standing right next to me, holding my hand and walking with me.

To be completely transparent, I am in a season of fighting for my marriage. At one point, I wanted to give up and call it quits. In my pain, I flung my questions to Heaven.
“God, why is this happening to me?”
“God, where are you?”
“God, I feel so alone.”

It is one of the hardest seasons I have ever experienced.
My heart was broken, crying out for God’s presence and His promises to reassure me.

Because God is so good, He gave me exactly what I needed.

One day, during a devotional time at work, my boss shared the song There Was Jesus, explaining how its message of truth had supported her like a rock through difficult times.

“In the waiting, in the searching
In the healing and the hurting
Like a blessing buried in the broken pieces
Every minute, every moment
Where I’ve been and where I’m going
Even when I didn’t know it or couldn’t see it
There was Jesus”

I sang to Jesus and cried my eyes out, letting the very present truth of my God-with-me soothe the raw, jagged edges of my heart.

But I did something else, too.

I prayed for God to take the blinders off of my eyes, so I could see Him clearly through this season. Searching for something to cling to, I asked Him to reveal His promises to me.
Because He is kind, He did exactly this.

“I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” (John 16:33)

He reminds us life will be difficult and painful.
Yet, in the midst of our confusion and struggle, He promises we have access to His eternal, transcendent peace through Jesus because He has overcome the world.

“The Lord is the one who will go before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or abandon you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8)

He promises to go before us, never abandoning us regardless of our attitude, our circumstance, or our level of emotional control.
Never. He will never leave us.
In our darkest moments, when we feel most alone, we have only to reach out our hands to discover He is right there beside us.

“Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” (James 1:2-3, emphasis mine)
We can have joy through our trials, because our God is both good and kind.
When we cling ever tighter to God in the midst of our hardship, we grow closer to Him and our character becomes more like His. Our pain will not be in vain.

“On the mountain, in the valleys (There was Jesus)
In the shadows of the alleys (There was Jesus)
In the fire, in the flood (There was Jesus)
Always is and always was
No, I never walk alone (Never walk alone)
You are always there”

Circumstance in our lives change; God does not.

Whether we fling our arms wide atop a mountain, reveling in the blaze of unbroken sunlight, drinking in crystal clear air, unwaveringly certain of our place in the landscape stretched out before us . . .

Or we huddle in the shadowed and rocky valley, hungry and bleeding, too exhausted to take one more trudging step, fighting desperately against the enemy whisper that we are lost forever in this mire of suffering . . .

His promises remain true (scroll back up and read them again!).
His Spirit remains with us, for always. (Matthew 28:20)
His goodness remains unchallenged. (Psalm 31:19)
His kindness remains for all who turn to Him. (Titus 3:4-7)

Therefore, in any circumstance, we can fix our gaze upon Him,
and find a God worthy of our authentic worship.

In joy or in pain, our spirits can declare,
“Blessed be the Lord, for He has heard the sound of my pleading.
The Lord is my strength and shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.
Therefore my heart celebrates, and I give thanks to Him with my song.” (Psalm 28:6-7)

Sisters, how well I know the challenge of seeing God’s hand in the midst of trials. I pray in those trials, we draw faith from His past provision, proclaiming in chorus with today’s song, “There was Jesus.” I pray our faith gives us eyes to see through the chaos swirling around us to the One who is greater than all else, enabling us to say, “And here is Jesus.”

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

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

Questions 2 Day 13 More Than A Bargain

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 55:1-13
Hebrews 11:1-40
John 15:1-17
Philippians 4:4-9

Questions 2, Day 13

I prayed for a husband for years.

I waited.

And waited.

I waited as my friends fell in love. I celebrated at their wedding receptions, rejoiced over baby announcements, and clicked ‘like’ as baby bump pictures chronicled pregnancies. The pictures then shifted to first steps, first days of school, and so many other milestones . . . while I continued to wait.

In the midst of the moments of rejoicing, heartache existed, too. Even as I prayed for my husband, I watched other marriages fall apart. Parents or children were lost through the finality of death. Other relationships persevered through challenging circumstances, and growth took place as time marched on.

As I waited, I continued to ask for my husband in the Lord’s timing. Sometimes, I succeeded in asking with a healthy mindset, motivation, and heart posture, while other times, I failed miserably. Regardless, the Lord remained faithful, and I learned how true surrender to the Lord’s plan improved both my prayer life and my everyday life.

The Lord invites questions, but I have discovered a fine line between asking and attempting to strike a deal. Here are a few key lessons I am grateful the Lord has taught me through the years.

1. It’s about the Giver rather than the gift.
During the season of waiting, the more I focused on my desire for my husband and bargained with the Lord, the more I lacked peace.

With the valuable gift of hindsight, I can see how the Lord acted, for my benefit, to lovingly deny my pleading requests. What I wanted most was a husband; what God wanted most was my heart’s full attention and surrender. When I sought Him, the Giver (rather than pleading for my gift), He graciously supplied peace with His quiet “not yet.”

My sadness and tears were consistently met with the Lord’s tenderness. (Psalm 56:8) He taught me to trust His heart over mine as He held me close. There in the ache of waiting, I fell more in love with the Lord as He shaped my heart and lifted my gaze to my true Gift, the Giver Himself!

Whatever you’re tempted to bargain for, God’s desire is for you to know HE is your full satisfaction and delight!
“I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.” (Ephesians 1:17)

2. Ask with wisdom.
Assessing our heart posture and motives are critical when we bring our requests to our Father, who loves to give generously. Though an often-painful process, it teaches us to seek wisdom as we pray. When asking for my future spouse, my self-assessments revealed I pleaded most intensely when loneliness seemed strongest.

I would love to say I consistently asked with a surrendered heart, but that would be untrue. Instead, I sometimes let my emotions rule my prayers, thinking I could evoke the response I wanted from the Lord. But prayer is not a business transaction, and these prayers lacked a willingness to submit to God’s wisdom.

When emotion and fear take the lead, they send us blindly stumbling off the path of God’s Wisdom.
Therefore, let us begin our prayers by first seeking wisdom.
“Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5)

3. Receive with grace.
The Lord is faithful. I do not always understand His ways, but I do know He has a plan and purpose far better than mine. His answer may be no, it may be wait, and sometimes it is even yes. Whatever the response, receiving His answer with grace has consistently proven to be in my best interest.   

Waiting is not easy. Surrendering to wisdom is not easy. Yet both are necessary to receive the sweetness of His fullness.

Whatever you’re praying for, set your heart on loving Him more than the answer you’re after. He is the better.
“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what is the wealth of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of His strength.” (Ephesians 1:18-19)

Nearly a year into my marriage, I can already see how the Lord’s choice for me is far better than any storyline I had written in my mind over the years of waiting.

Attempting to strike a deal with the Lord accomplishes little more than robbing our peace and diffusing our joy. We can’t use religious language or even Scripture to outfox Him, manipulate Him, entrap Him, or buy Him off.

When we’re nakedly honest, we realize our prayers of
“If You would just . . . then I PROMISE I will . . .”
are wild, heartbroken efforts to offer anything to appease a God we feel is stingy.  We simply have no power to hold the Lord hostage.

When we willfully grasp the truths that He needs nothing from us and loves to give us good gifts, our bargaining position evaporates.

Let’s fix our gaze upon His tender, Father’s heart for His beloved child. Let’s bring Him our desperation, our loneliness, and our fear. Let’s admit, “If You don’t . . . I am afraid . . .” and allow Him to fill the void of our inability with His faithfulness, provision, power, and love.

I encourage you (and myself!) to continue to be satisfied with the Giver over the gift, to embrace His wisdom, and to trust His grace at work in our lives while we wait for 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 Questions 2 Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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The GT Weekend! ~ Questions 2 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) The world offers us an empty promise that we can be free only when we are true to ourselves. We are lured in and seduced by the idea of living totally for ourselves doing what feels good and rejecting what is uncomfortable. The motto of a generation rings out: you do you! But the only reward for this kind of life is bondage. We sink under the weight of our own selfishness. We must instead surrender to the wisdom of our kind master, Jesus, who has given us a better way to live. Where are you still living in bondage to your old self? What sins do you need to lay aside so you might fully surrender your life to the freedom found in Jesus? Prayerfully read Colossians 3:1-10 again. Ask God to reveal to you where you are holding on to false promises of freedom, and ask Him for true freedom in Him. Stretch your soul by confessing your sin to a trusted sister and asking her to pray for you as you surrender to Christ. (James 5:16) As you share your burdens with others, they can speak the truth in love, strengthening you for the work ahead.

2) Hebrews 11:1 tells us “faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (NIV) But what happens when our confidence waivers? What happens when we are not so sure about the things we cannot see? Where do we go with our questions? When I have questions, I want to know the answers. Quickly. I often turn to Google to answer my questions. But questions about God can be trickier. We have a choice when we have questions about God. We can run and hide, and decide for ourselves God isn’t worth our time, or we can press in and ask Him to reveal His truth to our clouded hearts. God is big enough to handle our questions, but we must be willing to do the hard work of asking Him to help us. Where do you go with your questions? What have you doubted about God, and how have you tried to find the answers? Are your questions drawing you into conversation with Him, or pushing you further away? Have an honest conversation with the Lord today about your questions. Boldly voice them out loud and ask Him to grant you wisdom and discernment. You may not get your answers today or tomorrow, but you can start the process of pressing in and seeking out the heart of Jesus.

3) On Friday, Rebecca reminded us of the hard truth that no one can follow God’s law perfectly. There is no such thing as “close enough” when it comes to obeying God. The only way for a person to be saved is by trusting fully in the work of Jesus on the cross. We read, “either we are covered completely by His righteousness purchased for us… or we are on our own.” And sisters, this is good news! We never need to wonder if we are being “good enough” or working “hard enough.” If we believe in Jesus, we are accepted by God. Because of that acceptance, we are free to walk in obedience. And when we fall short, Jesus is delighted to welcome us back with open arms, comforting and forgiving us, never surprised by our weakness, but identifying with us and healing us. Do you believe this? Or are you still trying to earn your place in God’s kingdom? Spend some time today thinking about what it would look like to be fully surrendered to God, not trying to work your way into His good graces, but simply receiving the gift of righteousness that Jesus offers. How would you live differently if you truly believed God accepted you, not based on your work, but on the work of Christ? Ask God to help you live out of that truth.

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 Psalm 36:5-9 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Lord, your faithful love reaches to heaven,

your faithfulness to the clouds.

Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,

your judgments like the deepest sea.

Lord, you preserve people and animals.

How priceless your faithful love is, God!

People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

They are filled from the abundance of your house.

You let them drink from your refreshing stream.

For the wellspring of life is with you.

By means of your light we see light.

 

Prayer Journal
Oh heavenly Father, it is true: “The wellspring of life is with You [and] by means of Your light we see light.” (Psalm 36:9) You are the kind and gracious master, providing us with a life that is full and abundant and free. I know I often turn aside from Your good plan. I question Your goodness, and I seek my own way. Help me, oh Lord, to be humble and obedient to Your word. Help me to see where I have strayed from your design. Lord, my questions feel so big sometimes. Help me know You are bigger than my questions. Help me turn to You with my questions, and may they draw me in closer to You. I admit I often try to earn Your approval as I would with an earthly authority. Remind me of the grace You have freely lavished upon me, and help me to walk in obedience as a response to Your grace, and not as a means of proving myself. Thank You that I never need to wonder if I am acceptable to You. Thank You for the assurance you provide to Your children. May I never lose sight of Your abundant love for me.

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Questions 2 Can You Hear Me?

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 88
James 5:12-16
Ephesians 1:3-14
Romans 8:18-27

Questions 2, Day 5

I stuck my neck out and asked him on a date.

Because we are living in the 21st century, I sent a Facebook message, threw my phone across the room, and waited. I waited for what felt like years . . . but it was honestly less than 24 hours.

I remember thinking, “Did he get it? Has he read it? It says ‘read,’ but what if he accidentally opened it but didn’t see it and now he doesn’t know it’s there?! What if he never sees it?”

The waiting can be the hardest part of asking. 

While I eventually heard back from him, and we went on one pleasant date, never to see each other again, prayer has always been a varying iteration of this Facebook message scenario. We ask God to intervene in the big moments and the little decisions, to provide guidance and discernment, and for Him to heal our broken bodies, hearts, and spirits. We launch our prayers into the vast, unknown universe, believing God has the power to take care of it all, and hoping He hears us.

And then we wait.

In the waiting, we are left to wonder if our prayer got lost along the way. Perhaps God heard us, but He’s too busy working on all of the other prayers He’s received in His prayer inbox. We wonder if prayer even works as we stand exposed in the silence.

When I look back on my prayers, there are moments when God made everything so clear it would have slapped me across the face. But there are many other times when I am left wondering if my prayers even reach His heart. These prayers become deep longings in my soul as I come before God time and time again and tap my metaphorical prayer microphone, asking, “Excuse me, is this thing on?”

What are the longing prayers of your heart, prayers you’ve asked God to answer and then just . . . waited . . . in the dust of deafening silence?

While we hang around for answers, perhaps letting our emotions get the better of us as we spill out all that’s flooding our hearts into words lofted towards the Almighty, we may feel, like David, as if we’re in a pit of despair.  It’s in this murky space of volatile emotion paired with desperate need, we must remember to take a deep breath and ask ourselves,
“What is true?”

Where else can we go to find absolute truth but Scripture? God’s word tells us,

When we seek Him with all of our heart, we will find Him. (Jeremiah 29:12-13)

What when we ask, we shall receive; when we seek, we will find, and when we knock, the door will be opened to us. (Luke 11:9-10)

God hears the prayer of a righteous person. (Psalm 34:17)

As we settle into the unshakeable truths of Scripture, we remember God has already revealed Himself to us through the life of His son, Jesus, who came to earth to stand in the gap of the sin separating us from the Father. Jesus connects us back to God through His life, death, and resurrection, and now we have access to the Holy Spirit, who is God dwelling inside of us! Through the Holy Spirit, we have a God who more than just hears our prayers; He is intimately living within us, knowing and feeling every groaning cry that burdens our hearts.

It isn’t always easy to focus on truth in our prayers. Since the beginning of time, the allure of the world has been working to pull our hearts, minds, and attention away from God. Sin and suffering have afflicted us at every turn. But even (and especially) in the midst of your suffering and your pleading, let your prayers pour out to God. He cares and yes, He is listening.

Friend, may I pray for your heart today as you ask God if He can hear you?

Father God, I pray for my sister today as she comes before You, wondering if You can hear her prayer. Time and time again, she has come before You and laid her heart out before You. In the chaos of the world around her, she has been unable to hear Your response to her heart and she is left wondering if You are listening. 

Holy Spirit, open her heart and her mind to how You are working in, through, and around her, that your glory might be revealed. Give her comfort in knowing You are present with her and dwelling in her. Thank You for Your son, Jesus, who revealed Who You are to her and connected her heart to You and to us, as sisters in Christ. In Jesus’ Holy and Precious Name, Amen. 

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The GT Weekend! ~ Reveal Week 3

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Roving about in the dark, difficult seasons of our lives doesn’t rank high on anyone’s “list of favorite things to do”, but we all face tumultuous times when confusion, fear, and doubt swirl incessantly. As Sara beautifully reminded us on Monday, these times of darkness can indeed be used by the hand of a loving God, to help us see Him with fresh eyes of faith. There are treasures of hope glimmering in the darkness that we might otherwise miss. Be still, hold fast to truth while allowing the emotions to hit you, then prayerfully ask the Father of Love to teach you to “dance in the dark” as you seek His hope and certain triumph. Sometimes, calling out our current reality for what it is, helps us move miles forward. What your pockets of swirling confusion and doubt right now in this Christmas season? What specifics are speaking into this uncertainty? Name them. Write them. Hold them in your hands without backing away. Search Scripture to speak truth and hope over these dark spaces, asking the Lord to teach you to dance, even here. The book of Psalms is a great place to begin looking for timeless, steadfast hope! Share the psalms that have encouraged you in our Facebook group (Gracefully Truthful Community) or tell a close friend!

2) While Christmas is supposed to be light, airy, magical, and winsome, it’s during this season we often feel the pull of sadness and aching the most. No amount of gifts under the tree or sugar cookie frosting can compensate for the places we try so hard to silence. Especially now, as the Christmas tree glitters, the longing for real joy runs deepest. Perhaps it is significant that it’s now we hunger most for hope, real hope. Perhaps we feel its absence so deeply, because it’s now Jesus came to be born, live out love, and die sacrificially, effectively purchasing eternal hope. Christmas glitters last for December, the hope Jesus offers each of us lasts forever! Even if we have long followed Jesus, and we know for certain our hope is in Him alone, we are easily tempted during this season to forget. We are eager to exchange our eternal perspective for temporary happiness, placing unrealistic expectations on gifts, relationships, and magical Christmas experiences. Carve out space this weekend to sit with the Lord who was birthed centuries ago, in humblest of ways, for us. Ask Him to reveal the places in your heart you have readily exchanged true hope for temporary pleasure. Consider drawing a simple cross on your wrist as a visual reminder of real hope in this season!

3) One night this last week, my son spoke up while preparing for bed, “Just think about it mom… We, full of sin, are born in hospitals or warm houses. But God, fully HOLY…. He was born in a cave. He surely loves *all* people!”. In a few simple words, my 9-year-old summed up the hope of the gospel and the gift of One God who loves us completely, passionately, and unconditionally. We are indeed desperate for a Savior. Every Christmas seems to be adept at revealing just how deep this need runs! We are the ones who deserve the cave, yet we cling so intensely to our baubles of glowing faces on perfect Christmas cards, elaborate meals, and wonderfully happy children. It feels easier to cover up the magnitude of our need. We forget we are sinners. We forget we need a Savior. In the rush for more of this and less of that, we gloss over the simple, but remarkably profound reality, that a holy God chose us. What a true Christmas Gift to be loved by the Divine in spite of the glaring reality we are tragically imperfect. Where are you feeling lack this weekend? Perhaps it’s “too much” or a sense of “not enough”. Whatever it is, write it out on a sheet of blank 8 ½ x 11 printer paper. Then grab a pair of scissors and follow these directions to turn your “lack” into a beautiful snowflake! (https://www.firstpalette.com/craft/paper-snowflake.html) Place it in your Bible or hang it from your ceiling as a reminder that the Lord of all perfectly loves you.

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Jeremiah 23:24 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

“Can a person hide in secret places where I cannot see him?”—the Lord’s declaration. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?”—the Lord’s declaration.

Prayer Journal
“Silent Night, Holy Night” surely does not describe the majority of my nights, especially during December. But, Lord, as Your Spirit has prodded me, peeling back the layers I love to cover the corners of my heart with, I admit to filling the quiet with noise on purpose. Too much quiet leaves too much space to be reminded how unholy I am. Lord, let me not shy away from this place of honesty with myself and especially before You! There are no hidden places that You cannot see! You came to reveal every secret place that Your glory might be welcomed in and true life overflow. “”Can a person hide in secret places where I cannot see him?”—the Lord’s declaration. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?”—the Lord’s declaration.” (Jeremiah 23:24) Teach me to come humbly to You, as You came humbly to us, that You might be born afresh in my soul!

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

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Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

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Reveal Day 11 Dancing In The Dark

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ezekiel 37:15-28
2 Samuel 6:1-15
Ecclesiastes 3:1-22

Reveal, Day 11

I woke up today and struggled to put my feelings into words. For a person who loves words, failing to figure out which ones to use only added to the loneliness of the moment.

As I thought, a picture of the ocean tide going out came to mind.
That. I was feeling that.

How does the beach feel as the tide heads back to sea, taking with it anything not strong enough to anchor itself in the sand?
Does it recognize something is missing?
Does a sense of loss and an inability to hold onto the waves cause it to tremble?
Does an awareness of uncovering surprise it as the ocean breeze makes contact with the wet soil?

As the beach imagery provides words for my emotions, it also reminds me of the treasure trove revealed in the absence of those salty waters as the
waves run out and sea shells glisten on sandy shores. The ocean picture of runaway tides and hidden shells reminds me that while I may be feeling much like the beach at low tide, I have hope.

Good things, God-things, are found in the midst of these emotions.
Good things, God-things, are found in the faith that sustains us in the wake of raw, uncovered, and alone.

This hope is found in one Place, in one Person, the Presence of God.
Jeremiah 29:13-14 says, “‘You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart. I will be found by you’–this is the Lord’s declaration.” How many times I have held onto this promise, and seeking Him, knowing He would faithfully allow me to find Him.
I’m sitting here humbled by the Lord’s promise not only to be found by me when I search for Him with all my heart, but to dwell within me. Because Christ came to earth and died for my sins, I am able to interact with Him directly.

This was not the case for those believers living in the days prior to His arrival. In fact, leading up to Jesus’ birth, the Israelites had no prophetic voice communicating the heart of the Father for 400 years. They had promises of the Messiah to come, but no present-day prophet through whom the Lord would guide and lead His people.

The Holy Spirit did not indwell them individually; a priest served as the intermediary between a believer and the Lord through the sacrifices required by the Law. Until Christ became our perpetual sacrifice, the Israelites lacked consistent access to the Presence of the Lord in their lives.

But oh, how they reveled in the joy of His nearness when His Presence visited! David danced with abandon before the Ark of the Covenant as it was restored to Israel. When was the last time you danced with joy, and I mean more than quiet toe tap to a song with a good beat? This dancing sprang up within David as an outrageous act of worship, totally disregarding social norms. David sought only to please the Lord and rejoice in His Presence.

Elizabeth, John the Baptist’s mother, also experienced the impact of the Lord’s nearness. The baby in her womb leapt as the baby Mary carried, Jesus, drew close. I’ve never been pregnant, so I can only imagine the surprise and delight at feeling a child within dance. This must have been far more noticeable than the butterflies and kicks a soon-to-be mother feels.

As the first Christmas arrived, the shepherds were unaware of the nearness of the Lord’s Presence, but what must their responses have been when an angel appeared and brought the glory of the Lord with him? Years of silence ended as the host of heaven sang praises to the Lord.

The first Christmas ushered in the grace of access to experience the Almighty’s presence directly within our souls if we surrender our hearts to Him. When we seek Him with all we are, we will find Him. He will make His home with us. (Ephesians 3:17)

In those moments when an aching void turns your world dark, come to Him with your raw and uncovered and alone. Come with your bereft heart echoing mourning Israel’s exile cry,
“Oh, come, oh come, Emmanuel! “
Come with your longing for God with us, our God whose nearness is our good.
And in your dark waiting, hope in the assurance your Emmanuel is near!
Dance with David, John the Baptist, and a few surprised shepherds, and delight in the Presence of the Lord who came near!

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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 Reveal 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 Reveal!