Ugly

Dwell Day 15 Practicing This Gospel

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 103:8-10 
James 1:22-25
Philippians 2:1-11
Galatians 5:7-15 

Dwell, Day 15

Do not merely listen to the Word, Sisters, and so deceive yourselves.
Do what it says.
Anyone who listens to the Word and does not apply it
is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror,
and after looking at himself,
goes away and forgets what he looks like.
But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom,
and continues to do this,
not forgetting what he has heard,
but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does!
(James 1:22-25) 

Beep, Beep, Beep! I swat off my alarm, stumble toward the bathroom and pause with my hand on the light switch, bracing for the onslaught of light.
With one eye open, I squint up at the mirror.
Ugh, there I am in all my morning glory; a sorry sight for even just one half-open eye!

Puffy eyes, pasty complexion– and that hair!
Wow, just wow!

This mirror is not my friend!
But wait, maybe it is.

Mirrors don’t lie.
What sort of friend would look at this mess, tell me I look gorgeous, and allow me to go to work this way?  I hate how it points out my mess, yet without the mirror’s truth-telling, how would I know I look like a fright?

The mirror simply shows me the truth.
It’s up to me to take corrective measures and fix the obvious problems.  

Just as my bathroom mirror points out my glaring physical imperfections,
God’s Word is a mirror for our souls. In His word, we encounter truth.

Like the mirror reflects our physical image, 
so the scripture reveals the contents of our hearts.
As we encounter truth, we see our error.
We are then confronted with the choice of taking corrective action through the help of the Holy Spirit, or ignoring the issue, hoping it will solve itself.  

Just like the mirror directly points out my obvious need for make-up and hair brushing, so Scripture points out where my attitudes and actions need adjustments.  

Scripture says, 
“Do nothing out of selfishness or vain conceit, 
but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 
Each of you should look not only on your own interests, 
but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4)

Staring up at me from the mirror of truth is my selfishness.
A wild-eyed girl, hands on hips and stamping her feet, brazenly demanding her own way.  And I am ashamed that a daughter of the King should behave as I have done.

My spirit is broken, like the Father’s, over my sin.
I long for restoration, and I run to His open arms, knowing He is for me, ready to bring redemptive healing and a heart like His. 

Scripture says, 
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, 
but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, 
that it may benefit those who listen.” (Ephesians 4:29)

However, sneering up at me from the mirror of truth are my harsh words and sarcasm.
A snaggle-toothed hag leering garishly, the sword of my words brandishing high.
And I am aghast at the ugliness of my soul.  

Scripture declares,
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. 
Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves 
be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
Galatians 5:1

However, bondage to my flesh stares back.
A pitiful slave-girl gazing up with pleading eyes, begging for release, while clenching her own chains possessively.
My heart reaches for her in empathy, yet I’m powerless to lift her shackles.  

Yet scripture whispers:
“The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, 
abounding in love. 
He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor His anger forever; 
he does not treat us as our sins deserve 
or repay us according to our iniquities.”
Psalm 103:8-10 

In this glorious mirror of Truth, we find Grace, with the name of Father, Son, and Spirit. Here we find our strong and compassionate Father,
extending the nail-scarred hand of the Son,
ready and able to lift us to freedom through the untamable power of the Spirit.
Rooted in truth, buoyed by grace, we are enfolded in His robes of righteousness.

In that moment, the selfish little girl
is transformed into a humble, compassionate princess.

The snaggle-toothed hag
morphs into a magnificent beauty with kindness on her lips.

The wretched slave-girl
rises to take her place among the redeemed royalty, shackles unleashed.

….and such is the beauty and kindness of truth and grace.  

“…you shall know the truth,” the Savior says, 
“and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

So, I bless the harsh realities the mirror of Scripture reveals,
for facing the truth is my only path to freedom through grace.
“…and whoever the Son sets free, is free indeed.” (John 8:36)

Dwell with Him, Sisters.
Dwell deeply and intimately with the King through His eternal Word,
then live free by His Word!

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Prayer Day 9 Forgive Us: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
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The Questions

1) To whom was this passage written? 

2) How were the recipients of this letter encouraged to forgive one another? 

3) What is the goal of the author? 

Ephesians 4:31-5:2

31 Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. 32 And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ. Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, 2 and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. 

Original Intent

1) To whom was this passage written?
Paul the apostle wrote the book of Ephesians to encourage the church at Ephesus. This passage is part of a section of his letter which details what it means to be part of the body of Christ. Ephesus was a highly immoral city in Greece, with thievery and prostitution rampant. The Christians in this church may well have been saved from this activity, or from the very heart-issues listed in verse 31. Paul urged the believers to learn from Jesus (Matthew 11:29) and practice kindness, forgive one another, and live out love. 

2) How were the recipients of this letter encouraged to forgive one another?
The Ephesians were instructed in verse 32 to forgive “just as God also forgave you in Christ” (see also Colossians 3:13). What does this mean? God forgives completely and doesn’t regurgitate your offenses to you, bringing them back up again (Psalm 103:12). God forgives as often as is genuinely asked of Him (Psalm 130:3-5) with a truly repentant heart. And He forgives without attempting to exact any sort of retribution from us. (There is no way we could pay the price, that’s why Christ died on our behalf.) 

3) What is the goal of the author?
Paul’s goal was to remind the believers at Ephesus that they should strive for unity with one another. One way to maintain unity is to forgive others for their offenses. The only way the Ephesians would be able to do that would be to turn away from pagan practices – to leave behind the old life and live in the new life given to them through Christ. They would have to choose to live by the Holy Spirit’s leading. Colossians 3:14 states, “Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” The love of Christ is that perfect bond.  

Everyday Application

1) To whom was this passage written?
While this letter was written to a specific body of believers, it is applicable to all believers of all generations in all nations. We should all, as a corporate Church, behave toward one another as God-like, since the goal of Christianity is to become more like Christ (John 13:13-17; John 13:34). That can be difficult sometimes, when personalities clash or when tempers flare. We’re human, and our selfishness rears its ugly head – if you’re like me, a lot more than you would hope it to. Paul reminded the Roman believers to think sensibly (Romans 12:3)…good, sound advice in the first century and still today. 

2) How were the recipients of this letter encouraged to forgive one another?
It has been said that to forgive is to set yourself free from bondage, not the offender. This is so true! Many times, the offender either doesn’t realize they have offended, or they don’t care. By forgiving, we give the matter over to God and give up the need for revenge. This allows us to remain free of anger which, when allowed to fester, causes bitterness. With any of this in our lives it would be impossible to grow in Christlikeness.
Sometimes forgiveness is immediate, and sometimes it is a process. If the hurt is deep and far-reaching, it will take time to process. This is hard to do if the offender is a relative or close friend. We expect that those who love us will never hurt us. But the truth is that every person is a sinner and has the capacity to strike at our very hearts. 
For those of us who know and love Jesus, we understand that His is the only love which heals instead of hurts. When we are hurt by others, we have to tap into that love, the same love that forgave our sins against Him, and forgive the sin against ourselves. This forgiveness may not restore the relationship – and if the offender is unrepentant, it would be unwise to expect it. But it will bring peace to our own hearts. Then we must pray for the other person to experience the love and forgiveness of Jesus in their own life.3) What is the goal of the author?
We who have trusted Christ for salvation have been rescued from the sin that is overtaking the world. Once we were sharing in the revelry with no regard to spiritual things, and now we know that there is a war going on for our souls. Because we know Jesus, we are protected and sure of our eternal destiny. 
But we are creatures of habit, sinful at our core, and if we are not consistently in tune with Jesus and His ways, we can easily revert to our old selves…the way we behaved and thought about things prior to our faith in Jesus that led to salvation. We need to keep our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2). We need to remember the goal of Christ-likeness and glory to God and strive to live daily for Him (Colossians 3:12-17). 

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

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Sketched III Day 1 Leah The Unlovely

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 69:1-3
Psalm 103:8-14
Philippians 4:6-9     

Sketched III, Day 1

Rachel was beautiful, with dancing dark eyes, a beguiling smile and willowy figure. She would bring a handsome bride-price. I lived in her shadow—forgettable, homely.
Papa joked that he’d have to pay someone to take me!

One afternoon, Rachel burst in breathlessly chattering to Papa about a traveler from Gilead. He was waiting at the well. A distant relative; his name was Jacob. Jacob’s fascination with Rachel was obvious from the beginning. His eyes softly glowed when he looked at her; a boyish smile played at his mouth. She was aflutter, blushing under his admiring gaze. Jacob asked to marry her and Papa gave his consent.

It was common knowledge that older daughters married first, but it wasn’t mentioned. Rules are often altered for favored beauties. Besides, who would want me? Jacob’s intoxication with Rachel fanned a hopeful spark within me. Perhaps someone would gaze upon me with softly glowing eyes and disarming smile. My contributions would be valued; I would be valued. Seven years passed as Jacob worked hard for Rachel; yet, no one came for me.

The party started early the day of the wedding. Abundant food, liquor, and dancing girls fueled the loud laughter that grew increasingly raucous and vulgar. In late afternoon, Papa came to see me. He was drunk, standing uncomfortably close as he unfolded his plan. I would don the bridal costume; the veils would hide my ugly face. Jacob would marry me tonight; he could marry Rachel later. Customs would be honored, he would be rid of his ugly daughter and Jacob would be none the wiser until it was too late. Papa laughed loudly at his own cleverness, his breath heavy with liquor. He turned to leave, landing a sound smack on my backside, laughing as I bristled. Hot tears sprang to my eyes; there was no time to cry. Servant girls appeared with armloads of bridal garb. The air was heavy with silence; they helped me bathe and brushed my hair.  Dousing me in perfume, they bundled me into the bridal costume and carefully pinned the thick veils in place.  I sat waiting.

Treachery, trickery; it has always been Papa’s way, but this was low.
Humiliated, trapped—I was a pawn in Papa’s game.

As I sat waiting in bridal attire, between the perfume and the heavy garb, I grew nauseous and sweaty. Papa’s degrading words rang in my head; I stifled the sobs that threatened and waited.
An hour later Papa came for me and the ceremony was performed.
At its end, I was Jacob’s wife and he would be rightly furious.
However, he didn’t know I wasn’t Rachel.
So, for tonight, I was his beloved, beautiful bride.
If only for tonight, I would feel what it was like to be loved.

In the gray light of pre-dawn, I awoke. Jacob’s arm slid over me, pulling me to him. Sinking into his embrace, I drank deeply of the remaining moments of this delicious delusion that I was loved. He stirred, nuzzling the soft curve of my neck. Brushing my hair from my face, he gasped and bolted upright! Clutching the bedclothes, questions sputtered.
Where was Rachel? Did we?
My tears and apologies flowed. Cursing Papa, he dressed and was gone.
Thoroughly humiliated, I buried myself in the bedclothes and wept. Would I always be unloved?

An ugly showdown transpired between Jacob and Papa that day; Jacob married Rachel within a week.
I was nonexistent, insignificant, and unwanted.

Soon I had a wonderful secret. Rachel held his heart, but I carried his baby. The look on Rachel’s face was priceless! Thus, began the rivalry that marked our lives as sisters, vying for Jacob’s attention.

I delivered a strapping boy; I was immediately in love. I couldn’t stop kissing his head and his scrunched little face. To my surprise, Jacob came. Wonder sprang to his eyes as I handed him our son. Holding our baby awkwardly, a boyish smile played at his lips. Raising his eyes to mine, he smiled at me. It is a moment etched forever in my memory. Hope flickered. Could I dare hope for Jacob’s affection?
I named our son Rueben: “God has seen my affliction!” Surely, things would be different now; as mother of his firstborn, I would be honored.

The years that followed found me pregnant or nursing most of the time. With each pregnancy, Rachel grew increasingly pouty. I loved it! I adored my boys with their grubby faces and boisterous laughter. They were my only joy. Though I’d borne three sons, I remained invisible and forever pitted against Rachel in a game rigged against me.

Jacob’s God was Yahweh, He seemed to honor castoffs, so I turned my hope toward Him.
He had already favored me with three sons.
Though Jacob ignored me, Yahweh held me with tender affection, He became my solace.
Jacob’s love for Rachel became nearly irrelevant.
I was at peace, and when pregnant again, I named our son Judah meaning, “This time I will praise the Lord!”.

The jealousy that formerly ruled me, rose to master me again.
Not be outdone by Rachel, I thrust Zilpah into Jacob’s arms.
The weighty pressure of performance-driven attempts to receive love clouded the peace I’d only begun to learn from Yahweh.
Would I always be unloved?
—
Leah was mistreated, humiliated, disregarded and ignored.
Life is often brutal: we too know the sting of others’ contempt or cutting words. Scripture teaches that all life is valuable, overflowing with God’s tender compassion for the weak, oppressed and castoffs.
Note of God’s heart toward the unseen and unloved in these passages:
Psalm 9:9-10   Matthew 10:29-31   Isaiah 43:1-4   Matthew 25: 34-40   Psalm 103:8-14

Encountering hurt is inevitable, how we respond makes all the difference! Note what the writer does with his emotions in these verses as he models how we can handle our own feelings:
Lamentations 3:22-26   Philippians 4:6-9    Psalm 18:6-26   1 Peter 5:6-7   Psalm 69:1-3

For all of Leah’s story, see Genesis 27-30

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

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

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Sketched III!

Justice Day 6 Modern Slavery

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 2:15-24
Psalm 139:13-16
Romans 13:8-14 

As we wade through the series of injustices which currently plague our culture, time and again we return to the conclusion that each social injustice boils down to a heart issue.
A sin issue.
Our modern form of slavery is no different. You may have recoiled at the word “our.” I did, too. But there is a purpose for my word choice.

Loves, until we are able and willing to call them our own, pick up the weight of these collective injustices and shoulder the responsibility required to abolish them, we will remain ineffective and, forgive me, ignorant to what we have been called to do.

Human trafficking is an atrocity for a host of reasons, but at the rotten core, this injustice reeks of lust and selfishness. This heart sin stems from uncontrolled physical desire and the utter disregard for human life in the pursuit of self-gratification. Millions of men, women and children are currently being traded and sold as if they are nothing more than a commodity. Worldwide, it is estimated that almost 21 million men, women and children are victims of human trafficking. (International Labor Organization) Approximately one quarter of those individuals are trafficked for sexual exploitation.
As we go about our daily lives, the temptation to remain ignorant is strong. I don’t mean that in an insulting way, but when our daily routine takes over, it’s easy to fall into the trap of complacency and think that we are either removed from the problem or that we have no sway over such a major issue. Loves, this is happening. It is real. And we have to face the hard truth that there are attitudes and perceptions we allow (and even cultivate) in our culture which blur the lines between good and evil. As we examine tangible ways we can step up and make a difference, we must also examine the ways we are contributing to, or failing to hold accountable, a culture that regards human life with such disdain.

So…where do we start?

We begin by identifying those attitudes and perceptions accepted by culture and perhaps even within our own hearts and minds and call them out for what they are: lies.

Lie number one: Lust is normal, expected and should be celebrated. (See: Magic Mike, 50 Shades of Gray, pretty much any sit-com, reality show and way too many children’s shows and movies.) I could never say it in a way that will not offend someone, but loves, this is truth. We are held to a higher standard, but we are stooping too low. What are we feeding our minds and hearts when we are watching our beloved shows? Imagine inviting Jesus into our living rooms, would we be able to list the shows, books, fill-in-your-blank running through each of our minds right now, without averting our eyes or mumbling under our breath?
None of us are innocent in this.
Although painful to admit, our blind acceptance of this lie has a direct correlation to the widespread acceptance of porn – and by default, the prevalence of human trafficking.
Much of human trafficking is directly tied to the “entertainment industry” which produces the porn demanded by our lust.

Lie number two: Sex is about our own gratification.
Loves, sex has never been about us.
Sex is a gift from God, designed to glorify Him in the way a husband and wife love and cherish one another, thereby modeling Christ’s selfless – to the point of dying on a cross – love for His bride, the Church. Yes, it can be amazing and beautiful and it binds us to our lover in ways nothing else in this life can, but it was never designed to be what we have made it.
Our selfish view taints the beauty of what our Father intended for us.

Lust and selfishness are at the core of human trafficking.

When God says, I formed you in my image; you have value,
Lust says,Your only value is found in what pleasure you give to me.

When God says, I created you to care for and hold fast to your spouse.
Selfishness says,You are disposable. I care only about how you satisfy me.

When God says, I paid dearly for your life, now and forever, and you are worth every drop of My precious Son’s blood.
Lust says, Your body is all I see and care about.

When God says, I will pursue you and win you.
Selfishness says, I will pursue you and capture you.

Loves, we can’t ignore these truths. We are here to fight against injustice and protect those in need. As hard as it is to hear, we must be willing to listen and recognize how we can make a difference.

Father, forgive us for our pride in thinking that we are so far removed from the problem. Remove the blinders we have so painstakingly put on and renew our hearts and minds. Show us how to model purity and hold ourselves – and one another – accountable to Your Truth. Holy Spirit, convict us when we slip into perceptions and attitudes that are not in line with Your purposes. We love you.

Looking for ways to take a stand against human trafficking? Check out these organizations.

Exodus Cry combats sex trafficking by intervening where it exists, bringing restoration to those rescued and exposing sex trafficking in an effort to end this injustice, locally and globally.

International Justice Mission is a global organization that protects the poor from violence in the developing world.

Veronica’s Voice is a Kansas City based organization with the mission of empowering women to exit from, prevent the entry into, and end all demand for, prostitution-sex trafficking in the United States through survivor leadership.

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

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Inheritance Day 2
I Hear Those Chains Falling: Digging Deeper

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

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

The Passage

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I Hear Those Chains Falling!

Romans 5:1-11 English Standard Version (ESV)

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

The Questions

1) What does the concept of “obtaining access” refer to? (verse 2)

2) What is meant by “while we were still sinners Christ died for us”? (verse 8)

3) What does it mean to be an “enemy of God”?

4) What implications come with being “reconciled to God”? (verses 10-11)

The Findings for Intention

1) What does the concept of “obtaining access” refer to? (verse 2)
Because of our sin, we are hopelessly separated from God, but because God wanted a relationship with us, He created a way for us to literally “enter into” His presence through His own righteousness. When Jesus died, He was blameless, but He took all the punishment for our sins just as if He had committed them. He took our sin, and in exchange, gave us His righteousness, thus granting us direct access to God. This is boundless grace!

2) What is meant by “while we were still sinners Christ died for us”? (verse 8)
These 9 words are incredibly precious! Christ chose to give Himself up as our ransom before we even batted an eye towards Him. Our hearts had no inclination to love Him because, if left alone, we would be quite satisfied to die in our sin, only to discover that we had missed out on true life. But God showed His love by giving Himself up without the guarantee of us saying yes to Him. We were still sinners, but Christ died for us.

3) What does it mean to be an “enemy of God”?
To be an enemy of God is to be a sinner that loves sin and self more than God. Strong words! Every person who has ever lived or ever will live is an enemy of God because of sin. Sin breaks the relationship we could have with God, leaving us alone, bound in chains of slavery to the ultimate enemy, Satan. What hope do we have of not being an enemy of God? Jesus Christ! He paid the punishment for our sins and declared us righteous in the sight of God instead of sinful! Paul’s point with his if/then statement is that because we can be reconciled back to a full relationship with God through Jesus’ death to be saved, then Christ’s life will continue the good work He began in us. In other words, Jesus’ righteousness saves us from sin, making us God’s friends instead of His enemies, and His life, His Spirit, continues “sanctifying” us in our everyday lives, making us more like Jesus.

4) What implications come with being “reconciled to God”? (verses 10-11)
What hope do we have of not being an enemy of God? Jesus Christ! He paid the punishment for our sins and declared us righteous in the sight of God instead of sinful! This is “reconciled to God”. Paul’s point with his if/then statement (verse 10) is that because we can be reconciled back to a full relationship with God through Jesus’ death to be saved, then Christ’s life will continue the good work He began in us. In other words, Jesus’ righteousness saves us from sin, making us God’s friends instead of His enemies, and His life, His Spirit, continues “sanctifying” us in our everyday lives, making us more like Jesus.

The Everyday Application

1) What does the concept of “obtaining access” refer to? (verse 2)
Paul says that we “stand” in this grace. No longer weighed down by incompetency created by sin. Grace isn’t a puddle we stand in, or even like standing in a downpour with rain everywhere, this standing in grace is like being firmly rooted as a tree, but planted in the ocean. We are firmly grounded in it, and completely surrounded by it. As Christ-followers, we cannot escape “this grace in which we now stand.” When disappointment wraps around you, when the chaos of life threatens to undo you, when relationships pull sharply on your heart, remember you stand in grace. You are free from making everything right on your own; your dependence is rooted in the all-covering grace of Jesus Christ!

2) What is meant by “while we were still sinners Christ died for us”? (verse 8)
Do you ever feel like you need to be better for God? More loving or patient perhaps before you can really please Him? Maybe you feel like you follow Him pretty closely and then get distracted and focus on other things? For me, I will have several days in a row of quiet time with Jesus, but then miss my time. God wants us to live out our everyday lives knowing that we are free from condemnation and the expectation of perfection. Christ died knowing we would never be perfect, or even “good” on our own. He knows our failings and He died to cover them, not just once, but every time.

3) What does it mean to be an “enemy of God”?
While every human being is indeed an enemy of God, the path has been made to be His friends instead; to be in deep relationship with Him. When someone chooses Jesus to be their righteousness, they cross the line of faith and are no longer His enemies. This is a one and done deal. Once you’ve crossed that line, you are forever declared His friend, His daughter, His beloved, and you’ll never need to be afraid of returning to “enemy status”. Have you chosen Him for your inheritance? Are you ready to extend that same offer to others? Lean in to this moment right now, what is the Holy Spirit convicting you of? Don’t wait around, act on what He’s speaking to your heart about! We’d love to pray for you in this next step in your faith journey, email us!

4) What implications come with being “reconciled to God”? (verses 10-11)
It’s one thing to confess Jesus Christ for our salvation, and realize that His righteousness has paid a debt we could never pay, but sometimes we stop relying on the Holy Spirit’s power to make us more like Him after that point. We start leaning on ourselves to sort out the craziness of life, we rely on our own strength or wisdom to help us make life choices, help us parent, and make relationship decisions. We have forgotten our power source, we’ve forgotten that our true inheritance doesn’t lie in our own ability, but the Lord’s! Where are you lost, burdened, overwhelmed, or just plain tired? Turn these over to Jesus, let His Spirit free you and lead you!

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I Can Do That!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read through it (always more than a verse or two).
3) Write down your questions as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God in your everyday!

The Community!

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

The GT Weekend – Beauty 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!

Journal With Us!

Journal Prompts

1) What are some things you would like to leave as a legacy? How can you start today to develop those so you can pass them on?

2) Who is one person that is different from you that is difficult to love? Think of them. Pray for them. Allow His love to be your language to this person this week.

3) Make a small note to hang on your bathroom mirror with these words: I am loved by the One who made me. I am beautiful because I’m clothed in His righteousness!

Worship In Song

Music Video: JJ Heller’s “All the Beauty”

Pour Out Your Heart

Lord, let me know my worth. Show me the places my pride is blinding me and leaving me separated from You. Remind me as I start comparing myself with my friends that your grace and righteousness has been extended to me. Renew my mind Father, take away the junk that I allow to swim in my thoughts and replace it with the truth of who You are and who I am because of Your love for me.

Lord, help me to put on Your full armor every day.  Help me to pray continually, and to remember that no matter the name or face man pins to the evil we see, my battle is not with flesh and blood.  Father, heal our land. Heal my relationships. Heal my heart.

Pray With Us!

In everything, with praise and thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God!
Click here to comment and pray with the GT Community!
Want to connect with a GT Partner?
Send your prayer request to prayer@gracefullytruthful.com
We are committed to praying over and walking with you!

Journey With Us

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What were your thoughts from the GT Weekend?
How were you drawn near to the Father and encouraged in your faith?
Share with the community and encourage other women!

Beauty Day 11
Unfading Beauty of Legacy

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Proverbs 31:10-31
1 Peter 3:3-4
1 Samuel 16:7

attachment-1-8I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love?
Did I point to You enough
To make a mark on things
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace
Who blessed Your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy

Seven years ago I typed up these lyrics from Nichole Nordeman’s song, “Legacy” and glued it onto some cardstock before hanging it on a mobile I created to represent “me”.  This mobile was shaped like a ring and had several other cardstock pieces hanging from it. One had a picture of my dream home, another a picture of what I wanted to be when I grew up, as well as an array of other interesting things. But this one specific square had a front and a back. On the front were the above lyrics and on the back was a picture of me and my dance instructor. Below our picture, I described how inspiring she was in my life, how she was a wife and a mama but most of all loved Jesus, and I wrote that I wanted to be like her one day.
I will always remember this special lady in my life as a classic beauty, but also as a woman who left a legacy in the life of every single person she has interacted with.

I think we all know a few women like her.
Women who will forever be marked in our minds as someone who
passionately loved God and furiously loved others.
In fact, the faces of these women are probably popping up in your thoughts as you read!

Legacy leavers.
Wave starters.
Prayer warriors.
Gift givers.
Joy producers.
Anointed worshipers.
Ripple-causing women who are making a tremendous impact on this world.

Just as noticeable as their love and legacy is that they are marked with an indescribable beauty. Not your typical “People Magazine’s Most Beautiful Woman” beauty.
But a beauty that is a completely undeniable, unsurpassable, breath-catching and peaceful.
You look at her face, and beyond wrinkles or blemishes, gray hair or red, cute clothes or faded old ones, her face is covered in peace.
Joy highlights her cheeks.
Grace lines her smile.
Deep kindness shines from her eyes.
Gentleness and love exude from her.

These legacy leavers are beautiful women.
But the kind of beauty they possess will never fade.

Peter tells us that our beauty shouldn’t come from the embellishments that we put on ourselves, our hair, nice clothing or jewelry. Our beauty shouldn’t be found in our number 670 lipstick shade, or our perfectly highlighted and blown out locks, boutique clothes or tiffany wedding bands. And while none of that is bad, Peter’s point is that our true beauty should be our inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. God, through Peter, reminds us that these gems are of great worth in His sight.

“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised!” -Proverbs 31:30

One day, if granted the blessing of long life, we will all have faces lined with wrinkles and hair peppered with grey. Our lipstick won’t look the same on our thinning lips and our leggings won’t look quite the same on our matured bodies. If we continue to place our identity in our fleeting beauty, we may find ourselves madly disappointed in the future. However, if we focus on being women who leave a legacy and honor God with our lives, no matter our earthly age, choosing instead to place our identity in being God-fearing and gentle women, we will never have to worry about a beauty that fades.

Wave starters.
Prayer warriors.
Gift givers.
Joy producers.
Anointed worshipers.
Beautiful, God-honoring and legacy leaving women.
These will never go out of fashion!

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
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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 Beauty 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 Beauty!

The GT Weekend – Beauty 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!

Journal With Us!

Journal Prompts

1) On the days you judge yourself so harshly on appearance, on your “fat” days, your “use extra makeup to cover up that giant pimple” days, your “wear big sunglasses to hide the bags” days, what is one truth from Scripture you can declare to be encouraged?
Ex. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. (Ps. 139:14)
I am made in the likeness of God. (Genesis 1:27)
I am worth Jesus dying for. (Romans 5:8)

2) What attributes do you dress yourself with? Take an honest minute to jot down how your attitude, countenance, and demeanor could be described. Which of these would you like to change out if you could? Write down a truth you can cling to instead! Comment back here and let us know which truth you are choosing instead of the lie?

3) How are you allowing the word of Christ to dwell in you richly? Ask one friend this week to keep you accountable to being in the word every day this week. We desperately need each other, Sisters, because we all struggle with beauty! 

Worship In Song

Music Video: Christy Nockels’s “For Your Splendor”

Pour Out Your Heart

Lord as I think of the ways I dress myself, let it be a reflection of who I am in You. Father I praise you for saving me and redeeming me back to Yourself! You have pursued me and drawn me to Your side, thank you for Your love. Pour out Your compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience and love into my life. Give me confidence to wear those boldly that I might proclaim Your love to others.

God, I offer my life to You and Your word. I give you access to every part of who I am. Let my soul be a dwelling place for You and Your word. I choose to allow Your living and active word dwell richly in me as I continue following hard after You. Draw me ever closer to You as I seek Your face daily in Your word.

Pray With Us!

In everything, with praise and thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God!
Click here to comment and pray with the GT Community!
Want to connect with a GT Partner?
Send your prayer request to prayer@gracefullytruthful.com
We are committed to praying over and walking with you!

Journey With Us

Sign up to have GT Journey Studies sent to you!
What were your thoughts from the GT Weekend?
How were you drawn near to the Father and encouraged in your faith?
Share with the community and encourage other women!

Beauty Day 10
Glorified Beauty

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 139:14
Genesis 1:26-31
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Matthew 5:16
Psalm 115:1

attachment-1-6It’s been almost four years. The time has flown by faster than I ever imagined, and sometimes, my journey four years ago, actually feels like a dream. But if I close my eyes and focus really hard, I am back for just an instant. I can actually smell the cabbage cooking over the little stove or our clothes soaking in laundry soap. I can feel little arms wrapping around my legs and sweat dripping down my back. I can hear the sound of their worship and hear the noise of the market. And for one short moment, I am back in a far away land I never dreamed of going to.

I am back in Kenya.

As I prepared for my four month mission trip to Kenya, I spent hours shopping and purchasing everything I would need. Then I spent hours packing and deciding which “necessities” weren’t making the trip. Among them, hairspray, a flat iron, a blow dryer, and all of my make-up and nail polish. For some reason, I believed that I wouldn’t be able to focus on why I was in Kenya if I spent any time on my physical appearance.
(I did pack my tweezers and a teeny tiny mirror, which was such a good idea. I probably would have scared even the most remote villages with my eyebrow. Yes. One eyebrow.)
I was determined to honor God with my body by working hard to serve Him.

I came home a couple of weeks before Christmas, my skin extremely darkened by the hot African sun, my hair sun-bleached blonde and frizzy from the extremely hard water, my toenails unpainted, my body weighing 30 pounds more than it did when I left four months prior, and my heart extremely torn and a little heavy.
I didn’t feel beautiful.
Honestly, I hadn’t felt beautiful for four months.

We sang of God’s beauty almost every night. We admired the Great Rift Valley and the evidence of the Lord’s hand in His creation. I held the tiniest brown babies and whispered into their ears, “You are so beautiful. You are perfectly and wonderfully made.”
We were constantly proclaiming God’s beauty!
But I didn’t feel beautiful.

I have battled a struggle of inward beauty versus outward beauty for a long time, believing that there could only be one or the other.
Then another Jesus-loving Mama told me that her body was bought for a price.
Her body matters to Christ.

“I aim to have a body that is well kept: healthy on the inside, clothing that is functional on the outside so I can do the things with my body to serve the Lord (like chase my kids) and presentable in keeping with current trends, so I can be relatable and approachable to those I meet.”
She went on to tell me that make-up actually draws attention to our countenance, as opposed to our bodies.

My body was bought for a price.
Jesus not only died for our souls, but for our bodies.
And we are called to honor God with these bodies… these tools… that He has given us!

“If I had time, I would go out in the members of this church and ask different ones of you to come up here and testify about what difference God has made in your body. I would ask a man with AIDS, tell us about what it means to glorify God with your body. I would ask a man who just found out he has a serious, life-threatening cancer and say, tell us about what it means to glorify God with your body. I would ask a young woman who has struggled with bulimia and has just turned a significant corner of hope, how do you see God getting glory in your body? And I would ask dozens of women who have lost the little bodies of unborn children, do you believe God can be glorified in those bodies? And I do not doubt that in every case, what you would hear is that God has indeed manifest His glory in ways that many cannot imagine.” John Piper

God is beautiful. His creation is so extravagantly beautiful. The Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Niagara Falls, leaves changing color in the autumn and tulips blooming in the spring declare His beauty. They bring glory to HIM.

His glory is shown in the warm smiles of those African children and the bright eyes of the Kenyan women I hugged. My precious little girls, and my unborn baby still growing inside of me… the Lord’s beauty is shown through them, too.

I’m choosing to allow God to receive glory through my body, but it doesn’t always look the same. Some days giving Him glory looks like messy hair and un-brushed teeth as I sit and sing with my children. Some days His glory will shine through as I put more effort into my appearance to, as my friend reminded, become more relatable and approachable. The truth is that we live in an appearance based world. When I’m taking the time to care about how I look to others, I’m caring about how the gospel is being presented. If I’m engageable and well-presented, I’m offering my best to others on the outside, so they can better glimpse the inside too.

Maybe you’re in the same place I was four years ago.
Maybe you’ve put on a few pounds,
your haircut doesn’t quite suit your face,
or you just don’t feel beautiful.

I want to remind you that you are beautiful, feelings or not.
Rather than letting your feelings overturn truth, let them rise up to match it.

YOU are a declaration of God’s beauty.
YOU are perfectly and wonderfully made.
God created beauty, and He said that it was good.

He created man and woman, in His image, and said that it is very good.
So go forth today, and every day following, knowing that you are beautiful, and knowing that it is God’s plan for us to be beautiful. And allow His beauty to shine through you as you give glory to Him with your body. However that looks, no matter how you feel.

Did you see today’s photo of me in Kenya?
Me, not feeling beautiful?
This picture represents so much of God’s work despite how I felt about myself.
See that woman I’m next to? She was a widow and social outcast because her son was murdered. I was part of the team that brought her family much needed groceries and I cared for wounds on her legs. It was one of the most powerful moments of my trip. God’s beauty was evidenced in me, despite how I struggled with my own perceptions. He brought beauty and glory where I hadn’t seen it!

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

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