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Almost

The GT Weekend! ~ Sketched IX Week 1

June 27, 2021 by Erin O'Neal Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Monday’s Journey ended with this thought about Jesus, “He is everything. He is power, spoken and enacted. He is humility and authority. He is Rescuer and Healer. He is [our] Final Sacrifice and Restorer. He is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” Peter’s whole life was changed and shaped by this God-Man. Peter proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah until the day of his death. How would it change your life if you really believed, not just with your mind, but also with your heart and actions that Jesus Christ is EVERYTHING you need? He is your rescuer and your healer. He is the Final Sacrifice and Restorer for you. How would you live differently if you fully trusted Him? Write down something in your life that needs to be healed or restored. Maybe it is a broken friendship or familial relationship. Maybe it is a health issue or financial struggle. Commit to praying faithfully and steadfastly for Jesus Christ’s redemptive healing in that area of your life. Acknowledge that healing and restoration, at times, look differently than we expect or take longer than we would like, and watch eagerly for God’s rescuing hand to move in your life.

2) On Wednesday we considered what it must have been like for Peter to count the cost of following Jesus. Peter didn’t have the benefit of knowing the whole story as he followed Jesus. He had to wrestle with questions and partially-revealed wisdom. Even when he thought he had it all figured out, Jesus corrected him in the most stunning way. Maybe Peter thought to himself, “Though it would cost me everything, even my very life and all the pleasures and materials I had once loved, I was to crucify those daily, torturously even, and be left in the wake of the life of Yahweh so I could follow Him freely without any hindrance.” What does it cost you to follow Jesus? What pleasures and desires have you put to death to obey His call on your life? How have you seen Him work in your life as a result of your faithful obedience? Prayerfully write down your story of God’s blessing on your life. Consider sharing your story with another believer, friend, or neighbor. You may even consider stepping out in boldness and sharing your story on social media or in some other public way to declare the goodness of God!

3) It’s hard for us to live in the space of “almost, but not yet.” Whether it’s waiting with excited anticipation or waiting with dread of the unknown, “almost, but not yet” is a place of intensity. Peter experienced the shattered discouragement of attempting to return to a life that no longer “fit” after following Jesus for three years. Fishing wasn’t his thing anymore, but he didn’t know what else to do after Jesus’ crucifixion, and even His resurrection. It wasn’t until Peter was filled with the power of the Holy Spirit after Jesus ascended back to Heaven, that his “almost, but not yet” was finally over and he moved into purpose and direction. Jesus’ power alive inside of Peter made all the difference, which is equally true for all of us. Consider specific aspects of your life that are caught in frustration. We love to buy into the deception that we can make these better by either ignoring them or manipulating circumstances around to move us forward. God’s word prompts a different response, prayer. (Ephesians 6:18) Just as Peter was empty and struggling until the Spirit of God filled him, take your empty and frustrating places to the Lord in prayerful surrender. Read His word as you pray, asking Him to make you new and bring hope to your spaces of “almost, but not yet.”

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 Galatians 2:20-21 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.


Prayer Journal
Oh Lord, our God, You are greater than we could ever imagine. You are everything we need for life and flourishing. I confess I often lose sight of Your goodness in my times of questioning. Just like Peter, I have a limited view of Your plan. I struggle to see how the great cost to follow You is worth every sacrifice. I forget the power that the Holy Spirit brings into my life, empowering me to trust and to obey. Thank You for Your steadfast love and its newness every morning. Thank You for stooping down and meeting me where I am, and for showing me the goodness of Your ways. I know, despite my own failings, I can find rest for my soul for “[Your] yoke is easy, and [Your] burden is light.” (Matthew 11:30) I ask for mercy as I, and the sisters joining with me in prayer, go about our daily lives. May we see Your power on display as You answer prayers and bring healing to the brokenness in our lives. I ask for comfort and strength as we take small steps of steadfast obedience to Your call on our lives. 

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

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Posted in: Follow, God, Grace, GT Weekend, Healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Mercy, Obedience, Prayer, Rescue, Sacrifice, Sketched Tagged: Almost, cost, faithful, Faithfully, goodness, learning, Living God, Messiah, Not Yet

Sketched IX Day 5 Almost, But Not Yet

June 25, 2021 by Rebecca Adams Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

John 21:1-14
Acts 1:4-14
Acts 2
1 Corinthians 15:50-58

Sketched IX, Day 5

The walls felt like they were closing in with every passing day.

It was Day 9 of sheltering-in-place for us 11 remaining disciples, after Judas’ reckless decision to solve a temporary problem with a horribly permanent solution. My insides still quaked at the memory of his face, strangled by a noose made with his own hands. I shook my head to clear it, focusing on the troupe of ants dotting the limestone walls where I sat. They were purposeful. Intentional. Clearly headed to a goal, working together as a family.

“Consider the ant, you slacker…”

The familiar Old Testament proverb (Proverbs 6:6) came unbidden to mind in the warm, firm voice of my father as he raised his eyebrows at my 10-year-old self, who had only partially finished chopping wood. I repeated the words, letting them linger with my father’s voice wrapping around me.

“If only it was as easy as picking up that ax, Abba,” I muttered, rising to pace. Again. Leaving the ant family behind, I realized with fresh angst that I was here.
*sigh* Again.
Here, in this place of “almost, but not yet.”

It had been 9 days for us Eleven, less for the 120 other faces I scanned. They’d come sporadically in the last week, as if drawn by an unseen force of comfort and hope through community. Word spread, and soon, this Upper Room was bursting at the seams.

We were all here, waiting.
Waiting for next.
Sheltering, not sure exactly what next would be or how we would recognize it.
It seemed like a lifetime ago when Jesus and the 12 had sat in this very room the night before He was betrayed, then brutally killed.

“You will receive power,” Jesus’ voice filled my senses again with rich love and unshakeable authority. He said we would receive His power and comfort.

Oh, the tender comfort of Jesus! Despite the stench of 120 unwashed bodies sprawled around the Upper Room, I saw Jesus in every pair of eyes. The woman from the well in Samaria. She was here with several friends whom she’d told about Jesus. Once outcast, but now, waiting like the rest of us.

Mary, Jesus’ mother, was here, of course, and her sister, Salome. The man healed from leprosy at a word from Jesus was praying in a corner with James. Grinning, I waved at the 5 men who took turns challenging each other to arm wrestling. Not long ago, the robust man in the middle had lain paralyzed on a mat carried by the other four friends. Now they were whole and healthy because of Jesus.

The woman Jesus called Daughter, healed from bleeding, was handing out fruit and blessing each recipient. Hey, there’s the centurion whose daughter was brought back to life, and his little girl, too! Gentiles; my stomach churned only a little. These were welcomed by my Savior and my God; surely, they could be present here, too.
Waiting.
Waiting for the Comforter.
The same comfort each person gathered here had experienced in Jesus’ physical presence before He had ascended into the clouds nine days ago.

Nine.

Nine days of sharing community in the bond of knowing and experiencing Jesus. This was enough to keep us here until His Promised power and comfort finally came…however long it took. Our nights were spent singing hymns and our days were filled with the intangible joy of shared laughter and the sweetness of prayer. The outside world carried on with their hurry, but here, we delighted again in the depth of community with one another and God.

Here, in “almost but not yet,” we wait. We wonder. What good thing might the Lord be giving us through His Spirit that is better than His physical body?

—

The very next day would end Peter’s wait. One moment would begin as mundane, only to exhale as magnificent glory. The Spirit of the Living God would descend on each believer, regardless of Jew or Gentile, wealth or poverty, single or married, male or female. What they had once experienced with Jesus in the flesh would now be ignited in the heart of every person who ever trusted Christ. In the blink of an eye, holy divinity instantly and permanently bound every believer together. Comfort became infinitely available. His Presence was a guarantee, never to leave, ensuring the soul would pass from this fleeting life into one that would never end.

In the span of a single moment, the sacred space that had felt so empty for Peter was plunged into an infinite invitation to come, to know God better, deeper than ever before, for He Lived Within!

Power and boldness became the rightful possession for every soul gathered in the Upper Room that Day of Pentecost. Divine purpose was theirs in abundance. Comfort bound them up, together with each other, and jointly as the Bride of Christ.

As incredible as that moment was,
even it was an Almost, But Not Yet.
For here, in this same space, you and I wait, too.

We have His Spirit if we have called Jesus our own Savior.
Every gift those disciples experienced is also ours for the taking.
Yet, here we wait.
Paused with inexplicable hope, waiting for that Day of Going Home forever.

In the meantime, we are the Church, moving among one another, blessing each other, sustaining and carrying each other’s burdens, praying fervently, worshipping, and, as wonderfully led by the Spirit of God, preaching Christ crucified, risen, and coming again to a world hurrying around us.

Almost, But Not Yet.
We are here now.
Let’s live together as His Bride on purpose, and filled with His Spirit!


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

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Sketched IX Week One! 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 Sketched IX

Posted in: Comfort, God, Hope, Jesus, Love, Power, Waiting Tagged: Abba, Again, Almost, Authority, Drawn, next, Not Yet, presence, receive, tender, Unseen

The GT Weekend! ~ Ten Week 3

August 22, 2020 by Rebecca Adams Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) It’s a lie the enemy has used from the beginning of time, “you don’t have enough.” It was good enough to lure Eve away from a rich, perfect relationship with her husband (wow! Can you even imagine?!) and the Lord God (mind blown!). Nothing would surely be worth that trade, yet she did it in a moment. What if God is holding out on me? What if there’s something He isn’t giving me? What if He is actually stingy? Second guessing the nature of God and the relationship she enjoyed with Him, ended up destroying well, everything. How easily we do the same! This hunger for more seeps into our marriages, our friendships, and of course, our relationship with God. Always, the result is death and destruction. Jealousy and comparison flow easily from the lie that what we have is “not enough”. We think God says, “don’t steal”, so we relegate that to taking a physical item that doesn’t belong to us, but the heart behind it is so much more! Spend some time speaking with the Lord about where you might be stealing, and where your heart is incurably hungry for what you do not have.

2) I recently sat with one of my kids as we walked through a circumstance where their lies had caused damage they didn’t foresee to someone else. As we talked it out, the one who lied kept insisting they didn’t see how they had actually lied. It was such a small stretching of truth. The lie was “almost” true. But that “almost” had seriously hurt someone else and their reputation. Without a clear line of distinction on what is truth, any variation of reality can be manipulated on a whim. We must have truth in our lives, anchoring even the small decisions we make. I often tell my kids, “sin always hurts someone.” Even if it’s your own heart and relationship with God, sin always hurts someone. We cannot expect to play with lies and manipulate truth to our own advantage and walk away unscathed. That is a lie itself! Journal about a recent time when someone’s deception hurt you, then write about a time your deception hurt someone else. Ask the Lord to give you a soft, repentant heart and keen awareness of truth, so you can walk far away from lies!

3) Yesterday, Merry challenged all of us (or maybe it was just me!) to reconsider how we have viewed the last commandment, do not covet. It’s easy to get bogged down in “don’t covet your neighbor’s manservant or maidservant”. Okay, got it, God. Check! Not so fast. Merry invited us to peel back the layers, and squirm. According to this command, we are called to, daily, hold up before the Lord our wants and desires at any point of our everyday, and ask ourselves, “Why am I chasing this?”.  Are our motives focused on gratifying ourselves? Jesus summed up all of God’s laws by commanding us to love God and love one another. Why? Because if I first loved my friend, I wouldn’t be earnestly wishing for her wardrobe, her job position, or her anything. Instead, I would be celebrating her because I loved her. Use this gauge of love and think through those things you have been deeply desiring or earnestly wishing for. Where can you ask the Lord to renew your heart of love?

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 Hebrews 13:5-6 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Be satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, “I will never leave you or abandon you.” Therefore, we may boldly say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

Prayer Journal
If You alone are my fullness. If You alone are the complete satisfier of all my needs, my hungry longings, and my aching empty places. Then I have no need to look farther than the richness of knowing You more deeply and more fully than I have just a moment ago. You are endless and hold more than enough mystery and unconditional love towards me to captivate me for an eternity. Hold me fast, Lord God, here with You. If you are for me, I need no other. If you are with me, I have no need to fear. For, bound up in Your perfect demonstration of on-going, never-ending love surrounding me on all sides, is perfect peace with no room for fear. Your perfect love casts out all fear. (1 John 4:18) Speak these truths over me again and again, Lord Jesus. Remind me to declare over my heart, my emotions, my circumstances, and my relationships, “Jesus is enough!”.

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

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Posted in: Fullness, God, GT Weekend, Hope, Love, Relationship, Truth Tagged: Almost, Awareness, covenant, Hunger, not enough, renew, Repentant, Ten, True

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And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14