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The GT Weekend! ~ Sola 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) Sometimes, it takes a simple question to make us stop and wrestle with what we actually think. Wrestling with truth is rarely enjoyable, almost always making us uncomfortable, but it’s extremely necessary for maturity. What do you actually believe about how someone is saved? Or maybe it’s asking, “what do you believe happens after death?”. Or perhaps, “can you lose your salvation?”. If we are comfortable with our answer, we must ask ourselves the follow up, “how do you know that’s true?”.  These questions should make us squirm in our chairs until we can do the hard work of study and understanding the why behind what we believe. Will our belief system hold up? Keep in mind that truth remains true, regardless of whether we assent to it or not. When it comes to salvation and life after death, what do you know to be true? Explore it out until you find good answers!

2) How does it make you feel to know Scripture teaches we can be saved through faith alone? Nothing we can do can earn extra favor with God. We can’t manipulate the “smile of God” on our lives. Further, Scripture says even the ability to have that faith is itself a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8) Knowing there is nothing we can do to win God’s glance or blessing, does this evoke feelings of being incredibly loved, or do you feel angry frustration at being faced with inability? If you feel offended, that’s okay, and natural, as humans we are offended when we are told our work isn’t good enough. What would it look like for you to explore a love so vast it would encompass you if you simply surrendered to it? Where do you need a love like that in your life? Where are you pushing against it?

3) Have you ever wondered if there are many roads to God? Suppose Jesus was just a good man? What if Joseph Smith is equally valid as Jesus when it comes to prophecy? What if Jesus is close to God, but not quite as powerful as God? If the apostle Paul, who saw the resurrected Jesus with his own eyes, were sitting with us today, he would expound with excited animation, “If Christ has not been raised, our faith is worthless and we are still in our sins!” (1 Corinthians 15:17) He would further say, “If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, a curse be on him!” (Galatians 1:9) He said these things because there simply is no other gospel! Only a perfect being who was fully human, lived the human life absolutely perfectly could be offered as a sacrifice. The only way to live that perfect life was if the Being was fully divine. Only God Himself could atone for the debt of payment owed because of sin. There is only one who fits this description, Jesus Christ. What do you believe about Jesus? Get a sheet of paper and set a timer for 90 seconds then write as many beliefs about Jesus as you can get out before the timer goes off. Commit to studying the Bible more in depth to better know this human man who was God Himself!

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 2 Timothy 3:16-17 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Prayer Journal
Lord God, I admit that I get tossed around in my thinking when it comes to lining up what I say I believe, with what I actually believe. It’s easy to say You are good all the time, but when difficulty hits, do I still live like I fully believe You are good? Lord, how deeply I need the anchor of truth in my everyday life so I will not be swayed by other’s powerfully stated opinions, or even by own feelings. Teach me Your Word, Lord. Tune my ear to listen to Your voice. Teach my hands and lips and life choices to reflect the truth You’ve made clear through Your Word. As I learn more, Lord, make me more bold to speak truth and live it out in everyday life!

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

Glimmers Day 4 Hope In Surrender: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Hope In Surrender!

The Questions

1) How does this story point to a “glimmer of hope”?

2) What are the similarities between this sacrifice of Isaac and Jesus’ sacrifice?

3) What is the connection between faith and provision?

Genesis 22:1-18

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he answered.

2 “Take your son,” he said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”

3 So Abraham got up early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took with him two of his young men and his son Isaac. He split wood for a burnt offering and set out to go to the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there to worship; then we’ll come back to you.” 6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac. In his hand he took the fire and the knife, and the two of them walked on together.

7 Then Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, “My father.”

And he replied, “Here I am, my son.”

Isaac said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Then the two of them walked on together.

9 When they arrived at the place that God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound his son Isaac and placed him on the altar on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.

11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!”

He replied, “Here I am.”

12 Then he said, “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me.”13 Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught in the thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. 14 And Abraham named that place The Lord Will Provide, so today it is said: “It will be provided on the Lord’s mountain.”

15 Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn,” this is the Lord’s declaration: “Because you have done this thing and have not withheld your only son, 17 I will indeed bless you and make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the city gates of their enemies. 18 And all the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring because you have obeyed my command.”

Original Intent

1) How does this story point to a “glimmer of hope”?
Admittedly, there doesn’t appear to be any glimmers of hope here. The God who had decades before called Abraham out of his homeland, away from false worship, blessing him abundantly with land, servants, wealth, military power, and the promise of a son through whom he would have countless descendants, was now the same God who called Abraham to sacrifice his son. Not the son of his maidservant, Ishmael, not a sacrifice of wealth or power, but a total surrender of the son whom Abraham loved (22:2). On top of the ask to sacrifice, God told Abraham to travel to Mt. Moriah, which was three days away (22:2). Abraham had three days to mentally and emotionally consider the cost of sacrifice. Three days to wrestle with his fear and his grief, and his love. It’s one thing to obey in a split second, but another to think through all the pros and cons and wrestle within yourself when it comes to obedience. Who would Abraham love most? Isaac or Yahweh? The glimmer of hope is found in the character of God Himself. Abraham had learned to trust God over the course of a lifetime of following Him. He’d learned to trust His heart, proving even in his conversation with Isaac that his faith was in the Lord and His character of provision (22:8).

2) What are the similarities between this sacrifice of Isaac and Jesus’ sacrifice?
There are many, but here are the main ones.
The love Abraham has for Isaac is unmistakable, but so is the love shared between God the Father and God the Son. The love they share is deeper and more intimate than we will ever have the capacity to understand. It’s easy to be self-focused and consider how God loves us, but we forget how lavishly the Beings of the triune godhead love and delight in one another, which makes the agonizing sacrifice of the cross unbearably difficult to comprehend.
Isaac carried the wood for his own altar upon himself just as Christ carried His own cross to His place of sacrifice.
After three days of gut-wrenching waiting and internal wrestling, Abraham obeyed and offered his son as a sacrifice. Likewise, after three days of emotional loss, fear, and cowardly hiding away because it looked as if the enemy had won, Christ rose victoriously, having become “obedient to death”. (Philippians 2:8)

3) What is the connection between faith and provision?
Decades before this story of unswerving faith, God had invited Abraham to trust Him. The Lord told Abraham He would give him a son through whom all nations would be blessed and his offspring would be innumerable. (Genesis 15:5) Abraham believed, and because of his faith the Lord counted Abraham’s belief as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6) In our story here, Abraham trusted the Lord would still fulfill His promise, even if he had to sacrifice his son. His confidence in God’s Word is breathtaking. When Isaac questioned where the sacrifice was (which was Isaac), Abraham answered with faith, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” (Genesis 22:8) And again, Abraham told his servants, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy1 will go over there and worship and come again to you.” (Genesis 22:5) Though God had commanded a sacrifice that seemed to end all hope of the promise God Himself had made, Abraham repeatedly proved his faith in the integrity of the Lord God. Because of that faith, God provided.  He provided Isaac’s birth, He saved Isaac’s life, He provided the ram for sacrifice, and He reassured Abraham of His unchanging covenant promise to make him into a great nation. All of this because Abraham believed the Lord and chose to set Him apart as the only One worthy of the worship of his heart and life.

Everyday Application

1) How does this story point to a “glimmer of hope”?
Does Abraham’s story seem impossible? How could God ask him to sacrifice his son? But take into account Jesus’ words, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:26) In both instances, God is not condoning hating your family in the manner we think, He is asking us to consider how deep we love Him. Does our love for Him ring truer and run deeper than any other love, even those we love the most? If the Lord asked us to follow Him somewhere, would we obey despite the cost or would we elevate anything or anyone above Him? The cost of discipleship asks every Christ follower if we would rather trust ourselves or the heart of God. Following Jesus has nothing to do with feelings, but everything to do with trusting His heart. Notice that this test of Abraham’s love for God didn’t happen at the beginning of his faith journey, or somewhere in the middle, or even right after Isaac had been born. The test came when the Lord had proven His unending faithfulness over and over to Abraham with every obedient choice he made. Every step of obedience we take in following the Lord is one more step the Lord will use to teach our hearts to trust His own. Wherever you are, whatever your circumstance, today is an opportunity to trust Him. Will you hold onto Him or yourself?

2) What are the similarities between this sacrifice of Isaac and Jesus’ sacrifice?
Perhaps even more interesting than the striking similarities are the obvious dissimilarities. Where Isaac, Abraham’s only son, was offered, but saved from death, Jesus, beloved Son of the Father, was offered and sacrificed. Jesus actually died and Death had its way with Him.
Where God called out to Abraham to stop the sacrifice, Jesus cried out to the Father, “Why have you forsaken me?!” and heard nothing in response; Jesus was utterly abandoned as He took on Sin for us. (Matthew 27:46) A ram caught in the thicket was provided by God to take Isaac’s place, and centuries later on a hill not far from Mt. Moriah, the Lamb of God laid Himself down as God’s provision, taking our place and dying the death we deserve because of our sin. Through Isaac’s lineage, Jesus Christ would one day be born. One almost-sacrifice of Isaac that tested the faith of Abraham as he proved he would choose to worship the Lord God alone painted an incredible picture of a total-sacrifice that would redeem all who came to Christ through faith, choosing to worship the Lord God only. Incredible!!

3) What is the connection between faith and provision?
God made an incredible promise to Abraham and rather than scoff at it, mock it, or simply not believe, Abraham trusted God at His Word, as a result god credited Abraham with righteousness. Abraham hadn’t done anything. He hadn’t built a temple, proved he was an upstanding citizen with high morals (in fact, Abraham’s integrity had room to grow…see Genesis 12:10-20), or given away his wealth to the poor to earn God’s declaration of “righteous”. No, he simply believed God at His Word. In exactly the same way, our faith in God’s Word that Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself for us on our behalf and in our place, is credited to us as righteousness. Faith in the saving, atoning work of Jesus provides eternal redemption from sin as God declares us righteous! (Romans 5:1) Will you take the Lord at His Word?!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Hope In Surrender!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

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

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

Worship IV, Day 1 Even When

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Philippians 2:5-11
John 1:14-18
Revelation 5:13

Worship IV, Day 1

Jesus deserves our worship.
He deserves our praise.

As I worshipped God just last Sunday, He revealed Himself to me in new and intimate ways.
He called me to offer something I wasn’t sure I could offer.
But when I did,
it led to an encounter with God I’ve never quite experienced before.

As I worshiped in song, I sang because I knew the reality of all He’s done for me before.
I sang because I know what He will do for me in the future.
I sang because I have walked through dark valleys, and I know He has never left my side.
Jesus paid it all for me, and because of that, I owe Him my everything.

But what if I wasn’t feeling those things?
What if I’m walking through a valley and I feel incredibly alone?
What if I can’t remember what He’s done for me in the past?
Does He still deserve my worship even then?

Yes.

EVEN THEN Jesus deserves our worship and our praise.
EVEN WHEN we are in the middle of the valley of the shadow of death….
EVEN IF He doesn’t answer our prayers like we want….
He still deserves my worship.

Why?
Why worship God when we don’t feel like it?

Paul shares why Jesus not only deserves our worship,
but will one day receive everyone’s worship.
Philippians 2:6-11 is a hymn written, not necessarily by Paul, but reiterated by him as it was circulated and sung throughout the early church.

Imagine yourself there with me.
A small house, packed with 15-20 bodies. Jews and Gentiles, slave and free, women, men, and children. All declaring the beauty of Christ together as one body!
Voices raise, a simple, repetitive tune takes shape, and truth is preached as hearts are knit together by the incredible beauty of the Lord Jesus!

“Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,
Who, existing in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God
as something to be exploited.”

He didn’t need equality with God, because Jesus IS God.
He was God in the beginning and He is God even now.
The divinity has always been His.

“Instead, he emptied himself
By assuming the form of a servant,
Taking on the likeness of humanity.”

Jesus willingly emptied Himself of His exalted position and laid aside His divine privileges to become a human being. A human! And while we are created in His image, we are completely incomparable to God. The humility and love it took to lower Himself from dwelling as God to dwelling with humanity is utterly incomprehensible.
Jesus didn’t just become a human, He came as a servant.
The Lord came down to serve those which ought to be serving Him.

“And when he had come as a man,
He humbled himself by becoming obedient
To the point of death –
Even to death on a cross.”

Jesus Christ, who IS God, humbled Himself enough to become man, then humbled Himself even more to become obedient to all that was required of Him. Though Jesus retained His divinity even as He walked this earth, He didn’t rely on His divine powers to save Him, make His load easier, or remove Himself from the grip of death. No, He WILLINGLY died.
Jesus didn’t die quickly. He didn’t quietly pass away in His sleep. He died a death reserved for foreigners and slaves, a death that was torturous and degrading.
As God of all, He never had to die, but He chose it.

“For this reason God highly exalted Him
And gave Him the name
That is above every name,
So that at the name of Jesus
Every knee will bow -”

Because of Jesus’ great humility, His obedience, and His choosing to die sacrificially, God exalted His name above all names. Salvation is found in His name alone!
His Name holds all authority for all eternity.

“In heaven and on earth
And under the earth
And every tongue will confess
That Jesus Christ is Lord,
To the glory of God the Father.”

When time has ended, and the final battle between God and His archenemy Satan has been won, every knee will bow.
Every angel, every woman, every child, every man, every demon,
all will declare that Jesus Christ is the Lord!
Not all will be saved for eternity, that window will have passed, but all will recognize His rule and reign as King of Kings!
All will sing His praises!
And all of this ultimately brings God glory!

So, my dear sisters, why do we worship even when we don’t feel like it?
EVEN WHEN we doubt God’s goodness?
We worship because Jesus is Lord.

We worship Him EVEN THEN because we will all bow before Him one day,
whether we choose to give our lives to Him now or not.

Let your worship be rooted in the truth of Christ’s character, not your fleeting feelings.
Because the One you worship is LORD of all!

If this Sunday you don’t feel like you can worship Him
because of the valley He has walked with you through,
or because of the way He has provided for you,
worship Him simply because HE IS GOD.
He deserves our praise EVEN WHEN.

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
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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 IV Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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

Incorruptible Day 4 Worth It: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Worth It!

The Questions

1) What is “living hope?” 

2) Do all believers suffer trials? 

3) What is the “salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time?” Is it different than the salvation experienced at the acceptance of Christ’s death for one’s sins?

1 Peter 1:3-9

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 5 You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials 7 so that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Original Intent

1) What is “living hope?”
The first-century Jews and Gentiles to whom Peter wrote were no doubt hoping that Jesus would vindicate them. They suffered for their faith socially and economically, some were even tortured and killed, and they likely hoped that someone in a position of power would identify with them and stop the persecution. 
But they had an even greater hope. They hoped in Jesus for eternity in heaven. Jesus IS the living hope…He lives even though He died (Luke 24:1-7). Jesus is the Son of God; believers are sons and daughters of God. Since Jesus overcame death, so will those who have accepted Him as Lord and Savior. 

2) Do all believers suffer trials?
Verse 6 in this version of Scripture is somewhat confusing. It seems to imply that some Christians will go through life without any suffering if it isn’t necessary for them. But what is the object of the suffering and trials? Is it not patience, perseverance, and a greater faith in God? Therefore, isn’t suffering necessary for every follower of Jesus Christ? No one has perfected Christianity, so God continues to mold us by these means. Peter was here using a literary device, used elsewhere in Scripture by the apostle Paul. He understated something in order to make a very obvious point. In our language, a simple example could be, “You’ll only need to eat today if you get hungry.” Of course, you will be hungry if you go without food all day! It’s an obvious truth stated to make a specific point: you need food. In the same way, God uses suffering to produces “endurance, character, and hope” (Romans 5:3-5)  

3) What is the “salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time?” Is it different than the salvation experienced at the acceptance of Christ’s death for one’s sins?
There is only one salvation, that which is a gift freely given by God through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, on the cross. In the “last time,” at the return of Christ, believers will experience the full significance of salvation (as noted by The Bible Knowledge Commentary). When we come face-to-face with the One who died to save us, we will finally understand the price He paid and the genuine love He has for each of us. The full circle of salvation will be complete.

Everyday Application

1) What is “living hope?” 
In this earthly life we hope for a lot of things. Small things, like a good grade on a test, or all the lights on our commute to be green. And big things, like enough money to pay bills, or a loved one’s health to be restored.
This “living hope” is different. It’s often referred to as “a confident expectation.” Jesus said He would prepare a place for each of us in His Father’s house, which is heaven, and come back to take us there (John 14:2-3). He also said several times He would die on a cross and rise again, and He did! (Matthew 16:21; Luke 18:32-34; 1 Corinthians 15:3-5) If He can do that, then He can take us to Heaven! We don’t know when He’s coming, but dear sisters, we can expect with all confidence that He is coming!
“For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever.” (I Thessalonians 5:9-10 (NLT)) 

2) Do all believers suffer trials?
I don’t personally know any Christians who haven’t suffered some trial in their life. Do you? We live in a fallen, sinful world…I guarantee that each person, believer or not, has suffered hardship. Christians are not exempt from this. The difference is, sweet sisters, that you and I have the teaching from Scripture to understand truth about suffering’s purpose, and we have the Holy Spirit constantly at work in our lives to redeem hardship, using it to develop our character and forming Christ within us. We can either pout about our circumstances or accept them as a tool in the hand of the Potter to craft us. (Admittedly, too often I pout. Prayers appreciated.)  

3) What is the “salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time?” Is it different than the salvation experienced at the acceptance of Christ’s death for one’s sins?
Do you ever think about how valuable you are to God? 
If you’ve experienced any type of mental or emotional abuse, like I have, it may be difficult to believe that anyone – even God – would possibly care. But dear one, He cares infinitely for you! Don’t allow the lies of the enemy to lead you to believe you are beneath the love of the Almighty. If you were the only person on earth, Jesus still would have gone to the cross for you! God loves you, and longs for you to know Him and love Him too. 
Take time this week to reflect on God’s love for you. If you are worth dying for, isn’t He worth living for?

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

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

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

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

Dwell Day 10 Clearing The Clutter

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Corinthians 7:1-6
Acts 13:1-3
Esther 4:13-17
Joel 2:12-17 
Ezra 8:21-23

Dwell, Day 10

Here’s a fun confession for you: I sometimes wish I was a nun. Granted, this desire tends to flare up in those especially chaotic moments of life. You know the ones: all the kids are crying, the oven timer is beeping, the dog just ripped open his food bag… In moments like these, the idea of dedicating my life to quiet servitude sounds very appealing.

While God clearly had other plans for my life, I do find myself longing to dwell in His presence amid the mundane. But with all the distractions of work and motherhood, I have struggled to discover a way to do this. How can I dwell in His presence while still being fully present here on Earth?

I believe these two spheres collide within the practice of fasting. When we fast, our physical needs and longing ushers our souls into His presence; and it is in His presence all our needs and longings are met.

May I share one more confession with you? Until writing this article, I never fully understood or practiced fasting; so please know, I am not an expert.  However, what I share with you below has changed my heart and I now understand it’s place and power.

Why should we fast?
Matthew 9:14-15 is perhaps the clearest picture of Christ’s stance on fasting.
“Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come with the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

According to these verses, there are two reasons we fast.
First, Christ expects it. In these verses, He makes it clear it is not a question of “if” His disciples will fast, but “when”. Sister, hear this: as disciples of Christ, we should be fasting. It is an integral part of our walk with Christ.

Secondly, we fast because we are waiting expectantly for our bridegroom. One day He will return, and we will no longer fast. Instead, we will be brought to His table and together we will feast! Until that day we will watch, wait, and fast.

John Piper once said fasting adds an exclamation point to our prayers. Daily we petition Him with our needs: “Lord, we need healing! We need guidance! We pray for your return!”. Fasting physically demonstrates our spiritual longing. It shows God we desire those things, we desire Him, more than we desire worldly comfort and sustenance.

Ultimately, fasting reminds us who is our true source of life and comfort. Food can easily become a sort of idol. We turn to food when we are hungry, celebrating, sad, and bored. We even have a term for what happens to us when we don’t get enough food: hangry. When we step away from this crutch, even for a short amount of time, we can lift our eyes up and glance at the One who we ought to turn to with all our emotions. This practice keeps us dependent on the true Bread of Life.

When should we fast?
Christian fasting is not simply done for the sake of fasting. It is done with a specific purpose in mind. Before you begin, you need to determine what you are bringing before God during your time of fasting. Are you repenting from a deep-rooted sin? Are you seeking His guidance through major transition? Are you simply trying to clear out the mental clutter and hear His voice?

Queen Esther called for a fast just before she dared approach her husband, the King, to save the Jewish people. She does so by telling her friends, “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16)

She was desperate for God to act on behalf of her people. She knew lives hung in the balance. To demonstrate the intensity of her need, she and her people fasted for three days.

Must it be food?
No, 1 Corinthians 7:5 makes this clear. You can fast from anything you find yourself clinging to. Perhaps that is technology, television, sleep…sex. As 1 Corinthians suggests, fasting from sex for a short time to petition the Lord together as a married couple is quite powerful.  It is not what you fast from, but what you move towards that is important.

Here is my challenge for you today: start small. Ask the Lord what He would have you fast from and when. When I did this, I determined I would give up one lunch, once a week. I would use this time to seek the Lord in whatever way He laid on my heart that day.

I believe if we obey Christ in this way, we will see some of our deepest prayers answered. Through regular prayer and fasting, we will find ourselves dwelling in His presence even in the mundane.

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Dwell Day 3 Rhythm Of Rest

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 16:22-30
Exodus 31:12-17
Deuteronomy 5:12-15
Ezekiel 22:23-26 

Dwell, Day 3

Sitting on top of a mountain in Colorado for a week, disconnected from life and the rest of the world, brings a rest to the soul that is hard to describe.  That time of silence and solitude made my husband and I realize we weren’t doing enough to observe a time of dedicated rest, or sabbath, in our lives.  We were good at disconnecting from work and obligation, rest didn’t feel life-giving. With four teenagers, a full-time ministry position for my husband, a dog, a full-time job for me, a weekly community group, friends, school and much more…the idea of true rest often felt like a cruel joke.  Yet, what we began to grasp was the truth that, if we were willing, we could enjoy the kind of rest God desired.  Intentional decisions and planning were required, but it wasn’t out of reach.   

To understand why we were committed to making adjustments in our lives, you first have to understand how sabbath rest serves to distinguish, focus, and remind.   

Sabbath Distinguishes
God himself established the idea of sabbath rest on the final seventh day of creation. (Genesis 2:1-3) He took a step back, considered the work He had done, saw what was good, rested, and declared the day holy. He effectively distinguished the seventh day from the other six.  God then asked His people to observe the same pattern of work, labor, and gather for six days; rest, remain, and trust in Him for the seventh. (Exodus 16:22-30, Exodus 20:8-11) 

Simple, right?  Not so much… 
In our pride, we think we know better. 
In our greed, we think we need more.
In our need to be the best, we think we need to do more.  
In our need to be important, we think we must been seen. 

None of those beliefs lend themselves to rest and pulling back.
Sabbath is admittedly counter-intuitive to our current cultural way of life.  But God’s desire is that as His children, we distinguish between the common and the holy.  Six days are common and we work just like everyone else; but then, there is one day where we are to declare how we are different (Ezekiel 22:23-26).
When we ignore the Sabbath, it ends up looking like any other day.
We’ve declared the common to be enough! 

Sabbath Focuses
“Sabbath is that uncluttered time and space in which we can distance ourselves from our own activities enough to see what God is doing.” —Eugene Peterson 

Setting aside the cares, burdens, and work of the world opens the ability to reflect on and think about the God of the universe.  Throughout scripture, we see God time and again instruct us to remember.  With the Sabbath, we are to remember a couple of specific things:  God’s work AROUND US  through His creation (Exodus 20:11) and God’s work IN US as He sanctifies us (Exodus 31:13), making us more like Christ.   

Not only are we given the Sabbath to focus on our relationship with God, the time also allows us to focus on the earthly relationships that matter most.  We are called to observe the Sabbath with anyone within the walls of our home at the time  – family, friend, co-worker, or someone just passing through. (Exodus 20:10) 

Sabbath Reminds
Perhaps my favorite benefit of observing the Sabbath is its purposeful  reminder that I am no longer a slave, but have been set free (Deuteronomy 5:15).  Regularly reflecting on what my life was like without Christ, realizing all God has done to rescue me, and acknowledging that I could not do that on my own, has a profound effect. 

God receives the credit.
I remember how imperfect I am.
I am aware of my desperate need for salvation. 

Realizing our need for salvation isn’t just a one-time thing.  

Sabbath reminds me there is freedom available.
Sabbath reminds me there is a God willing to rescue.
Sabbath reminds me I cannot do this on my own. 

Sabbath Isn’t Easy
Coming home from our time in the mountains, we had a strong commitment to adjust how we would intentionally observe the Sabbath; but reality has proven it difficult to remain consistent. Resting well requires us to work well.   

To enter into our sabbath time with the ability to remember, focus and be aware of God and His work, we must do the prep work to allow these to happen.  When we do that, we experience the life-giving, empowering and rejuvenating joy God gives as a result.   

And then there are the questions….
What’s the right way to do this?
Am I allowed to….?
Is it ok if we….?
What about…..?
Can I go and….? 

We can quickly get caught up in the “rules and regulations” of what is or isn’t “Sabbath” to the point that it’s no longer restful.  Mark Buchanan, in his book The Rest of God, provides two principles that characterize a healthy Sabbath: DO NOT DO what is necessary; DO what is life-giving.  Those have become our Sabbath filter. The simplicity has helped us let go of questions and concerns about doing it the “right” way.  Our Sabbath doesn’t look like others, but it honors the expectations that God has put in place for us.  We can follow the command to keep the observance (Hebrews 4:9), yet we have freedom in how that takes shape (Colossians 2:16) through the gifts gained in Christ.   

Work hard. 
Rest well.
Distinguish yourself.
Focus on God.
Remember His work. 

The fight for Sabbath is worth it! 

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The GT Weekend! – Roads 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) Perhaps you’ve struggled, as I have, in knowing how to respond well to someone who clearly doesn’t hold to the biblical gospel. Fear of offending or of not knowing the right answers can hold us back from saying anything at all. Practice thinking of how to respond next time you find yourself in a spiritual conversation. Ask questions to encourage them to share more about their faith, praying for the right question to ask at the right time. To help you prepare and practice, write down your biggest fears or the questions you dread hearing. Take this list to Jesus, pray over it, and then do some honest digging to find good answers. 

2) When have you encountered someone who believes if they are “good enough” they will earn going to Heaven? What about their argument sounds convincing to you? Something I’ve learned to ask is, “How do you know when you’re ‘good’ is actually ‘enough’? What if you die unexpectedly before you’ve actually done ‘enough’?” These questions aren’t attacking, but conversational. Listen well in spiritual conversations and pray often that the Spirit would lead you as you share truth!

3) Regardless of the religious belief system, people long for community and true, genuine relationships the most. Set aside this week to intentionally pray that the Lord would give you opportunities to boldly share truth in love and grace. Look for those who are different from you and reach out, make a connection, pray for them consistently, and watch what the Lord will do through your obedience to 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 Ephesians 2:1-6 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously lived according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,

Prayer Journal
Father, Your gospel is so beautiful yet bold, intricate yet simple. Awaken the eyes of my heart to behold the preciousness of Your gospel story in my everyday life this week. Show me how much I need You. Remind me how desperate I am for Your solid truth. Surround me with friendships who speak truth over me, while placing people continually and intentionally in my path who need Your truth and grace. Show me how to love people better because of the beautiful truth of Your gospel, Jesus!  
Teach me, Spirit, to have a ready defense, to know Scripture, and be prepared to point people to You. I praise You that sharing about Your redemption is never about my intelligence or my ability to have the right words, it’s simply about allowing You to speak through me. Oh, Lord, Speak!

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Roads Day 10 The Gospel + Something = Nothing

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ephesians 1:7-8 
Galatians 1:6-10
Romans 10:9-10 
Psalm 73:23-28 

Roads, Day 10

 Many have said people can believe in the biblical view of God,
while still ascribing to the Catholic faith.  

In preparing for this Journey Study, I set out to examine this claim for myself.
A difficult task, I might add.  

I began with the Twelve Articles of Catholic Faith, which are central to the Catholic faith. These mirror the Apostle’s Creed, a summary statement of apostolic beliefs.   

The 12 Articles 
A triune God who created the universe. 
Jesus as Divine Savior; He is fully God. 
Jesus was born of a virgin, conceived through the Holy Spirit, proving He is fully human and fully God.
He was crucified under the word of Pontius Pilot, a Roman governor of Judea. He died and was buried. 
Jesus then descended into Hell and rose from the dead three days later. 
Jesus is now seated at the right hand of God the Father in Heaven, mediating for us. 

Jesus will return to earth to judge the living and the dead.
They believe in the Holy Spirit.
They believe in the catholic Church (meaning one global church) and communion of Saints. 
The forgiveness of sins. 
The resurrection of the body. 
And finally, in everlasting life.  

While these 12 are core doctrine for Catholic and Christian beliefs,
the difference lies in definitions.   

Forgiveness of Sin
According to Catholic doctrine, Christ’s death “afforded grace for the forgiveness of sin.”
But it wasn’t actually “enough”, we still need to “work” to be “good enough” for that forgiveness to be extended to us.
Catholicism says “original sin” is removed only through baptism, which is a bit like the “Door to Forgiveness” being opened for you. To walk through it, however, you must participate in the “Sacrament of Penance.” This mainly happens through Confession with a Catholic priest. The priest is said to be the mediator between God and humankind, able to extend God’s forgiveness to us on His behalf.  

To a Catholic, Christ’s work on the cross was insufficient to forgive sin without these works of baptism and confession to a priest on our part.

Christian doctrine also holds to Baptism and Confession,
but with different definitions.  

Ephesians 1:7-8 makes it clear:
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, 
according to the riches of His grace, that He richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding.”

Through His blood.
By His grace.
Nothing more, nothing less.
We don’t need to work for forgiveness,
it’s freely given through Christ’s complete sacrifice.  

Our Catholic friends are constantly working to cover up the bad things they’ve done through penance, instead of walking into the guaranteed forgiveness the cross and shed blood of Christ brings.  

With constant work comes a constant question,
“Am I good enough for forgiveness?”

Eternal Life
Death, for a Catholic, continues to beg the question, “Am I good enough?’.
At death, if their soul is deemed holy by God, they go to Heaven.
If the soul is evil, they go directly to hell.
If the soul is neither holy nor wicked, they go to purgatory until the soul is cleansed of any sin (through others praying to Mary on their behalf) before going to Heaven.

In the Catholic faith, Mary is the mediator between us and Jesus, as we pray to her, and she prays to Jesus for us.  

However, Scripture teaches two precious truths:
There is only one mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ! 1 Timothy 2:5
We are given access, through Christ’s precious blood, to boldly and directly enter His throne room of grace. (Hebrews 4:16)

When Jesus died on the cross for our sins, he tore the veil in the temple.
That veil separated the Holy of Holies, where the presence of God resided, from the rest of the temple. Only a priest could enter the Holy of Holies to intercede for forgiveness on the peoples’ behalf. If the priest entered in with sin in his life, he would be struck dead.  

But Jesus, who is the only sinless one,
came to earth to make God accessible to us through Himself.  

Jesus came to take the place of the priests as mediator.
He is our perfect mediator because He is the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.
Mary was a great woman, but being human means that we are sinful.
She was never intended to be the mediator between us and Jesus. 

The Gospel
The gospel says Jesus’ shed blood and resurrection plus our acceptance equals salvation. Romans 10:9-10 

But Catholicism says the gospel plus work equals potential salvation.  

For all of the good, solid doctrine Christianity shares with Catholicism,
when we start adding things to the gospel, it’s no longer the gospel.  

Good Enough?
If we’re honest, it’s a question we’ve all asked ourselves.
It’s one I’ve been asking myself a lot lately.

Good enough to go to Heaven?
Good enough to bypass purgatory?
Good enough for God’s forgiveness?  

If we’re honest, it’s a question we’ve all asked ourselves.
It’s one I’ve been asking myself a lot lately.  

In truth, Sisters, we can trust that neither are we good enough, nor do we need to be!
Because our God is more than good enough. 
It’s not by baptism that our “original sin” is removed.
It’s not by attending mass without missing.
It’s not by confessing sins to a priest, or any other requirement.
Salvation is found, and forgiveness atoned for, by confessing with our mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord. (Romans 10:9)

Our eternity is secure.
Nothing can ever snatch us from His hand once we’ve crossed the line of salvation for ourselves. (John 10:28)
The full gospel, nothing more, nothing less, is solid enough to hold our souls for eternity.
Jesus + Nothing = Everything!
Have you trusted 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!

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Roads Day 8 How Much Is Enough?

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Read His Words Before Ours!

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

Roads, Day 8

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Written by Janna Comfort 

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

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