Brave

The GT Weekend! ~ Ignite Week 2

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The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) The Christian beliefs that have shaped the Church today are first and foremost anchored heavily in Scripture, but they were also bravely fought for by brothers and sisters down through the ages who loved the Savior, honored God’s Word supremely, and therefore, refused to give ground to lies over truth. When we believe a lie, it changes the landscape of our lives. Perhaps imperceptibly at first, but over time, the lies we believe grow, quickly taking ground in our hearts. Where are you and I believing lies over truth? There is only one way to know: search the truths of Scripture and pray for the Spirit to convict your heart as you seek His. Do this with me, Sister!

2) As you read through Paula’s Journey from Wednesday, you may notice that many of the “new ideas” brought about by the brave believers in the Middle Ages are commonplace to us in our everyday. We can thank the steadfast Christ-followers of this era for holding so tight and fast to Scripture, believing the message of God to be for more than rituals and mindless Latin expressions. The Spirit of God prompted them to push the envelope on what was common in “religion”, what was “the way we do it” in church life, and we still feel the rippling effects of what the Lord did through them. What would it look like for you to re-evaluate your regular, everyday faith journey and even how you view church, and held it up to the Scriptures? Where is God inviting you to carry His torch of truth?

3) Luther boldly nailed a document to the door of his local church body because he cared more about following Jesus and holding tight to the truth of Scripture than he did his own comfort or popularity. What if we all, as Christ-followers, truly loved the Church as a whole and each of our brothers and sisters in Jesus with that kind of love? A love that called out truth, but did it with grace. Who do you know who needs you to come alongside, offering truth and grace? Where do you need it? Write “truth and grace” in a place you will see it often this weekend as a reminder of how desperately we all need them both, then commit to living it!

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 1 John 1:6-7 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Prayer Journal
Spirit! How deeply I need Your conviction! How often I need Your reminder to cling to truth and apply Your teaching in my everyday life! Convict my oft’ wandering heart of my sin, let me see it plainly. Fill my heart so abundantly with Your overwhelming love for others that I literally ache with pain to see another walking in darkness.
Give me boldness, like all those brothers and sisters who have gone before me, to love with grace and truth. Here in the precious place where Your blood covers our sin, Jesus, is sweet unity with one another and You. Lead Your Bride here, Abba Father! Bind us together in Your strong Name!

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

The GT Weekend! Screenshot Week 3

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The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Sara shares in “Hidden Talent” how the Lord took her progressively deeper into truth through Scripture in regard to the spiritual discipline of stewardship. She began with applying stewardship to her finances, was later convicted of stewarding time in her life, until the Spirit of God moved in her heart, showing her that she herself, the whole of her, was the “talent”. Where do you see yourself fall in that same progression of discovery? How are you living that out currently? What’s holding you back from surrendering more control to the Lord?

2) Discouragement sprouts up anywhere, ready to slow us down and disarm us of passion and excitement to grow God’s Kingdom. Fear and worry follow close behind discouragement, ready to distract us so effectively that we become ineffective for all the Lord has invited us into. Where are you most tempted to give in to any of these three “weeds”? Share honestly with the Lord of these areas, and cling tightly to truth, remembering that “The Story Isn’t Over!”.

3) While developing spiritual habits like Scripture reading and prayer are full of highs, lows, and mediocrity, we are absolutely assured these sweet truths: The Father is Ever-Present when we sit with Him, and He will never waste what we are willing to invest in relationship with Him. Whether you carve out 3 minutes or 63, the Lord will meet you. He has much to show you about Himself, precious encouragement to personally give you, and direction to help you refocus your heart. Don’t wait; begin creating a plan to spend regular, consistent time with Him! Get ready for what He wants to do in your “Now”!

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 Corinthians 3:12-18 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, 13 not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. 14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains un-lifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.6 For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Prayer Journal
Father, I praise you for truth from Your Word that victoriously declares, “The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom!” Freedom to come out of hiding, ready to follow your leading despite my fears. Freedom, whose voice drowns out those of discouragement and worry. Freedom that openly invites me, every moment of every day, to build Your Kingdom.

Make my heart tender to You, Spirit, that I might learn to follow quickly as you lead me into that freedom. Lord, break my heart for those whose faces I see around me; all of them with hearts that long for freedom. Give me opportunities to share what You have faithfully done in my life that they too might discover the deep freedom only You give!

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

Chase Day 4 Say Yes: 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

Looking for yesterday’s
Journey Study?
Check out Say Yes!

Matthew 28:16-20 Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

16 The eleven disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped, but some doubted. 18 Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The Questions

1) What is the context of these verses, and what is its significance?

2) What does the “therefore” in verse 19 point to?

3) What does “behold” mean?  How does that word add to our understanding of verse 20?

The Findings for Intention

1) What is the context of these verses, and what is its significance?
These verses are recorded at the very end of the book of Matthew.  Jesus has completed His earthly ministry, fulfilled His mission to die for our sins and rise from the grave, and has spent 40 days appearing to many witnesses.  He then gathered His disciples in one place and gave them this charge, right before ascending into heaven.  It is significant that these are the final words Jesus spoke while on earth—these are the last things He wanted His disciples to know and remember.

2) What does the “therefore” in verse 19 point to?
“Therefore” indicates that the previous statement gives a reason for the following statement.  So, because Jesus says, “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me“ we are commanded to “go and make disciples.”  Jesus’s authority enables our disciple-making.

3) What does “behold” mean?  How does that word add to our understanding of verse 20?
“Behold” means “look, see.”  It emphasizes the point being made.  Jesus has just given us the Great Commission, and he wants us to pause and take note of the fact that He is with us always!  It makes obeying the Great Commission possible.

The Everyday Application

1) What is the context of these verses, and what is its significance?
Knowing that these are the last words Jesus spoke to His followers underscores their importance—and it should motivate our obedience.  Sister, are you concerned about making disciples?  Do you believe that all authority belongs to Christ, and that He is with you? How are you currently involved in making disciples? In what specific ways can you grow in this?

2) What does the “therefore” in verse 19 point to?
If Jesus has all authority on heaven and on earth, then He has authority even over peoples’ hearts!  It is not ultimately our presentation of the Gospel, or the persuasiveness of our apologetics, or the fervency of our prayers that win people to Christ (although those things are important to consider).  It is Christ Himself who works through us to reveal Himself to people.  That fact can take away our fear of sharing the gospel—someone’s heart response to the gospel ultimately doesn’t depend on me!

3) What does “behold” mean?  How does that word add to our understanding of verse 20?
When you feel fear creeping in, when you feel inadequate to share Christ, when you’re overwhelmed by the mountain of obstacles that seem to stand between people and Christ, behold.  Behold that Christ is with you always!  Pause and remind yourself, dear sister, that the One who created the world, who loved you enough to bear your sins on the cross, is with you, and let that truth chase your fears away.

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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
Chase 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 Chase!

Grow 2018 Day 4 The Lie Of Perfect Growth

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

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

Grow, Day 4

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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 Grow 2018! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all stories in Grow 2018!

Worship II Day 15 Where’s Your Mountain?

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Luke 2:8-20
Matthew 28:16-20
Matthew 4:18-22
Ezekiel 33:1-8

When my husband and I found out we were pregnant, we couldn’t wait to tell everyone we knew. We immediately began plotting how we would break the news to our family, friends, coworkers, and, of course, what the all-important Facebook announcement would be. I also couldn’t help but tell waitresses, cashiers, and baristas. The joy in my heart had to come out everywhere I went.

Can you think of a time you had great news that you couldn’t wait to tell someone about? Maybe it was a marriage engagement, a job promotion, or a great new restaurant you just discovered. Did you call your mom or text your best friend? Did you take to social media so that you could quickly reach as many people as possible with your exciting news?

Sometimes news, even good news, can be a little bit scary. What does this mean? How are things going to change? How am I supposed to respond to this new information?

Imagine you just received the most important piece of news in the history of the world.

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold,
I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby
wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
(Luke 2:10-12)

The shepherds in Luke 2 were in the fields with their flocks. Luke doesn’t say there was anything special or out of the ordinary about that night, but I like to imagine that it was a clear night when the stars could be seen brightly. Suddenly, something happened that would certainly change the shepherds forever. An angel of the Lord was standing before them and he had something to say! After his announcement, a whole host of angels appeared, praising God and singing of His glory.

After the angels returned to heaven, the shepherds hurried to see this great thing that had been proclaimed to them. After seeing Mary, Joseph and the baby for themselves, they went on their way proclaiming the news they had experienced.

Can you imagine?
The Israelites had been waiting to hear from God for hundreds of years
and he chose that moment
and those shepherds
to make His big announcement.

God had been in the business of using ordinary people to bring His message throughout the Old Testament, so it shouldn’t surprise us that he would choose lowly shepherds to be the bearers of the news of the birth of His Son the Messiah.
He used Moses, someone poor of speech, to lead his people out of Egypt.
He used Esther, an orphan Jew, to save His people from genocide.
He used Rahab, a prostitute, to hide the Israelite spies in Jericho.

The shepherds were the start of a new era of unqualified people bringing the Gospel to the world. Jesus’s disciples were a ragtag group of ordinary men – fishermen, tax collectors, and zealots. He didn’t stop there. He also used the widow, the lame, the blind, the young, the old, and the sick to share His gospel.

God is still using ordinary people to bring His Good News to the world today;
people like you and me.
God could have chosen any mode to proclaim the Gospel,
but in His infinite wisdom and perfect plan,
He decided to use people.
People of small and large influence,
people young and old,
people rich and poor.

After Jesus’ resurrection, He gave the Great Commission before He ascended to Heaven.

And Jesus came and said to them,
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
(Matthew 28:18-20)

He wasn’t just talking to the crowd that day.
The Great Commission is for us!
We have Good News!

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is better news that any engagement, job promotion, or new restaurant. Shouldn’t we want to tell everyone about the Good News that has been proclaimed to us?
Go Tell It On The Mountain is traditionally a Christmas song, but it is just as relevant to us in December as it is January through November.
So, where is your Mountain?
Who will you tell about Jesus Christ?

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

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

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

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

Palette Day 8 Side By Side

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 12:9-21
Psalm 97:10-12
Hebrews 13:1-2 

Full transparency?

The thought of this Journey theme, Palette, made me squirm. When Rebecca first mentioned racial injustice as a Journey theme, I knew that we were supposed to do it… but that didn’t make the topic any easier to broach. Let’s face it: we live in tumultuous times. We tear each other down with our words and actions, but even more so with our self-oriented “status updates” and “likes.” Some of us imagine we are subtly snubbing our sisters and brothers by passive-aggressively “with-holding our likes.” (Oh, it’s a thing alright. Google “withholding likes.” You’ll be amazed…and you just might recognize something that resonates.) We build each other up by “sharing” posts and “commenting” our support, but when it comes to relating to one another in person, in real life, we fall painfully short.

Sometimes we aren’t sure what to do or say when we witness an injustice take place. Sometimes we know what to do or say, but we are afraid of rocking the boat.
Sometimes we are so afraid of saying the wrong thing,
or the right thing in the wrong way,
that we get completely caught up in our own heads and fail to say anything at all.
Two questions return to mind.
Is this loving well?
Is this loving at all?
When faced with this injustice, do we withdraw from engaging those around us because we are so worried about semantics that we forget our calling – to love?
Sometimes, we do.

I sat down with my friend, Dom, to talk about her experiences growing up as part of a minority group. I asked her to share with me some of the things she had experienced that have affected how she raises her own daughter, things that someone else like me might take for granted. I’m not really sure what I was expecting to hear or learn, but the insight she shared brought several points into sharp focus for me.

Dom shared that growing up in the midwest, she was one of only a few black students in her high school about 20 minutes outside of Kansas City. She compared her high school experience to any other, with highs and lows and in-betweens. In high school and now, years later she mentioned that classmates and friends would begin sentences with “No offense, but…” in reference to her. This only ever served to create or highlight offense, because the words which followed inevitably compared her to other people her friends considered part of her minority group. She recalled one instance in which a classmate used hateful language and racial slurs in reference to her. She shared that while it was awful, he later apologized for his words and she forgave him. Dom explained that for the most part, she hasn’t really felt that she has been the victim of the kinds of things we often expect or hear about when it comes to racism. While she is keenly aware of the things happening within the United States in terms of injustice and minority groups, she chooses to keep a positive outlook and is intent on teaching that to her young daughter as well. “I try to teach her that every person is different and has different experiences. We have to look at people as individuals, rather than groups. I try to teach her to look out for people who need a friend,” Dom stated.

When asked what we can all do to pull together to “right the ship,” Dom readily shared. “We are not listening to one another. We need to stop and listen. I feel like we forgot how to be loving and caring to one another.”

She’s right. We are each so often caught up in our own perceptions of others and their experiences or background that we are failing to see them as individuals. Even when I scheduled my meeting with Dom, I held subconscious expectations of what she would share with me. I assumed she would have numerous instances to share, stories of wild injustice and times when she had been slighted. That was wrong of me. Even with my best intentions, I lumped her into a group of people who had been wronged in many ways. I wasn’t thinking about her and her experiences with an open mind and no expectations.

Sisters, we have to stop. We have to listen. We have to be loving and caring to one another, and we can’t do that if we continue to feed our own expectations rather than asking others to share their stories with us. We can’t expect to come alongside those who are hurting when we are unwilling to find out why they personally are hurting.

I would encourage you to reach out to a friend or family member this week. Maybe they are a member of a minority group, or maybe you are. Either way, ask to meet over a cup of coffee. Ask them to share their stories with you.
Then, listen.

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

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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 Palette 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 Palette!

Justice Day 15 Leading With Love

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 13:8-10
Mark 12:28-34
1Peter 4:7-11
Deuteronomy 10:12-19 

“Trust me, I’m not going to hurt you,” I coaxed my little sister. “This is going to be so cool!”

I must have only been around 9 years old, but I remember the conversation well. A boy from my Sunday school class had shown me how to “fake punch” someone, and I was determined to show my sister Annah how it worked. It seemed easy enough, and he and I had “fake punched” each other a bunch of times earlier that day with no problem. “The real trick,” he said, “is to make it look really real. Really put some force behind it.” I nodded; it made perfect sense.

What could go wrong? After all, we had practiced.

I will never forget the look on her face. Trusting…but a little worried. I reeled back, made a fist and thrust my arm forward with exquisite perfection while calculating the exact spot at which to halt my arm’s motion. The grin breaking over my face turned from excitement to abject horror as my fist collided forcefully with her innocent, trusting eye.

The wail that burst from her mouth mirrored how I felt inside; I never meant to hurt her! I couldn’t tell you the punishment I (rightly) received, but I will never forget the sickening feeling that came over me when I realized my mistake had caused her such pain.

All of us can pinpoint a time when we have felt the same at one point or another.
Regret over our actions. Remorse that we have caused another pain. That unforgettable instant when all our good intentions collide with the harsh reality that we were wrong. Loves, there is something else we are getting wrong, too.

As we conclude our Journey through Justice, we would be remiss if we didn’t talk about the pressing social injustice of racial inequality. Depending on each individual’s circle of influence, the picture being painted regarding this social injustice typically appears very different from one social media newsfeed to the next. Regardless of the news and opinion articles, demonstrations and heartfelt conversations which may or may not cross our field of vision on a daily basis, racial inequality is real and it is happening on our watch.
Those of us in minority groups are hurting.
For real reasons.
People are being abused, ignored and made to feel that their feelings and very selves are not enough.
This isn’t something we can feign ignorance to and brush aside with little or no thought.

How much damage are we doing to the Body of Christ when we pretend these things aren’t happening? Our brothers and sisters are facing turmoil, uncertainty and pain, and most importantly injustice.
In the face of these truths, can each of us claim that we are supporting and reaching out to bridge the gap for those battling the reality of racial inequality every day?
Are we seeing our people and using our gifts to provide a platform for the forgotten and ignored?
Or are we turning our eyes away because we aren’t sure how we can make a difference or we just don’t know where to start?
Thankfully, so thankfully, we follow the One Who knows exactly where to begin – and He tells us to lead with love.

Love your neighbor as yourself.
Love does no harm to anyone.
Love covers a multitude of sins.

Take a moment to peruse any current news headlines, and you will be left with little doubt that our world is charged with racial tension and injustice. Hurting people respond to other hurting people…with sharp words, actions and attitudes.
Frightened, comfortable people respond to racial injustice
by choosing to ignore truth.
When we face those ugliest parts of humanity, our questions mustn’t revolve around how such things could happen – we already know that answer – sin.
It seeps silently into our good intentions and misconceptions.

Instead, we must decide how we will respond in love.
Will we, in our fear, brush aside the reality we uncover?
Or will we choose to come alongside our hurting brothers and sisters,
pull them in close beside us with words of encouragement and belonging?
Will we acknowledge that we don’t know what to say or what to do or how to do it,
but we will try anyway?

Join us on Monday as we Journey into Palette,
tackle racial injustice, and how we can make a difference!
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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 Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Here’s a link to all past studies in Justice!

Justice Day 7 Modern Slavery: 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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Journey Study?
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Romans 13:8-14 English Standard Version (ESV)

8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

The Questions

1) How are we to “owe” love?

2) What “hour” is being referred to in verse 11?

3) How are we to “cast off” the works of darkness?

4) What is the motivation for “putting on the Lord Jesus”?

The Findings for Intention

1) How are we to “owe” love?
In the verses preceding this section, Paul was teaching about respecting and submitting to the authorities, which included paying taxes. Paul’s transition here to “owing love” is meant to highlight the fact that, as believers, we should be above reproach in our public and social dealings, but also taking the high road when it comes to displaying love and respect to everyone. We love well because we have been so radically loved by Christ. Paul reminds us of Jesus’ words that by loving, we fulfill every requirement of the law. God doesn’t call us to a long list of do’s and don’ts, rather, He invites us to love others the way we have been loved.

2) What “hour” is being referred to in verse 11?
This specific reference is not necessarily referring to the second coming of Christ, although it certainly carries undertones of His pending return, rather Paul’s main point is to urge those who have already crossed the line of faith to stop wasting their time living as if they were still chained to the ruler of Sin. Believers have been made new by the redemptive salvation of Christ, and we are set free to love. It’s something like insisting on driving around town in the old, beat up car that barely runs, when you have a Porsche in your garage, waiting for you to drive it. We’ve been freed for more!

3) How are we to “cast off” the works of darkness?
“Casting off” the works of darkness is an insistence on quitting the life of sin and self-gratification. Over in his letter to Ephesus, Paul takes this “casting off” one step farther and teaches us to “expose the unfruitful works of darkness”. This reference goes all the way back to Leviticus, where God instructed His people to honestly speak grace and truth to one another, in order that others wouldn’t fall into sin because of their silence. Following this section in Leviticus, the Lord reminds, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The decision to imitate the life and love of Christ benefits more than just us, it also invites others into the life that God has planned for them, that they may live freely as well!

4) What is the motivation for “putting on the Lord Jesus”?
The motivation here ties directly back to where Paul began: love. Love for Jesus, love for fellow believers, love for those trapped in injustice, and love for those who are hopelessly caught in the deadly grip of sin. Similarly, Peter urges believers to pick up our weapons and wage this war against our souls, keeping our conduct among “outsiders” pure and honorable that they may see God through us!

The Everyday Application

1) How are we to “owe” love?
Obviously, there wasn’t social media in ancient times, but the law of love applies to all social, political, and everyday modern situations. When we engage in conversation over social media, are we exhibiting this law of love? Are we showing respect for others in the words we choose and the battles we choose to wage? Especially in the arena of injustices and other hot topics like homosexuality, abortion, or pornography, Christ’s foremost calling to us as believers is to deeply love and respect those involved. Jesus offers love to everyone, and His love should be increasingly obvious by the way we engage culture.

2) What “hour” is being referred to in verse 11?
Paul’s urgency transcends the thousands of years separating us and the Corinthian church; stop living for yourself, all caught up in sin-stained desires and speech, live a life of love that points others to Christ! Our lives are so transient, we simply do not know when our life, or the lives of those around us, will end, but while it is “still today”, we have been given the opportunity to love others and free those bound by the chains of sin and injustice. We must stop being satisfied with our “happy little lives”.

3) How are we to “cast off” the works of darkness?
In regard to social injustices, where can you begin to “expose” the evil deeds being done in the darkness of sin? Pray about where God may be calling you to stand up for others, ask Him to remove your blinders, your ignorance, and your complacency. Instead choose to expose what is going on around you and live a life of brave love to truly make a difference! See yesterday’s Journey, Modern Slavery, for some ideas on actions you can begin to explore.

4) What is the motivation for “putting on the Lord Jesus”?
Standing up for those enslaved by injustices is scary, it’s hard, and it’s far beyond uncomfortable. Yet, when we consider that souls may be won for eternity, the cost becomes worth the sacrifice. We have one life on earth, one opportunity to partner with the Lord in the work He wants to accomplish in His kingdom on earth. He’s inviting us to make a difference, to defend the weak, to break the chains of slavery; will we “put on the Lord Jesus” for their sake?!

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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 Justice Week Two!
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 Justice!

Battle Day 13 Fought For

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 15:12-17
1 John 3:16-18
James 2:14-26 

In 2010, Disney released “Tangled” and it immediately took my personal favorite spot over Aladdin (although I think Cinderella still might win by just a little). The girl with gorgeous, long hair and an incredible voice, forced to live her entire life hidden away in a castle only to sneak away and become entranced with a charming, but thieving, outlaw drew me in from the start. In the end, when the handsome-outlaw turned kind-hero suffers a fatal injury with the only means of survival being Rapunzel’s healing hair, the story took a twist that stuck with me. Using her hair to heal Flynn meant Rapunzel would forever be enslaved to the wicked Gothel, who used Rapunzel for her healing powers. In an unforeseen act of altruism, Flynn proved his love by cutting Rapunzel’s hair with a shard of glass, thus breaking the power of her magical hair and setting her free from the chains of Gothel.
It meant his death, but her life.
He chose her life over his in a moment’s notice.
The battle for her heart was won by his selfless love.

Going to seminary was not as dreamy and magical as I thought it would be. Rather than drawing us close in the way I’d envisioned, the time commitment of classes and full-time work for my husband, the tiny living quarters, 3 small children, being pregnant, and homeschooling, were all the ingredients we needed for an intense pressure cooker for our marriage.
The bottom dropped out for us and we were left falling headlong towards divorce.
We were in a battle, and we were losing.

Seminary was my husband’s dream since before we even met. His passion for ministry and shepherding people has had his heart for years.
One afternoon, in the middle of our mess of a marriage at seminary, he came to me.
Quiet, but confident.
“I’m leaving seminary,” he said. “I don’t know if I will ever go back, but I’m choosing us no matter what.”
For anyone who knows my husband, you know that he quits nothing and succeeds at everything. Whatever he decides to do, he does it well.
But he left seminary.
He packed up the bags of his dreams and walked away without looking back.
And in so doing, he set me free.
Free to see his love.
Free to believe his love.
Free to trust him.

Wars are costly.
Battles are expensive.
But choosing not to fight for freedom, has a far higher price tag.

Saying yes to our marriage, meant saying no to his dream.
Spending ourselves for another is the core of the type of love that Jesus calls us to.

Christ’s example of love isn’t a “pat on the back, here’s some change from my purse, I wish you well” kind of love.
It’s much more radical.
Much more extravagant.
It’s love that says,
“I’ll give you my time,
here is my money,
here is my house,
I’m willing to move,
I’m willing to give away what is mine,
here’s my vacation time,
here are my talents,
here.
Here. Is. My. Life.”

“By this, all men will know that you are My disciples if you love one another.” John 13:35

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

These are the words from the lips of a man who laid aside glory for the opportunity to offer real,
genuine,
deep,
lasting,
eternal
L I F E
to those who were utterly stuck in their sin, had done nothing to love him,
and everything against him.
You and me.

His is a love that far eclipses anything we could do.
Yet He gave.
And He calls us to do the same.
How could we not?

Pause here with me, Sisters. What faces play across your mind’s eye now?
Who needs you to fight for them?
That girl who sits alone?
That women in the office who acts like a snob?
She who you’ve always excluded?
She who is hurting so deeply and you know it, but you’re afraid to get too close?
She who doesn’t know Christ, but fear holds you back from sharing the gospel?
Your own children who either utterly depend on you or have spurned you?
Your spouse?
The hungry child in Zambia?
The homeless family in Houston?
The family whose race doesn’t match yours, but you’ve ignored?

This life you’ve been gifted…what will you do with it?
You, beautiful daughter, are loved deeply enough that a King stepped from His throne to fight for you in the mess of your everyday.
How will you steward that love?

Name that person that the Spirit is laying on your heart to fight for,
and go,
pick up your sword,
and give your life away to
fight for them!

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

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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 Battle 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 Battle!