The GT Weekend! – Worship IV Week 1

December 1, 2018 by Rebecca Adams Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

1) What are your personal experiences with worship? Pause, reflect, and journal through those. What are the circumstances and surroundings where you come into deep worship the easiest? What defines worship in your experience? How much do your feelings play into the “how” of your worship time? Spend the next 2-3 minutes writing out unchanging truths about God’s character, then steal away to a quiet place and spend 7-8 minutes worshipping God for being exactly who He says He is. Grab a candle, a journal, your Bible, or just a willingness to speak openly as you worship even now.

2) Who or what is the “glue” that holds you together? Who or what do you rely heavily on for stability? Maybe it’s the relational state of your marriage, likes on social media, the cleanliness of your home, or how you perform at the gym. Consider how often you turn to the anchor of Christ to be your center. When you think of where you would like to be in your daily relationship with Jesus, what practical piece is currently missing? Write down 1 easy thing you can begin doing today to make a shift, taking your walk deeper with the Lord. Then connect with a friend and ask her to hold you accountable to regularly taking that step!

3) When was the last time you worshipped the Lord right in the middle of the mayhem of your everyday mess? What did you praise the Savior for? As Crystal shared yesterday, we are invited in to “sing Israel’s song” as our great Rescuer and Redeemer. Challenge yourself you to take notes, even just for this weekend, writing down the ways the Lord has been gracious, setting His kindness upon you. Maybe it’s a paper journal or a note on your phone, but actively choose worship by taking note of the gifts of the Father!

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 Colossians 1:19-20 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

For God was pleased to have
all his fullness dwell in Him,
and through Him to reconcile
everything to Himself,
whether things on earth or things in heaven,
by making peace
through His blood, shed on the cross.

Prayer Journal
Making peace is something we all long for, Lord; it’s something I long for in my everyday life. My relationships need peace. My children need peace. My hurting friends need peace. My finances need peace. My workplace needs peace.

But, these people and places need much more than I can possibly give or bring. As much as I grieve for the unrest, I know I’m at a loss to give anything but temporary emotional support, and even that isn’t possible in all cases. Lord, teach my heart to find peace in one place, Your shed blood for my redemption. Be my anchor, Jesus, and in that place of security, give me opportunities to extend Your peace to those around me. Remind me, Spirit, to lift my loved ones and my circumstances up to You for your perfect peace to surround. How I love you, Abba! How grateful I am for Your deep love and boundless peace!

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

Roads Day 15 The Road Home

September 28, 2018 by Merry Ohler Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

John 14:1-7
Matthew 7:13-14
Jeremiah 14:14-16
2 Timothy 4:3-4

Roads, Day 15

“God, HELP me! Why can’t I HEAR You?!”
Angry tears filled my eyes and I swallowed hard, slamming towels into the washing machine so quickly they tangled into a big wad. Shrieks reached my ears as I wrestled with the laundry, and in my frustration, I slammed my little toe into the dryer as I turned to shush my two oldest so they wouldn’t wake their sleeping little brother.

I’d be lying if I said an unpleasant word didn’t hiss across my lips. (Sorry, but it’s truth…and I’ll bet if you are being honest, you might be able to relate.)

“You aren’t listening, Love. Your attention is divided.”
His gentle nudge in my spirit sparked fresh tears. He was right.

It had been a long day week year. The temperature outside was frigid, and with three little ones under four, I could count on one hand the number of days when every person in our little tribe had been healthy… in over two months.
I loved being a wife and mama, but between those two most important roles, the demands of my growing business, various ministry commitments, a part time job, and maintaining family relationships, I found myself incapable of focusing on a single task (or person) for even a few minutes. I couldn’t give 100% to anyone or anything.

I was tapped out. Emotionally. Mentally. Spiritually.

And truth? I was pretty angry with myself…and maybe at God a little, too.
I couldn’t understand why He seemed so silent through everything.
I was reading my Bible.
I spent time in prayer and worship.
But, for a while now, He had seemed… uncharacteristically quiet.

Having experienced the loss of our first daughter and His supernatural peace and comfort through that time a few years prior, I was frustrated that such seemingly trivial issues affected me like this. …and that He wasn’t showing up as I expected.

His soft correction was on point.
I had been so busy juggling ALL OF THE THINGS,
that nothing and no one was getting the best, or even most, of me.

Have you been there, Sister? Are you there?
So overwhelmed that you just… can’t?

And here’s the million dollar question, Love.
Looking past all of that, are you still 100% committed to following Christ?
Through the mundane as well as the mountains?

A while back, a friend and I were somewhat casually discussing faith and eternity.
As our discourse turned to another religious perspective that was outside biblical salvation by grace through faith, my friend asserted,
“Well, whatever makes them happy.
As long as it isn’t hurting anyone, what’s the harm, right?”

Stunned, I said nothing, and as she changed topics, the moment was lost.

What’s the harm, right?
Her words still echo in my mind.
How I wish I had spoken truth in love to her at that moment.

I wish I’d told her the harm has eternal ramifications.
I wish I’d  told her the harm is that, as Christ followers, we know there is only one road which assures salvation for eternity.
There is only one road holding the hope of a future which far outshines our sin-stained past. There is only one road offering us healing and forgiveness, righteousness, and adoption into God’s family.

One narrow road, and His name is Jesus.

Not our own righteousness,
nor how we think we should act or be,
nor any other thing, but JESUS.

Are we willing to receive some challenge today, Loves?

This is not a popular truth to tell in this day and age.
We live in a world where “live and let live,” and “do whatever makes you happy” rules.
Comfort is king.
While we are encouraged to “speak our truth,” those who shout this mantra the loudest,
are often the first to hush us when THE Truth is what we speak.

Just like my own failure to speak truth in the moment Holy Spirit provided with my friend, many of us fail to give 100% to the people He has placed in our circles.

Look, I get it.
Living our beliefs out there for the world to see in real life is HARD.
It’s much, much easier to stay in our little Sunday bubble and post faith-influenced social media status updates once or twice a week and never actually get in the dirt to love the people He has tasked us to love.

But…what about that mimics the Christ we profess to believe in, love and follow?

As followers of Christ and daughters of God…
We know we are heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven.
We know this world is not our home.
But we also know we are tasked to bring His Kingdom here… which includes sharing the truth in love with whomever God places in our path.
These opportunities to share are the most important part
of our journey as we travel the road Home. (read: Heaven)

No, not preaching on every corner or issuing condemnation and judgement.
It isn’t a “one and done” kind of deal.
Rather, we are challenged to actively love others, continually and invitationally.  

Invite them into our lives and homes and hearts.
Invite them into our community and demonstrate Christ’s love in word, action and deed.
Build real relationships so when Holy Spirit prompts us to speak the truth in love,
we can do it with grace.

When we commit to giving our whole attention and focus to whatever He hands us, we free ourselves to be obedient and experience His fullness.
Even in the mountains and the mundane.
THIS is our purpose, our calling, and our joy!
To live out this Gospel as we travel the road Home!

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
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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 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 Roads!

Screenshot Day 15 Now

September 7, 2018 by Bri Bailey Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Esther 4:14-16
Matthew 25:1-13
Matthew 25:31-46
2 Corinthians 3:12-18
Ephesians 5:15-21

Screenshot, Day 15

I came upstairs after my workout, glancing at the clock as I tiptoed through the kitchen to pour myself a cup of coffee. Perfect. I had fifteen minutes to savor that sacred nectar of quiet and get in some Jesus time before the kids woke up.

Passing by the baby monitor, I saw my youngest conked out, sleeping on her tummy with her little tushie up in the air. I stirred some stevia into my coffee and headed to the living room. My seat touched sofa cushion . . . and the baby started talking.

Really?? Really??

My fifteen minutes became three as I chugged a scalding half a cup, scanned a paragraph of verses in Ephesians, and offered up a hurried prayer.

{I share this vignette not to complain about motherhood, as I’m deeply grateful for my three healthy, nutty children. Rather, I’m attempting to give you a glimpse into this season of my life.}

In retrospect, I chuckle at the whole situation, as, I’m sure, do my fellow mamas.

But you don’t need to have kiddos to relate. Maybe you sit down to your laptop to pull up your devotional and an urgent email pops up. Maybe the delivery or repair person calls to say he’ll be there in five minutes. Maybe your dog chooses that moment to pee on the carpet, jump the fence, or dig out of the yard.

Whatever the reason, we’ve been there! Some days are for deep introspection, pages of journaling, flowing, heartfelt prayers, and creating detailed action plans.

And some days just aren’t.

This day just wasn’t.
Given that, I found my mind returning to the morning’s passage, Ephesians 5:15-21.
I was puzzled. . . in an I-have-30-seconds-to-think-about-this-while-putting-the-laundry-in-the-dryer kind of way.

The section’s heading in my Bible read “consistency in the Christian life,” and the verses encourage us to live holy lives, as time is short and the days are evil. In my less-than-focused mindset, I wondered at the relationship between consistency and the certain knowledge of Jesus’ imminent return.

Certainly, a life set apart to God is a worthy calling for all believers. But, as I continued to mull over His words, I felt Him shedding a different light on this exhortation, drawing connections between parts of Scripture I hadn’t previously understood to be related.

Matthew 25:1-13 promises the second coming of Jesus, urging us to live expectantly. This theme is echoed later in the chapter (v. 31-46), as Jesus uses the metaphor of a shepherd separating sheep from goats to illustrate the certain and eternal consequences of our acceptance or rejection of His loving sacrifice on our behalf.

Jesus is returning.
Whether we’re ready . . . or not.
Therefore, the time is now.

Not that dangerously nebulous and falsely-comforting someday.
Someday, when I’ve taken the right classes and know the buzz words and can devote hours to study and meditation.
Someday, when my kids are grown and I can finish a thought.
Someday, when my work is established and my future security is certain.

Dear sisters, let’s learn from the virgins and the goats. Let’s avoid the siren song of someday, lulling us into complacency and ineffectualness. The time is now.
The time for considering our own salvation is now.

Do you have questions about what it means to admit that we’ve all messed up and to accept the forgiveness and grace made possible by the propitiatory death of Jesus? Sister, that’s cool! This is a big, potentially confusing, and vitally important topic.

Would you like to talk with someone about your questions in a space that’s safe and judgement-free? Drop a comment and it would be an honor for someone from our community to reach out to you.

The time for embracing a vibrant life of spiritual growth is now.

Some of us are already assured of an eternal home with the One who loves us best. But our journey doesn’t end with our salvation; rather, a whole new adventure begins. When we joyfully take up the disciplines of a Jesus-like life, His longing for our transformation into His image starts to become reality.

Even when we only have three minutes. Friend, He’s teaching me that three minutes are better than no minutes. He sees our lives, He sees our hearts, and He’s bigger than our schedules. Give Him the best three minutes you have, and watch Him move!

And the time for sharing the truth and hope of His love with the dying world around us is now.

And that brings me back to the heavenly-inspired lightbulb moment that He brought to me, despite the craziness of this season: one extraordinarily effective way to demonstrate the power of the love of Jesus is to live changed lives.

How do we pursue a changed life?
Remember that puzzling heading in my Bible?

Consistency.

When we consistently spend time in His Word, in worship, in prayer, in community with other believers. . .

When we consistently talk to Him about what we’ve read or prayed or learned from others, asking Him what He’s saying to us and what we should do about it. . .

And then when we consistently do it. . .
Change happens.

A changed life is an undeniable testimony to the power and the hope of our God.

So, my sister, whether this season gives you two hours or fifteen minutes to spend with Him daily . . .

Whether opportunities to build meaningful connection with fellow believers are frequent and easily accessible, or require intentionality and planning at a level you’ve never experienced . . .

Whether your ministry reaches thousands or He’s highlighting a single lost friend . . .
Seek Him, every day.
Build your tribe.
Share your transformation.
God has a purpose and a plan for your now.

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!

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

The GT Weekend! Tabernacle Week 3

July 7, 2018 by Michelle Promise Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend!

Worship Through Journaling

1) The invitation to worship is an open one; we can meet with the Lord any time or place. Make a notecard with the model of worshiping at the Tabernacle found in this Journey. Use it as a reminder to regularly seek the face of God through worship.

2) In the busyness of our lives, it’s easy to ignore the actual state of our soul. Stopping seems counterintuitive but deep, honest soul assessment is a means of being most effective in the ministry and relationships God has put us in. Spend some time today to sit with the Lord. What do you need to share with Him? Where do you need Him to breathe life back in your soul?

3) The offer of life with God both now and eternally is available to us all if we would accept it. If you have decided to live life with God through a relationship with Jesus, what helped you accept that free gift? Who in your life is ready to hear the Good News? If you haven’t decided life with God yet, what is holding you back? What questions do you need to wrestle with before you choose to believe? Email us at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com to talk those questions through, we would be honored to “listen”.

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Psalm 62:5-8 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

5Rest in God alone, my soul,
for my hope comes from him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and glory depend on God, my strong rock.
My refuge is in God.
8 Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts before him.
God is our refuge.

Prayer Journal
Father God, I praise You for the offer of new life with You through Your son Jesus. I long to sit with You. Let my soul rest in You because my hope comes from You. You are my rock and salvation, my stronghold; I WILL NOT be shaken. As I claim these promises in my life, Lord, awaken my faith in You. In Your faithfulness, in Your character, in Your pursuit of me. God as You work in my life, let that overflow into the people around me that need You. I desire the words of Your Good News to be evidenced in my life; that my actions and words might align. Less of me, more of You, God.

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

Misunderstood Day 12 Cleanliness Is Next To Godliness: Digging Deeper

May 22, 2018 by Michelle Promise Leave a Comment

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 Cleanliness Is Next To Godliness!

The Questions

1) Why is important that Mary sat as Jesus’ feet?

2) How was Martha distracted with “much serving”?

3) What is the “right choice” mentioned in verse 42 and how can it be taken away?

Luke 10:38-42

While they were traveling, he entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s feet and was listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So, tell her to give me a hand.”
41 The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Original Intent

1) Why is important that Mary sat as Jesus’ feet?
When Jesus entered the city of Bethany, He was needing a place to rest. Mary was enthralled with the truth of Scripture being shared and wanted to learn more. Her position at Jesus’ feet displayed a posture of eager anticipation. As a servant sits at the master’s feet, hungry to learn every last detail of the trade, so Mary was ready to grab onto every nugget of truth being shared.

2) How was Martha distracted with “much serving”?
Mary, Martha, and their brother Lazarus were friends of Jesus’ and He frequently stayed at their home when traveling through Bethany. Martha was quite concerned about the business of her house; she had a standard to uphold and was consumed with having it done well. Martha knew the house needed cleaned and food needed prepared, but instead of completing the tasks and being satisfied, she “was distracted with much serving.” She was striving to go above and beyond her call of duty and as a result missed a chance to sit with the Son of God.

3) What is the “right choice” mentioned in verse 42 and how can it be taken away?
Where Martha saw laziness and poor use of time, Mary saw a golden moment of deepening her relationship with the Almighty God in the flesh. The choice was open for both sisters to either sit with the Lord or be busy, but only 1 was the “right choice” for relational growth. Martha directly asked Jesus to “tell Mary” to help her, but here, Jesus says no. He refused to tell Mary to get busy “doing” rather than sit still “being”. Jesus would not take away her choice to be with Him. Mary chose as the psalmist did, “The Lord is my chosen portion.” (Psalm 16:5) and she was protected by the Lord as He guarded and honored her decision to put their relationship above her busyness.

Everyday Application

1) Why is important that Mary sat as Jesus’ feet?
When we spend time with the Lord, we are choosing to sit at His feet. He longs for relationship with us and hurrying through our devotional time compromises our ability to commune with the Living God. Sitting in a posture that shows our readiness to receive His word is important. We show that receiving the Word, being obedient to the Word, and submitting to the Word is a natural progression of our interactions with the Most High. The more we filled with the fruitful knowledge of God’s Word, the more deeply we will walk in intimate relationship with the Savior. If your spiritual life is feeling “lacking”, consider asking yourself how your time with the Lord is? Are you devouring His Word, hungry for more of Him? Or are distractions around you pulling you away, convincing you that time with God is boring and pointless?

2) How was Martha distracted with “much serving”?
Many earthly cultures value the habit of being busy, of doing good things because it’s expected. Heavenly Kingdom culture, on the other hand, says going slow, meeting the needs of others around us, and spending time with the Father are more important. Our commitment to spending time daily with God is a mirror of what our heart holds most valuable. Take a moment to assess what is distracting you by enticing you to serve beyond what the Lord has asked you to do. Ask the Holy Spirit to draw you back to the throne of God; sit and linger with Him today!

3) What is the “right choice” mentioned in verse 42 and how can it be taken away?
While Jesus protected her choice, Mary could have felt unnecessarily guilty and chose to hop up and help her sister, but she didn’t. Neither Jesus nor Mary “took away” her choice to stay in communion with the Lord. How often do we “take away” our own choice to sit with God because of self-imposed guilt or a mis-prioritization on what is truly important?! Finding balance in life feels like an elusive fish to catch, but if we are to function well as healthy Christ-followers, feasting on the bread of life is absolutely critical! Jesus says, “Don’t work for the food that perishes, but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you…” (John 6:27) The temptation to emphasize “busy, but important, stuff” over consistent, regular, lengthy time with Jesus is strong, which is why over the ages, time with God has fallen under the category of “spiritual disciplines”. It’s not easy to choose Jesus first, but denying our self-importance and learning to truly see Christ and our relationship with Him as supreme, will create a beautiful rhythmic dance for your life and ministry! Don’t take away the “good choice”, guard it just as Jesus did for Mary!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Cleanliness Is Next To Godliness!

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!
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Our Current Study Theme!

This is Misunderstood Week Three!
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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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Misunderstood Day 5 God Helps Those Who Help Themselves

May 11, 2018 by Paula Romang Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Daniel 4:28-37
Philippians 2:3-4
James 4:1-10
Isaiah 66:1-2
Luke 10:38-42

Misunderstood, Day 5

We are a society of the Self-Made. We pride ourselves on being the DIY-ers.
We are those with a gritty, “git’er done” work ethic.
Accomplishment appeals to our ingenuity, our “pull ourselves up the bootstraps” mentality,
our self-sufficiency…..our pride.

Perhaps you, like me, have thought some of these, though we would never admit them out loud:
God helps the self-starters, builders and creators who are industriously solving problems.

The more we accomplish, the more valuable we are.
I accomplish more than anybody, therefore, I’m more valuable.

God probably likes industrious people better because we actually accomplish something, while others sit around and talk about it.

When I see my own thoughts on paper they sound terribly prideful,
mostly because they are.

While it’s true, our world is indebted to the industrious, we tend to take the very good, biblical premise of a strong work ethic and apply it just as intently to our spiritual lives as we do our physical lives.
And suddenly, we are off course.

Remember Martha and Mary in scripture? The two sisters had a squabble in our Lord’s presence about this very issue. Here’s a thumbnail sketch of it:
Martha is busily cooking, prepping for an event she is hosting. Mary is not helping, she is sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to His teaching. Martha is miffed; can’t Mary see there’s work to do be done?
How dare she sit on her backside when I’m slaving in the kitchen!
I’d love to sit at Jesus’ feet too, but someone has to clean and cook if anything is going to get done around here!

Clearly Martha feels superior to Mary in that moment; she’s busy and busy is best.
Finally, Martha’s outrage boils over. She asks Jesus to tell Mary to get off her duff and help in the kitchen. And then Jesus’ reply:
“Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things,
but only one thing is needed.
Mary has chosen the better thing that won’t be taken from her.” (Luke 10:39-42)

Besides the tender, yet straight-forward rebuke to Martha, the implication is that Martha was choosing the temporal things of life while Mary was choosing the eternal.
When we sit with the Lord, it forces us to slow.
There is absolutely nothing we can do to bring about better, other than just be.

Jesus commended Mary for her choice.
The implication for us is obvious as well. Rather than making sure we are “doing our part to show God we are serious” or “going half-way so God will do His part”, Jesus invites us to choose the eternal over the temporal.
Busy isn’t always better.
Sometimes Busy points to our self-reliance instead of our God reliance.

God’s glory is reflected best in our rest.
There once was a man, a king, who built a vast empire. Later his capital city would be listed among the seven wonders of the world. His work was grand and impressive, but this king’s boast was in the mightiness of his busy.

In the Old Testament writings of Daniel, we meet Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar. Though he ruled a vast kingdom he was ruled by pride.
Daniel served in Nebuchadnezzar’s administration and one night the king had a weird dream. As the ancients believed the gods spoke through dreams, Nebuchadnezzar called for an interpreter.
Enter Daniel. God did speak in that dream. He told Nebuchadnezzar:

Your hubris will lead to your humiliation. I am God; not you.
I will relent if you repent.
If you repent, I will restore your honor.

A year of grace passed; Nebuchadnezzar did not repent.
Judgement fell as he strolled about his lavish gardens; within an hour he lost his sanity, and lived like a wild animal for seven years.
Finally, he repented; his honor was restored.

Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom was built in spite of him and his busy-ness.

The super-apostle, Paul, boasted in his weakness, that Christ might be glorified.
…on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses…. for My (Christ’s) power is made perfect in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:5, 9)

The psalmist insists, if our work is done in our name and for our glory, it’s all in vain.
Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
(Psalm 127:1)

And our sweet Martha was invited into a better that didn’t involve busy.
“Mary has chosen the better thing that will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:42)

To all the DIY-ers and Self-made sisters, a word from our Lord:
REST!

To meet God halfway, to attempt to pull our share of the load, is a mockery.
No one can do enough to please God, except for one, single, solitary thing:
Faith.
And without faith it is impossible to please Him,
for whoever would draw near to God must believe
that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

That faith is found, and grown,
not in the busy, but in the being;
the being still. (Psalm 46:10)

Martha had the Incarnate Christ sitting in her living room,
yet she chose meal prep over Him.

It’s easy to cluck our tongues at Martha, wondering how she could trade such an eternal moment for cooking. However, anytime we believe we’re superior because we’re busier, and surely God must owe us, or certainly the Lord must be impressed by our busy, we’ve made Martha’s prideful error.
Anytime we choose the temporal over the eternal, we stand in Martha’s sandals and live in Nebuchadnezzar’s mad legacy.

Rest, sister, you have no need to impress the Almighty.
You can’t possibly succeed in that endeavor.
Instead, rest, and let Him to do the work of crafting your soul and bringing you rich life!

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The GT Weekend! Chase Week 2

January 20, 2018 by Michelle Promise Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend

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

Journal With Us!

Journal Prompts

1) How has a change of plans brought anger in your life? After that anger wells up, we have two options; to move forward in that anger or choose to give thanks that God is sovereign over all (even the chaos!). Pray today for the Holy Spirit to help you choose thankfulness!

2) God forgave an entire city because of their immediate repentance. God’s forgiveness does not stop being offered because of your sin; that’s just the beginning! While there may still be physical consequences of our sin, God will always extend His gracious hand of forgiveness to the response of genuine repentance.

3) At the end of Jonah 2, we see Jonah was given so much grace. His response was to “sing a song of thanksgiving”. He made a resolution to move forward and share that grace but ended up being sidetracked. We’ve also been given an abundance of grace, how are we using it? Are we passing it on to others freely? Or holding onto it tightly?

Worship In Song

Music Video: Forgiveness

Pour Out Your Heart

Lord Jesus, forgive me for the times I let my selfishness and pride give way to anger in my life. Lord, I get so stuck on my schedules, my lists, and my time. All of that focus leaves very little margin for You to do any work in my life; it’s no surprise I get all worked up that I don’t witness You working. I haven’t left You any space to do so! Let me lay ALL my life at your feet and leave it there as I watch Your hand at work in my life!

I don’t deserve Your lavish love and forgiveness. As You pour out those in my life, encourage me to be a good steward of them. Out of the outpouring of Your love at work in me, let me love others deeply and freely as You do. For Your glory, Lord!

Pray With Us!

In everything, with praise and thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God!
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Journey With Us

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Passionate Day 15
Power Poured Out

April 14, 2017 by Sara Colquhoun 1 Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 28:16-20
Acts 1:8
John 14:8-14
Joel 2:28

As a full-time mom, wife, employee, daughter, sister, Bible study leader, worship team volunteer, and friend, one would think, man she’s got a lot going on. And you know what?
I agree.
I tend to tackle too much, and when I want to say no, the people-pleaser inside of me says yes, as to not let anyone down. I like to walk around acting as though I have it all together, or at least most of it all together, only to make it to my car or home and crash.
The weight of the world seemingly on my shoulders, carrying burden after burden alone.

I don’t know when we as a society decided that we
needed to be superheroes and do everything by ourselves.
But can I just be real honest with y’all?
I’m tired.

So often I find myself scrambling to get all my ducks in a row, by myself, so that at the end of the day, I can be the one to get the credit. Words of affirmation is my top love language, and I really love being told when I’ve done a good job. But each time I do something and get ‘praise for it’ without having the Holy Spirit guide whatever it was that I was working on, I never feel fully satisfied. That feeling of “well-done” doesn’t stick around very long in my heart before I’m craving more.

There is something so beautifully simplistic about asking the Holy Spirit to guide our steps and then moving in obedience. It’s fulfilling in ways I can’t humanly manufacture.

Whether it’s trying to calm a screaming baby that is over-tired and over-hungry and I just want to scrub the dried oatmeal out of her hair, I pray, ‘Jesus, give her peace, calm her spirit, allow her to rest in You.’ And slowly, she calms, and melts into my arms. “Oh, thank you, Jesus!”

Or it may be working in a corporate office, knowing the people surrounding you aren’t believers, but as you drive into work each morning, you ask the Holy Spirit to give you opportunities to show Him off, and when He does, you rejoice.

Okay, Holy Spirit, what’s next?
Altering our rhythms to listen to the Spirit’s voice
will satisfy our hearts like absolutely nothing else!

When Jesus left the Earth over 2000 years ago, He left the greatest gift behind.
The gift of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit lives in each and every single believer, and is there to help guide and shape us into His image, always pointing us back to the truth of the gospel in Jesus Christ. With His Spirit inside of us, we are able to do so much more than Jesus himself was able to do here on Earth.
Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? But it’s true!

John 14:12 says, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.”

So, while we read miracle after miracle of what Jesus did while walking this Earth, it may seem crazy to think we could ever make water turn into wine, or raise a dead man to life,
but we can do all things that God has called us to!
We have the authority and power to do so through the Name of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit. And His coming was made possible because of Jesus’s departure.

Just as Jesus stood before the eleven disciples on the mountain after He arose from the dead, commissioning them with all the authority He had been given under Heaven and Earth to go and make disciples and baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
we are a product of that charge.
You!
You, Sister, reading this today are a byproduct of the commission Jesus gave so many years ago.
We have that Spirit inside of us!

I don’t know about you, but that makes me excited!
To know that I am able to do great things in His name,
because of the most precious gift in the world –
oh, that makes me want to jump up and down!

To know I don’t have to live this life on my strength, or perfectly, even when it feels like it, brings much comfort and peace into my life,

Today I urge you to ask the Holy Spirit to guide your steps,
take a moment to listen, and then walk forward in obedience, knowing YOU have His power!

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Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Resting Day 12
Refusing Rest: Digging Deeper

February 28, 2017 by Rebecca Adams Leave a Comment

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 Post? Check out Refusing Rest!

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 English Standard Version (ESV)

²³Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

The Questions

1) Looking before these verses, there is a long list of “do’s and don’ts” for us as believers. How can we have a “checklist” and still trust that God is the one doing the work in us?

2) What is the significance of the title, “God of peace”?

3) What does “He will surely do it” refer to?

The Findings for Intention

1) Looking before these verses, there is a long list of “do’s and don’ts” for us as believers. How can we have a “checklist” and still trust that God is the one doing the work in us?
Paul was a pastor and teacher and a discipler of believers. His letters were written for the purpose of instructing Christians and teaching them how to live the Jesus life. The apostles couldn’t live everywhere and model it for everyone, so they wrote letters to explain what it looks like to live out Christ’s calling for His Bride, the Church. All of these “behaviors” are a natural outflow of what has already happened in the heart. Living a new life is a result of a heart made new in Jesus, not our own ability to check off another “do or don’t”.

2) What is the significance of the title, “God of peace”?
Most often, when Paul refers to God as the “God of peace”, he’s making the point again to his audience that God desires unity in the Body of Believers. The early church had significant conflict within themselves and Paul was continually pointing them back to God’s heart of peaceful union with each other and with Him. This title is also significant because without God, we can’t have peace in our souls and no real rest. Without His peaceful leading, we attempt to manufacture righteousness on our own, which is nothing but a heavy, chaotic burden.

3) What does “He will surely do it” refer to?
The “it” refers to the entire sanctification process. “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely.” This means that every part of a believer’s life becoming more like Christ, is foundationally the responsibility of God. He is the author and perfector of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), everything that He began, He will finish (Philippians 1:6). We won’t always make the best choices, we won’t always choose to live a life of love, but we are guaranteed that one day, He will make us entirely perfect!

The Everyday Application

1) Looking before these verses, there is a long list of “do’s and don’ts” for us as believers. How can we have a “checklist” and still trust that God is the one doing the work in us?
Paul gives various example “lists” in almost all of his letters, but always the “actioning” of these lists is based on the foundation of God’s work in us. These lists are an overflow of the gospel transforming us from the inside out. But, yes, there is tension here because we always have choices to make. Will we relinquish our way to the Spirit’s leading or will we choose to live as if we were still bound up as a slave to Satan?

2) What is the significance of the title, “God of peace”?
Are you denying God His title of “peace” in your life? Have you surrendered your everything to Him and stepped across the line of faith? Maybe you have trusted Him for salvation, but you tend to pull back the reigns of control and end up with anything but peace. Take time for self-reflection and ask the Spirit to lead you into His peace!

3) What does “He will surely do it” refer to?
We can be encouraged right now, in the middle of our messiness, our sadness, our heaviness, and frustrations that He is making us new. We can have confidence in our everyday lives that, no matter how much we feel we are failing, God will never abandon the work of His hands, promising to finish the good work of sanctifying us (the process by which He re-shapes us to have God’s heart and character).

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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 Resting Week Three!
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.
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