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The GT Weekend! ~ Waiting 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) As we have explored the idea of waiting over the last three weeks, you may have wondered, how? How can I wait well? While we have discussed a few ways to wait well, on Monday, Rebekah gave us a clear, succinct summary of the how. She said the key to waiting victoriously is “meditating on the character of God as we walk by the Spirit.” She also reminded us that trust is built on relationship. How do you react when you become anxious or fearful in times of waiting? Are you focused on developing your relationship with the Lord or are you fixated on your fear or lack of control? Are you learning about His character, so you can trust Him in times of trouble? Consider getting a book about the attributes of God. You can also look up a list of the attributes of God (words that describe His character) and use a concordance or online resource to look up those words in your Bible. Take time to study our Journey Theme on His character, titled “He”. Ask God to use these resources and His word to reveal His character to you in new ways. As you learn about His character, you will likely find yourself waiting more victoriously.

2) Before my husband and I were married, we talked about the virtues of surprise versus anticipation. I love surprises, but I also love the feeling of anticipating something wonderful. Sometimes he would ask me if I wanted to be surprised or enjoy the anticipation of something we would do together later. As we wait for the return of King Jesus, we are able to enjoy the anticipation while also knowing we will be surprised by Him. How do you live your life in anticipation of His return? Are you walking faithfully today, steadfast and fervent in prayer? Are you rejoicing in the joy He has set before you? We all know this life offers pain in abundance, but as we are reminded in Lamentations (a book well acquainted with the sorrow and lament we face in life), the mercies of the Lord are new every morning. Where do you see the light of God’s mercy in your life? Where do you see Him working, even in difficult and desperate places in your life? Spend time today contemplating the great anticipation we have as we wait for the Lord.

3) We like to see, and deeply feel, redemption and healing over our broken places. We hope for it, we long for it, and we ache beyond words when that redemption doesn’t look the way we had dreamed. We don’t need to look far to find brokenness and heartache. Have you felt it this morning? Did you see its affects yesterday? It’s with good reason Scripture reads, “we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains.” (Romans 8:22) One day, Sisters, one day redemption will be made complete. All broken things will be restored and our surrendered ashes will be forever transformed into beauty. I know, the waiting seems impossible. It doesn’t feel worth placing our trust in a God we cannot see for results we cannot control. Sister, He Is Good. His redemption is Good. More so, His redemption is sure and certain. Surrendering to Him while we groan and wait with hope is worth it. He’s the only One who is worth trusting for our one-day-coming-beauty. How will you start waiting with Hope?

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 27:7-9, 13:-14 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;
be gracious to me and answer me!
You have said, “Seek my face.”
My heart says to you,
“Your face, Lord, do I seek.”
Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
O God of my salvation!
I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living!
Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!

Prayer Journal
Our Father, high above all things. You work everything in Your perfect time. We wait for Your will with great anticipation. We know that one day, You will make all things new and redeem all things to Yourself. May we be quick to remember Your goodness, Your faithfulness, and Your great righteousness. The whole earth is groaning, awaiting the return of the one true King. And yet, in my day-to-day struggles, I often lose sight of the big picture. I get so bogged down in the monotony and difficulty of my earthly struggles, that I forget the greatness of the plan You have for Your people. Help me to rejoice in the greatness of who You are and all You have done for me. I will rejoice in You, my Lord! And when the burdens of life seem too great, help me to look to You and be strengthened, that even in my suffering, You would be magnified as LORD of ALL!

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

Sketched IX Day 8 Who Do You Say I Am?

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Acts 4:1-22
Luke 9:18-20
Luke 22:54-62
Matthew 16:13-20

Sketched IX, Day 8

The Sanhedrin thought they had me cornered. But this time would be different. I would set the record straight and tell of the Truth. (John 14:6)

My life has always been wrapped up in catching fish. I love it! Night after night, my brother, Andrew, and I would boat out to sea. We would cast our nets into the water, waiting for that ONE BIG CATCH.

I remember one night in particular, which should have been a great night for fishing, but as much as we tried, there was not a single fish to be caught. As the sun began to rise, we pulled to shore. Along the shore, crowds of people were coming closer. Nearby, Jesus told us to return the boat to sea. I was exhausted from fishing all night. But being Jesus’ disciple, I pushed the boat back out and hopped inside!

After teaching the people gathered on the shore for a bit, Jesus turned to us and told us to cast our nets on the other side of the boat. Of course, I had to reply, rather insistently, “Uh, Jesus, we have been out all night. We didn’t catch one single fish, and we are too tired to try again!” He just looked at us and said, “Throw out your nets!” So we did. And guess what? We pulled in so many fish there were too many to hold!

Jesus said, “Peter, today you will catch fish in your nets, but one day you will catch people for Me!” My mouth dropped open. I didn’t understand what He meant, but looking back, I see so clearly. (Luke 5:10-11, paraphrased)

See, I was an ordinary man, like you. Doubt came easy. Fear, even easier. Passion drove me. Let me explain. One night, the winds were fierce and the waters were overtaking the boat. I, with the others, noticed something out on the water. What is that? A ghost? But suddenly, I knew Who it was! “Jesus, My Lord, if it is you, bid me to come.”

As I stepped onto the treacherous waters, “Come” was the only word I heard. I kept my eyes focused on Him, until I was slipping onto the water. How is this possible? For one brief second, I was walking on water.

The next second, the wind howled and tore against me, the roar of the waves was deafening, and I took my eyes from Jesus . . . “Uh, Jesus help me!” Instantly beside me, Jesus lifted me out of the water and we climbed into the boat. The others began worshipping, “Truly You are the Son of God!” The other disciples knew Who He was. But, did I? (Matthew 14:28-33)

Another time?

“Come, follow Me” were the first words I heard Jesus speak to me. And, on that very day, I became His disciple. Each day, talking and walking with Jesus, I was developing a relationship like no other! I was quickly learning He was exactly Who He claimed! Day after day, I watched as He healed, loved, and shared with others about His Father.

One day, He asked the other disciples, “Who are others saying I am?”.
Without hesitation, everyone began speaking.
“Elijah.”
“A prophet.”
“John the Baptist.”

“But Who do you say I am?” He asked with quiet insistence.
I didn’t hold back for a minute. “Oh, Jesus, You are the Messiah.”

Another question?

“Aren’t you a disciple of the One they call the Messiah?”
I quickly hid beneath my cloak. “You must have mistaken me for someone else.”
Three times, I was asked. And three times, I denied My Lord.
I, who once walked on water, heard teachings to the multitudes, witnessed countless miracles, healings, and the-never-ending-catches-of-fish, I could not even speak His name.
I was one of three disciples to pray with Him in the garden. How could I have done this? Deny the Messiah?

This moment? 

So, I understood the confusion of my inquisitors at this moment. Upon acknowledging their accusations, I saw the elders, rulers, and scribes converse. They seemed to be bewildered as I faced them with the Spirit’s courage and spoke of the very One I denied so many years ago.

“You ask me, by what power? In what name? Until my last breath, I will proclaim Jesus as the One True God. With boldness, I say this man was healed by Jesus, and in His Name.” (Acts 4:7)

One of the Sanhedrin turned to face me. “Um, Peter, well, we do not understand how an uneducated man could say these things to us. We’re going to let you go, but we order you not to speak in His Name again.”

Me? Not speak in Jesus’ Name?
I, who after years spent by His side, knew Jesus as both a man and as my Savior, my Lord?
I, who quickly learned I was loved and forgiven by the One Who carried my sins to the cross?
I, who was called and chosen by The Messiah to carry the Good News across the nations? (Luke 9:20)
I should remain silent? Impossible.

I knew Who He was because I had been truly touched by Jesus! I will remain immovable and unshakeable, just like the name Jesus gave me, the rock upon whom He would build His church. (Matthew 16:18)

But, my sweet friends, how would you answer this question? If I, Peter, a disciple and follower of the Messiah, who also had a deep relationship with Jesus, could truthfully answer this question, can you? Without hesitation, who do you say He is?

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

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 Sketched IX 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 Sketched IX!

Sketched IX Day 1 Who Is This?

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 53:3-5
Matthew 16:13-20
Luke 4:31-44
John 6:66-69
Acts 9:36-43

Sketched IX, Day 1

“All right, Peter. It’s time. Tell me.”

I looked across the low, rough-hewn table at Simon; despite deepening shadows, I clearly read curiosity and exhausted patience in his eyes. The busyness of the day was past and  our evening meal was finished. When his wife and children left the room, his jocular manner ceased, replaced with quiet intensity.

The flame of the oil lamp between us flickered as I expelled a deep breath, my gaze wandering to the window. The distant lights of Joppa bathed the evening in a golden glow. Simon’s home was situated outside of town, as his work as a leather tanner branded him “unclean” by polite Jewish society. Ten years ago, I would have declined his invitation of hospitality with thinly-veiled condescension. But now . . . everything has shifted.

Where to begin?

“Really,” I mused, as Simon settled comfortably against the cushions, “this story starts years ago, on a Sabbath.”

It had begun like any other Sabbath gathering in the synagogue near my hometown of Capernaum. Various men from the community offered ritual blessings to God, led the recitation of the Shema, and read pre-selected passages from the Torah and prophets. According to tradition, a reader would now give a short teaching, relevant to one of the readings.

Well, “short” was a relative term, as was “relevant.” Commentary on the holy writings contained little original content, with a tendency toward the rote and monotonous. I craned my neck, trying to catch a clear glimpse of the man rising to speak, my thoughts already on the meal my wife was preparing at home. I hoped today’s lesson would be quick.

Then the Teacher began to speak.
And my spirit came to life within me.

His words resonated with humility, clarity, and authority; when He spoke, the fog of confusion, guesswork and empty theories shrouding God’s words parted. For the first time, I experienced a full, deep, assured understanding of their meaning. Surveying the room, I saw my amazement mirrored in the faces and murmurs of the others.

Who was this Teacher? As He spoke, I somehow felt God was in the room with me, speaking to my very soul.

A short time later, I burst through the doorway of my home, excitedly calling to my wife. She will absolutely not believe this, I thought, tearing through the house as the story poured out of me, growing in volume and fervor.

“And then, Love, you can NOT imagine what happened! You know Amichai, he’s been ravaged by demons for as long as I can remember?

“Well, the Teacher is finishing His talk and Amichai comes raging into the synagogue screaming at Him. The Teacher stands there, completely at peace, and all of us are scuttling backwards from Amichai–you remember what he did to the priests the last time they tried to exorcise that demon–and I’m thinking, ‘WHO IS THIS TEACHER?!’ I’m not kidding, Love, it was like Amichai heard me and he shrieks, ‘I know who you are–the Holy One of God!’ I’m reeling from that when the Teacher rebukes him and tells the demon to leave–He spoke it, no charms, spells or anything, just ‘Be silent and come out of him.’ And Love, it DID! Amichai collapsed and it was GONE! What can this mean? And now He’s coming here. . .”

My words trailed off as I skidded to a stop in the kitchen and my wife threw herself into my arms, sobbing. I was flabbergasted by this complete role reversal: shortly into our marriage, she’d affectionately dubbed my zealous nature “fiery,” while she was (usually) happy to be my rock of tranquility.

I was able to piece together that her mother, the matriarch of our home, who’d been fine when I left the house, was now near death with a sudden, high fever. The same fever had stolen members from many families nearby in recent days, and cold fear gripped my heart.

I heard a commotion at the front of the house, signaling the arrival of my brothers with the Teacher. “Come,” I said, taking my wife’s hand and tugging her along, “the Teacher will know what to do.”

“Well?” Simon leaned forward, weariness forgotten in his anticipation. “What happened to your mother-in-law? And how does this explain today, with Tabitha?”

I met Simon’s eyes, pulling myself back to the present. “Today, with Tabitha, it was like I was back in my mother-in-law’s room on that Sabbath, many years ago.

“Both were devoted to ministry, overflowing in kindness and generosity.
When the Teacher stood over my mother-in-law, only a few family members were present.
And today, I felt Him direct me to pray privately over Tabitha’s body.

“You see,” I explained, “When He healed, it wasn’t a performance. He didn’t need an audience to massage His vanity; He was and is in full assurance of His full authority.”

And?? was clearly written over Simon’s head.

“Simon, all those years ago, He spoke and my mother-in-law was healed. Immediately and completely.
Today, when I prayed over Tabitha, He moved and she was alive again.
Immediately and completely.
That Sabbath, I didn’t know who He was.
Now, I do.
Simon, He is everything.
He is power, spoken and enacted. He is humility and authority.
He is Rescuer and Healer. He is Final Sacrifice and Restorer.
He is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.”

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

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 Sketched IX Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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

The GT Weekend! ~ Ready 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) What a great gift is ours in Christ! If you have believed in the Lord, you have been forgiven of your sins and have been given grace upon grace. The call on your life as a Christian is now to share that gift with others. There is a pervasive idea in the church that evangelism and discipleship are the job of church leaders and professionals, but God has called each of us to share His gospel with those around us. This requires action and commitment. In my church, we often speak about “best next steps.” You can’t arrive at your destination without taking a first and second and seventieth step. So, what is your next best step? Is there someone in your life who needs to hear the gospel? Can you set a time daily to pray for them? Maybe you are already praying for someone. Can you set a time to meet with them in person and have a gospel-centered conversation with them? You could share your testimony and ask them to tell you where they are in their faith journey. Ask God to help you discern your next best step, write it down, and set a due date for yourself. Follow through in being generous with the gift God has given you!

2) “More of You Lord, more of You.” As we consider what it means to “live ready,” we are reminded of the truth that today is all we have. We may have great plans and dreams of how we will serve God in the future (one day when I’m married, one day when I have children, one day when my children are not so little, one day when my children don’t have so many activities…). However, the truth is we only have today to be truly faithful. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. How are you stewarding your time today? How are you practicing faithfulness in your current season? Write down two practices you are practicing that serve you well in your faithful walk and helping you to grow in your relationship with the Lord. Then write down two practices that are not serving you well (distracting you from your goals, or inhibiting your relationship with God). Ask the Lord to grant you strength and courage to leave behind behaviors that are inhibiting your faithful walk. Remember our actions don’t save us, but for those who love God, our salvation allows and enables us to walk faithfully.

3) We live with the expectant hope that Christ could return at any moment. No one knows the day or the hour, so we must live faithfully as we wait, trusting His timing is perfect. As we wait, we may be tempted to put our hope in many different things the world offers, but our only true hope is in Jesus. If we truly believe He is our only hope, we ought to be excited to share this hope with others! Meeting physical needs is important, but if we neglect the souls of our neighbors, are we truly living out what we believe? What are some ways you are tempted to put your hope in something other than the Lord? Write down the things that fight for your hope. Then write down two or three practical ways you can share your true hope with others. Do you know your neighbors? Do you have coworkers who are far from God? Maybe start by having a conversation with them. Season your words with the joy and hope you have in Christ. You don’t have to preach at them, but intentionally keep the work God is doing at the forefront of your heart and tongue.

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 Thessalonians 3:11-13 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you. And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow with love for one another and for everyone, just as we do for you. May He make your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. Amen.

Prayer Journal
Come, Lord Jesus, come. We anxiously await Your return as we live in this broken world. We know that You alone are our only hope. You alone can satisfy our needs. You alone can take the broken parts of our lives and redeem them to Your glory. Let us live ready in light of our steadfast hope in You. May the desire of our hearts be to share Your goodness with everyone around us. May our lives be so overflowing with the joy only You can give that we cannot help but speak of You to those around us. Lord, I confess I often hesitate to speak Your name to my neighbors and friends. I am unsure of my own abilities and concerned for my own reputation. Help me trust in Your ability to strengthen me. Help me to care more for Your reputation than my own. Help me to be ready to speak Your truth day after day.

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

He Day 11 Yahweh Sabaoth

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 7:14-14:31
Matthew 14:22-32
John 6:16-21
Isaiah 43:1-2
2 Corinthians 4:7-9

He, Day 11

Hovering over the expanse of waters was the Spirit of Yahweh Sabaoth, the Lord of hosts, creator of everything out of nothing. When man’s sin stained His beautiful creation, He promised a divine deliverer to pay the price for man’s rebellion. Throughout the ages of the patriarchs, Yahweh Sabaoth sustained, protected and pursued His people.

When Egyptians enslaved them, Yahweh Sabaoth waged war on their behalf, unleashing His fury upon the nation and Egyptian gods. Each plague landed a direct hit upon their god’s identity and supposed jurisdiction of power. The wizards mimicked some plagues, but quickly realized they were dealing with Someone stronger than they’d ever encountered.

Someone fierce.
Someone dangerous to their reign of deception.
Yahweh Sabaoth, the Lord of Hosts.

Yahweh Sabaoth delivered the Hebrews and brought them to the Red Sea.
As the dust clouds rose from the desert signaling Pharoah’s advancing army, the Hebrews trembled. The people who just witnessed plagues, the decimation of one nation and the exodus of another by the Lord of armies . . . panicked.

Yahweh’s response?

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:14) 

He called toward quiet trust;
they rushed headlong into despair.

Despite their faith-failures, the miraculous doorway of deliverance for the Hebrews became the doorway of death for the Egyptians. Placing His visible presence as a barrier between the Egyptians and His people, Yahweh Sabaoth thwarted the Egyptians while illuminating the Hebrews’ route through the sea.

Millenia passed, still God delivered valiantly. The One who created everything from nothing wrapped Himself in flesh and descended to redeem mankind.

Both Matthew’s and John’s gospels record a day in Jesus’ life depicting the Lord of Hosts at work with power and majesty.

Bringing their diseased and distressed, masses followed Him. Some sought a spectacle, while others sought physical healing and hope for their lost and hungry souls. He multiplied loaves and fishes to satisfy their bodies and offered the Bread of Life to feed their souls.

Following a long day of ministry, the disciples stepped into a boat, ready to unwind with a quiet nighttime row across the lake. However, they were met with fierce winds and crashing waves.

Through the splashing spray, an eerie sight arose, a human form walking toward them on the waves.

“It’s a ghost!” they shouted. Suddenly, they recognized His face. Jesus!

The One whose Spirit hovered over the waters of creation now walked upon the waves.
The disciples had known Jesus as Rabbi and friend;
now, they beheld Him as Yahweh Sabaoth.

Without hesitation, Peter issued his challenge, “If it’s truly You, call me out to You on the water!”

Yahweh Sabaoth answered, “Come!”
With stunning confidence and audacious trust, Peter stepped out, joining Jesus on the waves.

When they returned to the boat, two amazing things happened.
The storm stopped instantaneously and their boat immediately arrived at its destination on the opposite shore.

Stunned silence must have followed as the boat bobbed near the quiet beach. The disciples, slack-jawed, stared at Yahweh Sabaoth. Shaken, they gasped, “Who are you?”

Jesus, Lord of hosts, Lord of angel armies, Yahweh Sabaoth.  

Like the Hebrews at the Red Sea and the disciples on the lake, I, too, have encountered Yahweh Sabaoth. In the fall of 2012, my son, Matthew, lay in the PICU. A friend sent me the worship song “God of Angel Armies”. Initially, the lyrics sounded nice, but felt like a lie, or worse yet, a sick joke.

Matthew was in a coma. My conversations with God were wordless groanings of the soul.  My conversations with doctors were hushed, grim, and heavy. I felt like I was being slowly crushed in an invisible vice.

But eternal truth rose from the lyrics and I struggled to believe the words were true, despite what I felt. I was faced with the old dilemma: circumstances and emotions versus Scripture and Holy Spirit.

The answer was simple, not easy.
Truth always trumps emotion and circumstance.
It meant following His voice, through the fear.

Throughout Matthew’s journey, God never spoke audibly, and I saw no pillars of fire. However, the “yes and amen” within my spirit was my pillar of cloud, and Scripture, my pillar of fire.

Yahweh Sabaoth was present in each hymn I sang softly in the darkness, inhabiting worship rising from my battle-weary soul. There in Matthew’s PICU unit, He remained Yahweh Sabaoth, God of angel armies, friend of mine.

My emotions continued to whirl and our circumstances remained tumultuous. But as I clung to the truth, I found myself walking in confident trust and audacious faith, following Jesus through the fear.

For as He promised,
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.” (Isaiah 43:2)

Yahweh Sabaoth, who hovered over the waters of creation,
hovered near us in the PICU.
Yahweh Sabaoth, who walked upon the sea,
sustained us “through the waters.”
Yahweh Sabaoth, who delivered the Hebrews,
delivered Matthew from illness and special needs, welcoming him Home.

The same Yahweh Sabaoth calls to each of us, reaching through the waves. Our spirits will gasp in wonder when we recognize Yahweh Sabaoth in the face of Jesus. And like Peter, our only option will be confident trust and audacious faith in the Lord of hosts, Yahweh Sabaoth.  

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

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 He 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 He!

Sola Day 7 Sola Gratia: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Sola Gratia!

The Questions

1) What does it mean to “thirst”? (verse 1)

2) What is that which does not satisfy? (verse 2)

3) How is hearing connected to a soul granted life and an everlasting covenant? (verse 3)

Isaiah 55:1-3

1 “Come, everyone who is thirsty,
come to the water;
and you without silver,
come, buy, and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without silver and without cost!
2 Why do you spend silver on what is not food,
and your wages on what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,
and you will enjoy the choicest of foods.
3 Pay attention and come to me;
listen, so that you will live.
I will make a permanent covenant with you
on the basis of the faithful kindnesses of David.

Original Intent

1) What does it mean to “thirst”? (verse 1)
God, the Almighty Author of the Universe, is passionate about pursuing His created ones in order to reconcile us back to Himself. This mission is fueled by a love so deep we cannot even begin to comprehend it, and He will use every means possible to show us the depth of His love. To help convey His saving plan of reconciliation, He uses common ideas we are familiar with in order to show us deep spiritual truths. One very common need every human can relate to is thirst. In Scripture, God uses what we already know (being physically thirsty) to demonstrate the true need of our hearts (being spiritually thirsty). The idea of being thirsty is used often within the context of Scripture from the Old Testament all the way to Revelation, the last book in the New Testament. The prophet Isaiah describes a thirsty land (Isaiah 44:3), and Moses recounts a thirsty people (Numbers 20:1-8). In both instances, it was the Lord alone who provided in full for them. The psalmist sings soulfully of how deeply he longed to be quenched by the presence of God. (Psalm 63:1) Jesus encountered the woman at the well who was filling water jugs, and leveraged her physical thirst to point to her deep thirst for the life only God can provide. (John 4:10) This thirst for God is real, it needs to be recognized by each of us, and, mercifully, Living Water (Christ) exists to quench our thirst to overflowing to all who ask! (Revelation 21:6)

2) What is that which does not satisfy? (verse 2)
The prophet Isaiah was calling for an awakening revival for Israel. In the previous chapter, Isaiah had prophesied how the Lord God would come and renew Israel, bringing restoration in the wake of their deserved exile and punishment. Israel’s punishment would not last forever because the Lord was tender and compassionate towards them. “For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you.” (Isaiah 54:7) Isaiah is pointing to the utter futility of Israel’s ways as they pursue rebellion against the God who loves them so immeasurably. They chose to chase after everything they laid their eyes on and lusted after, rather than responding to the call of God. Later, the prophet Haggai would use similar language towards Israel saying, “you eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who learns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.” (Haggai 1:6) Both prophets pointed to the complete emptiness resulting from pursuing the temporary happiness of “things”.

3) How is hearing connected to a soul granted life and an everlasting covenant? (verse 3)
There are three instructive commands in this passage of Scripture, “come”, “listen carefully”, and “pay attention”. First, the invitation to come is extended freely to all, but there is one limiting condition of finding real life, to be thirsty. Only those who are thirsty will find satisfaction. Only those who are thirsty will welcome and receive all the benefits of being quenched by the presence of the Lord God. Fullness and satisfaction can be forced on no one. The Lord invites all, but will force none to receive Him. The choice is ours. The invitation is followed up immediately with the call to action of listening and paying attention. The Lord designed His message to be told and boldly declared in order for it to be heard and received. As Pastor Paul queries in Romans 10:14, “And how can they believe without hearing about Him? And how can they hear without a preacher?” Proverbs 1:20 and 23 also speak of this need to listen with attentiveness in order to gain life, “Wisdom calls aloud in the street….if you respond to my warning, then I will pour out My Spirit upon you.” It’s conceivable that someone is thirsty for spiritual things and curious about the things of God, yet still refuse to actually listen to truth and wisdom being poured out for them. They could hear, but not being paying full attention in order to gain understanding. Jesus notes this is the case with the religiously zealous Pharisees of His day when He quotes Isaiah 6:9-10, “they may indeed look, and yet not perceive; they may indeed listen, and yet not understand; otherwise, they might turn back and be forgiven.” (Mark 4:12) When the thirsty respond to the invitation to come, and when they listen with the desire to understand, they will receive real, abundant life, an everlasting covenant where He will guard our souls for eternity.

Everyday Application

1) What does it mean to “thirst”? (verse 1)
Water. Generally, human beings cannot survive without water for more than 3 or 4 days. Tongues stick to the roof of a mouth and just a drop of water becomes the only focus, nothing else matters to the severally dehydrated person. A PE teacher from high school constantly hounded us to drink more water. She rightly said, “If you feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.” Because the human body is amazingly designed, we can “cover up” our need for water for a while, maybe a sugary soda or a coffee or two, and we end the day deprived of the life-giving water our bodies crave. Over time, our bodies can be trained to work harder to cover the deficit of less water, further covering our real need. This physical truth reflects a deep, spiritual truth. We can put off our spiritual needs, pretend they don’t really matter (or even exist), or occasionally sprinkle our soul with water from a weekly church gathering, or listening to Christian music. Our souls were meant to be utterly drenched in the living water offered by Christ. We can’t earn it. We can’t purchase it with good deeds or displays of kindness. We don’t deserve it; not even a drop. Yet, here the invitation stands to “all who thirst”. Yes, that’s every single one of us, because we were intentionally created with thirsty souls. How will you nourish your soul? Will you allow the Living Water to wash over you again and again, or will you keep living a dehydrated life? Remember, if you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated! Come! Drink of the full life of Christ!

2) What is that which does not satisfy? (verse 2)
We all know what it’s like to labor hard for something, only to watch it waste away, or even betray us. Maybe it’s as simple as working hard on a document only for your computer to shut down and erase all memory of said writing. Perhaps you’ve invested heavily into a relationship, only to grieve deeply while that person abandons you. Maybe it’s a stock market crash or an illness that took you by surprise, leaving you debilitated where you once were strong. Perhaps you were once motivated passionately, but when real life hit you hard, you were swept under the current and left limp and lifeless. The reality of our broken world will always result in eventual emptiness, leaving us feeling as if we’ve put our everything into a “bag with holes in it”. Poet, C.T. Studd said it best, “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.” The prophet Isaiah awakens us with his invitation to leave the emptiness behind and find the fullness of life that is only available through Jesus Christ. Imagine the difference of living your everyday moments with the promise of eternal fullness in Jesus!

3) How is hearing connected to a soul granted life and an everlasting covenant? (verse 3)
Where are you in the process of invitation, being thirsty, and listening attentively? Regardless of whether we have surrendered our everything to the lordship of Jesus Christ, or if we are exploring what it means to follow Christ, this same pathway of invitation, thirst, and attentiveness exists. If you’ve long followed Jesus, His invitation to know Him more deeply stands with the door flung wide every moment of every day. Are you still thirsty for Him, fellow believing sister? Do you long for more of Him? Are you actively listening to His voice? Do you practice learning His voice a little more each day by reading His Word and engaging with Him? His invitation is open! Not sure about Jesus? Wonder if He is who He claims? Do you have doubts? Feel insufficient in your faith? The Lord’s invitation stands for you, “Come!”. “Come, buy without price!” There is nothing you must do, no part of your life you must “fix” on your own before coming. Christ simply calls out, “Come!”. Embrace the thirstiness of your soul and the longings for wholeness and healing of  your heart. Listen for the Lord as He speaks life over you!

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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)
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in your everyday!

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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

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Prayer Day 15 Here Is My Amen!

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Chronicles 29:10-15
2 Kings 19:14-19
Matthew 7:9-11

Prayer, Day 15

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen. Amen.

I still remember the sound of my mother’s strong voice carrying each note of this ancient doxology and the way everyone stood in solemnity as the final strains from the organ hung in the air on Sundays.

“World without end…Amen, Amen.” (want to listen to the song in my head?! Here’s a link!)

The doxology itself is a plea to the Lord, beseeching Him to act for the sake of His Name. It’s an insistence on being heard  regarding the aforementioned petitions based on His character.

King Hezekiah, of the Old Testament, knew how to apply this better than anyone. When he found an entire army of blood-thirsty Assyrians headed straight for his small, ill-equipped nation, he could have tried to find a way out in his own power…but his response was neither to flee nor ask a neighboring nation for aid. Instead, he stood boldly before the God of the Universe, and pleaded with the Sovereign to save them because of His power, dominion, and authority over all. (2 Kings 19:14-19)

Job’s prayer was equally as bold:
I would lay my case before Him
and fill my mouth with arguments.
I would know what He would answer me
and understand what He would say to me.
Would He contend (or fight) against me in the greatness of His power?
No; He would pay attention to me.
There (at His throne) an upright man could argue with Him,
and I would be acquitted forever by my Judge. (Job 23:4-7)

Job wasn’t saying he would come against God with literal negative “arguments”, rather, like King Hezekiah, that he would lay before the Almighty his brokenness, his wounds, his petitions, and he would be confident that because of God’s character, Job would be heard and welcomed into God’s presence.

Neither man’s confidence was hinged on their own power.
Neither man’s confidence was even dependent on God delivering them,
but instead on the fact that they knew their God would listen to them.

They knew they would be heard because, while the Kingdom is His, the power is His, and the glory is His, their personal experience told them that His heart is love.

That His Abba heart was theirs.

Because God is the Father who loves, and who knows how to give good gifts.
Because He holds all power and authority.
Because all glory belongs to Him.
And knowing He hears and listens to us, is enough for us, too.

We don’t have to know He will answer like we want Him to.
We don’t need to have all the answers of how prayer works.
We simply need to know that the God of Love who holds all power, not only hears us, but listens to us, and invites us to call Him ‘Daddy’.

It’s His eternal, un-ending love that gives us the safety and confidence to lay our needs before Him, knowing He is good.
It’s the doxology at the end of our prayers that reminds us of both His character, and the absolutely certain hope we hold fast to: a coming world that will never end.
It’s what allows us to echo all the saints before us by adding our hearty “Amen.”

“So Be It” is the literal meaning of the word Amen, but it’s so much more than those three little words.
It’s not a magical end mark to our prayers which guarantees a response in our favor.
It doesn’t bind God to do our bidding.
It’s our whole heart, whole mind, whole soul nodding in a somehow both solemn, yet enthusiastic YES, Abba.
Your will be done, Abba.
We are Yours, Abba.
And You are ours.

May Your will be done…so be it.
May Your kingdom come in us and through us…so be it.
Fulfill our needs for today, physical and spiritual, as You see fit….so be it.
Forgive us, and teach us to forgive….so be it.
Sanctify us, teach us to flee sin and become like You….so be it.
Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever….So. Be. It.

As I was considering all of these aspects, the image of my own children asking for something came to mind. When they beg and beg and insist and insist and whine and whine…. (I know you mamas know exactly what I mean!), I’m pressed to my limits of “good and generous”. Rather, it’s more the “annoyed and exasperated” that comes out. But, when my kids ask for something genuinely, with full confidence that if I say yes, it’s good, and if I say no, it’s still good; that is gold!!

One of my daughters absolutely loves to write me notes. She would rather handwrite her communication than verbalize it every time. Recently, her note read, “Could we get ice cream tonight? I would please you to say yes, but if you don’t, it’s okay because you give me so many good gifts. But I would really like ice cream.”

For. Real.

That’s the heart behind doxologies!

You, Oh God, are good and no matter what, that will not change, but based on your goodness and what I know of your character, I know you listen to me because I know our relationship matters to You; and that is enough. I choose to trust You with the rest!

“So Be It”, Lord, because You are good.

Here is my whole heart, whole mind, whole soul nodding in agreement with You, Amen.

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