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compassion

Pause VI Day 8 Joyful Longing

January 11, 2023 by Melodye Reeves Leave a Comment

Pause VI Day 8 Joyful Longing

Melodye Reeves

January 11, 2023

Affectionate,Beloved,church,Community

Read His Words Before Ours!

Philippians 2:19-30

19 Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon so that I too may be encouraged by news about you. 20 For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; 21 all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father. 23 Therefore, I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24 I am confident in the Lord that I myself will also come soon.

 25 But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus—my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need— 26 since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick. 27 Indeed, he was so sick that he nearly died. However, God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice again when you see him and I may be less anxious. 29 Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with great joy and hold people like him in honor, 30 because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me.

Read More Of His Words

We’re halfway through our journey, but what a letter this is! Imagine reading these words and paragraphs from Paul and processing what he was sharing. If you need to refresh and catch up, do that now. (Philippians 1:1-2:18)

After his greeting and prayer, Paul had given a sort of missionary report in Philippians 1:12-29.  “Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually advanced the gospel…”.

He then breaks away from that thought to encourage the believers to imitate the life of Jesus Christ. It doesn’t seem like just a marginal thought. It was essential to the rest of the ‘report’ he had begun. The recipients of the letter must understand how important it was to love each other well.

After his spontaneous hymn of praise to Jesus in Philippians 2;6-11, Paul continues his report. The concern of the Philippians for Paul’s well-being is obvious because they’ve sent people to minister to him. Maybe they were a bit discouraged that their beloved missionary was in prison, even fearful he could potentially receive a death sentence.

Paul informs them he is well, even thriving in the joy of the Lord. Mostly, he wants to spotlight the two people he’s sending back their way. As he describes them, it seems as though he’s describing the very characteristics he’s mentioned in his previous appeal to the Philippian believers. Do you remember the words of Paul in the earlier verses in the chapter? Does this verse sound familiar?

“For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 2:20)

What a joy for Paul to not only encourage them to be like Jesus, but to also send them two people who will show them how! Don’t you love these guys he’s sending? I can only imagine Paul’s selfless longing for the believers at Philippi to be strengthened by Timothy and Epaphroditus. I can see why Paul prayed what he did in Philippians 1:9-11.

And what about the attitude of Epaphroditus?! He wasn’t grieving his own illness but was concerned that the Philippians were burdened when they found out he was sick.
Sweet sister, as you pause on this passage today, let this scene really sink into your heart.

Today's Pause Challenge

1) Be a scribe and copy the precious words of Scripture down word for word. Make space in your journal to write down every word of Philippians 2:19-30  today.
As you copy, lookup a cross reference or two as you come to them (they are the small letters next to certain words in your study Bible or online at biblia.com.) As you write, consider the heart posture of Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus. Ask the Holy Spirit to humble your heart as you pour over His Words.

2) Choose one of these options to live boldly with authentic honesty in biblical community. As we grow deeper in God’s Word, the Lord designed us to share and grow with others walking alongside us.

a) Take a photo of your journal time this week and share it, or share a quote from it.
b) Do a Facebook Live on the GT community and share how God has been working in you.
c) Leave a comment here about it.
d) Share something God has been showing you in a comment at the GT Community Group
e) Plan a coffee or lunch date with a friend and share what you’ve been learning and soaking in as you have hit Pause.
f) Write a note of encouragement to a sister who has been your Timothy.

3) Memorize Philippians 3:13-14

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Pause VI, Day 7

The Philippians had been a receptive church, eager to do what was right and acceptable before God. Paul wrote to encourage them to think even more sacrificially and selflessly, applying the humility of Christ to their relationships specifically within the family of God. Paul had gone to great lengths to remind them of Who they were to emulate.
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Posted in: Affectionate, Beloved, church, Community Tagged: care, Community, compassion, family, Joyful, longing

Pause VI Day 2 Fruitfulness Of Partnership

January 3, 2023 by Melodye Reeves Leave a Comment

Pause VI Day 2 Fruitfulness Of Partnership

Melodye Reeves

January 3, 2023

Heart,Joy,Love,Pause

Read His Words Before Ours!

Philippians 1:7-11

Indeed, it is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart, and you are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how deeply I miss all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment so that you may approve the things that are superior and may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

Read More Of His Words

All fruit springs from some sort of seed. Without that seed, fruit would be impossible. Once planted and properly cared for, the seed matures into fruit.

“Indeed, it is right for me to think this way about all of you …” (Philippians 1:7)

At the beginning of his letter to the believers at Philippi, Paul rehearses the evidence (fruit) he’d seen of gospel grace (seed) that had been planted in their hearts and lives. Paul’s deep affection and appreciation for them is seen by the joy he expresses that is in his heart as he thought about them. His feelings were not misplaced. They were typical feelings that anyone would have toward partners who have demonstrated such loyalty and faithfulness.

“… because I have you in my heart, and you are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.” (Philippians 1:7)

Can you sense his heart’s overflowing thankfulness? What a beautiful phrase: partners with me in grace. That’s the most wonderful kind of partnership, isn’t it? I hope you have some partners in grace that walk alongside you in the gospel. We all need those who are with us in this journey of life. Scripture has included many instructions regarding our partnership with “one another.” We are to love, serve, honor, be devoted, encourage, pray for, and live in harmony with each other.

“For God is my witness, how deeply I miss all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:8)

The beauty of this kind of partnership is we can partner in grace even from a distance. Paul’s friends did this by living out their faith where they were. Just knowing they were in Philippi serving God and loving others encouraged and strengthened Paul from afar. He missed his friends deeply. He felt the sting and weight of the distance, but he also knew he was not alone in the shared gospel work. He had people in Philippi who were bearing fruit from the seed of the gospel that had been planted.

Paul and his partners found nourishment from the very same tree.

John 15:1-8 tells us Jesus is the source of good fruit; all who are in Jesus are partnered with Him by His grace.

Today's Pause Challenge

1)  Pull out your Bible and read the prayer in Philippians 1:9-11 fully through 3 times. 

2)  Each time, write down everything that pops out at you, noting Paul’s deepest desire, especially for those in Philippi.

3) 
Pay special attention to what is not mentioned. Consider what this may mean about what’s most important to pray for other.

4) Think about five people you care deeply about (a believer who is family or friend). Write their names in your journal. Pray these verses fervently for them.

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Sanctified Saint

Do you consider yourself a saint? Some people who think they are shouldn’t be so sure, and others who think they aren’t should reconsider!
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Posted in: Heart, Joy, Love, Pause Tagged: care, compassion, Fruitful, heart, love

The GT Weekend! ~ Whole Week 2

July 2, 2022 by Katelyn Palmer Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend! ~ Whole Week 2

Katelyn Palmer

July 2, 2022

Broken,Character,Christ,Community,GT Weekend,Hope,Humility,Jesus,Scripture,Truth,Unity

Rest your soul through reflective journaling,
praying Scripture,
and worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

This Week's Journeys

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Friday's DD

Pray His Words Back To Him!

Psalm 103:1-6

“My soul, bless the LORD, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. My soul, bless the LORD, and do not forget all his benefits. He forgives all your iniquity; he heals all your diseases. He redeems your life from the Pit; he crowns you with Faithful love and compassion. He satisfies you with good things; your youth is renewed like the eagle.”
Read More Of His Words

Prayer Journal Entry

Yahweh, You have told us we are not of this world (John 15:19) and neither is Your Kingdom of this world (John 18:36), yet we are to remain here, shining as lights in the darkness until Your return. (Philippians 2:15)

Please keep my thoughts centered on Your Kingdom, Lord, especially when the darkness seems overwhelming. Use me to reflect Your light so others may be drawn to You and a little more darkness is squeezed out of the broken places. Guide my quiet time with You, still my mind and heart so I may hear Your whispers, God.

Yahweh, you are the Shepherd (Psalm 23), the Teacher (Psalm 25:5), and the Lord of Armies (Psalm 46:7). You quench the thirst of my soul like a glass of ice water in the desert (John 4:14). I ache to be close to You, to feel Your love and warmth in my soul. Equip me to reflect this love to Your creation and renew my strength to push forward each morning against the rulers of this world in Your power. (Ephesians 6:12)

I pray for opportunities in this coming week to lift up someone who is low in spirit and point them back to You, Father. I move as You command; in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE 
As Christ-followers, we must hold to truth when it seems hatred is around every corner and division on every billboard. Scripture reminds that our fight is not temporal but spiritual. (Ephesians 6:12)

Of course, we battle our flesh daily, but a spiritual enemy uses our physical world to attack our spiritual livelihood. The enemy’s tactics have remained the same since time began: lying, deception, misinformation, distortion, and misinterpretations of God’s truth. 

How do we fight against that? First, we educate ourselves on the enemy’s battle plans, like deception through social media or the division rising up around us. (1 Peter 5:8) We must study Scripture to understand and identify truth, praying for guidance and wisdom. We can stay informed on world events through multiple sources and strain our responses through the safeguard of Scripture. Second, we engage. We must start a dialogue with those inside and outside our circle with open minds and soft hearts about the brokenness of our world with a willingness to take action. Third, we seek community. God designed us to seek support from our brothers and sisters of all backgrounds. God did not promise us a life free of storms;
He promised to be present with us through them. (Isaiah 43:2)
JOURNAL TWO
It’s easy to acknowledge that we live in a damaged world and that humanity is flawed, but what happens when the finger is pointed at us?

The most effective way to attack oppression, hatred, and evil, is by looking inwardly first. Zechariah reminds us to have compassionate hearts for others (Zechariah 7:9-10), and Jesus taught us to love one another as ourselves. (Matthew 22:36-39) Isaiah calls for us to repent of our sin, be cleansed, and learn what it looks like to do right in order to stand against injustice. (Isaiah 1:17) 

All of these Scriptures appeal to Christ’s Church, that’s us! Imagine if the whole of believers around the globe actively lived out these verses in our everyday relationships. What peace and pushing back of oppression would result! Conquering hate and bringing unity to our communities must start at home. We must also pray fervently for leadership in our churches and our world. (1Timothy 2:1-4) Where we have the privilege to elect government officials, do so by searching the Scriptures and using your vote to elect righteous leadership. Have conversations, not debates, about what righteous leadership looks like that protects people, lifts oppression, and promotes justice. (Jeremiah 22:2-3, Proverbs 31:4-5; 8-9, Matthew 20:26-28).

It is our duty as Christ-followers to lead and pray with zealous love as God has commanded us to in order to reflect His light in the darkest places.
JOURNAL THREE
Have you ever heard the saying “practice what you preach?” Better yet, have you ever met anyone who could do it? I can think of one person who practiced everything He preached, and the world was quite literally saved in the process. Jesus.

He experienced sorrow, oppression, discrimination, and hatred, as well as taught about it in the synagogues, in boats, in fields and in city centers. Jesus illustrated how to suffer silently with purpose (Mark 15:3-5), but also how to boldly call out sin. (Matthew 21:12-13) He showed us how to lift up the lowly (Luke 8:43-48) and stand firm against the enemy, both spiritual and worldly. (Matthew 4:1-11; Matthew 23:1-7) More than all of that, Jesus showed us how to bring our brokenness to God in humble submission. (Mark 14:33-36)

In His submission, Jesus was renewed in His mission for God’s glory, for it is in tribulation where we develop endurance; endurance produces proven character, which produces hope. (Romans 5:1-11)

I challenge each of us as we face adversity in the next minute or the next week to rejoice at the opportunity God has allowed to further shape us into the image of His Son that we might proclaim Him all the more! (Romans 8:29)
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Posted in: Broken, Character, Christ, Community, GT Weekend, Hope, Humility, Jesus, Scripture, Truth, Unity Tagged: Beautiful, character, Christ-followers, compassion, engage, heart, leadership, righteous, seek, whole

Whole Day 9 Identifying The Oppression: Digging Deeper

June 30, 2022 by Shannon Vicker Leave a Comment

Whole Day 9 Identifying The Oppression: Digging Deeper

Shannon Vicker

June 30, 2022

Deep,God,Humility,Justice,Love,Righteousness,Scripture,Shepherd

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Identifying The Oppression"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Jeremiah 22:3-5

3 This is what the Lord says: Administer justice and righteousness. Rescue the victim of robbery from his oppressor. Don’t exploit or brutalize the resident alien, the fatherless, or the widow. Don’t shed innocent blood in this place. 4 For if you conscientiously carry out this word, then kings sitting on David’s throne will enter through the gates of this palace riding on chariots and horses—they, their officers, and their people. 5 But if you do not obey these words, then I swear by myself—this is the Lord’s declaration—that this house will become a ruin.’”
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Who is Jeremiah addressing in these verses as he relays the Lord’s message?

Context matters significantly when studying Scripture and it keeps us “in bounds” for making follow-in right application to our lives. Studying a whole passage by considering its surroundings keeps us tied tightly to Scripture, allowing truth to shape our understanding instead of our own biases. Asking questions like who, what, why, and when helps broaden and deepen our understanding of any passage.

In order to know who Jeremiah is addressing in this passage, we must look backwards just a couple of sentences to Jeremiah 22:1-2 where we read of God sending Jeremiah to speak to the king of Judah. This king would have been a descendant of King David and sat on David’s same throne. Jeremiah was a prophet, speaking as God’s mouthpiece to God’s people; in this instance his message was directed to the reigning king of Judah.

The message also extended beyond the king of Judah to the Israelites under his rule as they were directives on what it looked like to “be” God’s people. These words were spoken to the king so he would model God’s justice and all of Judah would also walk in the Lord’s ways.

The Everyday Application

1) Who is Jeremiah addressing in these verses as he relays the Lord’s message?

Jeremiah’s message to Judah’s king on how to live in a way that reflected God’s righteousness and justice is ancient to us in the 21st century. Still, its meaning and significant implications are just as relevant to God’s people today as they were in ages past. The Word of the Lord is always relevant, enduring for eternity! (1 Peter 1:25)

God’s message through Jeremiah carries meaning for believers today where they live out being Christ’s Body in every culture in every nation and city around the world. Everywhere oppression and injustice exist, Jeremiah’s words still carry the authority of the Lord God. We are not exempt simply because we live in 2022.

How will we live out the rest of today differently because of Jeremiah’s relevant message? How will we shift the direction of our lives tomorrow? Not sure? Commit to reading just these brief verses every morning and praying for the Lord to convict and shape you as you take in His living and active words. (Hebrews 4:12)

The Original Intent

2) What does verse 3 mean?

Jeremiah began by telling the king he must administer justice and righteousness; the burden of wisely leading and shepherding God’s people fell to Judah’s king. This administration aligned not only with God’s heart, but also mirrored how King David had led God’s people. (2 Samuel 8:15)

Judah’s kings had drifted far from the pattern of righteous justice modeled by King David, and Jeremiah’s message was a clarion call to return to the ways of the Lord which He had manifested in David’s kingship. Jeremiah then instructs all Israelites to actively come to the aid of the vulnerable. In specifically calling out resident aliens, fatherless, and widows, the Lord was shining a spotlight on the weakest, neediest group of people of Judah. Israelites knew exactly how they were to treat resident aliens as God had addressed this issue centuries prior during the time of Moses in Exodus 22:21-22. 

By including this group of people in His message, the Lord emphasized how far Judah had strayed from His instructions and was calling them back to what they already knew. He reminded them to carry out righteous justice with the essential component of humility as Israel herself had once lived as resident aliens in Egypt.

Next, the Lord reminds Israel to protect the fatherless and widows, another group of often overlooked and neglected people which God had also addressed in Deuteronomy 14:29 during Moses’ leadership. God had commanded Israelites to diligently care for and give special attention to the widow and orphan.

These weren’t new commands, but they were instructions Israel had long ago disregarded and set aside. God’s deep compassion is revealed by his firm call to the king and his subjects of their duty to care for the vulnerable, ensuring that all were protected and given care.

The Everyday Application

2) What does verse 3 mean?

Just as Jeremiah’s message to administer righteous justice is relevant to us today as Christ-followers, so also are the carefully selected recipients of this protective care. Jeremiah specifically called out the weak and vulnerable in Judah, and we must consider who these groups of people are within our own cultures and cities. Here is where we are to begin our work of administering righteous justice.

It should not come as a surprise to us that these same groups are among the most vulnerable in our modern time as well. Single moms, orphans, and immigrants are among the neediest and vulnerable of our world and should be the first ones the church humbly runs toward to protect and love. Regardless of our location on the globe, I’m confident we each know someone who fits one of these categories. Our call is to refuse to exploit them or ignore reality when they are exploited or overlooked. We must not puff ourselves up and think less of them because of society’s label.

Christ calls us, just as He did to Judah’s king, to love and care for those who cannot care for themselves, for in so doing we are loving and caring for Christ. (Matthew 25:35-40) 

All over the world, people are displaced from their homes, children grow up without parents, and widows struggle in many cultures to provide for themselves. Our call toward each of these is to extend justice, act righteously, and love them with the humility of Christ. (Micah 6:8, James 1:27) When we actively live out this kind of love, we are reflecting Christ’s humble, generous sacrifice when He gave His life for us.

Living with justice for the oppressed is one way we live out of the overflow of Christ’s love for us.

The Original Intent

3) What house will come to ruin in verse 5?

Jeremiah’s message was a warning of God’s coming judgment against Judah’s king and the Israelites if they chose, again, to disobey God’s command and reject His ways of justice. They would be found in ruin. Sin’s rule would continue oppressing them while they continued oppressing the weak and vulnerable, even if it was simply by ignoring that a problem existed. Sin’s gravitational pull would continue increasing until eventually they would lose everything.

This was not a quiet, casual command that was really more of an optional activity, this was a matter of life and death.

Jeremiah continued to describe their ruin in verses 6-9. If they chose to ignore the Lord’s command, Judah (and Jerusalem) would soon lie in ruins. A direct result of their choice to place something else, anything else, before the Lord would be their fall. Judah, and therefore Jerusalem, would cease to be an amazing nation and city and would be turned over to an enemy.

Graciously, God, through Jeremiah, not only provided the Israelites a choice, but He also provided a clear call to return. Life and death were in their hands, and their choice carried significant, wide-sweeping consequences.

The Everyday Application

3) What house will come to ruin in verse 5?

Just as Judah was unable to prosper if they did not heed the Lord’s call we will never prosper as the Church if we do not heed His same call to leave our sinful patterns and embrace His ways of living righteously. The Global Church is the hands and feet of God, intended to actively show love to those often seen as the least lovable, most-likely outcast, and exceptionally vulnerable. When we do not choose to take on His mission in our everyday lives as believers, our lives end up in ruin, wasted and ineffective for the Kingdom. We allow sin and conflict to gradually take the place of love in our lives and it poisons everything. (James 1:14-15)

We can never live up to our calling in Christ if we allow sin and disobedience to fester instead of humbly pouring out the love Christ has demonstrated to us. (Romans 5:8)

If I am honest with myself, I can think of people I interact with daily who fall into these categories of unlovable, outcast, and vulnerable. I must ask myself if I am heeding the call of the Lord toward each of these individuals. I challenge each of us to think carefully about those we interact with regularly, and those around us who need to be seen and loved by us; are we pouring out the same love Christ has lavished on us? (1 John 3:1)

Tags :
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Whole Day 8
Journey Study

The snarls of a sinister enemy snaked through the goodness of Eden, deviously plotting the downfall of the Almighty who had cast him from His glorious presence. How the enemy loved himself. How he loathed the Almighty.

Humanity would pay the price of the enemy’s sickening self-love by carrying his pride in their hearts, grooming it, making it their own, then calling it righteousness by justifying their selfish pride to the Almighty. Perfectly mimicking the enemy’s craft which had earned him ejection from The Presence.
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Posted in: Deep, God, Humility, Justice, Love, Righteousness, Scripture, Shepherd Tagged: compassion, Enduring, eternity, God's People, King David, Oppression, questions, whole

The GT Weekend! ~ Wilderness Week 2

March 19, 2022 by Rebecca Adams Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Israel was wandering in a literal desert and became so fixated on their perceived lack, they completely forgot the power, authority, and compassion of the God who lovingly freed them from 400-year slavery. Later, when Israel would finally cross the Jordan River into the Promised Land, the same God who compassionately cared for every need in the desert, instructed them to build a monument as a visible, tactile reminder of His good care for them. He promised He would provide, and in great abundance, He did exactly as He said He would. Looking at our struggles is easy. Choosing to complain flows effortlessly over our lips, but let’s choose to differently this weekend. Let’s be intentional to tabulate the goodness and mercies of the Lord. Maybe we will even post them on social media or share them with a good friend, our spouse, a child, a pastor, or a neighbor. May our lips declare the goodness of the Lord God who faithfully provides for every need! When we choose rejoicing and decide to set our gaze on the Giver instead of our perceived lack, suddenly the walls don’t seem to press quite as tightly. Rejoice, sisters, rejoice!

2) Set aside. Un-usable. Broken. Purposeless. Barren. Our hearts break as we think through the implications of each of these words in connection with our lives. Some wilderness experiences are more painful than others, but suppose the Lord intends to use each season as a pathway to rely on Him more deeply? For Sarah, the wilderness of her barrenness lasted into her nineties. I know I’ve called out, “How long, Lord?!” in my own seasons long before 90 years have passed! Finally, when the Lord told Sarah she would bear a son, she laughed in utter disbelief. I probably would have too! Despite her blatant doubt, the Lord remained faithful to do and finish the work He intended to do in and through her. How does this reality comfort and encourage you? If you clung insistently to the truth that God is steadfast in His work, would you be able to regain steady footing more quickly in everyday life? Prayerfully ask the Lord to remind you of a few scenarios that tempt you to doubt and question Him. Hold out your disbelief to the Lord and ask Him to anchor you in the truthfulness of His unchanging character!

3) Bethany shared of a wilderness season in her life when her family was caught between a promise and its fulfillment. Every avenue they pursued seemed to dead end; clarity for “next” seemed illusive at best. Which scene from your life best fits this description? Maybe you’ve shared tactics with Bethany as she desperately tried to throw potential solutions at her problems, only to end up more discouraged and lacking answers. If we naturally trusted God instead of ourselves, we wouldn’t need seasons of wilderness for God’s Spirit to teach us to depend on Him. But we do inherently trust ourselves. The Lord lovingly leads us into Wilderness Wanderings so we will stop trusting our failing humanity and instead place our faith on the unshakable God. Choosing faith in God over us requires much more time and practice than we would like to think. Consider doing something small and tangible every day to remind you to choose faith in God over relying on yourself. Maybe it’s memorizing a new Scripture or setting an alarm on your phone to pause and pray. Or maybe it’s simply drawing a heart on the inside of your wrist and with every glance you can remember to trust His heart over yours. Choosing Christ will always reap the greatest rewards!

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 Exodus 33:18-22 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Then Moses said, “Please, let me see your glory.” He said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim the name ‘the Lord’ before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” But he added, “You cannot see my face, for humans cannot see me and live.” The Lord said, “Here is a place near me. You are to stand on the rock, and when my glory passes by, I will put you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.

Prayer Journal
Around me, whether I’m currently in a desert wilderness, being pressed on all sides, or enjoying the dance of delightful days, You remain constant. My praise can rise to You regardless of the rhythm of my everyday life. Moses stood on the precipice of leading Your people deeper into the wilderness. So many unknowns stretched before him, and surely fear swirled around him, yet he knew his steadfast, anchoring hope was found in You. Lord, I ask You to cultivate this heart response to wilderness seasons in me. When I sense fear rising and my circumstances shaking, teach my lips to plead like Moses, “Please, let me see Your glory!”.

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

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Posted in: Anchored, Christ, Faith, God, Good, GT Weekend, Mercy, Power, Truth Tagged: Authority, compassion, Fighting, giver, Promised Land, rejoice, Wanderings, wilderness

Build Day 12 Building Renewal: Digging Deeper

March 1, 2022 by Rachel Jones 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 Building Renewal!

The Questions

1) How does Daniel’s prayer relate with Nehemiah’s prayer in Nehemiah 1:4-11?

2) Daniel uses various titles and descriptions of God in his prayer; how is this significant?

3) How is this prayer of gut-wrenching confession still anchored in hope?

Daniel 9:3-10

3 So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek him by prayer and petitions, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:

Ah, Lord—the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps his gracious covenant with those who love him and keep his commands— 5 we have sinned, done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled, and turned away from your commands and ordinances. 6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, leaders, ancestors, and all the people of the land.

7 Lord, righteousness belongs to you, but this day public shame belongs to us: the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and all Israel—those who are near and those who are far, in all the countries where you have banished them because of the disloyalty they have shown toward you. 8 Lord, public shame belongs to us, our kings, our leaders, and our ancestors, because we have sinned against you. 9 Compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord our God, though we have rebelled against him 10 and have not obeyed the Lord our God by following his instructions that he set before us through his servants the prophets.

Original Intent

1) How does Daniel’s prayer relate with Nehemiah’s prayer in Nehemiah 1:4-11?
If you think of a series of progressive, story-telling books, you’ll have a good idea of what’s happening with Daniel and Nehemiah. In brief, Israel was a budding nation birthed through Abraham’s son Isaac, the child of promise, by which God had covenanted with Abraham that He would turn a childless, aged man into the “father of many nations”. (Genesis 12:1-3) Isaac’s sons were twins, Jacob and Esau. Jacob had 12 sons who became the 12 tribes of Israel (God changed Jacob’s name to Israel). These 12 families became slaves in Egypt as they had become so numerous that Pharaoh felt threatened. God called Moses, an Israelite, to lead the people out of slavery and into the Promised Land (also part of God’s covenant with Abraham). Twelve plagues later and 40 years of desert wanderings, Israel stepped into Canaan. Eventually, Israel grew tired of God’s rule over them and demanded a human king. Saul, Israel’s choice, was her first king, but he was self-focused and lacked real love for God or Israel. God chose David as the next king, and this shepherd-boy turned king, loved and cared for Israel well. David died and his son, Solomon, took over, but after Solomon’s death, the kingdom of Israel split. The Northern Kingdom (Israel) and the Southern Kingdom (Judah) continued rebelling against God, loathing Him, committing idolatry, and rejecting God’s covenantal love for them on repeat for centuries. During this time, God raised up prophets to warn Israel and Judah to repent of their sin, but they adamantly refused. Per the original covenant forged when Moses led Israel from slavery, God would punish His people by sending them into exile for their rebellion. Exile occurred at the hand of the Chaldeans (Babylonians) and would last 70 years. Youthful Daniel was taken captive from his homeland of Jerusalem and died in exile. The first exiles returned to Jerusalem around the year 537 BC, Nehemiah’s story began around 445 BC, nearly 100 years since Daniel’s death.

2) Daniel uses various titles and descriptions of God in his prayer; how is this significant?
Verse 3 begins with an interesting phrase usually translated in English, “I turned my attention”. The original Hebrew reads less eloquently, “I gave my face”. This wasn’t simply looking with the eyes, but the willful determination of Daniel’s entire being given in steadfast surrender. It was as if he were saying, “The whole of my face is set firmly upon You as I pray, and more so, as I await Your answer; I will not be moved, for so important is the cause for which I plead.” Also interesting are the titles for God Daniel chooses to use as he prays. In your Bible, verse 4 probably capitalizes all 4 letters of the title LORD, signifying God’s personal name for Himself, YHWH, (Yahweh). By calling out, “I prayed to the LORD (YHWH)…”, Daniel reminds himself and God of the deeply personal nature of God’s relationship with Israel. He chose them, He crafted them, and He birthed them as a nation. Daniel continued his petition, “…my God.” (verse 4, emphasis mine) While other Israelites had proven they cared for Yahweh in name only, while quite willing to worship false gods as it benefited them, Daniel verbalized his personal choice to respond to God’s invitation by reciprocation. Daniel chose YHWH as his own God. These insights, gained by studying the original language for a few words, is about to deepen as we read Daniel’s next two words, “Ah Lord…” (verse 4) No longer capitalized, the lowercase for “Lord” references the Hebrew word “adonai”, meaning lord, ruler, or sovereign. First, Daniel addressed God personally, and then followed on with the two-fold understanding that YHWH was also Adonai, King and Sovereign over all. Nothing was beyond His lordship and reign, and Daniel was His servant.

3) How is this prayer of gut-wrenching confession still anchored in hope?
“We have sinned, done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled, and turned away from your commands and ordinances. We have not listened…” (verses 5-6) “…public shame belongs to us.” (verse 7) “…public shame belongs to us (…) because we have sinned against You.” (verse 8) The litany of Israel’s sins against the Lord were long, deep, and wide. They had offended His holiness and broken relationship with YHWH, their personal God, and the cut was deep against Him. They had violated the terms of their covenant with their sovereign Lord, Adonai, and they deserved death per the legal binding agreement of their covenant vow. According to the stipulations laid out, they had literally “missed the mark” (Hebrew hata for “sinned” in verses 5 and 8) of righteous living as was spelled out in their covenant. Legally, Israel’s situation was absolutely hopeless. Restitution with the Almighty was impossible. Their sins were too great and their ability to cleanse themselves of shame and offensive reproach was equally impossible. Yet, stunningly, Daniel did not plead without hope. He clearly knew Israel’s situation, it was his own words that laid it naked before the Lord God, but Daniel had one hope, and he clung to it with remarkable tenacity as he gave his face to God in prayer. “Compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord…” and dare he say it? Yes, he spoke it, “our God.” Daniel went beyond saying YHWH was “my” God, to boldly re-claiming the Sovereign Lord as Israel’s God. Why? How could he make such a claim in the face of their reprehensible pile of sin? One reason alone, because He knew God’s character to be rich in compassion and forgiveness.

Everyday Application

1) How does Daniel’s prayer relate with Nehemiah’s prayer in Nehemiah 1:4-11?
The similarities between Daniel’s prayer and Nehemiah’s are uncanny, given their prayers were recorded nearly a century apart from each other. This fact alone should give us pause to consider the weightiness of their model and reflect how our prayer lives would benefit by following their examples. Both men had set their lives unswervingly upon honoring the Lord God, and they both had become keenly aware of their nation’s sinful rebellion after reading Scripture. (Daniel 9:3-10 and Nehemiah 1:5-11) Daniel pleaded for God’s mercy in remembering Israel in their exile, while Nehemiah, also living in Babylon, pleaded with the Lord for mercy as well, even though the specifics of their requests were quite different. Both men called upon the very same covenant of love as evidential reason for God to grant them mercy and favor. The two prayers evidence nearly exact addresses for God and model the same flow of adoring God (Daniel 9:4 and Nehemiah 1:5), confessing sin (Daniel 9:5-6 and Nehemiah 1:6-7), interceding for the nation (Daniel 9:7-8 and Nehemiah 1:6-7), and requesting favor (Daniel 9:17 and Nehemiah 1:11). Go see for yourself, it’s quite amazing! As you read Daniel 9:3-10 and Nehemiah 1:5-11, take note of the portions that make you curious and stick out to you as if bolded, this is the Spirit of the Lord inviting you to commune with Him over His Word! Prayerfully reflect on these things as you read the two passages side-by-side again. What is the Lord teaching you and convicting you of as you read His Words?! Take the challenge set forth by these two men who never met on earth and begin intentionally modeling your own prayers after their example. Go ahead and start right now in prayer!

2) Daniel uses various titles and descriptions of God in his prayer; how is this significant?
Daniel and Nehemiah both leaned on God’s covenant as grounds for their request, but we must remember who began the covenant relationship, God. God told Abraham He would make him into a great nation. God allowed Jacob (Israel) to have 12 sons, who would become the 12 nations. When it was time to ratify the covenant in writing (ie: Ten Commandments), God came down from Heaven in a cloud instead of insisting His people rise to Him in His grandeur. (Exodus 19:16-19) Here is the humble YHWH! Fast forward a few centuries and this same God fulfills His covenant to Abraham by sending Jesus, God in the flesh. True to His character, He began the relationship, He set His love upon humanity. (1 John 4:19, John 15:16) What was humanity doing while Adonai humbly sacrificed Himself for us? We hated Him. Still, He came. (Romans 5:8) This is YHWH, the sacrificing, covenant-keeping God. I came to a place where I faced the reality that, for all my self-proclaimed “goodness”, I too was a God-hater. My sins brought the punishment of death upon Christ, by His choice. While I hated Him, He loved me. Like Daniel, there was a point when I reciprocated His invitation to make me His own, and I claimed Him as my God. I turned from my perverted sins and became His, welcomed into a covenant relationship I had done absolutely nothing to earn. Like Daniel, the more I grew in my faith, the more I realized I could also call Yahweh my Adonai. Christ was my precious friend, but also my sovereign Lord. I was both friend and His joyful servant. How might seeing God as Yahweh and Adonai shift your relationship with Him?

3) How is this prayer of gut-wrenching confession still anchored in hope?
Oh Sisters, I cannot stop the tears streaking my cheeks as I write of God’s beautiful compassion and forgiveness! Israel’s sins were grievous and perpetual, indeed they were. Yahweh had every right to be forever angry with them, toss them aside, and forget them for eternity, but as the psalmist wrote, “He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve or repaid us according to our iniquities.” (Psalm 103:10) Breathe. That. In. What was true for Israel on the day Daniel pleaded with God for release from exile, and the people were welcomed Home, is true for you and me. It was true for Nehemiah when the people wore sackcloth, ashes, and wept violently over their sin, knowing it was only God’s compassionate forgiveness that could rescue them from the consequence of their rebellion. His response to Israel’s weeping with Nehemiah is precious and life-giving, “Do not weep…do not grieve, because the joy of YHWH is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:9-10) As if the Lord’s response to both of these prayers is not stunning enough, look at the disciple John’s words to all people who look to Christ for their sole rescue from the consequence of our own sin, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) If you’ve ever wondered if it could possibly be true that God would forgive your awful sin, whatever it is, read the stories of these two men, read the words of John who walked beside Jesus in real life, and know beyond all assurances that YES, Christ will forgive your sin completely, welcome you Home to Him (John 14:23), and will free you (John 8:36) to walk in delight with Him all your days (Psalm 23:6).

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

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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

Our Current Study Theme!

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

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

Posted in: Anchored, Christ, Digging Deeper, God, Hope, Jesus, Prayer, Relationship, Restored Tagged: Adonai, build, compassion, Confession, Daniel, forgiveness, Fulfill, King, mercy, Nehemiah, Promise Land, renewal, Righteous Living

Nations Day 9 Religious Or Relationship?: Digging Deeper

May 20, 2021 by Mandy Farmer 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 Religious Or Relationship!

The Questions

1) How does salt connect with disciples? (verse 13)

2) What connection do disciples have with light? (verse 14)

3) How are we like a city on a hill? (verses 14-16)

Matthew 5:13-16

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

Original Intent

1) How does salt connect with disciples? (verse 13)
Salt. The shaker on our table is what we bring to mind, but in Jesus’ day, salt was a valuable commodity. It was sometimes even used to pay one’s salary. Jesus called the disciples salt because they were as important to the Gospel as salt was to the society. Have you ever eaten a French fry without salt? Just a little salt makes a world of difference! Consider the impact the disciples made on the world once they were anointed with God’s power through His Holy Spirit. Just twelve men initiated world-wide change as a result of God’s power! (Acts 2) As powerful as salt is, it can lose its savor if it is mixed with other additives. RealSalt.com says salt will never go bad, but common table salt has agents added which degrade over time causing the salt to lose its savor. Society in Jesus’ day and and now, is mixed with many sinful impurities. If Christ-followers were not careful, their lives would be overrun with the effects of sinful choices. This leads to a need for preservation! In ancient times, salt was added to prevent food from spoiling. When the disciples began spreading the Gospel, they were keeping the world from decaying without the Hope offered through Jesus’ offer of forgiveness. Salt can go both ways. If we allow society to rub off on us, we will lose our savor; but if we rub off on society, we hold out the life-giving freedom of Christ!

2) What connection do disciples have with light? (verse 14)
In Jesus’ day, the title, “Light of the World” had been given to certain rabbis and were referenced as lamps of the universe (Enduring Word). It must have sounded odd to hear Jesus say all of His disciples were the Light of the World, a title normally reserved for prestigious teachers. Charles Spurgeon says, the world “is dark, and gropes in midnight, and it cannot get light except it receives it through us.” Being God’s light to the world gives guidance. Isaiah spoke of it (Isaiah 9:2) and the apostle John also said, ‘The light shines in the darkness…” Light shows the way to God, the only way to God. The ancient world was no better than ours. Recall the culture in Ephesus where they served many gods and built temples to them. They “worshipped” these gods with sexual acts. Theirs was also a society of wealth and people aspiring to gain riches. Also, who could forget our history lessons about Nero and other ruthless leaders with their orgies, torture, and worse. The ancient world desperately needed a light to find their way to the One True God. Jesus was that light. And when He left earth, He told us to be His light, carrying it into the dark world.

3) How are we like a city on a hill? (verses 14-16)
A city on a hill is prominent and seen from a long distance. Jesus may have been using a nearby city of Safed as an analogy. It stands on a very eminent and conspicuous mountain and is seen far and near. Possibly, Jesus alluded to this city as an example of how it was not hidden but seen by all. Likewise, Jesus wanted people of His Kingdom to live visible lives that attracted attention, so their good works would bring praise to God. (Enduring Word)
Jesus spoke these words about salt and light following His teaching on the Beatitudes, which focused on showing us how to live Kingdom lives. It is not in doing good works that we are saved, but our good works come from God’s work through His Spirit in us. (Ephesians 2:8-10) When the Holy Spirit is guiding our lives, it is like a hand in a glove. We are the glove and “we live and move” by the direction of the Holy Spirit. Our actions are not so people will see us but rather that they will see the Light of Jesus and give glory to God. (Acts 17:27-28, John 3:21)

Everyday Application

1) How does salt connect with disciples? (verse 13)
How can you and I effectively season the world? By choosing to engage those around us with the hope of Christ! If we have accepted Jesus as our Savior and allowed the Holy Spirit to guide and direct our lives, we HAVE Christ’s power in us to be salt to the world and we will WANT to season the world. If you don’t have the deep desire to be salt to the world, it would be wise to follow the apostle Paul’s teaching and examine your hearts “to see whether we are in the faith.” (2 Corinthians 13:5-6) Have you ever known a person who rubbed you the wrong way? Comparatively, have you known someone who always blesses a room when they enter? This is how we season the world. A preacher once asked, “If you record yourself, what would you see/hear?” This challenged me, and still does, to take special care in what I do and I say, making sure I’m surrendering myself to the Spirit’s power alive in me. (Ephesians 4:29-32) Showing love, kindness, compassion, and forgiveness is how believers share their Salt with the Earth. Let’s begin our days with King David’s prayer, ”Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, oh Lord. My Rock and my Redeemer.”

2) What connection do disciples have with light? (verse 14)
We are a “peculiar people”. (1 Peter:2-9, KJV) When others see a true Christian, they will notice something is different because we are marked by the light and love of God’s Spirit within us. (John 13:35) They will curiously want to know what makes us peculiar. Hopefully, they will want some of the joy we have because of Jesus. Peter wrote that being peculiar “calls us out of darkness into God’s Marvelous Light.” The Holy Spirit living in us is the Light who call others out of the pervading darkness. The apostle Paul said to “live by the Spirit…keep(ing) in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-25); the result is beautiful fruit in our lives! Paul also commands, “above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” (Colossians 3:12-14) The Spirit’s fruit in our lives is what makes us peculiar to others. (Philippians 2:12-14) We may not really want to be peculiar because our light brings conviction of sin and people may react adversely. Thus, we may be tempted to hide the Light of Christ within us. But our world is still in darkness, desperately in need of light. Jesus came as that Light. He instructed the disciples to shine His light, and now, we must continue shining this light to the world. Do not hide your light but, as the Sunday School song goes, “let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!”

3) How are we like a city on a hill? (verses 14-16)
Our assignment is to be Light in this dark and broken world; opening ourselves up to allow our light from God shine through. I love the idea Christine shared in her Journey Study yesterday. She found places in the dark where she can be salt and light; book clubs, fitness groups, and places that aren’t necessarily Christian. This is how we truly can be a light on a hill. Think of your own culture, village, or city, where can you go to shine? Clarence L Haynes states at Crosswalk, “…the value of salt is not when it is in the shaker. Salt cannot season, preserve, disinfect… until it comes out of the shaker.” The famous pastor, Charles Spurgeon, quoted the venerable Bede in saying, “Christ Jesus brought the light of Deity into the poor lantern of our humanity, and then set it upon the candlestick of His church that the whole house of the world might be lit up.” I pray your local church is finding ways to be a light on a lampstand. If not, maybe it’s time for you and me to be the ones to start something. I believe others will follow, they just need someone to lead the way in living lives that shine with brilliance!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Religious Or Relationship!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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

Our Current Study Theme!

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

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

Posted in: Christ, Freedom, God, Gospel, Holy Spirit, Hope, Jesus, Love, Power, Relationship Tagged: City On A Hill, compassion, darkness, disciples, forgiveness, glory, Kindess, Lamps, light, Light of the World, nations, Religious, Salt

The GT Weekend! ~ Fervent Week 3

March 6, 2021 by Rebecca Adams Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) It’s difficult to feel connected with, or have compassion for, those whose stories we do not know. For Christ-followers in the western hemisphere, this is often the case as we consider our brothers and sisters who live under constant persecution. Take some time this weekend and explore the stories of these fellow believers in greater detail, allowing their everyday experiences to shape the contours of your prayer life with increased fervency. Watch the online film for the Nik Ripkin’s Insanity of God or read some accounts of saints gone before us in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. Study Paul’s words about his persecution and the effect his suffering had on the believers around him in Philippians 1:12-20. Be reminded that those Christ-followers who live in religious freedom are deeply connected with those who are persecuted. Commit to live and love and preach Jesus and pray fervently as one connected Body because of Christ Jesus.

2) The temptation to section off spiritual “God things” from our “everyday-everything-else” lives is strong for most of us. Without intentional discipline training to keep the two intertwined and seeing them as one life, we forget the Almighty is God of all, including our everyday moments. Just as physical discipline and self-control push us forward in fitness, these same traits further our spiritual growth. Practicing spiritual disciplines like prayer, fasting, memorizing Scripture, giving generously, and studying Scripture move us away from spiritual mediocrity and towards a life that seamlessly blends our spiritual and physical lives together as one. Of the disciplines listed above, pick one or two you haven’t practiced lately and begin incorporating them into your everyday rhythms. Wrap your strength training exercises in prayer, asking the Lord to strengthen your faith as you press forward to know Him deeper!

3) Merry concluded our Journey Into Fervent by drawing us near to God’s heart through the call to Family. Of all the different ways we think about God, at the top should be Father. He loves us as His children and invites us to come freely to Him within the tender, deep relationship of Abba Father. Not only are all Christ-followers welcomed into this sweetness with Abba, but we also are connected with one another as brothers and sisters through this wonderful adoption! I often remind my children that friends will come and go in the seasons of life, but their siblings will be with them forever. This is especially true for all who trust Jesus as their Savior because we will share eternity together with each other and our Great God and Father! When we begin viewing one another through the lens of family adopted through magnificent love, our own love for each other grows, forgiveness flows, and our differences are no longer important. Who can you begin loving more fervently as family starting this weekend?!

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 Romans 15:5-6 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, according to Christ Jesus, so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with one mind and one voice.

Prayer Journal
Let’s pray Merry’s prayer together this weekend!
Our Father. It’s only by Your mercy and grace we can come to You, together. And hopefully, confidently, if stumblingly, we come to You. Lord, we don’t possess the kind of love that knits hearts together in one mind and spirit, but You do. Your word says we can ask for anything in Your name, and it will be done. Abba, we want to want unity in the Church. We don’t know how to go about it, but You do. Would you fill us with the Spirit of unity? Would you pour out love like we’ve never seen in Your Church in this age? Make us one, as You are one. You’re the only One Who can. This day, our lives and all we have are Yours alone. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Worship Through Community

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Posted in: church, Deep, Discipline, Faith, Fervent, Generous, Grace, GT Weekend, Jesus, Love, Mercy, Paul, Prayer, Relationship, Scripture, Strength Tagged: Abba Father, body of Christ, Christ-followers, compassion, Connected, family, forgiveness, Savior, Spiritual Growth

Follow Day 13 Faith To Stay

January 20, 2021 by Rebecca Adams Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Mark 5:1-20
Matthew 16:24-28
Luke 14:25-35

Follow, Day 13

“What’s holding you back from following Jesus?”

It’s a question I sometimes pose when I’m deep in a conversation about spiritual things with someone who isn’t sure if they really want to trust Jesus with everything. Sometimes we just need to talk it out and lay everything in the open with raw honesty in order to gain real perspective.

More often than not, the reply is either “I don’t know,” which requires more prodding, or some variation of “I’m afraid of what He will ask me to do.”

We can probably all raise our hands to that fear. I’ve carried it myself at several points in my faith journey. This “all in surrender to the Living God” thing is, well, all-inclusive. The cost of following is high and we are right to consider the cost before we commit the whole of ourselves to Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “…every one of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:33)

While we wrestle with our fears of “what it will cost,”
we must also consider the risk of not following Him.

Jesus pointedly asks, “For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life?” (Matthew 16:26)

In essence, Jesus asks, “Your life is so valuable! What could possibly be worth your life?” and in the very same dialogue, He answers by pointing us to Himself: “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will find it.” (Matthew 16:25)

The counterintuitive solution to our desire to save our lives is found in complete surrender to the One offering our rescue.

Surrender is indeed a high cost.
However, the cost of rejecting the Savior of our souls is infinitely higher.

A Jesus-follower named Mark recorded the story of one man, deranged, chained, essentially dead to his family and friends, a danger to himself and his community, a laughingstock and a shameful outcast.
This is the man Jesus chose to have compassion on, lovingly heal, and set free from himself.
This is the man who wanted to follow Jesus as far away from everything he knew as he could get.

He was all in for following Jesus on his terms.
Oh, that hits close to my heart; does it for you?

I do want to follow, Jesus, but not to Asia.

I do want to follow, Jesus, but please, I can’t live in a smaller house.

I do want to follow, Jesus, but give me someone else to tell about You besides my family.

I do want to follow, Jesus, but let me live my life first for a few years.

One deranged man, his arms now healed where he had cut himself.
His body now clothed, where he had once run naked through the tombs.
His mind now clear, where minutes before it had been owned by demons.

This man’s healing was visibly dramatic, touching his mind, body, emotions, and heart,  making him new in every way. With such a story of redemption to tell, Graveyard Man was ready to follow Jesus wherever He went . . . as long as it was away from his past.

“As He [Jesus] was getting into the boat,
the man who had been demon-possessed begged Him earnestly
that he might remain with Him.” (Mark 5:18, emphasis mine)

But Jesus’ response begs us to pause, listen in, and sit in the moment, for here is the climax of the story. As the man would go forward, it was surely this moment that was the turning point in his life, even overshadowing his incredible healing. For here, Jesus turned kind eyes of compassion to the man’s and gently refused his request.

Wait, what?! Jesus said the redeemed man couldn’t follow Him?!
Yes.

“Jesus did not let him but told him, ‘Go home to your own people, and report to them how much the Lord has done for you and how He has had mercy on you.’” (Mark 5:19, emphasis mine)

It would have been easy to flee his hometown and start over walking right beside Jesus, but Christ prompted him into deeper waters. This man would follow by staying.

Surely, it was intimidating to turn away from Jesus’ boat that afternoon and walk back towards the villagers who had fled at his healing, but the man’s newfound faith was flourishing as Jesus led him deeper.

Our historian, Mark, says, “So he went out and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and they were all amazed.” (Mark 5:20)

Following Jesus wasn’t what the man expected, but as he obeyed, he found the faith to follow, even if it meant staying. The Lord was faithful and as the man shared his story,
all who heard were amazed.

Count the cost.
Find redemption.
Follow in Faith, even if it looks different than you expect.

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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 Follow 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 Follow!

Posted in: Amazed, Faith, Fear, Follow, Jesus, Journey, Life, Redemption, Rescue, Trust Tagged: compassion, Holding Back, questions, Raw Honesty, Stay, story, surrender, Valuable
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And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14