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The GT Weekend! ~ Reveal 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) When the angels announced the birth of Jesus, they declared “good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Jesus’ birth was, and is, good news! We have the privilege of celebrating this good news every year at Christmas. Just as the Word of God went forth to fill the emptiness at creation, so also Jesus went forth from the Father to fill the emptiness of our broken world. His birth brought us the hope of Immanuel, God with us. As you consider the Christmas season, think about your traditions and rituals around Christmas. Are they filled with the presence of Christ, or are they empty motions to just “do”? What might be some ways you can celebrate the fullness of Christ as you celebrate His birth. What is one way you can incorporate others into your celebration, revealing to them the fullness of “God with us?” Consider inviting someone to join you for a meal or your church’s Christmas Eve service who may otherwise be alone. Or consider writing cards to residents of a local nursing home or members of your church who are unable to leave their homes. Share the Good News of great joy with all the people!

2) We live in a world of constant chaos. We don’t need to look far to see all the things causing the world to worry, fret, and fear. As people who trust Jesus, we do not need to be bound by chaos. We serve a God who chose to come down and experience the chaos for Himself, and then to make it right. Our God is in the business of bringing order from chaos. The world tells us we need to be in control, but God tells us He is in control. The world shows us we have every reason to fear, but God proves we can trust Him. We work endlessly to try to create our own peace, but God offers each of us true, lasting peace. As we anticipate the “busy” of the holiday season, there is a tendency to rush to complete every “to do” and “to purchase” list while forgetting where our peace comes from. Write down one or two ways you attempt to manufacture your own peace in stressful times. Consider how effective you have found these strategies in the past and whether they point toward the God of shalom or toward your own strength. Then write down two more strategies that would help you remember where true peace comes from and ask God to help you implement these new mindsets in your chaotic seasons.

3) There’s a popular saying you have probably heard, “Jesus is the reason for the season.” It’s likely supposed to remind us that while there are many trappings surrounding Christmas, from the music and decorations to gifts and great food, ultimately our celebration should focus on Jesus and His coming to earth. Yesterday’s Journey Study reminds us our fullness, our peace, and our joy ultimately do not come from this world, but from the Creator of this world. What would it look like if we truly believed Christmas was about more than giving gifts and decorations? Suppose we were to truly celebrate Jesus in this season? There is nothing wrong with enjoying the celebration of this holy day, just as Nehemiah and Ezra told the people of Israel to celebrate their holy days. But we must remember to turn our eyes to the author and perfecter of our faith in the midst of it all. Ask the Lord today to give you grace to remember Him during this season. Ask Him to give you opportunities to share your joy with others. As you celebrate and feast this holiday season, ask God to remind you in fresh ways of His “good news of great joy.”

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 15:10-13 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Again it says, Rejoice, you Gentiles, with His people!
And again, praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;
let all the peoples praise Him!
And again, Isaiah says,
The root of Jesse will appear,
the one who rises to rule the Gentiles;
the Gentiles will hope in Him.
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer Journal
Immanuel, God with us, a very present help in times of trouble, You alone are the source of peace and joy. As I turn my thoughts to Christmas, I am so quickly overwhelmed. I want to do everything perfectly and please everyone around me. I know I become busy and distracted from the whole reason we are celebrating much too easily. I confess I work hard to look good for others, while also neglecting to worship and remember You. I admit my concern is often more tied to temporary pleasure than everlasting hope. Lord, help me when I am distracted! Thank You for Your gentle patience toward me. Thank You for giving us seasons of rejoicing in a broken world. Thank You for reminding us of Your great love for us. Teach us to find peace, joy, and comfort in Your goodness when chaos threatens to undo us. Guide us in the ways of true joy and lasting peace. Help us remember You are the reason we celebrate, and Your presence dwells among us because of the work You have done to rescue us from our sin.

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

The GT Weekend! ~ Beloved 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) When you think of God and sexual intimacy, what are your first responses? Pulling away? Shame? Closeness and delight? Gratitude? How we respond to the idea of God and sex reveals what we believe about our Creator and intimacy with us. As you unpack your beliefs in this area, take the challenge to read through Song of Solomon aloud. Spend some time praying beforehand, asking God to open your heart to understand His desire for oneness and delight in marriage. The world, and our enemy Satan, would have us believe that sex is dirty, embarrassing, and anything but sacred. Whether you are single or married, all of us have room to grow in elevating our view of the holiness of marriage and sexual intimacy. As you finish reading through Song of Solomon, write down the truths that most arrested your attention. Ask the Lord to keep expanding your understanding of these rich truths!

2) We all love the thrilling feelings of soaring excitement when relationships begin or when we finally say, “I do.” It’s the after when the excitement fades, disagreements arise, and suddenly, the glorious feelings we once felt towards the one person we vowed to love are nowhere to be found. Stacy shares of her euphoria at the beginning, only to watch it fade to mundane and lackluster in the after. A million and one distractions tempt us away from growing in love and maturity with our spouse, and if we aren’t on guard, these can quickly fuel entitlement in relationship effectively driving a wedge between two who were once inseparable. If you’re married, some ways your spouse has become distracted and entitled are probably already popping into your mind! But, turn it around and ask the Spirit to show you how you are becoming disengaged and entitled as well. Thank Him for showing you these, then ask for His power to flee the temptation to run towards these and run away instead. Single friends, consider the idols you run towards most often to distract you from hard or messy things. What patterns do you notice about yourself when you are feeling unloved or unaccepted in your relationships? Take these to the Lord and ask Him to show you His rich redemptive work in your life!

3) Give yourself permission to have some space in your day to be still and reflective. Maybe you lock your closet or your bathroom door, or maybe “quiet” needs to look like your kids are loud. Just make the space! Close your eyes, take some deep breaths and consider what it has felt like, or what it might feel like, to have someone sing over you who knows you deeply, wholly, and without condition or judgement. What words would they choose to set to melody? What would their voice sound like? What characteristics would they eagerly highlight about you? What might they say about their own love toward you? What if this was the Lord’s voice over you; how might your heart respond? Pause here and take in these feelings without discounting them or brushing them aside. Beloved, how deeply the Lord loves to love you! Breathe in this truth and let His voice sing over you with bold declaration! Stay here as long you need, then as your time closes, ask the Lord specifically who you can sing over. Whether it’s with true musical melodies or it’s just a spoken word of truth, woven with life-giving love, be willing and ready to extend a song of love over whoever the Lord brings to mind!

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 Zephaniah 3:17 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

The Lord your God is among you,
a warrior who saves.
He will rejoice over you with gladness.
He will be quiet in his love.
He will delight in you with singing.”

Prayer Journal
Your love truly is matchless, oh Lord, my Savior and my God. Your love is as mighty as an ocean wave at every single moment of my life. When I feel alone in my relationships as friend, daughter, mother, or wife, You “send Your faithful love by day and at night Your song is with me.” (Psalm 42:8) No one else offers steadfast constancy like You. Forgive me, oh Abba, for the many times I choose to hinge my delight on another’s love and care for me instead of yours. Never will Your love change or disappoint; remind me to listen for Your love song regardless of feelings. Make me aware, Holy Spirit, of the countless distractions pulling me away from You, the Only One who loves me perfectly and completely. Empower me to turn my eyes from worthless things, focusing on You as complete satisfier of my every need. As I practice turning and looking in full at You and Your word, teach me how to love others selflessly with the same humility You model towards me. I love You, Lord Jesus, heal my relationships and use me as a conduit of Your love.

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

Beloved Day 8 Intimacy

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Song of Solomon 4:1-7
Song of Solomon 7:1-13
Proverbs 5:15-23
Ecclesiastes 9:7-10
John 14:8-11

Beloved, Day 8

Intimacy.

There’s no other way of saying it: sexual intimacy within marriage is a gift hand-crafted by our incredible Creator God for the people He made in His image.

Throughout the Bible, there are countless examples of God’s created beings enjoying and participating in the gift of physical union. Early in Genesis, the Lord affirms the goodness of sex for the purpose of procreation. (Genesis 1:28) Just a little later in Genesis, we see Isaac comforted in his grief by physical union with Rebekah, which affirms the great comfort of sex in times of grief and loss. (Genesis 24:61-67) In Proverbs, Scripture also asserts sex for the purpose of physical pleasure and enjoyment is good. (Proverbs 5:15-23)

The entire book of the Song of Solomon extols the heady pleasures of physical desire and fulfillment found in the physical act of sex. Vivid descriptions, expressions of love, and honest dialogue about the emotional and physical experiences which accompany physical intimacy were poured over, examined, tested, and ultimately included in the canon of Scripture for a specific purpose. God gave us sex, and sex within the context of marriage between a man and a woman is a good, good thing.

Song of Solomon is a depiction of the literal joys of physical intimacy, but there are some traits we see exemplified in the two young lovers which warrant further exploration in the context of our own marriages.

They are transparent.
The two young lovers are obviously desirous for each other, but they are also completely transparent with others about the one to whom their thoughts, emotions and desires are drawn. They aren’t hiding the way they feel about their beloved; they are practically shouting it from the rooftops. There is no mistaking how they feel, what they want, and to whom their heart belongs.

They are honest with each other.
There’s no question the two are each in pursuit of the other. There is no sub-text and no veiled references. Neither is playing “hard to get.” There’s no competition, no game, no “prove your love to me.” They are each completely, totally, all in.

They are vulnerable.
Nothing is too intimate to share. No expression too outlandish, no description too flowery. There’s no thought of looking foolish, or saying something silly. Each feels completely safe with the other, and as a result they are unashamed to share their thoughts, emotions and desires.

They are purposeful.
They are willing to do practically anything to steal away for an encounter with the one they love. They talk of slipping away to a vineyard, to a quiet room, to his chambers. They are not embarrassed to say exactly what they want, and their actions support their words.

For a moment, let’s set aside all our expectations of our spouse and take a look at where we are.

Beloved, when we examine how we operate in the context of our own marriage, can we say the same? Are we transparent with our spouses? Do we create space for them to be transparent in return, without fear of us shutting down or refusing to respond? Are we honest? And if we aren’t “all in,” is that an area we need to confess to our Father and allow Him to touch? Are we vulnerable in sharing the intimate spaces of our bodies, yes, but even more importantly, our hearts and minds? Are we purposeful in our marriage? Do we choose to pursue our spouse every day, even when we don’t feel like it?

Let’s take it a step further. Are those traits present in our relationship with our Father? Are we transparent about the condition of our hearts and lives with the One Who holds the power to change us? Are we honest with Him about our thoughts and feelings? Do we surrender them to Him? Do we allow ourselves to be open and soft to His conviction, to His healing? And do we pursue radical intimacy with the God Who is with us? Do we consistently prioritize placing ourselves before Him, in all our humanity?

These are hard questions, aren’t they? I can’t say yes to all of them. 

Maybe you can’t, either.

So what do we do from here? Where do we go from this place of knowing we aren’t where we’d like to be, and recognizing we can’t move forward on our own?

We start with confessing where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’d like to be to our Bridegroom King. We acknowledge our definition of intimacy falls woefully short of the intimacy He designed for us to experience with Him, and we ask Him to show us the way. He alone is the Author of intimacy; we can trust Him to lead us into the fullness of all He created!

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

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Redeemed Day 5 Comfort In The Bitter

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 15:22-27
Ruth 1:1-22
Matthew 20:17-28
Philippians 2:12-18

Redeemed, Day 5

Murmurs whispered swiftly through the small town, carried by dusty, sandaled feet. A sudden sense of excitement and curiosity pulsed through Bethlehem as two women approached. Questions swirled among small clusters of residents as all peered intently at the two figures.

The older woman walked with an authority that conveyed she knew the town well, and as excitement grew, a woman nearby exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?” The elder woman stopped suddenly, and electricity charged the air as all within earshot waited for her reply.

“Don’t call me Naomi.” She bit the words off as if they were a weapon. “Call me Mara, for the Almighty has made me bitter.” The younger woman walking beside her slipped a comforting arm around her tense shoulders, but she stiffened and continued. “I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has opposed me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?”

When Naomi left her hometown as a younger woman, she was in a far different season of life. Life in her new home of Moab was good. There were hardships, sure. It was a time of famine, after all. But for the most part, her life was pleasant. Which was fitting; the name “Naomi” means “pleasantness.” Her life was following the natural order.

Marry a good, upstanding Jewish man. Check.
Build a family together and continue the lineage. Check, check.

Her list could have been mine. Or yours too, maybe?

But then.

Elimelech died. Her person. The one with whom she built a life. The one she cleaved to, having left behind her family and friends. Gone.

Every plan for the future, every marital hope, every daydream glimpse of her beloved as a gray-haired grandfather, telling stories to delighted little ones. Vanished. Gone forever, like a wisp in the desert air. As a widow, she found herself facing an unknown future, alone.

Her sons married, and years passed.

It’s likely she began to look forward with expectancy as she waited for news of grandchildren. Scripture doesn’t say if those ten years were hard or soft, but sudden loss came to call on Naomi again with the death of not one, but both, of her sons.

Another defining facet of her identity, marred forever. Stripped of the treasured roles which defined a woman’s value, she grieved both those she loved and her cultural purpose. Wounds of loss and disappointment were raw and gaping for a time, but eventually, they began to harden.

Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem, and Ruth insisted on joining her.

Scripture doesn’t describe the scene of Naomi’s return in quite the detail my imagination paints, but it isn’t difficult to picture, is it?

By the time Naomi and Ruth reached Bethlehem, Naomi’s heart posture was apparent. The grief and loss she had endured were not submitted to the Lord, but were instead allowed to harden into bitterness. By telling the women in Bethlehem to call her “Mara,” she drew a clear parallel between herself and the Israelites’ experience wandering through the wilderness with only bitter water to drink.

Anger, frustration, self-pity. Bitterness.

I imagine as they approached Bethlehem, her mind was flooded with memories of the day she and Elimilech left, and the sorrow of that initial separation. The naive, wistful thoughts about returning together in the future, perhaps with a few mischievous grandchildren in tow. Instead, she returned with her son’s widow, carrying a burden of grief and sorrow.

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. 

Oh, Naomi. I’ve been there. The words feel familiar, because they are familiar. They’ve split through my hurting heart more than once.

And maybe yours, too, Sister? 

Have you let your own plans, or the experiences in your life, define you?

Have you let them fill you? 

I have. 

Just like Naomi, we can all reflect on times we have sought what only God can give
us from our
husband,
family,
friends,
career,
health,
talent,
reputation,
safety,
security,
political party, or
fill-in-your-blank.

But dear friend.

If we are filled and defined by what we want, or by our relationships or experiences, how are we any different from the rest of the world? Do any of those things fill us with light or God’s truth? 

More importantly, if we are full of those things, how can He fill us with what He desires? 

Ouch.

The truth of what happens when we allow ourselves to be filled by anything but our God is illustrated by Naomi’s response to the pressure and loss in her life. She allowed herself to be filled by something other than the Lord, so when those people and relationships were no longer in her life, she was empty. The wounds of loss allowed her hard heart to spill out when she publicly blamed Him for all she endured.

She missed the comfort the Lord provided her in Ruth, but she also missed the opportunity to share with the townspeople about the comfort, peace, joy, and fruitfulness the Lord provides in hard seasons.

And friend? We are in danger of the same. When we allow ourselves to be filled by anything but God, we are missing the blessing He longs to extend to us in both the famine and the plenty.

Lord, You are the author and creator of life. Your plans are far above any I could devise. I confess my desire and need for control, and I choose to repent today. Heal the places in me that need a touch from You, and teach me how to walk in Your way. All I have is Yours. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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

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Treasure Day 8 The Gift Of Laboring

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 127:1-2
John 15:4-8
Colossians 1:16-18
Matthew 11:28-30

Treasure, Day 8

As treasures of God, created by and for Him,
we have been given the gift of work. 

Whether leading a corporation or a family, God has given each of us unique talents and opportunities to glorify Him and draw others to Himself. He has also provided guidelines to protect us and to help us learn to trust Him. As our Creator, God invites us into a working partnership, one in which He is both guide and co-laborer.

Psalm 127:1 explains,
“Unless the Lord builds the house,
the workers labor in vain who build the house;
Unless the Lord watches the city,
the watchmen watch in vain.”  

Our work should begin with God in mind.
Colossians 3:23 reminds us to do everything for the Lord. We are to seek Him first, allowing Him to guide our decisions and processes. When we do this, our priorities line up with His and we make decisions based on the principles He’s given His followers. Then, He can bless the work of our hands and we can step back and celebrate His work through us!

However, our identities can get tangled up in the work we do, instead of who God says we are.  When this happens, we become greedy, prideful, critical, and absent from those we love.

When we don’t view our work as God’s purposes through us, we begin micromanaging and hovering over every project instead of trusting those assigned to the work. Rather than working as a team, allowing all members to learn and thrive, decisions are made to feed the ego of the leader.

As we continue to find identity in our work,
we are consumed with busy-ness,
eventually neglecting regular meetings with our Father,
and further becoming enslaved to the success of the job to prove our worth.

We were made for work, but not for constant work.
Our bodies were made for a balance of work and rest. How kind of our Creator to model this for us! He spent six days creating, then spent the seventh day resting.

As God, He doesn’t need rest, but He showed us the importance of stepping back, seeing all we’ve done, and resting. As we practice regular Sabbath, lovingly given for our good, we demonstrate the trustworthiness of our God, who designs our work and holds all things together.

In addition, as Jesus modeled, we need to take time away daily to connect with the Lord, He who loves us best and in Whom we find our true identity. When we allow ourselves to be filled with Him first, the work we do is fueled with His purpose and energy.

As we consistently abide in Him, our work bears fruit as God intended, glorifying Him. He also reminds us how deeply He loves those we lead, and we learn how to lead them well.

Perhaps the greatest obstacle to getting time away from work is our devices. Our phones are no longer connected to the wall, but accompany us wherever we go, making us constantly, immediately accessible. With the ease of remote work comes the double-edged sword of always being “on” and consumed by work.

In addition, our devices make it all too easy to trade quietness and reflection in favor of unceasing preoccupation with social media or even games. Peeking at the screen “just this once” becomes an entire vacation lost, or a day with the family plunged into electronic isolation.

Be assured, sister, if you identify with any of this, you are not alone.

I am currently working to build limits for my own cell phone use and lack of true rest. Though I don’t work outside the home, I can get lost in the search for dinner ideas, recipes, or ways to more effectively manage my home.

The too-high cost is precious time with my family. I end up feeling more frustrated about my lack of productivity, lack of time to pursue creative outlets, or inability to rest and connect with Jesus. If you find yourself there as well, take heart and be reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 11:28-30,

“Come to me all you who are weak and weary,
and I will give you rest.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Our Savior knows we need rest.
The Holy Spirit gently reminds us true rest, like our true identity, is found in Him.
When we seek Him first, trusting Him with the details of the job, He is faithful to provide restoration to our weary souls as He blesses the work of our hands.

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

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Captivating Day 1 The Middle Of The Story

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Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Corinthians 2:4-17
Colossians 1:24-29
Judges 13-16

Captivating, Day 1

I catch Ms. Eileen out of the corner of my eye as we sing the chorus to “Only King Forever.”
You are the only King forever
Almighty God we lift You higher
You are the only King forever
Forevermore, You are victorious

Ms. Eileen is the older sister/motherly type figure in my life and my children’s. She is the one my husband refers to as “The hugging bandit”.
She is coming my way and I know what she wants and will lovingly give: the biggest, tightest hug one can take without choking.

My one son, who is not the touchy-feely type, jokes that Ms. Eileen could kill someone with her hug. My other son, however, gleefully smiles with open arms, eager to receive her gift.

When Ms. Eileen is seated, the scent of her lingers in the air, on my shirt, and on my son’s head. It is the fragrance of Ms. Eileen.
It is the aroma she carries on her and sweetly leaves behind.

As I read 2 Corinthians 2 of believers being the aroma of Christ, carrying the fragrance of life or death depending on whether the recipient has trusted Jesus, is seeking Him, or has turned away, I think of Ms. Eileen.
Scent-wearers carry with them an odor, some more pleasant and welcoming than others. *For the record, I am quite fond of Ms. Eileen’s fragrance. 😉

Maybe you’ve had a similar experience where someone wearing a strong fragrance embraces you and then you “smell” that person on you the rest of the day.  In similar lingering fashion, the gospel brings a lasting fragrance of either life or death.

This aroma of Christ is something we, as believers, ARE, not necessarily something we do.
It is, however, directly correlated with the message we profess and the hope we offer to others through the gospel.

God delighted in creating Adam and Eve and provided everything they needed for life, even boundary lines by which they would know their lives were intended for worship to the Lord. God gave one command: do not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 2:16-17).

Man, deceived by God’s enemy and his own desire to rule over himself instead of trusting God’s good love for him, sinned against God and crossed into disobedience. (Genesis 3)

God sent His Son, Jesus, to take the punishment man deserved for the sinful state perpetuated in every human being since Adam (Romans 5:12, John 3:16).

By trusting in the atonement of Jesus, man receives forgiveness of sins and is given the gift of eternal life with God, forever dwelling in perfect communion with Him (Romans 10:9).

As Christians, we are called to both
declare these truths
and live this hope.
In this way, others catch the waft of Christ’s fragrance.

The people within the walls of our home are the ones receiving a front-row seat to this dramatic, fragrant affect.
The pleasing fragrance intensifies as we devote time to studying God’s Word and conversing with Him in prayer. Its aromatic tendrils extend towards those we love, first for the ones at home, who are the first witnesses of our dedication to the living God and His active Word.

Its attractiveness is found in the soft answer we return to harsh words.
It’s on display as we patiently endure through suffering, both in everyday trials and intense life-storms.
Its winsome delight is displayed in our willing surrender of our preference to another’s and as forgiveness is extended before apologies are even made.

In these ways we emit the aroma of Christ.

Eyes are watching.
Hearts are witnessing.
How deeply do we love the Savior?

To those in our homes and families for whom the veil is being lifted (2 Corinthians 3:15), witnessing our life and hearing our hope is the beginning of sight for them!

But, it is a hard, hard reality to accept that for some within our families,
the fragrance of Christ we embody will be to them the stench of death.

Our motives will be questioned.
Our meekness, mocked.
Our “religion” considered a crutch.
And, it will sting.

I imagine it stung deeply for Samson’s parents, too, when the boy they were gifted deceived his parents, denied his consecration, and followed after his fleshly desires rather than God’s purposes for his life.

As a mother of two teens and one tween-ager, I have a different vantage point reading Samson’s story than when I read it as a child. Now I see through the eyes of Samson’s parents, and my heart breaks for the years they surely spent in travail for the wayward choices of their son.  I imagine (because the Scripture doesn’t say) them appealing to Samson, pleading with God, angling to arrange God-fearers to influence Samson to turn from his selfish, arrogant pursuits and dedicate his life afresh to the God Who set him apart from birth.

We know the end of Samson’s story.
We know the faith of his parents eventually became his own.
We know Samson turned to God in the final moments of his life. And, though his eyes were gouged out, Samson finally was granted sight.
He saw God for Who He is: The Only One with infinite power to both destroy and save.
The One who longs for all to find life and so He tarries patiently.

All of us, however, are still in the middle of both our stories and others’.
Our children, parents, siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles; all of our family members are either carriers of the aroma of Christ or catching whiffs of us.

For those in our families, whether unbeliever or Christ-follower, we live out love, travail in prayer, and proclaim with our lives and tongues the greatest news ever given!

Jesus loves me this I know

For the Bible tells me so

Little ones to him belong

They are weak but he is strong

Yes, Jesus loves me

Oh, yes Jesus loves me

Yes, Jesus loves me for the Bible tells me so

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Gospel Day 7 That He Gave: 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 That He Gave!

The Questions

1) What is being compared or connected in verse 25 with the word “neither”?

2) What important doctrine is taught in the phrase “God who made the world”?

3) Why is Paul reminding the people of Athens God doesn’t need anything or anyone?

Acts 17:24-25

“The God who made the world and everything in it—he is Lord of heaven and earth—does not live in shrines made by hands. 25 Neither is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives everyone life and breath and all things.”

Original Intent

1) What is being compared or connected in verse 25 with the word “neither”?
The context for this passage of Scripture places Paul in Athens. While waiting for Timothy and Silas to join him, he engages in continual dialogue with the Jewish leaders and many of the people in the city. Disturbed by the number of idols he has noticed, Paul feels compelled to tell them the truth about Jehovah, the One True God. The gods the Athenians worshipped were made with human hands and had limitations. But the God unknown to them, the One who had delivered them and was worthy of their worship, was in reality the Creator God. This God was “neither” confined to an earthly temple “nor” was He dependent on humans to provide Him with anything. He has no needs. God is the Provider. In fact, He is the ultimate giver of everything.  Romans 11:33 reminds us, “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments and untraceable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? And who has ever given to God, that he should be repaid?”
The word “neither” places emphasis on the fact that God wasn’t needy of anything, and therefore was uniquely worthy of their worship.

2) What important doctrine is taught in the phrase “God who made the world”?
Some people in Athens didn’t know the One they were honoring was indeed the One True God. There are Bible scholars who believe the verses regarding this specific altar (verses 22-23) are possibly referencing a time in Athenian history when the people believed they were rescued from pestilence and plague. They constructed the altar/idol out of their gratitude. Paul wanted them to understand the altar they had erected to their “unknown God” (verse 23) was not just to a god. He was in fact The God. He was their Deliverer. He was the One who had rescued them.
He was also their Creator. In their ignorance, they were celebrating the God of the universe without realizing it. In the following verses, Paul revealed how this God was also their Savior through the work of Christ Jesus. Paul’s message to the people declared the God who created them, and the God who had rescued them from disease, was the very same God who would save their souls. (Acts 17.30-31) Paul’s gospel was this: From creation to this very moment, this is the same God. The only God.

3) Why is Paul reminding the people of Athens God doesn’t need anything or anyone?
The people who worshiped in this day were accustomed to their religious practices (verse 22). They mostly likely served their gods “religiously”. Paul used this opportunity to teach them that the God he was speaking of did not need their service. “If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and everything in it is mine.” Psalm 50:12
In fact, this God was the giver of all things, not the receiver. Through the prophet Isaiah, God reminded His people of this truth. Reminding them of the inadequacy of idols, He said, “Listen to me, house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been sustained from the womb, carried along since birth. I will be the same until your old age, and I will bear you up when you turn gray. I have made you, and I will carry you; I will bear and rescue you. Who will you compare me or make me equal to? Who will you measure me with, so that we should be like each other?” (Isaiah 46:3-5)
Just like foreign gods could not save the people of old, neither were the present gods able to deliver them. Only an all-powerful and all-sufficient God was worthy of genuine worship.

Everyday Application

1) What is being compared or connected in verse 25 with the word “neither”?
We must keep in mind we worship a God much higher than us. “’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways.’ This is the Lord’s declaration. ‘For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8)
Paul was burdened that the people of Athens were missing the true God of salvation. The One True God of whom Moses proclaimed, “For I will proclaim the Lord’s name. Declare the greatness of our God! The Rock—his work is perfect; all his ways are just. A faithful God, without bias, he is righteous and true. The Lord declares, ‘See now that I alone am he; there is no God but me. I bring death and I give life; I wound and I heal. No one can rescue anyone from my power.’” (Deuteronomy 32:3-4, 39)
This God is able to accomplish anything. He created the universe and He sustains it. We do well to humbly acknowledge our relation as humans to Him, the LORD of all.

2) What important doctrine is taught in the phrase “God who made the world”?
In John 3:16, we learn that God loved the world and He gave us His only Son. In Acts 17 we learn God created the world and gives us life and breath … and ALL things. What an amazing thought: The creator of the universe is a giver. He did not just create a world and then leave us alone. He isn’t some distant deity, uninterested in our lives.
We understand this because we are made in His image.
Those in Athens had heard their own poets refer to themselves as God’s offspring (17:29). Paul used this familiar concept to communicate how God was more than a figure made of wood or stone. Humans were created to live in relationship with the Creator. He has given us life and has also given us the power to live and breathe. He demonstrated this life through the resurrection of Jesus, the Son He gave. THE God, who created everything wants a forever relationship with us. Peter preached the same message that Paul preached, “By the word of God the heavens came into being long ago and the earth was brought about from water and through water… [This] Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:5, 9) We were created by God and we are loved by God. He is a life-breathing, life-giving God!

3) Why is Paul reminding the people of Athens God doesn’t need anything or anyone?
When we worship the One True God, we are the beneficiaries. He doesn’t need our worship, He deserves our worship. We must recognize that we remain a receiver and God is always the giver, yet even so, He finds delight in relationship with us. We are the beneficiary and He is the benefactor. Everything we have was given to us by God. (1 Corinthians 4:7 ) When we pray, we are confessing our dependence on Him to even desire to pray. When we serve, we aren’t working for a weak God who can’t accomplish a task without us. We are simply vessels God created to be His human hands and feet on earth. When we ‘count our blessings’, we aren’t tallying what we owe God. We could never repay Him. Nor should we see it that way. God doesn’t give because He needs a return. God gives because He is a giving God. In Isaiah 41:10, God says “I’ll help you, and I’ll hold you.”
John Piper said, “Trust this God, and every day pray as a helpless, empty recipient of this promise. And when you pray and when you trust as a helpless little kid, God will work for you. And He will get the glory, and you’ll get the joy.”

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with That He Gave!

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 Gospel 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.

Worship IV, Day 4 Holding Us Together: 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 Holding Us Together!

The Questions

1) How are theses verses tied to the sections before and after it? 
 
2) Was Jesus both created and creator?  
 
3) On what specific facets of Christ does Paul focus his worship?

Colossians 1:15-20

He is the image of the invisible God, 
the firstborn over all creation. 
16 For everything was created by him, 
in heaven and on earth, 
the visible and the invisible, 
whether thrones or dominions 
or rulers or authorities— 
all things have been created through him and for him. 
17 He is before all things, 
and by him all things hold together. 
18 He is also the head of the body, the church; 
he is the beginning, 
the firstborn from the dead, 
so that he might come to have 
first place in everything. 
19 For God was pleased to have 
all his fullness dwell in him, 
20 and through him to reconcile 
everything to himself, 
whether things on earth or things in heaven, 
by making peace 
through his blood, shed on the cross. 

Original Intent

1) How are theses verses tied to the sections before and after it?
A critical component to studying Scripture is learning and re-learning again, and being reminded again, that Scripture was designed to tell one, grand cohesive story and it was originally written without chapters, verses, and the paragraph breaks we find in our copies. It’s easy to think that where we see a bolded heading in our Bibles, it has always been like that, but it hasn’t. This letter was originally written by Paul to deeply encourage and firmly anchor the church at Colossae in the rich knowledge and understanding of Christ that went farther and deeper than an elementary understanding of “Jesus died on the cross to save us.” (Colossians 1:9) We need to see all of it as one letter. Just before Paul begins expanding on the richness of Christ in verses 15-20, he first starts off with deep gratefulness to God as he describes the glorious grace of being given salvation through Jesus. Then Paul pens a beautiful, doctrine rich hymn of Christ as Supreme Being, finishing it out as if with a glorious bookend, describing again the excellencies of reconciliation and peace with God through the precious blood of Christ.

2) Was Jesus both created and creator? 
The wording in verses 15-16 can definitely twist up an English speaking, western culture reader. Which, again, is why understanding the original language and culture is utterly important to correctly understand and apply Scripture in our modern day. The Greek phrasing referencing Christ “the firstborn of all creation” is, get ready for it: “prototokos pases ktiseos”. Don’t you feel cool now (or dope or or lit or whatever kids say these days…)?! This means begotten before all creation, not created before all creation. It denotes all the rights and privileges of being firstborn without actually being ‘born’ first. (Think of Jacob in Genesis who was the second-born twin of Esau, but was given all the rights and privileges just as if he were born first. This is prototokos pases ktiseos). If you were created before creation, the sentence itself is meaningless because you would be created and therefore a part of creation. Rather, this type of phrasing of “before all” is found throughout Scripture to mean “eternity”. Specifically here, eternity before creation. This understanding fits perfectly with the following phrases and descriptions of “all things being created through Him and for Him”. (verses 16-17) Again, “all” really does mean “all”. Angels, dominions, powers, authorities, all created things were created through and for the Lord Jesus Christ. God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit, all equaling the sum total Beings of God, were never created.

3) On what specific facets of Christ does Paul focus his worship?
While there may indeed be more, each of these aspects are profoundly rich, being deep enough to study for a lifetime without ever plumbing their full depths, here are 7 specific facets of Christ Paul addresses:
1> His deity as a member of the triune godhead. 
Pastor Timothy says this about the Lord God, “To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Timothy 1:17) Paul, Timothy’s mentor pastor, says Jesus Christ is the exact image or precise representation of this invisible God. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were “created in the image of God”, but this Jesus who walked and talked and lived among humanity simply is the image of God.  

2> Christ as creator. 
All things were created by Him and for Him. (verse 16) There is nothing made that was not intentionally designed and allowed and held together through Christ.
3> Christ as sustainer. 
In Him all things hold together. (verse 17) Yes, nothing was created without Christ, but one step further, nothing continues to exist without Him holding and sustaining all things. 
4> His supreme authority. 
By being supreme creator of all things, all rulers, all authorities, and all dominions, there simply is no higher authority than that of the Lord Jesus Christ, an authority he shares co-equally with God the Father and God the Spirit. (Philippians 2:9-11)
5> His headship over the church
Being the “head” of the church, doesn’t just mean He holds all authority and we as believers follow only Him. Paul expounds in Ephesians 1:23 that as head of His Bride, the Church, it also means that Christ, who is the fullness of God (verse 19), fills the Church with that very fullness!
6> His authority over resurrection from the dead. 
Just as Christ holds pre-eminence over all of creation, the same is true for the resurrection. Paul isn’t saying Jesus was the first one to rise from the dead, rather He is the only One to rise from the dead by His own power. Because of this powerful resurrection, with victory over death firmly in hand, we have hope for our own resurrection just as He promised. He is the evidence for all who will be resurrected by placing their faith fully in Him. He is the “firstfruit” of the resurrection. (1 Corinthians 15:20)
7> Christ as reconciler and redeemer. 
Verse 20 holds the climaxing purpose of Christ’s coming, which is made possible because of all the reasons Paul has clearly laid out previously. Jesus Christ, Lord of all, Creator of all, authority over all, came to rescue us, a sinful and rebellious people, through the shedding of His precious blood on the cross. (Colossians 1:20)

Everyday Application

1) How are theses verses tied to the sections before and after it? 
Paul takes great delight in detailing out the wonder of our salvation, but one can nearly hear him singing at the top of his lungs with tears running down his face as he declares with incredible awe of the majestic, eternal authority of the Lord Jesus Christ! Our salvation is tied absolutely and inextricably with precisely this description of Jesus. If He is not eternal, if He is not Lord of all, if He is not co-equal with God, if He did not have intentional purpose in creating and sustaining all of life, then He is not able to carry the weight of all sin for all mankind for all eternity. The 2 “bookend” descriptions of salvation that Paul eloquently describes are utterly impossible if they do not hang the entirety of their weight upon the fullness of God the Son, co-equal and co-eternal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. The fact that Paul began this section with thankfulness begs the question, “are we praising Him in the same way? For the same thing?” When was the last time you stood in absolute stunned awe at the glorious majesty of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit? How worthy He is! How stunning and beautiful our triune God is! Sit with Him, revel in Him, worship Him! Take a pen and paper right now and dwell on His glories! 
 
2) Was Jesus both created and creator?  
The idea of “eternally existing” is incredibly difficult for our minds to comprehend. But when we dig in a little deeper into the meaning and implications of the fullness of Jesus being absolutely eternal, we find solidity and safety, a safe harbor to anchor our souls. Our eternity after death is securely held in the everlasting arms of the Lord & Savior when we surrender to His free gift of grace. Our everyday existence is also seen and intimately known by the One who sees and knows all things. He Himself holds us up with His righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10), sustaining us for His own glory and delight. This is what it is to be cherished! This is what it is to be eternally loved by an endlessly everlasting God Almighty! As Moses said, “The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” (Deuteronomy 33:27)  
 
3) On what specific facets of Christ does Paul focus his worship? 
1> His deity as a member of the triune godhead. 
Through Jesus, we see, touch, feel, sense, and relate to the God of the Universe exactly because He is the image of the Invisible God. Unfathomable! Yet, each day, in every moment, that opportunity exists for you and me through the Holy Spirit! (Hebrews 4:16)  
Our God is always available.  
2> Christ as creator. 
For me, this truth lets me hold fast to peace and lets fear drop effortlessly away. When Christ sees all, knows all, made all, there is nothing left to fear. (Romans 8:31) 
3> Christ as sustainer.  
This truth really puts my own self-proclaimed “authority” to shame. I can’t keep anything together! But Christ. Christ is the eternal sustainer of all things. Knowing He is a good and gracious God, sets my heart to rest in His character and reminds me to turn to Him for big things and the ridiculously small.  
4> His supreme authority.  
It can be easy for us to look around at the visible powers of our nation and our world that we forget Who the true and final Supreme Being is who holds all authority. Don’t let your hearts be troubled, He has overcome this world! (John 14:1) 
5> His headship over the church 
This filling headship translates to our everyday lives as the only source we need for life and godliness as we pursue Christ in the mighty and the mundane. (2 Peter 1:3) He is our fuel, He is our center, He is our divine strength.  
6> His authority over resurrection from the dead.  
With Christ as our Victor over death, we have eternal, incorruptible hope through our death and the deaths of those we love who have trusted Jesus for their own eternities. With Christ as Savior, we are eternally held secure. Not even death shall separate us from His love! (Romans 8:38-39) 
7> Christ as reconciler and redeemer. 
Yes, Christ came as Reconciler and Redeemer to “buy us back” from the grip of Sin and Death, but this gift is not ours simply because we read about it, have heard about it, or grew up in a good family. At birth, we inherit Death and Sin, but Christ offers to buy us back from these fatalities. His offer is extended to you, are you absolutely certain you’ve surrendered everything to Him and His authority? (Romans 6:22-23) 

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Holding Us Together!

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 Worship IV Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

The GT Weekend – Worship II, 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!

Journal With Us!

Journal Prompts

1) Think of the eternal impact of knowing Jesus, really think on it. Amazing, isn’t it? Pour out your thankfulness to the Lord for His perfect provision. Now think of a friend who doesn’t know Jesus and what that means for their eternal destiny. Pray for them to have a saving relationship with Jesus and for the Holy Spirit to embolden you in sharing!

2) Take a moment today to enjoy the beauty of nature around you. What feelings does looking at God’s creation provoke? Pour out your worship and thankfulness as it flows naturally!

3) Reflect over your life the last several months. Are you on a mountain top or in a valley? What is your feeling of how close God is? Remind yourself that God is always near if we draw near to Him (James 4:8)! He’s waiting to hear from you, regardless the emotion you’re feeling towards Him. Let it all out and find redemption in His arms!

Worship In Song

Music Video: “Thank You Lord” by HIllsong

Pour Out Your Heart

Father, as I call on Your name from the valley, rescue me Lord. I am weary from all that needs done and I ask You to pour out more joy in my life. As I go about my tasks for the day, well up joy in my heart as I serve my family and those around me. Holy Spirit take my eyes off myself and shift them to the people You want me to see and interact with!

God, You are so creative. The beautiful red bush behind my house is just gorgeous this morning. Thank You, Father for all the ways You’ve painted the land with Your glory. I love when my kids see sun streaming through the clouds and know that was Your mighty hand at work creating so magnificently. You are amazing; thanks for reminding me of that every time I look outside!

Pray With Us!

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