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Champion Day 9 Fearful Made Fierce: 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!

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The Questions

1) How do we “keep on growing” in knowledge and discernment? (verse 9)

2) How do we “approve the things that are superior”? (verse 10)

3) What is the “fruit of righteousness” that comes from Christ? (verse 11)

Philippians 1:3-11

3 I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, 4 always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 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. 8 For God is my witness, how deeply I miss all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, 10 so that you may approve the things that are superior and may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

Original Intent

1) How do we “keep on growing” in knowledge and discernment? (verse 9)
In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, we recognize warmth and respect shared between author and recipients. Writing to thank them for support of his ministry and to commend a fellow laborer, he admonishes them to continue to press on to be ever more like Christ. What then was he speaking of as he referred to growing in knowledge and discernment? He was encouraging them to focus on the teaching of Jesus and knowing Him deeply, which would result in growing in His love apart from a performance tied to keeping the Old Testament law. The Bible is divided into two central teachings, Old Testament and New Testament. All Scripture is God-breathed, meaning it is inspired by God and is useful for teaching. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Before Christ, the instructions were centered around the prophets’ Old Testament laws and instructions. After Christ’s resurrection, the laws concerning sacrifices and rituals around cleansing and food restrictions were no longer relevant for Christ came to perfectly fulfill the law. (Matthew 5:17) Paul encouraged the Philippians to grow in their knowledge of Christ, but how were they to do this if all they knew were Old Testament laws? He urged them to watch out for those who claim the old laws were the only way to salvation. (verses 2-3) He instructed them to recall the new knowledge they had learned about Christ. (verse 10) Finally, Paul directed them to grow in wisdom and discernment by increasing their love for Christ and one another, which naturally comes from knowing Him more fully. (verses 9-11)

2) How do we “approve the things that are superior”? (verse 10)
Christ came to fulfill the law on our behalf because it’s impossible for sinful humans to be perfect or somehow attain righteousness on our own (Romans 3:23); we need Someone Perfect to be righteous for us. (Matthew 5:17, 2 Corinthians 5:21) In Jesus’ day, all the laws found in the Old Testament, including the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-21) and animal sacrifice, were regularly practiced by the Jewish community. Until the ministry of John the Baptist, the Law was the guidepost, or guardian, for what holiness looked like, but when Jesus came, He opened the door to access God through faith in Christ. (Galatians 3:22-26) From that point, the gospel of freedom from sin and eternal hope has continued to be shared. (Luke 16:16) Christ was the perfect sacrifice who died and was resurrected from the dead in order to save sinners from the eternal condemnation of death deserved for sin. (Romans 3:21-26, 1 Peter 3:18, 1 Timothy 1:15) How does all this relate with approving the things which are superior in Philippians 1:10? Later in his letter, Paul names the superior thing as knowing Christ, “I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. […] My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death […].” (Philippians 3:8, 10) Christ is the fulfillment of all things superior. Everything of excellence carries His mark, which is why Paul closes his letter with the reminder, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things. Do what you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8)

3) What is the “fruit of righteousness” that comes from Christ? (verse 11)
Jesus often taught by using parables, which were stories His audience could easily relate with because of common knowledge and cultural norms. Christ cursed a fig tree (Mark 11:12-25), spoke of winnowing wheat (Matthew 3:12), and the true vine and vinedresser (John 15:1). While some parable-language may not carry much significance to our modern ears, the idea of farming and fruit still resonates with us. To help His audience understand how righteousness is evidenced in a person’s life, He used the analogy of fruit. The tree bears fruit, and so do our lives, but we must not miss the small details, “[T]he fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ.” A Christian’s righteousness cannot come from themselves, only Christ, and it is grown by the work of the Spirit who lives within all who belong to Christ. Paul purposed in his letter to explain this cultivating work of the Holy Spirit and what it looks like. The fruit, although displayed in various “flavors” or attributes in life, are each a manifestation of the Holy Spirit who is given to all who have trusted Christ as their personal Savior. The Spirit’s fruit “is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control”. (Galatians 5:22) Christ perfectly lived out each of these evidences of the Spirit of God throughout His earthly ministry.

Everyday Application

1) How do we “keep on growing” in knowledge and discernment? (verse 9)
When Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice for our sins, there was no longer a need to sacrifice animals to absolve transgression. Christ took the punishment, which is death and separation from God, for each of our sins on the cross. To grow in knowledge and discernment is the goal of every Christ-follower. Those new to the faith should seek wisdom from Scripture and from other believers who have long walked with the Lord. Those who have lived many years with Jesus in their heart should continue to grow in their understanding of Scripture and engagement in biblical community. First, we must recognize we are new creatures when accepting Christ; the old ways of thinking have gone, and new life has appeared through Christ. (1 Corinthians 5.13) Next, we must learn to study the Bible correctly. (2 Timothy 2:15) In studying the Bible’s context, we learn how to worship (Psalm 100), why we have forgiveness for our trespasses in Jesus (1 John 1:9), practical ways for living in God-honor ways (Psalm 1:1-2), how to prepare for battle against Satan, our enemy (Ephesians 6:10-17), and much more! The Bible is the inspired Word of God and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16), containing everything we need to grow up in Christ (2 Peter 1:3). We were once held in the bondage of sin’s slavery, but in Jesus, we are called to walk in the freedom offered us by the love of Christ. We can only do this as we study the One who was the Word (Jesus) so that we may know Him and that He may dwell in us. (John 1:1)

2) How do we “approve the things that are superior”? (verse 10)
The Bible describes the human heart as deceitful above all things. (Jeremiah 17:9) If we use our hearts, emotions, or fleeting desires as the measure by which we approve what is superior, we will constantly be in error. We must choose to look to Christ, not the heart, to determine not simply “better”, but to clearly understand what is “best”. This kind of discernment is the wisdom James writes of in his letter, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5) As Paul taught the Philippians to think about things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable, there is no more excellent example of superiority than Jesus. (Philippians 4:8) Jesus, the Word, is Truth. (John 17:17) His actions were honorable, His reasons just, His motives pure, and His actions commendable. Jesus moved men’s hearts from obeying the law for the sake of obedience to showing love to all peoples no matter their gender (John 8:1-11), ethnicity, (John 4:7-39), or economic status (Mark 12:41-44). The more we lean into knowing the Lord Jesus Christ through studying His Word, prayer, and engaging in biblical community, as Paul modeled for us, the more we view everything through the lens of the Superior One, Christ Jesus!

3) What is the “fruit of righteousness” that comes from Christ? (verse 11)
At the click of a button, the television comes on. With the swipe of our fingers, we can find almost any piece of information we desire. We can purchase items and have them delivered with the tap of a finger. Satellites take pictures of places on earth where we will never travel. It seems we can have our wants satisfied and our desires fulfilled, yet many live with loneliness and despair. None of the convenient pleasures mentioned above were meant to bring joy. For a time, they may bring happiness, but to find joy, we must learn to live like Christ, whose delight was doing the will of his Father through the work of the Holy Spirit. (John 5:19, Hebrews 9:14) We can follow in the steps of Jesus in three specific ways. First, we must desire to be covered by Christ’s righteousness, which requires us to acknowledge our state as sinners eternally separated from God. (Matthew 5:6, Romans 3:23) When we ask God to cover us with the righteousness of Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us, beginning His work of making us new. (2 Corinthians 5:21, John 14:26) Secondly, we must offer our bodies as living sacrifices as we surrender to the Spirit who cultivates His life in us! (Romans 12:1-2) Finally, we must never be lacking in zeal as we follow the Lord; He is to be the focal point of our everyday lives. (Romans 12:11-13) All of this is impossible on our own merits and efforts. Jesus came to perfectly fulfill the law on our behalf, so that He can now fill us with all the fullness of God and His power. (Matthew 28:18, Ephesians 3:19) Then, we are free to live for Christ based on love, not laws. (Ephesians 3:20-21)

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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

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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

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Training Day 10 Our Wandering Hearts

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 1:1-8
Deuteronomy 6:1-6
Proverbs 4:20-22
Psalm 1:1-3
2 Timothy 3:14-17

Training, Day 10

I believe every Christ-follower wants to do what Scripture says. We want to succeed and be happy in life, but it doesn’t always happen. We find ourselves struggling with issues that weigh us down or sins we seem unable to avoid. Have you ever heard the Scriptures preached and it clearly addresses your sin issue? At such times, we become convicted and think we will never depart from the good teaching. Yet, after a while, we forget easily.

I have noticed that often, when we neglect the Scripture for a period, it is easy for us to lose the focus of our journey with God. It is not surprising then, that upon their entrance into the land He promised them, God urged Israel’s leader, Joshua, “This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.” (Joshua 1:8)

With the Spirit’s power to teach and convict, the Scripture guards us from sin and grants us access to knowing God’s heart. Hebrews 4:12 tells us, “For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Now, what makes the word living and active? John 1:1-8 reveals that the Word existed in the beginning with God, and the Word was God. The whole creation was executed through Him, and there was nothing created apart from Him. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men; the Word became flesh and lived among men. John 1:16 continues, “Indeed, we have all received grace upon grace from His fullness, for the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”

The text reveals Jesus Christ is the Word who existed in the beginning, through whom everything was created. What does this mean in real life?

Scripture, which is the written word, works powerfully in us because it points us to Jesus Christ, the living Word.

Jesus, the living Word, is the subject matter of the written word.

If we cannot do without Christ, the living Word, then we cannot do without the written word, in which Christ is the main focus.

When we study Scripture and meditate on it always, it stays in our hearts and helps us keep in contact with Jesus, “the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:2)

Having the word in us enables us to overcome temptations and live victoriously in our faith. We know that as long as we are in this world, Satan is bound to tempt us again and again. If he could tempt Jesus, who would he not tempt? Jesus’ response to temptation was to use Scripture; by this, He overcame fiery darts of the devil. (Matthew 4:1-11, Ephesians 6:16) Jesus replied to Satan, “It is written,” and then quoted a portion of Scripture relevant to the temptation at hand. If Jesus needed the Scripture to fight temptation, how much more do we need it?

There is no doubt we need Scripture settled in our hearts. Psalm 1:1-3 reveals the happiness of those who delight in the Lord’s instructions and meditate on them; they are like trees planted beside flowing streams. They prosper because they receive nourishment from the Word.

How do we meditate on Scripture so we will not depart from it? Dr. Ralph Wilson, one of my favorite writers, shares these guidelines, “Bible study takes a longer block of uninterrupted time. The real key to Bible study is being inquisitive, learning to ask questions of the text. First, read the passage. Then be a detective; look for clues. What’s going on? What stands out to you?”

Following his advice, I usually choose a single book or a topic and study it in-depth. Often, I spend at least an hour, and early morning time is best for me. I read a portion of Scripture more than once, and pause; I think over it again and again. In doing so, a message from the Scripture captures my mind. Then, I consult some commentaries, which provide a more thorough understanding. I will then task myself to think over the message throughout the day. For example, recently I was studying Philippians 4:8, which encourages us to think about what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy. As I went about my day, I asked the Spirit to guide my thoughts along those virtues. This requires self-discipline and practice, but simply begin practicing and find the delight the Spirit brings as you grow!

We cannot overemphasize the significance of meditating on Scripture; it is the only way we can succeed in keeping God’s word in our hearts. When we have the word in our hearts, the Spirit enables us to act on it, and we will grow deeply in our faith journey!

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

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Training Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Nations Day 15 Praying For The Nations

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Revelation 7:9-17
1 Thessalonians 1:2-10
Titus 2:11-3:8

Nations, Day 15

“When we meet someone from a different culture, race, or social class
who has received the same grace (of Christ), we see someone who has been through
the same life-and-death experience.

In Christ, we have both spiritually died and been raised to new life. And because of this common experience of rescue, we now share an identity marker even more indelible than the ties that bind us to our family, our race, or our culture.”
Tim Keller, Center Church: Doing Balanced Gospel Centered Ministry In Your City

I grew up in the church.
But my eyes focused on myself and how “good” I was because I was associated with the church.

Then I hated the church.
Finding hypocrisy everywhere, I spurned God and loathed the “false cover” of “church”.

Then, I became passionate about my local church.
In discovering the heart of God, I loved church, for it was His Body. Still, my eyes saw only the inside of a building.

Gradually, the Lord brought friends into my life who challenged me about my ethnocentric way of viewing life and church. I didn’t even see the peoples and nations around the globe, let alone how they were represented in my own community.

Graciously, the Lord shattered my view of church and began replacing it with His own.

The Black family down the street whose son loves to play monster trucks with my boys. The Muslim couple who walks my neighborhood streets. The Buddhist shop owner who schedules my daughter’s nail appointments. The Indian man and his family who makes the most delicious chicken pulao. They each have names, families, stories and a hole that only Christ can fill.

Sisters, the Nations are at my front door and yours.

For far too long, my response has been to focus on the work being done inside the four walls of the building I call “church”, when really, I, with you, with my Nigerian sister, with my Indian brother, with my Malay friend, are the Church.

So I urge you, please, beg the Lord to expand your view of His beautiful Church, then step up and in and love the Nations as you courageously hold out the unshakeable Hope of Jesus Christ to all people.

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people.” (Titus 2:11)

For three weeks, we have read the stories of women just like you who are passionate about sharing Jesus in their cultures. I plead with you now to not let these stories simply pass you by. Instead, let’s ask the Lord God to stir our hearts to pray for the Nations.

Pray for Sarah and the local churches in Nigeria.
Turn the tide of darkness back on itself, Lord God. Bring revival among the wives, daughters, and young women of Jos. Silence those who place their hope in witchcraft, using Enemy tools as an excuse to remain in darkness. (Pray 1 Peter 2:9-10 for Nigeria)

Pray for Marietta and the Black community.
Give our Black brothers and sisters endurance and boldness to keep fighting for righteousness. Lord Jesus, stir us all to deep, radical, transformative love. Remind us that none who follow You can innocently stand by as injustice continues unmitigated. (Pray Isaiah 30:18 for the oppressed)

Pray for the persecuted believers in Malaysia.
Lord Jesus, embolden the believers in Malaysia to hold fast to truth and invest deeply in relationship with their Muslim friends and neighbors. Encourage them and feed them from Your truth. Remind them they are not alone and the cost of following You is worth it! (Pray Deuteronomy 10:18-21 for Malaysia)

Pray for Lesley and the people of Scotland.
Lord God, bring boldness where fear threatens. Shine the light of Truth on these believers as they face the reality of living within a nearly “unreached people group” for the gospel. Raise up ordinary men, women, and children to speak truth in love. (Pray 2 Thessalonians 1:3-8 for Scotland)

Pray for Christine and the churches in Australia.
Being submerged in a culture that runs so counter to You, we pray Your Spirit would make every believer’s life to blaze with the brilliance of Your glory.  We ask for the believers to be bound together as they urge one another to seek out the sick and lost with love and Hope. (Pray Matthew 25:35 for Australia)

Pray for Anna and the believers in Switzerland and Sweden.
Lord Jesus, You love all people of all nations and races. Press this truth upon those who love and follow You in Sweden and Switzerland. May they view their unique place in the world as a means of sharing how You bring all of us together in Yourself. Anchor them in truth. (Pray Isaiah 42:5-7 for Switzerland and Sweden)

Pray for Laurie and the orphaned in Zambia.
Jesus, give Your wisdom to those who love You and who love the people of Zambia. Give them clarity in knowing how to communicate the full satisfaction that comes from trusting You alone. Stir hearts to embrace You as the One True God above all others. (Pray Isaiah 45:5-7 for Zambia)

Pray for Janna and church planters across North America.
Father, the work of planting your gospel seed and shepherding Your flock is long and difficult. Encourage those You have called to lead Your church in North America. Embolden them to study Your Word and train others to tenaciously hold to truth as they seek Your face. (Pray Titus 2:11-15 for North America)

Lord, may each one of us seek to know You more deeply and love Your Church more tenderly as we bring Your hope to the nations!

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
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Looking for yesterday’s Journey Study?
Share your thoughts from today’s Study!

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

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

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

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

The GT Weekend! ~ Follow Week 1

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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) Job didn’t know God as deeply or as intimately before he suffered as he did after. Truly following the Lord more closely cannot be pulled out of thin air like shaking a magic 8 ball when you need an answer. Big decision? Time to ask the Lord and get your roadmap, right? This isn’t what Scripture teaches. Real, genuine following, like wisdom, begins by fearing the Lord (Proverbs 9:10) and is continued as an overflow of deepening your relationship over time and struggle. The more difficulties we walk through while leaning into God, the more we come to know and trust the good heart of our Savior. It’s in the toughest times we can learn most steadfastly to listen for His voice and trust His heart. Then, when other life decisions come, we have already learned what it looks like to keep following Him. What are some things you know about God? Go ahead and list them out on paper or your phone. Now make another list of characteristics about God you have experienced as a result of struggle. Spend time in prayer, asking the Lord to keep teaching you to hear His voice leading you and showing you who He is.

2) As human beings, we like to think we have all the control over ourselves. We own our own paths in life and have total control, at least that’s what we like to think. How quickly we forget the Lord God is sovereign over all things. He leads our paths, He pursues our hearts. Often times, it’s the Lord who surprises us with His embrace as He draws us near, amazing us by His tenderness in calling us to follow Him. God called both Abram and Andrew when they least expected it, but His invitation radically changed their lives. Neither man needed to spend long amounts of time trying to decide if they should follow where God was leading, He simply guided them as their hearts chose to respond. Sometimes, we like to make our decisions more difficult than we should, when we are truly just being called to follow and trust His heart as He leads us best. Consider where you’re over-complicating what it is to follow Jesus in your everyday life. What would it look like to lean back and trust His lead instead of your over-complication? Why not simply tell Him about it? Lay it all out before Him, talking out loud of your worries and your desire to trust Him over you; let Him calm your heart!

3) Sarah begins her Journey Study yesterday by asking a pertinent question, “Who but God would invite an ex- murderer to lead an entire nation?” Surely, we would not. Incredulously, God would, because He doesn’t judge our ability to follow Him based on our past performance (or failure). He knows that when we surrender to His power and ability to work through our brokenness, He will do things in us that are far beyond our imaginings. In what ways have you discounted yourself from opportunity because you are peering at it from the vantage point of your lack? Perhaps you’ve even found yourself comparing what you are not to what someone else is. There exists no such measure of comparison with the Lord! He calls us each to follow Him in total surrender of ourselves so He can use our lives for eternal work. Grab a sharpie for your skin, a bright notecard for your mirror, or text a friend to remind you frequently this upcoming week to surrender to His work in you, remembering it is both important and eternal!

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 Proverbs 3:7-8 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Don’t be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
This will be healing for your body
and strengthening for your bones

Prayer Journal
Father God, following is hard. It means a constant dying to myself, my plans, and my ability to see and trust myself. While I say with my words that I want to follow You, and I do mean it, Abba, my actions betray my spoken word at times. In honesty, following You feels dark and confusing at many points. I find it easy to question whether I’m actually, truly following You because it can feel like I’m stumbling down a ravine at midnight. I fear being crushed like Job, waiting for what feels like an eternity as Abraham did, or being continually mocked and criticized like Moses. Remind me over and over that Your definition of success is only summed up in two words, “faithful obedience”. Next time I’m tempted to define my “win” by the standards of the world, a big platform, or plenty of people following me, break through my pride and remind me it’s about my faithful obedience to Your call to do whatever is next. Thank You for loving me enough to provide a plan and a whisper to just follow You!

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.

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