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Sketched XI Day 8 Making A Mockery

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Sketched XI Day 8 Making A Mockery

Sara Cissell

June 28, 2023

Desperate,Enemies,Faith,Fear,Fervent,Uncategorized

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Kings 18:1-19
Deuteronomy 4:23-27
Exodus 34:11-17
Psalm 78:58-60; 79:5-8

“How long is this drought going to last, Lord?” I look up and ponder the morning sky. “How long will You remain patient with Ahab?” 

Years ago, the Lord sent me to tell Ahab no rain or dew would fall until I give the command. (1 Kings 17:1) Dust is our constant companion, and Israel’s wicked king Ahab increasingly mocks Yahweh, our unchangingly jealous God, with all of his idols and other gods. (Exodus 34:14)

“Ahab has not budged in his behavior. How long will the wait be?”, I continue my pleading questions to the Lord. “You have proven Your strength with not a drop of moisture touching this land for over three years. Nonetheless, You have kept our oil and flour jars filled.”

I see the widow with whom I had been living look at me from the window. I smile her way, and she returns it with a warm one of her own. At first, I imagine she found my conversations with the Lord rather odd. I talk to Him as though He were sitting in the courtyard with me: out loud, with expression, and with pauses to listen for His response. 

I think back to when I first arrived at her house and can barely contain a snort. Pretty sure my very presence has been stretching her from the beginning, when I arrived on the very day she was preparing a final meal for her starving son and herself before death overtook them.     

Her emotions had spun like the ever-present dust devils on the day I arrived, and again when her son died and the Lord resurrected him. Her faith has grown significantly during the years I’ve been here. 

Mine has, too. I think both of us expected the flour and oil to run out during the first few weeks of my stay. As the weeks turned to years, my trust in the Lord strengthened in ways I did not realize I needed. Each day, He has proven His faithfulness and His presence through my daily bread. 

Through these long years of drought and famine, 
Yahweh has shown me
He is sovereign,
He is enough,
He is omnipotent, 
and He is truth.

In fact, He has grown my faith so much I did not hesitate to ask Him to resurrect the widow’s son when he fell ill and died. 

I look at the ground, kick the dust with my sandal, and chuckle. I am still a bit dumbfounded that her son is alive. I prayed, and the Lord, who loves the boy with surpassing depth and jealousy, did the miraculous. 

Truthfully, being here with the widow has helped me as I wait for the Lord to direct my next steps. My confidence in the Lord answering my prayers has grown; leaning on Yahweh’s faithful provision with another believer, especially one who isn’t even Jewish, has been strengthening as well. Iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17), and the shared experiences of this season have spurred us both to trust the Lord increasingly. 

“Go and present yourself to Ahab. I will send rain on the surface of the land.”
(1 Kings 18:1)

My head snapped up at the Lord’s command. It was time. After years of asking, the Lord had directed me again. Within the hour, my sandals were covered with dust as I journeyed towards Ahab. 

I prayed as I traveled, asking the Lord to direct my steps and prepare me for all I would encounter. 

The first person I met actually happened to be Obadiah, who himself was on a mission for Ahab. I told him to return to Ahab and announce I was coming. At first, Obadiah hesitated, knowing Ahab would kill him if I did not come as promised. However, he trusted the Lord was directing me and set out to tell Ahab the news. (1 Kings 18:7-16)

My voice turned aloud again, “Thank You, Lord, for reminding me that I am not alone on this path of obedience. Obadiah believes in You too, and he has had to live in the presence of all Ahab has been doing. Thank You for giving us both the strength to walk the paths You have prepared for us. Thank you for reminding us we are not alone.” 

In the distance, I saw Ahab coming my way. “Here we go, Lord,” I mumbled.

When Ahab was within shouting distance, he called, “Is that you, the one ruining Israel?” (1 Kings 18:17) He laughed and arrogantly smiled at his entourage. 

His manipulative response, classic Ahab, stirred a righteous anger within me and a confidence that could have only come from the Lord. Israel was the Lord’s and He would fight for her. 

I commanded Ahab to gather all of Israel and prophets of Baal and Asherah. The Lord is a jealous God. If the lack of rain was not enough for Ahab to change his ways, my God would demonstrate His power another way. No other god could stand before Him. The lack of rain had not caught Israel’s attention. Perhaps a consuming fire would. 

 

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enough,jealous,power,sovereign,trust
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Sketched XI, Day 9
Digging Deeper

God revealed His character in a clear demonstration of certain aspects of His character.

He is a consuming fire, and as Merriam Webster defines jealous: intolerant of unfaithfulness. He alone deserves all glory, praise, and loyalty; He rightly and righteously expects it. He is also the embodiment of love and is full of mercy and grace.
Dig Deeper!

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Sketched XI, Day 3 Feast In The Famine

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Sketched XI, Day 3 Feast In The Famine

Lesley Crawford

June 21, 2023

Faithfulness,Follow,Persevere,Praise,Promises,Prophecy,Provider

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Kings 17:1-7
James 5:16-18
Exodus 16:11-18
John 6:32-35

As I stood before King Ahab, proclaiming there would be no rain in the land for the next few years, I may have appeared bold, but inwardly I was trembling. Following Yahweh and seeking to obey Him are not for the faint-hearted. Yet, while I dreaded the king’s response to my message, I knew I must remain faithful.

My name says it all: Elijah, which means “Yahweh is my God.” This was my conviction, and it was how I attempted to live, but, as I said, it was far from easy.

I knew the history of my people, the Israelites. I had heard how Yahweh had led them out of slavery in Egypt to bring them here, to the Promised Land. I can only imagine my ancestors’ hope and optimism as they set foot in this land for the first time, anticipating a bright new start. I wonder what they would think if they could see my people now.

It had certainly not been the hoped-for happy ending. From the very start, my ancestors had struggled to obey Yahweh and there had been ongoing issues with the other tribes in the land. Eventually, the Israelites had demanded a human king, rejecting Yahweh as their Sovereign. It was only their 3rd king, when Israel had split in two. Surely, this was not what Yahweh had intended when He led His people to the land.

A culture of rebellion against Yahweh was all I had ever known, growing up in Tishbe in the northern kingdom of Israel, and yet I had come to believe that Yahweh is God and that, despite the seeming chaos all around, Yahweh is Sovereign. Ahab was the worst in a series of wicked kings, leading the people in worship to Baal, but I knew Yahweh was the true King.

Maybe that was why I had prayed so earnestly for rain to cease in the land. (James 5:17) I truly desired for people to see Yahweh’s power. The few of His followers who remained were fearful and hiding. To most people in the land, it seemed Yahweh was dead, but I knew He was very much alive, and His power was far greater than that of Baal.

Baal was believed to be the sky god who controlled the weather. My pronouncement to Ahab that the rain would stop was really a declaration of Yahweh’s far-greater power. I longed for the king, and all my people, to understand who was really God.

Following my encounter with King Ahab, I have to say I was relieved when Yahweh instructed me to go to the Cherith Ravine to hide. I wanted to get as far from Ahab as possible. Yahweh told me I would drink from the brook and the ravens would feed me. This confused me at first, because I know ravens are unclean animals (Leviticus 11:13-15), but I also know Yahweh’s ways are not always ours, and I knew I had to obey.

As He promised, the ravens have fed me – bread and meat twice a day – and this has continued for many months now. I don’t know how long I will be here, or what will happen next, but I do know Yahweh supplies my needs every day. Even in widespread drought and famine, there has not been a single day when I’ve gone hungry or thirsty.

It has led me to know Yahweh in a deeper way, revealing His personal care for me. I am humbled to think Yahweh, the Almighty God, has sent ravens twice a day to provide just for me. It reminds me of the stories of my ancestors being supplied with manna and quail in the wilderness. (Exodus 16:11-18) I am reassured Yahweh is still the same, and, despite my worries about Ahab and my apprehension about what may lie ahead, it encourages me that Yahweh is enough.

I can truly declare, “Yahweh is MY God!” 

Even as I watch the brook begin to dry up before me, and I sense it may soon be time to move on, I can put my hope in Yahweh. Although the future is uncertain, I trust He is enough, and He will continue to provide for all my needs.

I’m holding onto hope for my people. I know Yahweh will be faithful, one day the Promised One will come, and He will supply everything necessary to meet our needs for all eternity.

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enough,faithful,follow,good,Obedient,provider,trust
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Sketched XI, Day 4
Digging Deeper

As we lean into the Word of God and lean onto Jesus, we find He is indeed bread for our soul. He is the nourishment we require to survive.

As we take Him in, we hunger less and less for the things of this world and the more our appetite increases to enjoy the feast of the Bread of Life.
Dig Deeper!

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June 19 - July 7, 2023 - Journey Theme #120

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Enough Day 8 Perfect Prophet

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 53:3-12
Luke 24:13-27
Matthew 5:17-20
Revelation 22:1-5

Enough, Day 8

Of the four seasons we experience in the Midwest, I like spring the best. My birthday is in the spring, the weather is just right, and mostly importantly as a homeschool momma, summer is on the horizon.

Honestly though, it’s the flowers. Several years ago, we lived in a house with a yard. Planting flowers and tending them was my greatest joy. I loved choosing which plant needed which location in the sun pattern, ensuring something blooming in every season. I was thrilled by morning surveys to see which daffodil, tulip, or lily was on the verge of popping open.

I only planted perennials, flowers that re-bloomed every year. As a lover of flowers, I would not keep any plants in the same location that didn’t thrive. If a plant didn’t bloom well, I either transplanted it to a new home in the garden or pitched it out.

Anticipation.
Knowing previously-blooming flowers were trustworthy and would bloom again.
Waiting for each individual petal’s final beauty to be revealed.

This is how we wait for Jesus’ return!
We wait in anticipation for His glorious restoration of the earth, and His beauty to fully be revealed. We long for the time when every tear will be wiped away, when all pain and suffering is restored, and the curse of sin will forever be broken.

But how can we know this will really happen?
God’s Word promises it will.

How can we trust this is not some “pie in the sky church talk,”
but real, solid truth upon which we can build our lives?

Just as with my flowers, we can look back.

Scholars calculate there are over 300 prophecies regarding Jesus in the Old Testament. For example, the prophet Isaiah foretells detail after detail of Jesus’ coming, ministry, death, and resurrection hundreds of years before Jesus is even born. When we read of Jesus’ life in the New Testament, we find at least 20 prophecies in Isaiah alone that Jesus already fulfilled.

The same holds true for the expansive list of prophecies recorded from other Old Testament prophets: Jesus fulfilled each one, proving Himself faithful over and over again. That truth, combined with our understanding of the infallibility of Scripture, solidifies in our hearts Jesus is who He says He is, and His own prophetic words will be fulfilled in His return! 

Jesus was brutally killed, overcame death and the grave, and was miraculously resurrected. In Luke 24, Jesus is talking with several disciples on the road. Though they had known Him during His ministry, they didn’t recognize Him. Having heard His tomb was empty, they were upset.

Jesus pauses to share His true identity.

“He said to them, ‘How foolish and slow you are to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Wasn’t it necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and enter into His glory?’

Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted for them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:25-27)

Not only did Jesus fulfill prophecies, but He was, Himself, the perfect prophet. 

Fully God, there was no stain of sin on His nature to corrupt the messages He communicated from the Father.
“For I have not spoken on my own, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a command to say everything I have said. I know that His command is eternal life. So the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.” (John 12:49-50)

Fully man, He redeemed the ministry of the Old Testament role of prophet, choosing at every turn obedience to His Father’s words and plans over satisfaction of self.
“Jesus replied, ‘Truly I tell you, the Son is not able to do anything on His own, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son likewise does these things.’” (John 5:19)

Jesus himself says He was the prophet of all prophets;
all of Scripture weaves together His story.

We cannot read the Old Testament without finding the foreshadowing of His
coming.
We are immersed in His life through the Gospels.
We see teachings on how His church will grow all across the New Testament.
The conclusion of His Book floods with the magnificent promise of Jesus’ final return to bring His people home.

Christ is the beginning and the end; we can trust in Him, the One who came to redeem us!

Father, You have proved Yourself time and time again. Let us lean into Your faithfulness and trust in Your infallibility. Jesus, You so freely gave of Yourself so we might have new life in You. Thank you. 

Lord Jesus, we anticipate Your return! Lord, as we cling to you, let us rest in the promises of Your second coming. Use that promise to spur us on to share You with those around us. Stir our hearts, Lord, that many more would come to know You before You return. 

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Enough Day 6 Fallen Kings

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Samuel 8:19-22
1 Samuel 13:6-15
1 Samuel 16:4-13
2 Samuel 12:1-10
John 4:1-15

Enough, Day 6

“But MOO-ooom, I WANT it!” My toddler’s cheeks flushed with the heat of emotion. He knew what he wanted, and he wanted it RIGHT NOW.

I can relate. Maybe you can, too.

Countless times, I thought I knew exactly what I wanted or needed. I may not have articulated myself the same way he did, but the heart posture and desire have been identical. I know myself. I know what I need. I certainly know what I want, and when I want it.

Ahh, the self life. Like it or not, we’re born with it. It’s fully ours, from the moment our heart begins beating. Self-focus and self-service feel right because it’s in alignment with our flesh. We are born with the intense, driving desire to serve ourselves.

The Israelites weren’t so different from us as they, too, were born with a sin nature. They were born slaves to self, just as we were. In their desperation to make up for the incredible lack they felt, they demanded a leader. A King. A tangible leader to follow; one who’d care for them, inspire them, and check all the boxes they thought would make them feel satisfied, safe, and happy.

But the need they ached to fill with King Saul was a void only God Himself could fill.

Yet, God gave them what they so desperately clamored for: a King. And not without a measure of divine help; Scripture tells us when Saul was anointed by Samuel, God put a new spirit within him. (1 Samuel 10:10) Saul was strong, and handsome. In other words, he checked all the boxes. The Israelites couldn’t have found anyone who seemed a better fit for a king.

But he wasn’t enough. 

Saul was human. He was a man, and when he fell, the Israelites were left in even worse shape than before his reign.

Next, God appointed young David, the lowly shepherd, to be Israel’s king. David was truly a man after God’s heart. The youngest of many brothers, he was relegated to caring for sheep in the fields. During his time in the fields, he learned to play the lyre, and experienced many incredible feats as he kept the sheep in his care safe. Eventually, he began to play for King Saul, and spent time in his courts. David experienced his fair share of rejection, but the Israelites loved him dearly. God loved him dearly, too. Even when David sinned, he remained soft to the Spirit of God. He accomplished much for the Lord, and God blessed Him.

But he wasn’t enough, either.

David was also a man, and like any human being, he sinned. While he did repent, he was completely incapable of meeting the incredible need the Israelites felt.

The hunger for hope.
The longing for leadership.

They knew what they thought they wanted, but they didn’t know what they needed.

But God did.
He knew all along.
He created them, so of course He knew they needed…

To be seen and known.
To be heard. And held.
To be washed clean of every spot, every blemish.
To be forgiven, set free, adopted, and transformed.

Just like any good father, He sees us, just like He saw the Israelites. He sees us, exactly as we are. He sees all the people and things we use to seek solace.

He knows these imitations will never be enough.

Beloved, where are you today? Are you hurting, tired and angry, longing for more but unable to find the thing that makes you feel complete? Do you long to plunge deep in His refreshing presence? Do you wonder what it might feel like to be completely unfettered by the sin which has entangled you? Do you crave belonging, community, and purpose?

Beloved, truth?
You will never be enough.
You’ll never attain enough, or acquire enough, learn enough or do enough.
The Israelites felt all the same things, and looked to their earthly leaders for fulfillment, but their kings fell . . . never enough.

Could anyone ever be enough to reconnect us to the God who sees us, knows and is exactly what we need, and longs to share Himself with us?

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The GT Weekend! ~ Enough 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) On Monday, Lesley reminded us that “one small act changed everything” in the relationship between Adam & Eve and God. Where oneness and beauty once splendidly danced, brokenness, shame, fear, and blame took over. In what ways can you identify with this concept in your own relationship experiences? We’ve all acted certain ways or said certain things to bring about brokenness and destruction in our relationships. It’s painful and messy to think about, but every one of us have both brought about brokenness and been the receiver of such wounding from the people we love. In these scenarios, it’s easy to see the other person as the enemy, blaming them and growing angry or bitter, but this is exactly the trap Adam and Eve fell into. The real enemy is Satan, who loves to break our relationships with eachother and God. As you consider this when you think about the people you love, be intentional in praying for them, remembering they are not the enemy!

2) Israelites were enslaved under Egyptian rule for 4 centuries; they needed a rescuer. When God freed them from captivity, He promised to bring them into a good land of abundance and freedom. After a few days of foot travel across the barren desert, they arrived at the entrance of the Promised Land; God had been faithful, good, and kind. But Israel, on discovering that the Promised Land was full of enormous fruit and fearsome giants (true story, guys, read Numbers 13:17-29), completely rejected God’s good gift! (Numbers 14:1-10) Sisters, don’t miss this, I have also been guilty of rejecting the good gifts God offers me because they aren’t what I expect. Israel’s rejection of Canaan, resulted in God leading them to turn around and wander the desert for 40 years. I don’t want to miss out on what God has deemed for my good and His glory just because it doesn’t fit my expectations. What about you?!

3) God continued pursuing His people, Israel, despite their constant rebellion. Even though they had prophets and priests who pointed them back to God’s heart, sin has its stealthy way of sneaking in and bringing death and destruction in its wake. Prophets who loved God, called aloud for Israel to turn her heart back to the Lord Almighty. Just as God faithfully pursued Israel, so He pursues each one of us. Imagine this! The God of all on a mission to catch you with His infinite love and mercy! How does this make you feel? Can you look around your life and point to ways His voice is raised like the prophet’s to call you to return to Him? He is always waiting, never put off by your rebellion enough to cease in His pursuit of a real, authentic relationship with you. If He will stop at nothing, what’s holding you back?

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 3:10-12 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

There is no one righteous, not even one.
11 There is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away;
all alike have become worthless.
There is no one who does what is good,
not even one.

Prayer Journal
Lord God, sometimes I lose sight of my sin. I forget how stealthy it is and how intent the Enemy of my heart is to steal, kill, and destroy. I become lulled into mediocrity as I chase after the sins that tempt me, neglecting to remember You alone are worthy of love and worship. I forget that my phone and my social media feed will never love me back for all the time and attention I give them. I justify my rudeness, pretending I’m just “being confident”. I cover up my manipulation tactics, my sharp words, my eye rolls, my deceit, my anger, my arrogance. I forget, Lord God, I forget these are the very things that destroy the oneness You died to share with me. Lord Jesus, remind me this weekend. Remind me as the days move towards Easter that You came to destroy the Destruction of sin. Remind me that when I surrender myself to You, I don’t have to forget about my sin, it’s paid for by Your blood. Don’t let me forget my sin, Oh Christ, let me remember You.

Worship Through Community

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Calling Day 6 For This Reason

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ephesians 3:1-21
Ephesians 2:1-22
1 Peter 3:13-22

Calling, Day 6

For this reason.
These are the first three words in Ephesians 3.

Lean in, sisters. Paul is about to explain the motivation driving his life of incredibly challenging, incredibly impactful kingdom work.

What propelled him to get up after each beating?
What kept him going after shipwrecks?
What urged him to declare the Gospel with the same vigor he once used to attack the church?

For this reason.

Paul knew his why. And that made all the difference.

We discover Paul’s why by reading Ephesians 2. Read it aloud as if you were having a conversation with Paul, keeping in mind the passion saturating his words; this would not be a dull, emotionless speech!

Dear sisters, we share in Paul’s why:

We, too, were dead in our sins until God made us alive with Christ through grace, by faith.

We, too, were once far away from God, but have been lovingly brought near through Christ, who is our peace. (Ephesians 2:13-14) Upon His foundation, we too, together with all believers, are being built into God’s holy temple. (Ephesians 2:19-21)

For this reason, we, like Paul, can experience a similar desire to bow before the Lord, to humble ourselves at the awareness of all Christ has done for us. In this moment, overwhelmed with revelation of the mysterious love of our Father (Ephesians 3:1-7), the busyness and strife of the world around us fade away. The incessant cries for “Now and Must Do!” are wonderfully replaced with an eternal, holy urgency. This life shall pass away and we are assured we will spend eternity with Christ.
For this reason, we live with holy abandon!

But what about our co-workers, our neighbors, or the barista at our favorite coffee shop?

How can we share the good news,
the call from death to life,
and the Father’s heart longing to draw them near?

Are we willing to sacrifice our own comfort, or finances, or status
to invite the lost of our dying world into peace with God?

Paul told the church in Ephesus to not be discouraged over his afflictions on their behalf; he understood how his suffering would further God’s mission of sharing Jesus with the Gentiles.

Sharing the gospel will not be without sacrifice. It may be in the form of intense persecution, as Christians in some countries are currently experiencing. It may look like someone’s laughter after hearing the gospel. It could be a harsh “no” when asked to talk about Jesus. It might even just be the inconvenience of obedience when the Lord nudges us to hold the door for someone several steps behind us.

Regardless of what each day may bring, I desire to live with Paul’s boldness in pursuit of Christ and sharing Him with those around me. I want to trust so deeply in the Lord that even my levels of joy and peace in Him declare His goodness.

For this reason, I echo Paul’s prayer in verses 14-21, with an intense expectancy for the Lord to respond.
Will you join me, sisters?

Oh Lord, teach us to share the gift of the gospel with those around us. Strengthen us with power in our hearts through Your Spirit. Dwell within us and teach us how to love those around us. Help us comprehend Your love, which surpasses simple knowledge. 

Lord, You truly are able to do beyond what we can ask or imagine. May we live our lives for You and Your glory. Solidify our “why” within us and help us invite others to meet you wherever we go. 

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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Worship V Day 9 1,000 Tongues To Sing: 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 1,000 Tongues To Sing!

The Questions

1) Why did Jesus come into the world?

2) How does Paul convey himself in this letter to Timothy?

3) What do we learn about God in this passage?

1 Timothy 1:15-17

This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate his extraordinary patience as an example to those who would believe in him for eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Original Intent

1) Why did Jesus come into the world?
Jesus, God the Son, came as an act of obedience to God the Father, Who sent Him (John 6:38) for the purpose of “saving sinners”. The most well-known verse in the Bible, John 3:16, describes this perfectly (in concert with John 3:17). Jesus gives everlasting life, therefore “saving” sinners. Jesus saves them from torment and separation from God. In Luke 5:32 Jesus states, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Again, Jesus says in John 10:10, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” Who are these “sinners” Jesus came to rescue? The collective “US” across all humanity. “There is none righteous, no, not one, for all have fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:10, 23)

2) How does Paul convey himself in verse 15 to Timothy?
Paul refers to himself as the “worst sinner” in verse 15 and reiterates it in verse 16. In verses 12-17, Paul gives a brief recounting of his “faith story” as he describes who he was, the moment he was eternally changed because of Christ, and how that decision changed everything about him going forward. In his story, Paul openly admits to being “the worst sinner” because he outright persecuted the Church but he received mercy and was made new. He was a sinner, but now he is the recipient of undeserved mercy so that Christ’s patient love would take center stage through Paul’s redeemed life. If Paul, the worst sinner, can be brought back to God, and his core identity change from sinner to saint because of Christ’s great mercy, then no one is too far gone! Paul purposefully emphasizes his own unworthiness of receiving forgiveness to Timothy to encourage him to continue persevering in sharing this freeing gospel to all as he pastored the church in Ephesus.

3) What do we learn about God in verse 17?
Our Great God is King of all time from eternity past through eternity future. He has always been and will always be the True King, the only God. There is none like Him; He has no equal! (Isaiah 40:25) God is immortal, meaning He is not limited to our earthly bodies which die and decay, returning to dust; He lives for eternity and exists outside of temporal time and space constraints. Within Him is found nothing but immortality; not a hint of death or an end. He is also invisible, at least to our fallen human eyes, dwelling in light which no human can approach (1 Timothy 6:16).

Everyday Application

1) Why did Jesus come into the world?
Do you ever find yourself feeling like you and Jesus are “okay” because you do so much? Maybe you serve at church and you’re a homeroom mom at your kids’ school and you also donate to a local food pantry. That’s enough, right?
Friend, no. That’s not enough. Nothing you or I could ever do, even if we worked yourself into utter exhaustion and poverty, could ever be enough to work your way to salvation. God’s economy just doesn’t work that way.
Father God knew we would need a Savior. He knew even before He created anything or anyone that the first humans (Adam and Eve) would disobey (Genesis 2:15-3:7). The sin that entered the world through this couple could only be removed by a blameless sacrifice from The Spotless Lamb.
Jesus Christ’s death on the cross was unlike other crucifixions in a myriad of ways, the most important being that He was innocent of any crimes, yet He took upon Himself all of the sin of the world. All sin. Of all time. Past, present, and future. He took the punishment that every person who ever lived deserved from God.
And then, He defeated Sin and Death by rising up out of that grave!
HE is the reason we can experience salvation and eternal life.

2) How does Paul convey himself in verse 15 to Timothy?
If Paul, being the foremost of all sinners, can experience the mercy Jesus gives when He is trusted for salvation, then anyone can! That was the message for Timothy to take to the church at Ephesus (1 Timothy 1:3), and that is the message to you and me today, Sisters. Think your worst is too much for Jesus to forgive? Think again! Just take one step of faith toward Jesus…He’s been waiting for you. He loves you. He wants to give you eternal life with Him and help transform you into the beautiful woman He created you to be. In the same vein, extend that free gospel to all. Pull back from pre-deciding who “will never choose Christ”. Our mission is to extend this grace wrapped truth of salvation, not decide who will or will not embrace its message.

3) What do we learn about God in this passage?
When we open ourselves to Jesus’ powerful mercy and allow Him rule and reign in our life, we experience radical heart changes no one can comprehend unless they’ve also allowed Jesus to transform them.
Wesley’s song lyrics are a wonderfully descriptive account of the salvation experience.
Jesus shines on a dark soul, weighed down by sin, and cleanses it.
The burden of punishment is lifted!
Real living begins!
Praise and worship are natural consequences!
There’s such a glorious freedom in knowing He is forever holding you!
The greatest thing is how surrender opens us to a relationship with God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Our Triune God wants us to talk to Him and, if our hearts are in tune with His, we will sense His leading and guiding.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
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Catch up with 1,000 Tongues To Sing!

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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Our Current Study Theme!

This is Worship V Week Two!
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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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Dwell Day 3 Rhythm Of Rest

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 16:22-30
Exodus 31:12-17
Deuteronomy 5:12-15
Ezekiel 22:23-26 

Dwell, Day 3

Sitting on top of a mountain in Colorado for a week, disconnected from life and the rest of the world, brings a rest to the soul that is hard to describe.  That time of silence and solitude made my husband and I realize we weren’t doing enough to observe a time of dedicated rest, or sabbath, in our lives.  We were good at disconnecting from work and obligation, rest didn’t feel life-giving. With four teenagers, a full-time ministry position for my husband, a dog, a full-time job for me, a weekly community group, friends, school and much more…the idea of true rest often felt like a cruel joke.  Yet, what we began to grasp was the truth that, if we were willing, we could enjoy the kind of rest God desired.  Intentional decisions and planning were required, but it wasn’t out of reach.   

To understand why we were committed to making adjustments in our lives, you first have to understand how sabbath rest serves to distinguish, focus, and remind.   

Sabbath Distinguishes
God himself established the idea of sabbath rest on the final seventh day of creation. (Genesis 2:1-3) He took a step back, considered the work He had done, saw what was good, rested, and declared the day holy. He effectively distinguished the seventh day from the other six.  God then asked His people to observe the same pattern of work, labor, and gather for six days; rest, remain, and trust in Him for the seventh. (Exodus 16:22-30, Exodus 20:8-11) 

Simple, right?  Not so much… 
In our pride, we think we know better. 
In our greed, we think we need more.
In our need to be the best, we think we need to do more.  
In our need to be important, we think we must been seen. 

None of those beliefs lend themselves to rest and pulling back.
Sabbath is admittedly counter-intuitive to our current cultural way of life.  But God’s desire is that as His children, we distinguish between the common and the holy.  Six days are common and we work just like everyone else; but then, there is one day where we are to declare how we are different (Ezekiel 22:23-26).
When we ignore the Sabbath, it ends up looking like any other day.
We’ve declared the common to be enough! 

Sabbath Focuses
“Sabbath is that uncluttered time and space in which we can distance ourselves from our own activities enough to see what God is doing.” —Eugene Peterson 

Setting aside the cares, burdens, and work of the world opens the ability to reflect on and think about the God of the universe.  Throughout scripture, we see God time and again instruct us to remember.  With the Sabbath, we are to remember a couple of specific things:  God’s work AROUND US  through His creation (Exodus 20:11) and God’s work IN US as He sanctifies us (Exodus 31:13), making us more like Christ.   

Not only are we given the Sabbath to focus on our relationship with God, the time also allows us to focus on the earthly relationships that matter most.  We are called to observe the Sabbath with anyone within the walls of our home at the time  – family, friend, co-worker, or someone just passing through. (Exodus 20:10) 

Sabbath Reminds
Perhaps my favorite benefit of observing the Sabbath is its purposeful  reminder that I am no longer a slave, but have been set free (Deuteronomy 5:15).  Regularly reflecting on what my life was like without Christ, realizing all God has done to rescue me, and acknowledging that I could not do that on my own, has a profound effect. 

God receives the credit.
I remember how imperfect I am.
I am aware of my desperate need for salvation. 

Realizing our need for salvation isn’t just a one-time thing.  

Sabbath reminds me there is freedom available.
Sabbath reminds me there is a God willing to rescue.
Sabbath reminds me I cannot do this on my own. 

Sabbath Isn’t Easy
Coming home from our time in the mountains, we had a strong commitment to adjust how we would intentionally observe the Sabbath; but reality has proven it difficult to remain consistent. Resting well requires us to work well.   

To enter into our sabbath time with the ability to remember, focus and be aware of God and His work, we must do the prep work to allow these to happen.  When we do that, we experience the life-giving, empowering and rejuvenating joy God gives as a result.   

And then there are the questions….
What’s the right way to do this?
Am I allowed to….?
Is it ok if we….?
What about…..?
Can I go and….? 

We can quickly get caught up in the “rules and regulations” of what is or isn’t “Sabbath” to the point that it’s no longer restful.  Mark Buchanan, in his book The Rest of God, provides two principles that characterize a healthy Sabbath: DO NOT DO what is necessary; DO what is life-giving.  Those have become our Sabbath filter. The simplicity has helped us let go of questions and concerns about doing it the “right” way.  Our Sabbath doesn’t look like others, but it honors the expectations that God has put in place for us.  We can follow the command to keep the observance (Hebrews 4:9), yet we have freedom in how that takes shape (Colossians 2:16) through the gifts gained in Christ.   

Work hard. 
Rest well.
Distinguish yourself.
Focus on God.
Remember His work. 

The fight for Sabbath is worth it! 

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Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Dwell Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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Here’s a link to all past studies in Dwell!

The GT Weekend! – Roads 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) Perhaps you’ve struggled, as I have, in knowing how to respond well to someone who clearly doesn’t hold to the biblical gospel. Fear of offending or of not knowing the right answers can hold us back from saying anything at all. Practice thinking of how to respond next time you find yourself in a spiritual conversation. Ask questions to encourage them to share more about their faith, praying for the right question to ask at the right time. To help you prepare and practice, write down your biggest fears or the questions you dread hearing. Take this list to Jesus, pray over it, and then do some honest digging to find good answers. 

2) When have you encountered someone who believes if they are “good enough” they will earn going to Heaven? What about their argument sounds convincing to you? Something I’ve learned to ask is, “How do you know when you’re ‘good’ is actually ‘enough’? What if you die unexpectedly before you’ve actually done ‘enough’?” These questions aren’t attacking, but conversational. Listen well in spiritual conversations and pray often that the Spirit would lead you as you share truth!

3) Regardless of the religious belief system, people long for community and true, genuine relationships the most. Set aside this week to intentionally pray that the Lord would give you opportunities to boldly share truth in love and grace. Look for those who are different from you and reach out, make a connection, pray for them consistently, and watch what the Lord will do through your obedience to love!

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 Ephesians 2:1-6 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously lived according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,

Prayer Journal
Father, Your gospel is so beautiful yet bold, intricate yet simple. Awaken the eyes of my heart to behold the preciousness of Your gospel story in my everyday life this week. Show me how much I need You. Remind me how desperate I am for Your solid truth. Surround me with friendships who speak truth over me, while placing people continually and intentionally in my path who need Your truth and grace. Show me how to love people better because of the beautiful truth of Your gospel, Jesus!  
Teach me, Spirit, to have a ready defense, to know Scripture, and be prepared to point people to You. I praise You that sharing about Your redemption is never about my intelligence or my ability to have the right words, it’s simply about allowing You to speak through me. Oh, Lord, Speak!

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music