fear

The GT Weekend! ~ If 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) What if Jesus was not God? What if He was just a prophet or a good teacher, but not God in flesh? Or even if He wasn’t fully God, but something lesser? Considering these questions can either drive us away from the Lord or drive us straight into the arms of a loving, trustworthy, and faithful God. We saw in Monday’s Journey Study some solid reasons to believe Jesus was, and is, exactly the fully divine God He claimed to be. He defeated sin by living a perfect life. He defeated death by raising Himself from the dead. Because of these things, and more, He is worthy of our worship. We serve a powerful God. The great King of Glory does not fear our questions. There is no question too big for Him. Will you commit to bringing your questions to the Lord? Will you be honest with Him about your doubts? Will you faithfully search the Scriptures and consult wise, mature believers as you seek out your answers? What questions do you have? Where have you been looking for answers? Write down one or two questions about God along with the name of someone you know whom you could ask to help you find the answers. Pray over your question and ask the Lord to give you courage to step out in faith and search for truth!

2) Like making cake without flour, trimming the grass without a mower, or, perhaps most apt, drinking water from an empty glass, so is absolutely anything we attempt in the Christian life without the power of the Holy Spirit. We, as finite, prone-to-sin human beings, are utterly incapable of accomplishing the holy, righteous work of becoming like Jesus on our own power. We cannot forgive more freely, love more deeply, give more wholeheartedly, or treat others with more lavish kindness without the power of the Holy Living God taking up residence within our beings. Going further, even if we have genuinely surrendered our lives to Christ and He has faithfully given us the Holy Spirit inside of us, we can still adamantly choose to reject His power at work in us. Classic author Andrew Murray writes of every day being a battle of wills between our fleshly desires and the work of God. We can either choose to surrender moment by moment to His work, or we can stubbornly insist on our own abilities to accomplish His righteousness. Determine today to live in a constant state of surrender by practicing the simple hand motion of raising one or two palms upward. When you face a challenge of your will versus God’s way today, choose total surrender to the Spirit by rotating your palm upward and breathing a prayer of surrender!

3) Rejoice with me as we think about our great God! His character is so far above our comprehension of holiness. He is unable to sin because of His great power and might. He is perfectly just and perfectly merciful. He is unchanging, unshakable, steadfast, and He gives us direct access to Him. Even when we fall short, He is faithful because He cannot violate His own nature. Write a prayer of thanksgiving and praise to the Almighty God! Spend time contemplating what His sinless nature means for your relationship with Him and your obedience to Him. You may begin to feel discouraged by the weight of your own sin and your own shortcomings as you worship. Feel that weight, but don’t stay there! When we turn our eyes upon Jesus, we receive freedom from our sins. Repent and move forward in the strength of the Lord only He can provide. You don’t need to make yourself better to come to Him. Simply focus on His greatness, and He will work a mighty change in you!

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 Colossians 1:15-17 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

[Jesus] is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn over all creation.
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.
He is before all things,
and by Him all things hold together.
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.

Prayer Journal
Who is this King of Glory? Who is this God who would condescend to walk the Earth as a man, perfect and righteous? You are our God, the blessed Three-in-One, wholly loving, almighty, immovable, and the perfect lover of our souls. You have not left us on our own in our questions and our weakness, but You have rescued us by Your great hand! Forgive me, oh merciful God, for my doubts, my weakness, and my desire to have my own way. I have often resisted Your will and questioned your goodness. Thank You for your great mercy and grace. Thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit to work in my heart and guide me in obedience. Thank You for comforting me with truth as I search out your goodness. I ask for Your help as I surrender my will to Yours. Use my questions and my doubts to draw my heart toward You rather than toward the darkness. I believe in You, oh Lord, help my unbelief.

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Redeemed Day 11 The Waiting Game

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ruth 3:1-18
Deuteronomy 25:5-10
Philippians 4:6-7

Redeemed, Day 11

Fear, anxiety, anger, sadness. These words describe the current emotions of many Americans. As I write, the world is experiencing a pandemic that has taken thousands of lives and impacted countless others.

Uncertainty pervades our country right now. Some are worried about contracting the virus or losing a loved one who is already medically compromised, while others are overwhelmed with financial concerns as their jobs are impacted. Businesses have closed and we have been instructed to “shelter-in-place” and to practice “social distancing” to try to stop the virus from spreading too quickly.

We have been given an end date for our stay at home order, and then watched as the date was extended. Disagreements abound as some are concerned about opening businesses too quickly, jeopardizing safety, while others are concerned about the effects of a broken economy.

Couples are postponing weddings. Graduations have been pushed back or moved online. Medical and dental procedures have been put on hold, and funerals are limited.

When will it be safe to go out? What will happen in the days to come? When will we be able to go back to the life we knew as normal? What are we to do in our uncertainty? How do we handle the waiting?

In the book of Ruth, we are introduced to two women who also faced uncertain times. As we’ve learned, Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi, were both widows. Upon their return to Bethlehem, Ruth couldn’t have known what the future held for her. But she trusted and respected Naomi, complying with Naomi’s suggestions for provision.

Naomi was aware of a kinsman-redeemer, a man named Boaz.  A kinsman redeemer was a close family member who agreed to marry a widow, providing financially for her and carrying on the family name.

Naomi gave instructions to Ruth, to approach Boaz as kinsman redeemer and trust his noble character would move him to treat Ruth with honor.

Just as Ruth had a redeemer in Boaz, we, too, have a Redeemer.
His name is Jesus.

Since sin entered the world through Adam and Eve, we all are broken.
We experience pain, loss, and disappointment.
We cause the same and continue the cycle of brokenness.
Ultimately, we are separated from the Father by our sin.

We need someone who will meet us in our need, just as Boaz did Ruth, and redeem us, protecting our future. Jesus willingly came to earth, in the form of a man while fully God, to do just that. 

He experienced pain, scorn, shame and rejection. And then, He went to the cross, to put to death sin and shame on our behalf. To pay our innumerable debts, once and for all.

He chose us. He chose to love us enough to buy our freedom and our security for eternity.  He longs for us to come to Him, leaving behind our sin and shame and following Him as we journey on this earth. He knows there will be pain, but He promises to never leave or forsake us while we finish our days here before He welcomes us into eternity with Him!

What are you waiting for today? Is it a job or a promotion? Or maybe a husband? A child? Are you awaiting test results from a physician? Are you praying fervently for a family member to come to Jesus or to return from their wandering? Are you waiting to see the loved one you’ve been separated from during this time of uncertainty?

Paul admonishes us in Philippians to not be anxious for the future, but to pray and give our concerns to God with thanksgiving, allowing His peace to guard our hearts in Christ Jesus.

Jesus is near. In the waiting, He is near. Wait with hope, remembering He who calls us remains faithful to His promise that He will never leave us. Though our prayers may not always be answered the way we want or expect, we can trust that God is good, and one day we will see Him and realize He is the One we were waiting for all along!

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

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
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Sketched VI Day 5 Paula

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 46
Isaiah 40:21-31
Isaiah 41:8-14
Colossians 3:12-17

Sketched VI, Day 5

My parents were both raised with Catholic backgrounds, but never attended services.  As a result, I was unfamiliar with anything involving religion as a young child. However, when I was in grade school, a friend invited me to a Christmas service at his church. That was my first time encountering any type of worship. I was hooked and my curiosity grew. When he moved away, I was unable to go back to church until I began high school and started driving.

After the Christmas service, my friend and I attended the youth services and I really started honing-in on what Christianity was all about. I couldn’t quite wrap my head around the idea of a God who died for MY sins, who loves each one of us as His creation, despite our brokenness. I loved going each week and seeing the new friends I was making…
Each friend has a story and a background; some very different than mine, but some very similar.

After my friend moved, I stopped attending church and kind of felt like that entire season of my life was a dream; I forgot about God. In high school, before I started driving, I met a girl in band class who was involved in her youth group. She invited me to go with her and I was reintroduced to Christ, but this time, it stuck.

After I graduated from high school, I decided to go back to my now-current church where I volunteered in kids’ ministry, worship, and met more Christ-followers, which led to my baptism in May of 2016.

After being baptized, I started taking my relationship with Christ seriously.  I studied Scripture and listened to online sermons from other churches. I attended every Sunday service I could and stayed actively engaged in serving.

However, I was also on a teeter-totter after a relationship break up, a big move away from home, several deaths, and the loss of a job I loved. I definitely kept Jesus at arm’s length.
I wanted Him around, but I also wanted nothing to do with Him. I considered myself “Christian,” but I had drifted away from a deep relationship with Jesus and His followers.

After several months of skipping church, I “woke up” and returned. I saw the director of volunteers (my now-mentor) from afar, and avoided her. I felt like she was someone who could “see into my soul” and would know everything about my emotional and spiritual turmoil.

But God’s plan was bigger than my fear!
One week, she caught up with me after service, and after meeting later in follow-up, she connected me with the worship team.

I was incredibly happy!
I was FINALLY part of a middle school worship band ministry like I had dreamed of for YEARS. My way of communicating with God was through music, almost as if I had written the lyrics I was singing. God and I were chit-chatting as if we were best pals; I loved every single moment of it. 

I was on my way home from a full day of serving at church when I was involved in a car accident. I vaguely remember getting home after the accident and feeling that something wasn’t right. I collapsed to the floor in my front entryway, barely making it inside my house. I went to the ER, had scans done, and received terrifying news the next morning:
“You have a shadow on your brain.”

Strong words I will never forget.

Several weeks later, after my first seizure and losing my vision, I had emergency surgery to remove a good portion of this “shadow.”

More strong words: 
Anaplastic Astrocytoma
Grade 3 brain cancer

Following surgery, I wasn’t myself. I was so angry!
I refused to listen to or play music, knowing I’d hear God’s voice.
He was the last person I wanted to speak with.

I had so many questions for the Lord:
If we had such a great thing going, why throw a wrench in my plans by taking away my joy and dream? Why make me learn to trust You all over again?  

While I don’t have all the answers to my questions, this past year has brought deep spiritual growth I didn’t realize I was desperately craving.

Since my diagnosis last November, the Lord has brought people into my life for whom I’ve prayed since my teenage years. Both were strangers I’d connected with and are now as close as family.

My love for Christ has grown deeper than I ever imagined possible.  Even though I struggle with trusting Him, He has never left my side. Even though I prayed, and lost patience when I wasn’t given exactly what I’d wanted, He has never failed to give me something better.

Today, I have such a grand appreciation for life, friends, family, my church community, worship, music, gifts, God, and the list goes on. There are so many hardships God has brought me through, though He had no obligation. He has reminded me HE is good, even in the midst of darkness.

I get comments all the time about how “brave” and “courageous” I’ve been or questions about where my positivity comes from.
It didn’t happen overnight, but God drew near.

God has more for me to discover!
More songs to sing, and more people to meet and help them come to faith.

The enemy tried to silence me.
The enemy tried to discourage me.
The enemy tried to steal my joy.
The enemy tried to stop God’s work in me.

BUT GOD
Changed everything.

October 7th, 2018.
The day that changed my life forever.
The day I so badly wish had never happened, but am so thankful it did.
A day that could’ve ended everything, but here I am.
. . .  because He’s not finished with me yet.

His words.
His truth.
His song within my heart.
These give me courage and hope.


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

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Sketched VI Week One! 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 Sketched VI

Open Day 8 Casting Out Fear

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 8:14-17
1 John 4:18
John 8:36
Isaiah 61:1

Open, Day 8

Freedom. Such a profound word, but it carries a vague meaning when it comes to my mind.

When defined, freedom means, the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.

Initially, when I read that definition I thought, “I’ve always acted in freedom”, but as I look back on my life I see a different story, I see a girl who was very afraid.

Afraid to talk to people.
Afraid to speak my mind.
Afraid to use my God given gifts.
Afraid of being vulnerable.
Afraid to get hurt.
Afraid to truly live.

Fear has always crippled me.
Even though I gave my fear other names, like being shy.

As Paul says in 2 Timothy 1:7, “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
Meaning that my spirit of fear was a stronghold the enemy had in my life and was using against me. Satan had me where he wanted me, cowering in fear and not living up to my call.

But, though the years, the Lord has been chipping away at the enemy’s territory.
He has been cutting out all the things I was afraid of and replacing it with His perfect love.

I was afraid to sing, yet God has placed me on stages leading worship.
I was afraid to speak, yet God has placed me in front of audiences speaking.
I was afraid to write, yet God has placed me in this ministry writing His word.
I was afraid to be vulnerable, yet God has allowed me to open my heart to others.
I was afraid to make mistakes, yet God has redeemed those mistakes for His glory.

I have been engulfed by a love so captivating, welcoming, and endearing that my fears are swallowed up by it.
This love fills all voids.
This love transforms.
This love empowers.
This love casts out all fear.

Through this vast love, the Lord has shown me the truth of John 8:36,
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!”

A few months ago, I was meeting with a brother and sister in Christ as they shared some things they felt God pressing upon them for me. They described the image of a heart completely black, but then God took a paint brush and painted the heart completely red as the once-black-heart began to beat.

This was my own heart.
Black from my sins and brokenness, but God didn’t allow my heart to stay that way He took His time to repaint my heart, giving it color and new life. He pursued me, chasing away my fear, and bringing me freedom through His love.

That is true freedom. Being transformed from the inside out.
God’s sweet love cascading into our lives radically shifts our hearts, overflowing into our everyday lives.
Freedom is allowing God to remove you from bondage and give you a new life!

I had been walking into freedom for years, but in that meeting, I was shown how God wanted me to claim the freedom He had already given me.

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Which means I can say in full confidence that God has freed me from my spirit of fear.
This doesn’t mean that I never get scared or think fearful thoughts but it does mean I’m not in bondage to those fears. I can point out when Satan is trying to attack me, and I have strength through the Holy Spirit to walk in the freedom afforded me through Christ.

How does this transformation connect to living with open hands,
ready to live out the hospitality of Jesus?
Because I’ve experienced this love, I am deeply passionate about sharing it, helping others to experience God and His perfect love in the same way I have.

In Matthew 8, Jesus performs another miracle and heals Peter’s mother in law. After she is healed, she gets up and begins serving Jesus. That night, many people were brought to Jesus and also received healing of their bodies and souls.

This woman encountered the perfect love of Christ and gets up, goes out and serves Him. And her serving results in others encountering that same love.

Sisters, this is our call as believers!
We are not simply to help people meet the Christ who profoundly loves us, but also be small streams of Christ’s love flowing outward onto others.

Isaiah said, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;”

Sisters, what has God healed you of or freed you from?
How have you allowed this good work to transform the way you serve and love and live and operate with openness?

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

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Kaleidoscope Day 8 A Quick Trip to Isolation

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Numbers 12:1-16
Proverbs 12:18
1 Peter 4:7-8
1 John 4:7-11

Kaleidoscope, Day 8

To love is to commit to paying a costly price.
To love is to commit to messy, broken relationships.
To love is to commit to being hurt.

The alternative?
Isolation.

The on-ramp to safe isolation, far away from great cost, mess, brokenness, and excruciating pain?
Rudeness.

Extreme?
Well, I’ll let you decide.

Surely, there are other, more clear symptoms of isolation and lack of love, right?
Traits like anger, bitterness, and hatred seem pretty key in a successful journey to isolation.

True, these traits are clear evidences of having lived a life in attempt to keep a heart safe from the costly effects of love, but these are destination signposts, not on-ramps.
One who is perpetually angry, bitter, and hateful has already succeeded in staying away from love.

But rudeness.
There is the attractive little signpost flashing brilliantly along a benign highway, promising a quick detour to safety and self-justification.
“Just a little rudeness,” the lie begins.
“Just a little self-protection.”
“You deserve, no, you have a right, to be rude.”
One sweet little sampling of lies after another and our quick detour lands us far off course, well on our way to Isolation.

Not sure you believe me?
I present you with a true story….

A widely respected, deeply kind, and exceptionally humble man had been given the opportunity for a highly visible leadership position, despite his genuine objections. He had no desire for power or profit, but was compelled to take the position out of love and respect for authority above him.

While he made some mistakes, he genuinely loved the people he led, and continually sacrificed his own good for their own. From the outside, it was plainly obvious what a rare, and incredible leader this man was.

Like any leadership role, it came with its share of criticisms and complaints directed towards him, but the one to whom he reported was constantly watching his back. Often, the man overlooked the negativity, not allowing it to deter him from his strong, gentle leadership. Other times, it drove him absolutely batty to the point of near insanity, but always the one above him, protected him.

The man was in this specific leadership role for over 40 years and there was no end to complaints filed against him as he was constantly under attack for his extremely difficult position. Curiously, the records of his career carefully chronicle one specific incident out of the mass lump sum.
One incident with incredible detail.
One incident of blatant rudeness.
Ending with isolation.

The man had a deeply devoted sister whom he loved, but she was beginning to feel as if she deserved some of leadership’s limelight. Unlike her honorable brother, she wanted the attention and the power. She saw the neon flashing lights on the highway and she exited onto “Rude”. She tossed a handful of caustic words in the air, feeling quite justified. Her words were seemingly harmlessly, but undeniably drenched in rudeness. Her rudeness was heard and felt. As a result, she found herself granted a personal audience with the one in authority who had heard her curt remarks.
And it wasn’t pretty.
I’ll let you listen in…

“Listen to what I say:
If there is a prophet among you from the Lord,
I make myself known to him in a vision;
I speak with him in a dream.
Not so with my servant Moses;
he is faithful in all my household.
I speak with him directly,
openly, and not in riddles;
he sees the form of the Lord.
So why were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?”
The Lord’s anger burned against them, and He left. (Numbers 12:6-9, emphasis added)

Sister Miriam’s words were intended to hurt. She wanted to make her point known. She set out to amplify her perspective even if it cost her being just a bit rude in order to justify her position against a man who was not only her leader, but also her brother.

The Lord heard, He saw her heart of arrogance, He felt her rudeness, and called her out on it. He took up the cause of Moses, fighting on his behalf, because God is a just and loving God. When it was all said and done, the Lord’s presence left Miriam and her sympathizing brother, Aaron, alone. What’s more, the Lord also gave Miriam a skin disease as He left her as further consequence of her rudeness. Moses, the loving leader, pleaded with the Lord for healing on behalf of his sister, which the Lord gave, but He also said, “If her father had merely spit in her face (as a consequence), wouldn’t she remain in disgrace for seven days? Let her be confined outside the camp (as a consequence to her rudeness) for seven days; after that she may come back.”  (Numbers 12:14)

Her rudeness was disgraceful.
Her rudeness was not loving.
Her rudeness was sinful.
Her rudeness brought isolation.

Miriam took the easy exit off the highway of genuine, authentic Love, and she ended up alone.
How often I’ve done the same!
Rudeness is like an arrow jutting into the people around us. (Proverbs 12:18)

The Lord is a God of unconditional love.
He is a triune God who Himself dwells eternally in community.
Isolation and rudeness have no place in His character,
and neither do they in ours as we take on the Name of Christ.

Maybe you can identify scenarios where you tend to take that quick trip to Isolation via the on-ramp of rudeness. Maybe you can identify people you’ve alienated or perhaps you’ve become familiar with that sense of distancing you feel when you choose to be rude.

Or maybe, just maybe, you know someone who habitually takes that glittery exit called Rude. You see them isolating themselves.
In fact, you want to be isolated from them because of their sharp, cutting habits.
But, I wonder, what if the Lord intended for you to love them with His love, drawing them back just as He did with Miriam. Just as He does for me when I’m rude, again and again.

Suppose He is equipping us to love those who are rude, and to stand at that exit sign,
pointing the way back to Love?!

To love another is worth the high price it will cost us.
It’s worth the mess.
it’s worth the pain of entering into the brokenness.

How do I know?
Jesus did it for me.

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

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

The GT Weekend ~ Cross 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) Crucifying Christ was something Pilate felt incredibly uneasy about. He believed Jesus was innocent, even washing his hands of Jesus’ death, wanting no part in it. Where do you find yourself in Pilate’s story? What part of you assents to Jesus being God, but in fear, back away. In fear of the mob, in fear of a riot, Pilate gave orders to crucify the Lord. Where are you living in fear over walking in faith for Who you know to hold all truth and authority? Where Pilate wanted to wash his hands of Christ’s blood, let’s extend our hands into the flow, saying, “Yes, You are the Christ! Remove my fear and make me new!”.

2) Simon of Cyrene had a unique, very up-close perspective with Christ as He was crucified. What would it have been like for you to be in his shoes on that day in history? What questions would you have wanted to ask? What fears would shake you? Would fear and shame make you run? Would love make you stay? If Christ indeed is innocent, unjustly executed in your place, what is that to you?

3) Stepping into John the Disciple’s shoes we watch him move from “piqued curiosity” to “Yahweh dwelling with us”. Here’s the thing, Sister, whatever truths you currently hold about God as Father, Son, and Spirit, there is so much more. The journey the Lord wants to take you on in this process of knowing Him better is sweeter than any other pathway. Refuse to allow yourself to settle into knowing “enough” about God. However deep you go, He lovingly invites us deeper still. Evaluate where you have plateaued in your understanding of God. When was the last time you grew in your experience of knowing Him?

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 Matthew 27:24-26 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” 25 And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.

Prayer Journal
Pilate claimed innocence in crucifying You, Jesus. Oh Lord, his sin was as great as my own. No water can wash away our sin. No symbolism. No action or lack of action. No one and no thing can extend that kind of mercy. Only You at Your Cross.
The people cried out, “His blood be on us and our children.”. They intended to be free, they thought themselves “just” for killing You. Oh Lord, the irony here, for it is only through Your blood covering us that true freedom is found!
You are innocent. I am guilty. Boundless is the love that died to forgive and free!

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Incorruptible Day 15 Surprised By Hope

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Peter 3:1-7
1 Peter 4:1-12
1 John 4:7-21
1 Corinthians 13:1-13 

Incorruptible, Day 15

“I hate you!” your overly emotional daughter rages, slamming her bedroom door in your face. 

Spiritual swords clash, unheard, but very real, and very loud. 

“I think my husband is cheating on me,” your friend confides, tears of confusion and disbelief falling into her untouched cup of coffee. 

Flaming arrows are flying, unseen, but aimed directly at our hearts. 

In Ephesians 6, Paul clearly tells us we are at war. 

EVERY day is full of epic battles. 

Satan hands us his weaponry:
Anger, fear, frustration, bitterness, and self-righteousness.
He wants us to attack each other instead of fight against him! 

With our enemy in sight, Paul urges us to choose God’s armor, complete with belt, breastplate, helmet, shield, shoes, and sword.  I personally envision a powerful Roman soldier dressed for battle, protected head to toe, armed and ready against any foe. 

Considering how to “stand firm” against the enemy, another word from Paul in Colossians encourages Believers to also prepare in a very different way. 

 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 
And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. (Colossians 3:12-14) 

I picture a woman applying her makeup and carefully selecting her outfit.
She is ordinary, like you and me.
She doesn’t look like a Roman soldier, but she’s just as ready for battle as she cares for her children, interacts with her husband, runs errands, completes tasks at the office, or practices with the worship team. 

In God’s kingdom, 
everything is turned around and upside down
from the world’s perspective. 

As soldiers in God’s army, we are to be characterized by LOVE.
When a disgruntled co-worker complains, again, love responds with kindness, flashing a GENUINE smile or, even better, complimenting him. 
When a rude driver cuts you off, love shows self-control refraining from cursing or flashing a finger.
When your mother-in-law comments negatively about your parenting style, love gently changes the subject, maybe asking the recipe for her delicious apple pie.
When your child wakes up in the middle of the night, scared and screaming, love rocks him back to sleep, joyful you have a baby to hold in your arms.
When a homeless man holds up a cardboard sign, love refuses to make judgments about his situation, but offers him a bag of snacks and hygiene items instead.
When your cousin shares she is transitioning genders, love rejects condemnation, instead inviting her to coffee patiently listening to her story.

Love shares YOUR story of how God’s redemption is transforming your life.
Love ask if you could pray for someone. 

The enemy would have us do battle according to our worldly, fleshly desires.
Our words. Our judgments. Our standards. (1 Peter 4:3) 

God’s Word, however, is consistent, straight forward, and VERY simple.
“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8) 

Love.
No “when it’s convenient, comfortable, or easy” clauses.
No exceptions.
No excuses. 

Just as God has loved YOU, love others. (1 John 3:16-18)
Just as God has forgiven YOU, forgive others. (Matthew 6:14-15)
In the same way God has given you second and third and 435th chances, do to others. 

Love.
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT’S THE HARDEST TO DO SO. 

Jesus taught that others would recognize His disciples by our LOVE. (John 13:35)
A deep, genuine love REFLECTING God’s own love. (1 John 4:7-12)
JUST as God loves us, SO we are to love others. 

Love for these…
Hormonal child.
Unfaithful spouse.
Annoying co-worker.
Impatient drivers.
Frustrating family members.
Unfair boss.
Obnoxious neighbor.
Persons of a different sexual orientation.
Persons with a different faith.
Those from a different country. 

We have ALL experienced the love of God without regard to race, gender, ethnicity, economic status, age, or any other earthly label. 

“…but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 
(Romans 5:8)
We are called to live out this SAME love.
“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
(1 John 4:11) 

God love is inconvenient, uncomfortable and EXTREMELY costly. 

During His final days on earth, Jesus was arrested, mocked, beaten, and crucified. In the most brutal death possible at the time, He was stretched across rugged timber, hands and feet nailed to the cross. 
He died in love that we might live for love.
With this love, love others. (Ephesians 3:14-21)

Love.
With a new battle plan that doesn’t use the enemy’s weapons.
Instead, plan sneak attacks of forgiveness, ambush with kindness, overwhelm even our enemies with compassion, grace, and mercy. 

Peter’s letter calls us to bravely link arms with those around us, joining forces, allowing LOVE to bind us together, making us strong for battle. 

The world is surprised when we live out love. (1 Peter 4:4)
They notice.
The gospel is preached when we lovingly speak gracefully and truthfully of the extravagant love Jesus generously gives us!

The war is real.
The end of all things is near.
And so Peter calls us to arms, urging us to “maintain constant love for one another.”
Constant.
Because the battle never wains. 

Love.
Because it’s the only weapon that has already won the war. 

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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 Incorruptible Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Incorruptible Day 10 Love That Lasts

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Peter 1:22-25 
1 Peter 2:11-16
Leviticus 19:16-18
John 13:34-35 

Incorruptible, Day 10

As the children got off the bus there was a buzz of animated chatter.
Just arriving for a week at camp, they were full of excitement and eager to get started. 

Well, most of them were... 

At the back of the line were two brothers, fear and apprehension written all over their faces.  Their response to the leaders’ friendly greetings was monosyllabic, their manner hesitant and uncertain.  It was all new to them and they had no idea what to expect. 

Fast forward a week, and children were piling back onto the bus to return home.  Again, the two brothers hung back, but this time their behaviour wasn’t motivated by fear and anxiety, but by reluctance to leave a place of happiness and a desire to say individual goodbyes to each leader. There were hugs, tears, and smiles, as we stood amazed at the radical transformation in such a short space of time. 

I’m convinced the reason was love.   

We had quickly discovered the two brothers had a difficult home situation.  They had never experienced a loving Christian community before, and the impact on them was profound.  It’s said that actions speak louder than words, and it’s true. The way we treat others and our attitudes towards them have more impact than we often realise. 

In his letter to the first-century Christians, Peter highlights this truth.  He writes to the believers about how to behave towards one another, towards their unbelieving neighbours, and those in authority.
He emphasises the lasting impact of their conduct. 

Peter implores, “show sincere brotherly love for each other,
 from a pure heart, love one another constantly.”  (1 Peter 1:22)
As these believers lived in difficult circumstances, facing opposition, persecution, and suffering, it was important they stood united. 

Peter tells them this unifying love springs from their new life in Christ.
They have been born again into His family as brothers and sisters and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17).  This love isn’t the mushy, romantic, feelings-based love the world portrays in songs and movies, but the committed, selfless, sacrificial love Jesus displayed in His life, death, and resurrection.  

Jesus Himself taught that loving one another was a mark of following Him, which would impact those who witnessed it. One cannot remain unchanged by love. 

Let’s be real though.
Loving others, even other Christians, is hard sometimes.
Opinions and personalities clash, we rub each other the wrong way,
we can act thoughtlessly and selfishly, and sometimes hurt one another. 

But we are still called to love.
Not because we have the ability on our own, but because, as Peter says, “we have been born again….(by) imperishable seed.” (1 Peter 1:23)

In 1 Corinthians 13 and Colossians 3, Paul details what it means to love with our new, incorruptible nature.
And it’s radically different from the world’s image of love.
Paul describes a patient, forgiving, enduring love that allows us to live in harmony even when it’s challenging. 

This love is impossible to work up by ourselves.
Love is a fruit of the Spirit, not our own efforts.
It is the result of God working within us enabling us to love.
However, it is also a choice we make to cooperate with God’s work in us, and be committed to this kind of love.

The word translated as “constantly” in verse 22 is rendered in other versions of the Bible as “earnestly“, “fervently“, or “with all your heart,” conveying the sense that this is a love we must choose and actively pursue.   

In chapter 2, Peter goes on to write about the importance of believers conducting themselves honourably before the unbelievers around them.  He encourages them that their actions and attitudes are a witness, pointing others to God! 

For the same reason, and with the same love, believers are called to submit to figures of authority, “for it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good.“  (1 Peter 2:15) 

These must have been incredibly challenging instructions in a culture where the believers faced ridicule and intense persecution from authority, but they were called, by their love and their honourable behaviour, to glorify God and make Him known. 

The same challenge is for us today. 
How well do we love our Christian brothers and sisters?
How well do our actions witness to those around us?  
Are we truly known for our love?   

The impact of putting Jesus’ incorruptible love on display is great! 

I doubt that the two brothers who came to camp went home remembering much of what they heard about Jesus that week, but I do know they went home having experienced, probably for the first time, a loving community where they were valued, accepted, and deeply loved. 

For those brothers, that week was only the beginning.
The two boys returned year after year, gradually they began truly taking in what was being taught. Eventually they came to faith in Jesus for themselves! 

Our little acts of love may not seem like much, but their impact can be eternal.
Incorruptible love produces incorruptible results.
As Peter reminds, so much around us is fading,
but God’s Word, and the new life we have in Him – this life of love – remain forever!

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
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Looking for yesterday’s Journey Study?
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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 Incorruptible Week Two! 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 Incorruptible!

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!

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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!
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