foundation

Advent Day 6 Immoveable Anchor

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 8:13-15
Isaiah 28:14-18
1 Peter 2:1-10
Matthew 12:9-14

Advent, Day 6

For over a decade, I was a raging legalist, complete with judgmental heart and nose turned up in the air. I grieve over the condition of my heart and my harsh view of others during this season, but I praise the Lord for the testimony I now have, by His grace, of just how much He truly can change a person’s heart and life.

Why do I specifically share this as we walk through the season of Advent?
Well, there are two common ways of perceiving Christ:
either as the Cornerstone He truly is,
or as the stumbling stone the enemy wants Him to be.

As we Journey Into Advent, our minds turn to the purpose of Christ’s first coming. We ponder the Old Testament prophecies concerning a coming Messiah, and we meditate on how those prophecies were fulfilled in the God-man, Christ Jesus.

While these Advent musings, perused in front of a roaring fire or twinkling Christmas tree, may feel rather warm and cozy, some of them hit harder and a little closer to home the more we dive into them. Take, for example, Christ’s purpose of being Chief Cornerstone.

We first hear this description in the Old Testament in passages such as Isaiah 28:16,

“Therefore the Lord God said, ‘Look, I have laid a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will be unshakable.’”

Jesus is to be the Chief Cornerstone in our lives,
our firm foundation,
the One we rely on and hope in,
the One in Whom we find our salvation, rest, and peace.

Salvation – and our heart-felt gratitude for it! –  then inspires us to live a life of obedience, in a right relationship with God. At peace with God, we experience His presence as the Cornerstone, a firm foundation to build upon as we journey through this life.

But what if we don’t joyfully rest in salvation and wholeheartedly pursue obedience?
Then, we often fall into one of two other camps.

The first is residence for those who are willfully disobedient. If we are living in willful disobedience, Christ then becomes a stumbling stone in our lives, something we get tripped up on as we experience ongoing guilt over sin.

Isaiah 8:14 explains, “He will be a sanctuary; but for the two houses of Israel, He will be a stone to stumble over and a rock to trip over, and a trap to snare the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”

We see this confirmed in 1 Peter 2:4-8 following the first Advent (coming) of Christ,

“As you come to Him, a living stone–rejected by people but chosen and honored by God–you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture:

See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and honored Cornerstone,
and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.

So honor will come to you who believe, but for the unbelieving,

The stone that the builders rejected–
this one has become the cornerstone,

and

A stone to stumble over,
and a rock to trip over.”

The second group of people who experience Jesus as a stumbling block rather than a cornerstone are the legalists (this is where my experience comes in!). We read throughout the four gospels of the Pharisees who were self-righteous, hypocritical religious leaders constantly stumbling over Christ’s teachings. He didn’t fit their mold; He challenged their legalistic, man-made rules (an example of this can be found in Matthew 12:9-14).

If we are in either camp, it is incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to experience Christ as He is meant to be experienced – as our Chief Cornerstone, our sanctuary, our place of hope, rest, peace, and sanctification.

If we find ourselves experiencing Christ as a stumbling block (or know someone who is!) I urge us to examine our hearts with honesty and humility. Let’s commit to asking Jesus to reveal the heart issue at the root of our stumbling, and to be consistent in praying for ourselves and others. Let’s ask the Lord to work in our hearts if we need to be drawn out of sinful living or legalism. Let’s ask Him to use us in the lives of others who are stumbling still, to share how Jesus is our Cornerstone and desires to be theirs as well.

Beauty can be found here, for Christ does not need to remain a stumbling block in our lives or anyone else’s! He longs to be our Cornerstone, our Rock of Defense, and our Immoveable Anchor. As we continue to Journey Into Advent, let’s invite Him to be our Chief Cornerstone!

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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 Advent 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 Advent!

The GT Weekend! ~ Ready 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) It’s well-known in my house that I win the award for most eclectic music choice. Gregorian chants and undiscovered Indie Christian musicians don’t make my teenager’s Spotify playlist. While I don’t love all their song selections either, my kids’ favorite lyrics have provided an excellent springboard for spiritual discussions. One of my favorite lyrics to chat about with my teens-turning-into-adults are from Maren Morris’ song, “The Bones”, “When the bones are good, the rest don’t matter, Yeah, the paint could peel, the glass could shatter, Let it break ’cause you and I remain the same.” As the words reverberate in my mini-van, I ask my kids what they think will build a strong foundation for life. What “bones” are sturdy enough to support someone in this life and the next? This was Paul’s motivation in sending Timothy to strengthen the church in Thessalonica. If the church believed sound doctrinal truths about God, themselves, and their future, then they would authentically live Ready for now and eternity. Sometimes, the best way to know what we really believe, is to look at how we live. What do your actions, thoughts, and priorities reveal about your true beliefs about God and your purpose on earth?

2) The point of studying Scripture is to know God and understand ourselves in light of who He is and His purposes for us. It’s one thing to read the Bible, but another to study it, pray it, and allow the Spirit of God to transform us through His own words! As humans, intent on being self-made people, our tendency is to take ownership of our own faith journeys. We want to manufacture our own goodness, faith, and ability to love others as God loves us, but this idea stands in direct opposition of the gospel we claim. Only Christ can rescue us from sin. Only Christ can shape our hearts and lives to mirror His own; our mission is surrender and worship. Make space now to pull out your Bible and sit in worshipful surrender to the Lord. He is present and ready to speak to your heart. Listen. When you’re ready, take Briana’s challenge from Wednesday and read 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 several times, praying as you read for the Lord to open your eyes to seeing and knowing Him. Make note of each instance where you see the word “in”. Then spend time praying over these, reading them again, and asking the Lord what truths He wants you to walk in today.

3) Think about the things in your life that are stable, bringing a source of security and comfort. Go ahead and list them out on paper and think about how each one brings you comfort in a unique way. Spend time praising God in specific ways for these sources of stability. Paul wrote his letter to the churches of Thessalonica during a time when their world was spinning with unknowns. There were very few certainties, much fear, and the constant threat of persecution, but Paul urged the believers to drop anchor into what they knew to be absolutely true. Because Paul had deeply invested in knowing God, he could confidently face the tumult around him. To this end, he encouraged his fellow believers to also trust the truths they knew about the Almighty. Unlike our constantly changing circumstances, God and His truths never shift. He has always, and will always, be steadfastly the same. Read 1 Thessalonians 1 and 2 several times this weekend and keep a log on your phone of truths you recognize in just these two chapters. When you feel discouraged, frustrated, or fearful, open this list and be reminded of the God who never changes!

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 1 Thessalonians 1:6-8 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

You yourselves became imitators of us and of the Lord when, in spite of severe persecution, you welcomed the message with joy from the Holy Spirit. As a result, you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. For the word of the Lord rang out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place that your faith in God has gone out.

Prayer Journal
Lord Jesus, sometimes I read of the first century church and I’m completely blown away with amazement at the wonderful things You did through them. I read of incredible boldness and Spirit-led acts of courage as believers set aside everything to follow You whether it was relationships, material possessions, or even their very lives. I admit I tend to amplify them in my mind, forgetting they were also real people like me and like other believers around me. Keep me from falling into the belief trap that You don’t work in the same way now as You did then, keep stirring inside my heart to go deeper in faith with You. Open my eyes and ready my heart to speak with boldness of the ways You’ve worked in my life! Help me to trust that You know exactly who, and how, You want my life to impact another’s with Your hope and love. I pray that was true for the church in Thessalonica will be true of me, “the word of the Lord rang out from you, (…) in every place that your faith in God has gone out.”

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

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Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

The GT Weekend! ~ Sola 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) When we look throughout history, names and faces and stories bubble to the surface. Some we call heroes for their radical actions and some have become blacklisted for their treachery, but rarely do we ever consider our own names could have a place in history. For my family’s history, my maternal grandfather was the first one in several generations to put his trust in Jesus. His faith heavily influenced my grandmother, and dramatically changed how they raised their children, which, of course significantly impacted me. One man’s choice overflowed onto many new generations to come. Our names may never rise to the top of history like Martin Luther or John Wycliffe, but our decisions carry eternal weight. If you were sitting at the end of your life, what would you want the “past” to look like? What changes can you start making now to influence then? Your life matters!

2) When we look at the lives of heroes in the faith, whether it’s Martin Luther, George Whitfield, Billy Graham, or Paul the apostle, we easily forget these were normal, regular, everyday saints who loved Jesus. When we see our ordinary lives, the mess, the mayhem, the way we lose our patience, the strain in relationships, and we feel as if we know nothing spectacular can come from us. Remember, sweet friend, the Lord delights in using the ordinary and outcast! When we surrender our ordinary to the flame of passionate love for Jesus, He takes our small “nothing” and transforms it into the stuff eternity is made of. What will you give over to Him today? Dishes? Laundry? Caring for your family? Making meals? Calling a friend? Name it out loud, pray over it, and intentionally choose surrender, then watch the Lord work as only He can!

3) What’s the secret key to living these radical lives that carry eternal weight and influence people for eternity? Two factors in Luther’s life are also essential for us today. First, he had fully surrendered ownership of his life to Christ, realizing only Jesus was the way to have life both now and forever. Second, Luther had an insatiable thirst for Scripture. The more he studied, the hungrier for truth he became. This is exactly God’s design! The more we know of Him, the deeper He calls us into experiencing relationship with Him. What will you do to increase your thirst for truth? What plans can you set in place for daily connecting with God through Scripture?

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 2 Timothy 3:16-17 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Prayer Journal
Lord God, I admit that I get tossed around in my thinking when it comes to lining up what I say I believe, with what I actually believe. It’s easy to say You are good all the time, but when difficulty hits, do I still live like I fully believe You are good? Lord, how deeply I need the anchor of truth in my everyday life so I will not be swayed by other’s powerfully stated opinions, or even by own feelings. Teach me Your Word, Lord. Tune my ear to listen to Your voice. Teach my hands and lips and life choices to reflect the truth You’ve made clear through Your Word. As I learn more, Lord, make me more bold to speak truth and live it out in everyday life!

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Focus Day 5 Steady Foundation

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 28:16-17
Matthew 7:24-27
James 2:14-26
Proverbs 3

Focus, Day 5

I’ll never forget the day we realized our home’s foundation was compromised.
We’d only lived there six months, but we had big plans for our first home. With the current living space only having two bedrooms, my husband made remodeling plans to finish the basement, effectively doubling the size of our home.

Excitement was in the air until the day he walked upstairs, level in hand, and delivered the news: the cinder block walls were bowed in.
It wasn’t noticeable at first…
But a level doesn’t lie.
In the initial building process, wise steps hadn’t been taken to ensure a secure foundation. There was no way to move forward with our construction when we couldn’t trust the foundation. It would take four years of research, planning, praying, and consulting to find an affordable way to secure our home’s foundation.

A Sure Foundation
Praise God He is nothing like mankind! Proverbs 3:19 tells us, “The Lord founded the earth by wisdom, and established the heavens by understanding.” God, by nature, is all-wise, all-knowing and has no need to be taught, but is Himself the teacher. The source of wisdom and understanding is God.

Job 28:26 says, “the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, to turn away from evil is understanding”.  Likewise, Proverbs 1:7 teaches, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: fools despise wisdom and discipline.”

Most would agree that wisdom is a good thing to be acquired and evil should be avoided.  But who says which is which?
And what does fearing the Lord have to do with this?

Who is Wise?
Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:24-27, “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash.”

Did you catch that? Jesus teaches it is a wise person who “acts on” His words. Obedience lays an unshakeable foundation bringing protection, care, and endurance.  Conversely, a foolish person will not act upon or obey the words of Christ; this decision is like building his home on shifting sand, completely vulnerable to destruction and will eventually washed away by storms.

Obedience matters.
It matters as much as a strong foundation matters for your home.  It matters so much that Jesus equates wisdom with obedience and foolishness with disobedience.  His Word defines what is straight and what is crooked (Isaiah 28:17).

This doesn’t mean we obey to receive a gold star, a badge, or a self-righteous rock.
OUR righteous deeds are actually like polluted garments (Isaiah 64:6).
Obedience does mean wisdom is only found in listening to, following and obeying the words of Jesus.  The way of Jesus is the rock. The Psalmist knew this well, “For God alone, Oh my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.” (Psalm 62:5-7)

Our Foundation Shows
James 2:14-26 gives us another angle on what it looks like in real life when our foundation is Jesus Christ.
Verse 14 says, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can such faith save him?”
Verse 17 continues, “faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself.”
Additionally, verse 18 continues, “You see that faith was active together with his [Abraham’s] works, and by works, faith was made complete”.

Is James saying we must work for our salvation?
Is he contradicting Paul’s words in Ephesians 2:8-9?  By no means! The order of things matters and we must use Scripture to interpret Scripture, (a plug for proper hermeneutics!).  In Paul’s writings he helps us understand the only perfect, wise, secure foundation is God Himself, His Word, and His way through Jesus Christ.
This means the moment of justification for a person is an absolute free gift from God.

James then helps us understand how, if that free gift has been planted within our hearts by God (Colossians 2:13), it will show itself as our foundation with lives resting squarely upon Jesus.  What will that look like?  Our actions will be in line with the rock of the words of Christ, and not on the shifting sand of our own desires, sin and unbelief.

To be clear, our lives here on earth will never perfectly reflect the glory of Jesus Christ. We will still sin, fail, and stumble. This is not a perfection game, but a remembering discipline (Proverbs 3:1-4).  When I forget my foundation, I start building a side-hustle castle on the sand of my own desires, which God graciously allows to be swept away reminding me of who I really am in Him.

For our daily remembering, it’s important to ask questions like:
To whom and what am I listening?
With what am I filling my mind?

The answer to those questions will answer these:
How will I prioritize my life?
How will I make decisions?
How will I love today?

When the words of Christ as our foundation, we will walk in wisdom and understanding and we will be hungry to take in His wisdom.  We will choose to obey Him, trusting He is, and always will be, our sturdy rock in an ever-tumultuous sea.

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
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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 Focus 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 Focus!

Shepherd Day 4 Green Pastures: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days...are a pretty big deal at GT!

We search God's Word together, ask questions as we read, dig around to find the original intentions at the time of writing, and then make some applications to our everyday lives.
Along the way, we hope you'll pick up some new tools to study Scripture and you'll see truth in a new and accessible way!
Dig In!

The Passage

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Journey Study?
Check out Green Pastures!

John 6:27-35 Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

27 Don’t work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set his seal of approval on him.”

28 “What can we do to perform the works of God?” they asked.

29 Jesus replied, “This is the work of God—that you believe in the one he has sent.”

30 “What sign, then, are you going to do so we may see and believe you?” they asked. “What are you going to perform? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, just as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”

32 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, Moses didn’t give you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

34 Then they said, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

35 “I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty again.

The Questions

1) What is the “true bread from heaven?” Is it the same as the “bread of God” and “bread of life?”

2) What are the people wanting in verses 30-31?

3) How does verse 29 correspond with Ephesians 2:8-9?

The Findings for Intention

1) What is the “true bread from heaven?” Is it the same as the “bread of God” and “bread of life?”
All three of these phrases point directly to Jesus as the source of life for all mankind. As opposed to physical bread which momentarily sustains our physical hunger, Jesus promises to sustain us for eternity. But we must believe in Him. “These metaphors affirm the fact of eternal security for those who believe in Him. At the very moment of faith, eternal life becomes the secure and irrevocable possession of the believer.” (from The Grace New Testament Commentary, copyright 2010, page 395.)

2) What are the people wanting in verses 30-31?
Firstly, the people wanted to see another miraculous sign from Jesus to prove His authority. “At this point, the people were simply considering whether or not Jesus’ words were true.” (Moody Gospel Commentary: John, copyright 1992, by J. Carl Laney, page 127)
Secondly, they want to be fed. So, the sign they want is for Jesus to provide bread for them again! “They reason that if Jesus is the Messiah, He ought to be able to provide an ongoing supply of free bread just as Moses did for forty years with the manna.” (from The Grace New Testament Commentary, copyright 2010, page 395.) In the book of Exodus, while the nation of Israel was wandering in the desert on their journey to the Promised Land, they complained that they had no food to eat. So, God provided “manna” for them each morning, just enough for that day (a double portion on the day before Sabbath so they wouldn’t have to work on Sabbath). The Jews of Jesus’ day aren’t so much dependent on Him for their provision (as the Israelite nation was), they are simply testing His authority.

3) How does verse 29 correspond with Ephesians 2:8-9?
Believing in Jesus is a work in the sense that it is an act. But it is a passive work…Believing in Jesus is not a work in the Pauline sense (Ephesians 2:9), for Paul has in mind active works (plural) of obedience to God’s commands. (from The Grace New Testament Commentary, copyright 2010, page 395.)
There is something within the fallen nature of human beings that makes working for eternal life more attractive than receiving it as a gift. (Thomas Constable’s commentary, found at studylight.org) This group of people were thinking only in a physical, earthly sense. They thought they had to do something. “Work for the food that perishes” requires physical labor to plow the ground, plant the seed, and harvest…and it must be done repeatedly and consistently throughout our earthly lives. But the work of God – to believe – is a decision, not a physical act, and it must only be done once to receive the sustaining life that Jesus gives.

The Everyday Application

1) What is the “true bread from heaven?” Is it the same as the “bread of God” and “bread of life?”
Food is necessary for life. We all need regular, daily intake of food in order to survive. Likewise, we must have Christ, or we will die in our own sins. He is the Savior that meets the needs of every person, no matter their class, race, or gender. Our bodies function best with consistent, regular, every morning, every evening meals. And we function best with Christ in our lives every day. We need His blood, His righteousness, His intercession, and His grace. Praise Jesus for being our spiritual provision to keep us alive and thriving! Ladies, let’s keep this metaphor in our minds today and every day…we need food, but we need Jesus – the “bread of life” – even more!

2) What are the people wanting in verses 30-31?
I don’t know about you ladies, but sometimes I am just plain TIRED. I don’t want to have to work for the necessary provisions that sustain this earthly life. You know, a home, food, clothing. I just want a handout sometimes! I’ve worked hard and I deserve a freebie every now and then! Maybe this was part of the motivation behind the peoples’ demand for the sign of food. Maybe they figured that, since they were descendants of Abraham and God’s chosen people, they should be given special treatment. I’m pretty sure that’s how I would have felt! But we know for sure that they were testing Jesus’ authority. Heart check: do you (or I) ever test Him in our own ways? OUCH! “I’ll do this if you do…” Yep, turns out we’re not so different from those first-century Jews after all, huh?

3) How does verse 29 correspond with Ephesians 2:8-9?
Jesus tells us to “work… for the food that lasts for eternal life.” He would have us take pains to find food and satisfaction for our souls. That food is provided in rich abundance in Him, but it must be sought after diligently!
In our culture, the reading of our Bibles and wrestling in prayer, the worshiping of God with our whole heart and the daily fighting against sin are most commonly referred to as developing our relationship with Jesus. As we saw, the work of God is belief in Jesus – at that point we have eternal life. We do not get “more eternal life” by reading our Bibles or spending time in prayer. But we do get a greater intimacy with Jesus…we know Him better the more time we spend with Him. David knew God well and trusted Him for “Green Pastures.” We can also trust in His providence when we daily access the Bread of Life and allow Him to shepherd us to our own Green Pastures.
Do you, like me, find it difficult to make time for distraction-free, concentrated time with God? I can’t tell you there is any secret to doing it…just do it! Some people read the Bible cover-to-cover, some read the Psalms and Proverbs each day. Studying with us at Gracefully Truthful is a simple option to keep God’s Word daily stirring in your heart. (If you haven’t signed up, you can here!) There are a multitude of tools to use, but the decision to do it comes from you, dear sister! I pray for you – and for myself – that we will commit to growth in Christ through regular, consistent time spent with Him.

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I Can Do That!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read through it (always more than a verse or two).
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!

The Community!

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

The Tools!

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources.  Just type in the verse you’re looking at and Boom! It’s right in front of you in English and Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament), which are the original languages the Bible was written in.

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. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want to get more background on a word or phrasing or passage? 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 :-))

The Why!

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.

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

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
See all past studies in Shepherd!

The GT Weekend – Creed Week 3

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The GT Weekend

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

Journal With Us!

Journal Prompts

  1. Baptism is a beautiful symbol of our earthly bodies being put to death and resurrected through the power of Jesus. Walking forward, what impact does the power of the resurrection have in your life? How does it bring to light the power we have available to us through Jesus on this side of heaven?
  2. What part of Communion brings questions to mind? Think about your experiences with a Communion service. What emotion is evoked?
  3. There is often division and divisiveness based on denominational names and delineations. In thinking of The Church in a much broader sense, how does that shift your perception? How does it encourage you in knowing your part in The Body?

Worship In Song

Music Video: Hillsong United’s “The Creed”

Pour Out Your Heart

God the Father, You thought of everything! You gave us so many symbols of who you are and what your love for us looks like. Thank you for your provision and foresight. In baptism, Jesus, we see how close to You we can walk. Communion, Holy Spirit, gives us a new layer of interaction with you. God, The Church, your Bride, is all of us working in harmony for your glory. How amazing that you could plan such a perfect and beautiful illustration!

Lord, when questions creep up about being dunked vs. sprinkled, or drinking wine vs. grape juice, remind me to look to You for my answers. Bring to mind truth from Your Word about being at peace with everyone and being quick to listen. Give me a spirit of humility and obedience to follow my local Church in practice. Show me how to honor you with my choices!

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The GT Weekend – Passionate Week 1

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The GT Weekend – Passionate Week 1

Rebecca Adams

April 1, 2017

Accepted,Beauty,Clothed,Design,Faith,Fear,Forgiven,Fullness,Grace,Hope,Jesus,Life,Love,Peace,Praise,Prayer,Significance,Trust,Truth,Worship

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

This Week's Journeys

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Friday's DD

Pray His Words Back To Him!

John 13:31-33

When he had left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Many is glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 33 Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so now I tell you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’
Read More Of His Words

Prayer Journal Entry

Father, I know that Your love for me is beyond comprehension, but sometimes that knowledge is all I have. Sometimes I struggle with viewing my life situations and myself through the lens of your sacrificial love and complete forgiveness. When I don’t focus on how much You’ve given me at the cross and in my everyday life, I start seeing other people differently, negatively and with judgment.

Train my eyes to refocus on You and Your unfathomable love. Sink my feet deep into your grace and help me to love others the way You have loved me, continue to love, and will love me for all eternity. Your beautiful love is beyond compare; remind me that nothing is worth lowering my eyes from You!

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE

Scripture records Jesus’ overwhelming heart of love so beautifully in the happenings in the Upper Room.

Make time this weekend to read John chapters 13-17 for yourself. Write down your questions, look for the Savior’s love, and search out the characteristics of God made available to you!

JOURNAL TWO

Real transformative life change doesn’t happen with mere head knowledge or transactional habit choices, it flows from the heart. Forgiving others and loving others the way Christ forgives and loves us can’t happen on its own; we need Jesus’s own transformative love to make us different!

Are you extending forgiveness because you see how much you’ve been forgiven of?

JOURNAL THREE

In what ways are you holding onto fear and your hurt instead of stepping into all that God has for you in Christ?

Pride can tie us down from experiencing the fullness of God. Pray and ask the Spirit to open your arms to more of Him!
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Passionate Day 2
Last Words: Digging Deeper

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Passionate Day 2
Last Words: Digging Deeper

Rebecca Adams

March 28, 2017

Character,Faith,God,Gospel,Hope,Jesus,Power,Praise,Prophecy,Truth

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

This DD Connects With "Last Words"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 41

Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him; 2 the Lord protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land; you do not give him up to the will of his enemies. 3 The Lord sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health.

4 As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against you!” 5 My enemies say of me in malice, “When will he die, and his name perish?” 6 And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words, while his heart gathers iniquity; when he goes out, he tells it abroad. 7 All who hate me whisper together about me; they imagine the worst for me.

8 They say, “A deadly thing is poured out[e] on him; he will not rise again from where he lies.” 9 Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me. 10 But you, O Lord, be gracious to me, and raise me up, that I may repay them!

11 By this I know that you delight in me: my enemy will not shout in triumph over me. 12 But you have upheld me because of my integrity, and set me in your presence forever.

13 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Who wrote this psalm and why is that significant?

This psalm is attributed to King David and is significant because David was used by God as a “type” of Christ. This means that God used David’s life to foreshadow Christ’s coming in many ways as well as to use David as an example of what Christ would be like.

Because of this, we look carefully at Davidic psalms to see how they point forward towards Jesus’s time on earth and even beyond to His return!

The Everyday Application

1) Who wrote this psalm and why is that significant?

Though the Bible was written over a span of 1,500 years and composed by 40 different authors in different time periods, it is still amazingly singular in theme and purpose and is incredibly accurate. Approximately 2,500 prophecies appear in the Bible, of which about 2,000 have been fulfilled 100% accurately, while the remaining 500 are considered still to be futuristic from current day.

When we consider these astounding facts, it’s no wonder that God would be able to use David to showcase His future glory!

The Original Intent

2) What is the overarching theme of this psalm?

Nearly every psalm showcases the character of God from different perspectives and this one does exactly that by illuminating God’s eternal, all-powerful victory.

The Lord is shown to be victorious and hold all power over trouble, sickness, death, enemies, and even sin itself.

The Everyday Application

2) What is the overarching theme of this psalm?

In just 13 verses we see God’s living character in a way that we are desperate for in our regular, everyday lives.

How do these truths impact your day, your relationships, responsibilities, and weaknesses?

Our God is not one who is far away, watching us struggle from a distance! His power is here and available to us as we cast ourselves upon Him!

The Original Intent

3) In what ways does this psalm foreshadow Christ?

Prophetic Scripture refers directly to a future event. Foreshadowing, on the other hand, is where a current event “mirrors” or “points forward” to an event that has similar wording and meaning in the future, and usually will have a much fuller significance in the future as well.

In the case of this psalm, the poor were originally exactly that, the financially poor. David saw God did not disregard them, even though society had made them obscure.

In the New Testament, we see the “poor” as being those who are stuck in their sin with no hope of ransom without Jesus Christ. “The Lord protects them and keeps them alive” is a reference to salvation, as He rescues us from “the will of enemies (Satan)”. (see also verses 11-12)

The Everyday Application

3) In what ways does this psalm foreshadow Christ?

If you haven’t been a Bible student for long, you can still easily study and learn to recognize prophecies from the Old Testament without much difficulty. Remember that any time you study God’s Word a little deeper, you will be rewarded!

To look for prophecies, you can first look at the various cross-references that are referred to in a passage to see where else they point in Scripture. Another excellent resource is studylight.org where you can enter your verse, click “study tools”, and then read a few commentaries. (we recommend John Gill’s Exposition and Matthew Henry’s Complete)

The Original Intent

4) Are there any prophecies in this psalm?

Yes! Verses 8-10 are ripe with prophecies! “A deadly thing is poured out on him, he will not rise again from where he lies” is what the Enemy says over Jesus. The deadly thing being our sin poured out on Jesus at the cross. Satan’s lie is that Jesus wouldn’t be able to “rise again.”

Verse 9 refers to Jesus at the Last Supper where he shares bread with Judas who would betray him to the Romans. 

Verses 10-13 ring with triumph as Jesus entrusts Himself to the Father to raise Him up and claim eternal victory over sin and death!

The Everyday Application

4) Are there any prophecies in this psalm?

The Old Testament is so incredibly rich with deep treasures to seek out as they shine beautifully onto New Testament truths. Often our understanding of things we thought we fully understood about the Bible or Jesus take new depth as we learn new insights about the character of God!

Take time to dig a little deeper next time you pick up your Bible. Remember that it isn’t an old, dusty book, its truths are living and active and ready to be applied to your everyday life!

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Passionate Day 1
Journey Study

Last words are a big deal. Tragedy strikes and lives are cut short, some before we expected them. Some had been slowly watching their last moments pass, knowing the end was approaching. We scroll through final words on Facebook, last Instagram posts, or a person’s last tweet to give us insight into who they were and what they valued.
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Worship Day 9
It Is Well With My Soul: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days...are a pretty big deal at GT!

We search God's Word together, ask questions as we read, dig around to find the original intentions at the time of writing, and then make some applications to our everyday lives.
Along the way, we hope you'll pick up some new tools to study Scripture and you'll see truth in a new and accessible way!
Dig In!

The Passage

Looking for yesterday’s Journey Post? Check out It Is Well With My Soul!

Isaiah 40:27-31 English Standard Version (ESV)

27 Why do you say, O Jacob,
and speak, O Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord,
and my right is disregarded by my God”?
28 Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
30 Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.

The Questions

1) What does the statement made about God in verse 27 reveal about Israel’s beliefs?

2) What attributes of God are highlighted in this passage?

3) How does God use those attributes to build up His people?

4) What is the overall point of this passage?

The Findings for Intention

1) What does the statement made about God in verse 27 reveal about Israel’s beliefs?
“Jacob” and “Israel” refer to the nation of Israel, the recipient of Isaiah’s prophecy. This statement reveals that, as a nation, they felt overlooked by God—as if He couldn’t see their plight. They also felt as if God was denying them the justice that was due to them. In short, they were distressed, and they had lost hope.

2) What attributes of God are highlighted in this passage?
In verse 28, we see that God is everlasting (He will never die), creator (maker of all things, and therefore in control of all things), unable to become tired or weary (therefore He is powerful, and always at full-strength), and great in understanding (He knows the plight of His people and He knows the right time to intervene)
.
3) How does God use those attributes to build up His people?
God shares His power with those who are struggling. He will never run out of strength, so He is able to strengthen anyone who calls on Him when their hope grows weak.

4) What is the overall point of this passage?
God spoke through Isaiah to give hope back to His struggling people. He is reminding them who He is, and He is telling them that they are not forgotten. He will strengthen them as they wait for Him to intervene in their situation.

The Everyday Application

 

1) What does the statement made about God in verse 27 reveal about Israel’s beliefs?
How easily we forget God when we are struggling! Israel had turned their eyes away from God and His promises and focused on their problems, losing hope. When you are struggling or suffering, do you neglect the God who strengthens you? Or do you fix your eyes on Him, your source of hope?

2) What attributes of God are highlighted in this passage?
Meditating on the attributes of God increases our view of Him, which increases our faith in Him. Spend some time this week exploring other passages that talk about God’s power, His understanding, His eternal nature, and others.

3) How does God use those attributes to build up His people?
Praise God for His everlasting strength! Praise You, God, that You never grow tired, even as we struggle. And praise You for sharing your power and strength with us as we seek to serve you in difficult times.

4) What is the overall point of this passage?
It is easy for us to lean on our own understanding and wonder what God is doing in our difficult circumstances. But “His understanding is unsearchable,” and He is always at work to refine us and to bring Himself glory. Wait for the LORD, sisters, and be strengthened by His almighty power.

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I Can Do That!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read through it (always more than a verse or two).
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!

The Community!

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

The Tools!

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources.  Just type in the verse you’re looking at and Boom! It’s right in front of you in English and Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament), which are the original languages the Bible was written in.

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. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want to get more background on a word or phrasing or passage? 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 :-))

The Why!

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.

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.
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See all past studies in Worship!