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The GT Weekend! ~ Worship VIII 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) Brianna shared an intensely profound thought on Monday that deserves slow savoring, “The intent of theology, our study of God and His nature, is to expand our heart, enlighten our minds, and grow our love and devotion toward God.” Think of all the reasons someone, maybe even you, might choose to study God. For many, myself included, it can be about appearance or self-proclaimed righteousness. There’s little else as enticing as the idea of making yourself feel good about impressing others, even more so if there’s a chance you could impress God. Others might at first begin pursuing God because others around us are doing the same, and we don’t want to stick out as awkward or shallow. Or maybe, we once loved Him passionately, but somewhere along the way, studying Him became rote, more like a checkbox than an act of adoration. Pray with me, will you Sister? Pray with me for the Spirit to convict our hearts, yours and mine, to bring about true revival so we may lay aside all that hinders our worship and grow deep in our love and devotion towards this God who loves us so magnificently!

2) It’s easy to find our hearts questioning God, isn’t it? Give yourself permission to take a few minutes and explore the corners of your heart without judgment or self-condemnation. Which scenarios in life have brought up your most intense questions or emotions towards God? What motivated your wonderings? What was the undercurrent emotion of your questions? Don’t back away from the emotion stirring in your now as you recall those events. Perhaps, as you look back, you don’t feel you’ve ever really questioned God. Did you ever feel you had the freedom to actually question Him? As Sarah shared on Wednesday about the questions she’s asked the Lord, she reminded us of an unchanging truth, the Lord never changes. He is both the center and the sustainer of all things. His magnitude is unmatchable. There is none like Him. He is not only big enough to handle our questioning, but is also kind, humble, and lowly enough to answer us with tender compassion. If His embrace is strong and sure, what questions will you bring?

3) Raise your hand if you’ve felt overwhelmed in the last 48 hours. Oh, you’re laughing? Last 24? Raising your eyebrows and smirking, I see? Fine, fine, last 10 minutes? There we go, now we all confidently assert we are on the same page of freaking out thinking of all the things. Hold your breath, I’m going to flip the coin. When were you last overwhelmed with the glory of Christ our Savior? A quiet fills the space here between us, doesn’t it? Some of you are smiling, remembering the sweet satisfaction of a holy moment in the not-so-distant past where we encountered the living God that marked you. Some eyes are glazing over as you work to control the outward eyeroll. Others are realizing it has been years since we felt our souls tremble in the presence of the Living God. Wherever you land, let this be a personal invitation to you to go farther than you are. Go deeper. Explore the God who loves intimate connection with you. Explain your doubts, your hurt, your distance, or your love for knowing Him. Lay it out, and ask for Him to make Himself known to you. Listen in, He wants to overwhelm You with the fullness of Himself!

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 Isaiah 42:8 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

I am the Lord. That is My name,
and I will not give My glory to another
or My praise to idols.

Prayer Journal
There is none like You, O Lord remind me today, over and over, if this life-giving refrain. There is none like You. When I look into someone else’s eyes, remind me of Your image stamped upon their hand-crafted soul and my I be in awe, there is none like You. When I connect with someone I love, let me stop to consider how much I love the sound of their voice, and remind me again with fresh wonder, there is none like You! You who gave Yourself in unthinkable sacrifice so I could hear Your voice, be known, and know You. Surely, there is none like You! As I move into next in my day whether it’s errands, or picking up children, or making a meal, or calling a friend, let worship reframe my everyday, common moments. May my heart, my face, my voice, my embrace, my eyes, all reflect the glory of the One who chose to love me and dwell within me. Oh Lord my God, there is none like You!

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

Sketched VIII Day 4 Zacchaeus: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Zacchaeus!

The Questions

1) Why is there such a dichotomy between verses 6 and 7 where there is joy and complaint?

2) What is significant about Zacchaeus’ response in verses 6-8?

3) What does it mean to be a “son of Abraham” (verse 9) and how is this tied to Jesus’ mission statement in verse 10?

Luke 19:1-10

He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 There was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he was not able because of the crowd, since he was a short man. 4 So running ahead, he climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus, since he was about to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down because today it is necessary for me to stay at your house.”

6 So he quickly came down and welcomed him joyfully. 7 All who saw it began to complain, “He’s gone to stay with a sinful man.”

8 But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, I’ll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord. And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I’ll pay back four times as much.”

9 “Today salvation has come to this house,” Jesus told him, “because he too is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”

Original Intent

1) Why is there such a dichotomy between verses 6 and 7 where there is joy and complaint?
Jesus extends the invitation of hope to Zacchaeus, even calling him by name. You can almost hear the rich welcome in Jesus’ hearty greeting as He called aloud to the rich man in the tree. Zacchaeus’ heart was ready to welcome Jesus, not just in his house, but in his heart and life. Joy is the inevitable, always consistent component of welcoming Jesus into one’s heart and life. Peace flows and joy abounds every single time; it’s simply part of the delight of being made new! God does not call us to Him only for us to respond as if we had been coerced; genuine repentance always results in genuine joy because we are being welcomed by the God of the Universe! However, to those hearts who aren’t ready to repent, who are still stuck in themselves and their own prideful arrogance, this “good news” of forgiveness and new life, repels them. Follow Jesus and give away their wealth? No, thanks! Follow Jesus and become an outcast in their family or society? No way! Follow Jesus and live His way instead of my own? Insanity! Paul illustrates this reality by using the imagery of a wonderful fragrance lingering on the clothes of a redeemed, Christ-following heart. (2 Corinthians 2:14-15) To those who are also ready to welcome Jesus, this fragrance is a beautiful, sweet invitation to new life! To those who still want to serve themselves, this fragrance carries the strong reminder of their own soul-death. Paul bluntly states it as “the aroma of death leading to death”. (2 Corinthians 2:16) While Jesus and Zacchaeus rejoiced, the Pharisees around them complained because their hearts still stubbornly clung to their own attempt to rule their own lives.

2) What is significant about Zacchaeus’ response in verses 6-8?
First, it’s important to note that Zacchaeus’ actions are indeed a response, not an initiation. Often, we think we have “found God” as if He were working to hide from us, waiting for us look in the right place. Long before Zacchaeus climbed that sycamore tree, his heart had been stirred to curiosity about Jesus as the Spirit of God wooed his heart to hunger for depth and truth. On our own, we will never seek for God, instead, we will all choose to go our own ways. This is exactly why Jesus came! He knew we would never seek Him out, so He came to choose us, to lovingly sacrifice Himself for us, and to call us to be in relationship with Him. We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished Him (Jesus!) for the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6) He does, however, still give us the choice to accept or reject Him. He calls us to Him, willingly holding out forgiveness and hope, but it’s our decision to either humbly accept with joy, as Zacchaeus did, or to reject Him. (Romans 10:13) Jesus called Zacchaeus by name, and commanded him to hurry, to which Zacchaeus wastes no time scurrying down the tree. His heart was awakening to new life! He further responds to Jesus by declaring full repentance from his past way of life and making choices to live out his new redeemed life in new, radical ways.

3) What does it mean to be a “son of Abraham” (verse 9) and how is this tied to Jesus’ mission statement in verse 10?
God promised Abraham he would become the father of many nations. He would have so many offspring they would be too numerous to count, even more than the sand on the shores or the stars in the sky! (Genesis 22:17) God gave Abraham a son, Isaac, as his son of promise. From Isaac came Jacob, whose name was changed by God to Israel and who fathered 12 sons who became the patriarchs for the 12 tribes of Israel. This is the beginning of the nation Israel, the Jews, God’s chosen people. A “son of Abraham” was common lingo among Jews for a traceable bloodline that extended back to “Father Abraham”. This was strictly for Jews and would never be associated with a Gentile who had zero physical connection to Abraham. While Zacchaeus was a Jew, he was easily the most hated man in the Jericho region for his swindling and collaboration with the Roman government. To call this man a “son of Abraham” was offensive and despicable! In this heart-transformative moment, however, Jesus wasn’t referencing Zacchaeus’ physical heritage. When God promised Abraham he would become the father of many nations, God wasn’t limiting his promise to physical children, He went far beyond flesh and bone to include spiritual offspring. Abraham’s son of promise was more than the first Jewish boy, rather, Isaac became the first offspring through whom would eventually come Jesus Christ. All who trust in Jesus’ saving work on the cross becomes a child of God through their faith. Instead of physical genetic code being passed down generation to generation, God had always intended for His people to understand it was Abraham’s faith that saved him and set him apart. (Romans 4:23-25) When Jesus said Zacchaeus was a “son of Abraham”, He meant Zacchaeus also believed Him with faith just as Abraham had done centuries earlier.

Everyday Application

1) Why is there such a dichotomy between verses 6 and 7 where there is joy and complaint? We look at the scenario in these verses and it may seem happenchance. Jesus was walking through the area, which happened to be in the vicinity of a certain tax official. This official also happened to have already heard of Jesus, and his curiosity about Him happened to be so intensified he climbed a sycamore tree, which also, by the way, happened to be on the route where Jesus was walking. Then, Jesus happened to know Zacchaeus’ name and his exact location. Good luck, right? Because Jesus is fully God, and walked in full unity with God the Father, there was absolutely nothing circumstantial about Jesus meeting Zacchaeus on the road that day. In fact, in His infinite knowledge, God foresaw this divine appointment when He planted the seed that would one day grow into that very sycamore tree! As Jesus walked the road that day, He knew He would meet Zacchaeus. He knew He was about to reach a lost soul and rescue him for all eternity. He knew of the impact Zacchaeus’ renewed life would make for the kingdom, and He was excitedly anticipating “meeting” Zacchaeus. Play out this divine perspective in your own life. Where have you experienced God deeply? Imagine how He eagerly waited for those moments! Embrace this joy, then walk confidently in the calling He has prepared for you! God rescued you on purpose to live for Him with intentionality. It isn’t always easy, in fact, like Zacchaeus, you will be met with sneers, complaints, and mockery for following Jesus, but to others, you will be extending the fragrance of life that was extended to you through Jesus! Following Him is always worth it!

2) What is significant about Zacchaeus’ response in verses 6-8?
Jesus called Zacchaeus to hurry down, which he hastily and joyfully obliged, then he took another step and declared a turning away from his past life. He simultaneously admitted to his sinfulness, while also actively moving in a new, opposite, direction from how he was previously living. He moved from deceptively stealing to generously giving following his heart shift from arrogance to repentance. This pattern is significant because we see it all over Scripture. The disciples immediately left all their material possessions and followed Jesus when He called them. (Matthew 4:19-20) The demon-possessed man begged to follow Jesus after being healed spiritually and physically. (Mark 5:18-20) In the Old Testament, Abraham left his hometown and his family of origin to follow God. (Genesis 12:1-4) This same pattern should show up often in our own lives. Hear God’s call to obedience, joyfully embrace His grace, then waste no time moving into following Him and living it out!

3) What does it mean to be a “son of Abraham” (verse 9) and how is this tied to Jesus’ mission statement in verse 10?
For centuries, Jews had missed the point that it was Abraham’s faith, not his bloodline, the Jews were to emulate. They focused so heavily on pure heritage and traceable ancestors they missed the whole concept of saving faith in God. It was never Abraham’s work, or even the heir he produced, it was always and only about trusting the God of the Universe who brought life and miracles out of dead things. (Genesis 15:6, Romans 4:22) In their late 90’s, Abraham and Sarah were far past the age of child-bearing. Their bodies were “dead to heirs”, (Romans 4:19) but God brought life just as He said He would. What a beautiful illustration of our own souls! Apart from Jesus, we are dead to the “real life” we could have in God! (Ephesians 2:1) We are bound as a slave to sin and completely incapable of pleasing God and earning a right standing with Him. The author of Hebrews says, “without faith it is impossible to please God.” (Hebrews 11:6) This is the key! Only through faith alone, can we find peace with God and abundant life. When we trust Jesus and repent from our sin, trusting Him with our everything, God uses our faith as a “seed” to make us new and call us into life from the dead way we had been living. (Romans 4:23-25)

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

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Sketched VIII Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

He Day 2 Elohim: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Elohim!

The Questions

1) What are the results of having a knowledge of God versus loving God? (verse 1)

2) What is the attitude Paul tells believers to take when it comes to serving the one true God in a society of many gods?

3) What was Paul trying to convey in verse 6?

1 Corinthians 8:1-6

Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “we all have knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2 If anyone thinks he knows anything, he does not yet know it as he ought to know it. 3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by him.

4 About eating food sacrificed to idols, then, we know that “an idol is nothing in the world,” and that “there is no God but one.” 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth—as there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father. All things are from him, and we exist for him. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ. All things are through him, and we exist through him.

Original Intent

1) What are the results of having a knowledge of God versus loving God? (verse 1)
It is believed the phrase, “we all have knowledge”, was coined by the Corinthian believers in response to some of Paul’s teachings. It was also used by believers in dealing with the division caused by attending functions in idol temples and eating meat dedicated to temple idols (BibleRef.com). In asking Paul to decide between the two camps, Paul affirmed that yes an idol is nothing in the world, and there is no other God but one. (1 Corinthians 8:4) Therefore, if an idol is nothing, then the food dedicated to the idol is nothing as well. That appears to be a sound argument at face value. However, keeping in mind the current culture and sharp feelings based around idols and idol worship, the end result would be division and losing a member of Christ’s body. Paul used this as an opportunity to remind the Corinthians that those members of the body who seem weaker in knowledge (or understanding of the freedom we have in Christ) are necessary and important to the Body as a whole. For this reason, there should be no schism in the body, rather, the members should have the same care for one another regardless of viewpoints on issues that don’t really matter.  (1 Corinthians 12:22, 1 Corinthians 12:25) “For knowledge puffs up, but love edifies” (1 Corinthians 8:1) Having knowledge alone without love is not enough to care for one another. If a believer “has the gift of prophecy, faith to move mountains, and gives everything to the poor but has no love, it profits nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:3) True love like Jesus’ love suffers long and is kind, does not seek its own and is not provoked. Love meets the weaker brother where they are and suffers loss for the sake of others. (1 Corinthians 13:4) This is why the one who chooses to love his brother or sister who he can see with his eyes, also loves the one true God he has not visibly seen. (1 Peter 1:8)

2) What is the attitude Paul tells believers to take when it comes to serving the one true God in a society of many gods?
The city of Corinth was a major trading center attracting various people from across the empire. Along with the influx of people, gods from different cultures took root in the city. The temple of Aphrodite sat on top of the city filled with the beckoning call of a thousand prostitutes; while the Isthmus games honored the god Poseidon. The cult of Isis had an emphasis on gaining wisdom, and the cult of Mithras was enthralled with mysteries. As part of the Roman empire, the worship of Caesar as Lord was required by every citizen and subject. In a culture saturated with so many elohim, Paul declares, “Yet for us, there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.” (1 Corinthians 8:6) For Paul, who preached the gospel mainly to the Gentiles, turning to the one true God (Elohim) from idols was a frequent topic among churches. Often, Paul told Gentile believers of Elohim coming in the form of human flesh to reconcile the world back to Himself. By trusting in the one true Elohim, Gentile believers would be rescued from the bondage of serving the many false elohim of the kingdom of darkness. “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” (Colossians 1:13) The Greek word “true” in relation to the one “true” God is “alethinos”, meaning real, ideal, genuine. God Himself fulfills the very meaning of His name. He is the “true” God sharply contrasting all other false gods”. (Strong 228) God has declared, “For the Lord your God, is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God.” (Deuteronomy 10:17) There is no comparison between the Almighty Elohim and the cluster of gods dominating the Greek society. Only the true God is eternal and everlasting; His kingdom resides as a seed inside of every one of His children. Those kingdom seeds would then go on to grow and uproot the culture and gods of the Roman empire.

3) What was Paul trying to convey in verse 6?
The apostle Paul needed to lay a new foundation of thought when it came to the worship of the one true God. Previously, in their ignorance, the Gentile believers worshipped idols made with their own hands of silver, gold, and wood. Whenever disaster struck or provision was needed, supplication was made to various gods at family altars and temples in the midst of the city. False gods were in every layer of society, entertainment, family, and business. Anything the human heart could want, there was a god promising to give it, but the Elohim of Israel was altogether different. The Almighty was not a god who was far off, detached from His worshippers in a temple accessible only through blood and offerings. The kingdom of the Almighty was now with His children, inside their hearts and minds. (Luke 17:21) God was with them in their sufferings and every part of life’s journey. (Philippians 3:10) To pivot to a form of worship that no longer had sacrifices and offerings as a barrier was revolutionary. Now, God could be accessed because He, not us, paid the price for reconciliation. Just like Christ and the Father were one before time began, now every believer is one with Christ in God. Now, no longer are there varying degrees of differentiation between slave or free, Jew or Gentile, but all are one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28) For in Christ we live, move and have our being. Christ Jesus is the vine and the Church are His branches. (John 15:5) This holy vine, born of incorruptible seed, provides all things and is the very life-sustaining force of the Church.

Everyday Application

1) What are the results of having a knowledge of God versus loving God? (verse 1)
One of the most familiar phrases uttered today is “my truth”. The concept is, although my truth may differ from your truth, both truths are equally valid. Under this view, all truths are valid and no correction is necessary because a single standard for “truth” does not exist. What happens in a community of believers that each holds onto their own version of the truth? In Paul’s day, there was division because of personal choices coming under scrutiny by other believers, the same conflict continues today. For example, some Christians practice yoga simply for its physical benefits alone. To them, it’s simply a low impact exercise that’s easy on the joints. For other believers, the postures themselves are prayer poses dedicated to the worship of Hindu deities. At one point, I was faced with this very dilemma of what to do about an exercise I loved. A child asked me if it was ok to do yoga because their parents said it was worshipping Hindu gods. I could have told them “my truth”, that the stretches were nothing and the Hindu gods are nothing. (1 Corinthians 8:4) I weighed my words carefully because I could see that my liberty to exercise how I wanted, would cause harm to the spiritual conscience of a child. (1 Corinthians 8:7) In the eyes of the child, the exercise was a thing offered to an idol. At this point, do I choose knowledge, or do I choose to love? I chose knowledge, and after a while I came to see the conflict I helped create for this child. If this was ok to do, what else is ok to do? I finally decided to walk in love, for I couldn’t let my truth wound the child’s conscience and thereby sin against Christ.

2) What is the attitude Paul tells believers to take when it comes to serving the one true God in a society of many gods?
At the time of this writing, the entire world has been upended because of an unseen virus. Everything society has raised up to be pursued and worshipped has come crashing down. The idols of centuries ago have simply changed form and are still being worshipped in these modern times. Money, sports, education, fame, and social media influence, our culture’s idols, have been taken away as a result of the virus. For some, well actually, for most people, what was once a sure thing and a safe place is now gone, and for many, fear has come in its stead. Yet this one truth holds firm. The same God who covered the children of Israel during the plagues is the same God who will cover His church. The one true God is the all-sufficient one, El Shaddai is His name. The psalmist David said, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty (El Shaddai).” (Psalm 91:1) When all the works of your hands have been removed, trust in Christ for He is a sure foundation, our chief cornerstone! The Word of God says, “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.” (Matthew 7:4-27) Watching everything fall away into sinking sand may be terrifying, but as the sand falls away the solid rock of Christ Jesus appears under your feet to sustain and keep you. God is still in control! In Haggai, God says, “And I will shake all nations and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of Hosts.” (Haggai 2:7) Although you see everything around you shaking, God is able to keep you from falling. Because He lives, you live, do not fear!

3) What was Paul trying to convey in verse 6?
These uncertain times have placed us all in an unexpected place of stillness, and so we return to the beginning for answers. In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. (John 1:1) It is in that space of the beginning we find Christ waiting for us to invite Him into our everyday lives once again. The Holy God who has made all things, reminds us that everything we need is found in Him alone. “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulations, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Despite the tribulations we are walking in right now, be of good cheer, for the Word is near you, in your mouth and your heart. (Romans 10:8) God is near you, and in you, for you are His beloved child if you have surrendered your whole heart to Him. In times of suffering, He promised to be with us all the more, for His grace is sufficient for us. Paul said, “that is why for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then am I strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10) We, as believers, are strong because we are hidden in Christ, the all-sufficient one, El Shaddai.

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

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is He Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

The GT Weekend! ~ Open Week 2

Leave a Comment

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)  How willing are we to up-end our home, our plans, and our comfortable places for the sake of loving others? It’s easy to say, “of course” to that, isn’t it? We want to love well. But when we are holding onto our last thread, when the dishes are high in the sink, and we feel run down, we aren’t very likely to hold open the door are we? And most of the time, the opportunity to ‘open the door’ doesn’t coincide with our times of “being spent”, but suppose the next time we are challenged like this, we say yes instead of later? Jesus’ yes, despite His weariness and just wanting to be home, brought opportunity for souls to be rescued for eternity. What might God do with your “yes”, even in spite of your exhaustion?!

2)  Every person who has said yes to Jesus, yes to breaking free from sin and shame, has been freed to love with a generosity like Christ has shown us. Jesus brings healing, hope, and freedom to our dark, broken places, transforming hurt and loss into a platform to speak of His glorious goodness to others. So, here’s the challenge, who have you shared your story with? Take time this weekend to one, write your story with pen to paper or fingers to keys and two, pray for God to bring you someone who needs to hear your story. Then follow through in obedience, and share what God has done for you!

3)  Unknown, unremarkable, forgotten. Sounds horrible and cringe-worthy doesn’t it? But this is the reality for countless believers through the ages who have surrendered all for Christ and given their everything for the sake of loving others and sharing the gospel. Jesus didn’t promise our name in lights or sprawled across the cover of a book, He promised suffering and persecution for following Him. But He also promised it would be worth it. What specific ways do you shy away from serving others with love because it just doesn’t seem important enough or make a big enough impact? Sisters, that’s not how God counts value! What matters is our obedience to His call to love others well just like Gaius. (Gaius Who?!) Stop everything right now and spend time talking with the Savior about how He wants you to love others specifically this weekend!

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 3 John 1:3-4 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

Prayer Journal
This walking in truth You have called us to stretches me more than I realize. Far from being a checkmark of boxes to accomplish day to day, You call me to sink my feet deeply into Your truth, continually calling me to take in more of You. And then live it out with the same fullness of love You show me. I confess that I often feel ruled by my schedule and list of ‘must-dos’ more than I do a law of love. Spirit, remind me of the truth of Who you are and what You have called me into. Remind me how You are not bound by my endless lists. Remind me that the greatest work You want to accomplish in and through me is open handed, open hearted, generous, genuine love. Keep making me new in this area, Father, and begin changing the world around me, beginning with my own heart!

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

The GT Weekend! ~ Kaleidoscope 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) Only humility born out of true, genuine, unconditional love is able to love the unlovely when they least deserve it. To not think of themselves so special and important that to love another would be beneath them is the kind of love God modeled for us. Loving like this is in our everyday life is ridiculously impossible in our own human ability. Only through the power of the Holy Spirit are we able to love with strong humility like Jesus! Prayerfully consider those people, or even types of people, you feel are beneath you to love. Don’t shy away in disgust to think you could have that kind of entitlement, we all do. Be honest, and let the Lord speak tenderly to your heart, bringing His refreshing love.

2) I have been convicted of rudeness in my life recently. As the Lord opened my eyes to it, I began seeing it everywhere in how I treated others and I saw it rubbing off in how my kids treated others as well. It wasn’t blaring or blatant, but there were consistent instances of rudeness marking our days. Just as the Lord spoke to me about my rude habits, so I began speaking to my children with the same kind and gentle, yet convicting manner, “Is that a loving choice? Were you rude or generous?”. Consider doing something similar this next week and begin observing where you might be “taking the exit of Rude”. Where, or with whom, is the Lord calling you to choose love over rude?

3) “Love is not easily angered.”  If all you did this weekend was dwell on these words from the Lord, it would be a weekend well spent. It’s easy to jump into anger, isn’t it? And we almost always feel justified when we do. The next time you feel the urge to become angry, or annoyed, slow down and consider why you feel your rights have been infringed upon. Ask yourself how you are honoring and loving the other person, and the Lord, by becoming angry. Make an “easily angered” journal, noting what kind of events spark your anger. Pray for the Holy Spirit to give you His power to choose love over anger.

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 Corinthians 13:3 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing

Prayer Journal
Lord God, it’s difficult for me to grasp the magnitude of Your un-ending, un-conditional love for me and all of humanity. I struggle loving the people within the four walls of my home sacrificially! I want to love better than I do. I’m not saying this with a self-pity, “I love horribly” attitude, but as genuinely and authentically as I can muster, “I want to love others better.” Remind me that “good deeds” piled end-to-end will never be anything but dust in the wind if love is not my motivator. Teach me to love like You love me. Teach my hands, my eyes, my tongue, Oh Lord my Tongue! Teach me to love that the world might see You!

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

Justice Day 9 The Unseen: 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 Study?
Check out The Unseen!

Philippians 2:12-18 English Standard Version (ESV)

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

The Questions

1) What does it mean to “work out your own salvation”?

2) Why is it important to do all things without grumbling?

3) What is a drink offering and why is it important?

The Findings for Intention

1)  What does it mean to “work out your own salvation”?
Paul is writing to the church in Philippi, encouraging them to continue moving forward in unity. He reminds them to work together, as one body, to show the fruit of their salvation. To do this, the church members needed to come before the Lord, and each other, with “fear and trembling” or humility.

2)  Why is it important to do all things without grumbling?
This is an important charge for the Philippians because grumbling and disputes would tarnish the unity Paul is exhorting them to display. It was an impossible task; doing EVERYTHING without grumbling or disputing would require the grace of God. Paul was encouraging the members of the church to continue on in humility as they worked in one accord and showed grace to each other when that proved difficult.

3)  What is a drink offering and why is it important?
Under Old Testament law, a drink offering was poured out on the alter as part of the individual’s offering to God. Here, Paul is sharing how much he loves people and is willing to serve and sacrifice so much for them, ready to bless them. He is encouraging the Philippians that their participation in ministry should be joyous and they should move with a servant’s heart, not one of obligation.

The Everyday Application

1) What does it mean to “work out your own salvation”?
Our salvation experiences often feel individual. The Lord has created our lives to be lived out together in community with our brothers and sisters; we need each other regularly. We represent the fruition of the gospel as we live in unity, with a spirit of humility, in the church.

2) Why is it important to do all things without grumbling?
We experience negative situations every day and are presented with a choice every time. Choosing to grumble and argue in those situations will break unity in our relationships, pushing the freedom of the gospel to a back row. Consider your regular interactions that usually put you on the defensive or bring out your attitude of complaint. What can you do to value unity instead? What truths can you cling to in these moments?

3) What is a drink offering and why is it important?
Because Christ fulfilled every aspect of the law for us, we are freed from obeying the majority of Old Testament laws like sacrifices and drink offerings. While we don’t need to physically offer a “drink offering” like the ancient Israelites, we are still called to offer our lives to the Lord by serving others. The idea that being “poured out” means that service should wear us out and drain us, is not a correct takeaway from this passage. Serving others is meant to bring us deep satisfaction! If you aren’t serving the Body of Christ, begin exploring where you reach out and pour yourself out for another, just as Christ poured Himself out for us!

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
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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 Justice 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.
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 Justice!

Freedom Day 2 No Other Gospel: 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 Study?
Check out No Other Gospel!

2 Corinthians 11:1-6 English Standard Version (ESV)

I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me! 2 For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. 5 Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles. 6 Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all things.

The Questions

1) Why was Paul jealous?

2) What is the Serpent’s deception referring to and how does that impact Paul’s audience?

3) Who is the “other Jesus” or “different spirits”?

4) Why is Paul bragging about himself in saying he isn’t inferior?

The Findings for Intention

1) Why was Paul jealous?
Paul says he has “divine jealousy” for the church in Corinth because he has invested heavily into them through visits in person, letters, and much prayer, preaching, and teaching. He loved this church and was spending himself, as he partnered with the Holy Spirit, to present them as a “pure virgin” to Christ. While it is only the Spirit that can make us Christ-like (see Sanctification & Glorification), God has designed the members of the Body of Christ to continuously point one another back to Jesus again and again and again. (Look up these verses!) Paul’s jealousy was flaring up because these that he loved and valued were turning away from the solidity of the full gospel for a lesser, false gospel based on works instead of faith. This broke Paul’s heart, filling him with jealous love!

2) What is the Serpent’s deception referring to and how does that impact Paul’s audience?
The Enemy, Satan, has been lying to the human race since we existed in the Garden of Eden. That original sin, where Eve stepped into disobedience because she listened to Satan’s voice of deception over God’s voice of truth, is what Paul is referring to here. The impact of sin from that moment is significantly deep and widespread; there is no escaping sin. As Jesus says in the book of John, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.” (John 8:44) Our birth father is Satan, who by his very nature is a liar and deceiver. We have no hope of truth by this birth order, which is why we desperately need to be adopted by God!

3) Who is the “other Jesus” or “different spirits”?
Both of these references are abstract concepts rather than indicative of specific people or spirits. Paul is warning the Corinthians to watch and test what they hear and learn, being careful to hold every teaching, every leader, every “fad”, up to the truth of the gospel. The full gospel alone is the only acceptable litmus test for true teaching. All other religious roads do not lead to Heaven. How reassuring it is that we don’t have to wonder if the gospel is true or whether we have an accurate measuring stick to test the thoughts and ideas that swirl around us!

4) Why is Paul bragging about himself in saying he isn’t inferior?
Paul, originally Saul, persecuted the early church, was not one of the 12 disciples who walked with Jesus and was taught by Him. He loathed Jesus and His teachings. When Paul speaks of not being inferior to the “super apostles” (Peter, James, and John and the other disciples) he is saying that, even though he did not walk with Jesus during those 3 years, he is not disqualified as having the authority of Jesus Christ. The same Lord who rescued the 12 disciples from sin and spiritual death, rescued Saul, transforming him to Paul, a fervent preacher for the full gospel.

The Everyday Application

1) Why was Paul jealous?
Paul longed for the Corinthian church to wholly love Jesus with every aspect of themselves, both corporately and individually. There are several applications we can take away from this, but let’s look at just two. One, do you wholly love the Savior Jesus Christ? Where is the proof in your life? Ask the Spirit to show you which areas you love Him most and which areas you are choosing a lesser gospel. Two, who are you spiritually investing in so deeply, and walking so tightly in community with, that at any point, you can look at them and see when they are choosing another gospel? Invest well for the Kingdom! Give yourself away for Christ….enough that you become righteously jealous for them when you see them begin to stray from His solid truth!

2) What is the Serpent’s deception referring to and how does that impact Paul’s audience?
Precious sisters, daughter of the Most High God, our Enemy is real, he is present and dangerous, seeking to destroy our souls forever. He is constantly “prowling” around us like a lion seeking prey. But we, as Christ-followers, have the victory! God and Satan are not opposite powers; Satan’s power is extremely limited while the Lord God holds limitless power. When we are purchased by the precious blood of Christ, Satan no longer has dominion over us. We have literally been transferred from the kingdom of the Enemy into the Kingdom of Light! Satan loves distraction because it turns our eyes and hearts and focus away from the beautiful Savior. Refuse to give him this power, and cling tightly the full gospel!

3) Who is the “other Jesus” or “different spirits”?
Christians are often labeled as being close-minded by claiming that Jesus is the only way to inherit eternal salvation. While it’s true that this is a core doctrine of the Christian faith, it doesn’t mean we are close-minded, rather it point to the intensity of our love for the lost. God claims all-power, all-knowing, and always-present. He laid out the definition of holiness and made it clear through the Ten Commandments what it looked like to fail to be righteous, which included every single human being in just one list of 10. If we had 10 terminally ill cancer patients and 10 vaccines that would cure them, is it “open-minded” or “intensely loving” to only offer the 10 vaccines with a genuine cure? There are a million counterfeits, but only one truth. And this truth is so sweet, so precious, and worth every ounce of our lives!

4) Why is Paul bragging about himself in saying he isn’t inferior?
Whether you’ve shared the gospel 100 times, pray for strangers out loud in Target, have attended Bible studies for decades, or are only just now exploring what this new-found faith in Jesus means, you’ve never prayed out loud, and you’re a bit overwhelmed by the whole idea of reading the Bible….here is good news! If you have given your whole heart to Jesus Christ to rescue you from the consequences of your sin, which is death, then you have His authority and abilities working in you to declare the gospel; the full, glorious, freeing gospel! “Even if I am unskilled in speaking”, says Paul. His weaknesses were not strong enough to stop him from making the gospel plainly known. You have this same Spirit of God inside you, fellow Christian! Go ahead, lean in to the sweet truths of God, declare them boldly over your life, pray for that stranger, carve out that time to read His word, sing His praises in your car, tell your friend what a difference Jesus has made in you. Share your story! Live Boldly; Jesus has come to set you FREE!

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!

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 Freedom 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 Freedom!

Creed Day 5 Perfectly Pure

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 119:41-48
2 Timothy 3:10-17
1 John 1

Mr. Nilius was my high school music director and he also taught Bible my junior year. Aside from my English teacher, whom I was mostly terrified of, but secretly admired his adherence to strict grammar, Mr. Nilius was my favorite. In lieu of my own emotionally abusive and in many ways absent father, I allowed Mr. Nilius access to speak into my life as a father figure (likely unbeknownst to him).
In one particular Bible class, Mr. Nilius challenged us to think critically of our own beliefs. What did we believe, why, and could our “why” really be supported with our answers.

My faith was largely a piggy-back off of what I’d learned at home at this point, and I’d never been allowed the privilege of truly questioning it.
My parents were simply right.
About everything.
Mr. Nilius suggested that for every answer we could give for our “whys”, we respond to ourselves with “well, how do you know that’s true?”

He was leading us to test our beliefs that we might discover on our own, and know and hold onto, exactly what was true and solid for life.
Could our beliefs hold up under the fire of criticism?

As a child I’d often wondered, but never voiced,
“What if all this Bible stuff wasn’t true?
Suppose there really wasn’t a God or a way to Heaven?
Maybe there wasn’t even Heaven at all.”

They were all valid questions, and as I grew older I realized that they deserved to be answered.
I deserved to know the truth.

One friend challenged me to consider that if God wasn’t big enough to handle my questions, my poking, and prodding, then He really wasn’t big enough to save me or be worthy of my trust.

As I began the process of testing my faith, my biggest question surfaced to the top,
“Is the Bible true?”
If I was going to build my life and base my future on one set of beliefs, I had to know if the Bible really was true and solid enough to support life and the eternal destination of my soul.
Fear pricked my heart and made my stomach churn as I considered what might happen if I studied this whole “Bible thing” and discovered it was bogus. What then? But as sick as that possibility made me, I had to know.

The Bible itself claims to be “inerrant”, meaning fully without error.
A pretty significant boast.
The Bible claims to be perfect, true, trustworthy for salvation, for godliness, for everything we need to be wise, and holding supreme value in correction and training in righteousness.

But I had a problem with that.

The grammar was off, in a lot of places. It clearly wasn’t perfect. (hey, I love English)
There were so many translations, and sometimes the different word choices made for different conclusions.
Sometimes the stories didn’t line up. Matthew would tell of a supposed “eyewitness account”, but Mark’s “eyewitness account” had different details.
Who to believe?
More importantly, how could this book be reliable for anything?
Let alone eternal salvation.

The more facts I discovered, the more my skepticism dissipated. Turns out that my questions had solid answers.
Grammar and Syntax – The grammar was off exactly because I was reading it in English, whereas it was originally written in Hebrew and Greek.

Accuracy – Archeologists have proven that the Bible is the most accurate historical document in existence.

Authorship – There is significantly more evidence to support the authentic authorship of the Bible than there exists evidence that Shakespeare wrote his plays, yet no one questions that.

Preservation – The Bible has been translated since the time of the New Testament when the first five books of the Old Testament (originally written in Hebrew), were translated to Greek. Paul himself, through the influence of the Holy Spirit, told Timothy that the Word of God he studied from was perfectly reliable. The document Timothy studied from was itself a translation! God preserves His Word through translations in order to extract His intended meaning that all languages might know Him.

Uniformity – The Bible was written by 40 different authors across a span of 1,500 years, yet there is one, main recurring theme that exists from the opening line to the very last word: the redemption of mankind. Only a single author could produce that kind of continuity, and only One author is timeless…the Lord God.

Reliability  – Eyewitness accounts are given significant weight both in Biblical times and today, even just 2 or 3 eyewitnesses make a huge difference in the reliability of a story’s authenticity. In the case of Christ’s post-resurrection appearances, there were over 400 eyewitnesses who saw and interacted with Jesus Christ after His death and resurrection. And the fact that a few story details don’t match other accounts is actually a voice proving the reliability of the Bible. These minor differences weren’t “edited out” to make “identical” re-tellings of the same story, but were left in because they were recounted from different people with different perspectives. The Bible is about authenticity, even when it comes to varying perspectives on events!

Inspiration – Scripture is God-breathed according to 2 Timothy 3:16, meaning that God alone is the ultimate author. Yes, humans wrote it down as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit, but every letter has the handiwork of the Father crafted into it. It is preserved by His hand, fueled by His Spirit, and because it is authored by the Almighty, its message is wholly reliable.

We hold the Bible, I hold the Bible, to be fully without error (inerrant) in its original language, which is why translations are so important. (Here’s our recommended translation list!)

Precious sister on the other side of this screen, this Word of God is for you!
His story is for you!
His redemption is for you!
He wants you to know Him, to love Him, to see Him for who He is.
And His Word is the means to accomplishing all of that!

Here’s the thing, if the Bible isn’t 100% true, we are wasting our time reading it,
let alone studying it.
But if it is true….
Then it demands our full attention,
our voracious study of it,
and our all-consuming appetite for its message.  

For a little more on the doctrine of Inerrancy, we recommend checking out the girls at Thinking and Theology. Read their post on how the Bible is Better Than Google!

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
Join us for every Journey Study by signing up!
Looking for yesterday’s Journey Study?
Share your thoughts from today’s Study!

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

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Creed 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 Creed!

Remade Day 6
True Repentance

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Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Chronicles 7:11-14
Acts 3:12-26
Psalm 51  

“I’m sorry, Mama!” my little boy’s voice rang out. Nostrils flaring and fists tight, he glared at me in defiance. His demeanor made it clear that he was anything but apologetic. His sister’s cries grew louder as he huffed out his breath and kicked a toy out of his way, then turned and marched into his bedroom. I soothingly patted my daughter’s back, then gave her a storybook to keep her occupied and quietly approached my three-nager’s door. It was open, but I rapped gently on the doorframe anyway.

“Come in, Mama.” he mumbled. I sat beside him on the bed and waited quietly. “Why does she always want to do everything that I do? I wish she would just leave me alone!” he exclaimed.

“I know it seems that way, honey,” I responded. “Elle thinks that everything you do is awesome, and she wants to do the same things you do because she loves you so much. Listen, it is okay to feel frustrated and mad sometimes. God made us and our emotions, so it is okay to feel those things…but it is not okay to yell or push your sister. Or to kick toys. And it is certainly not okay to be mean to anyone.”

His little blonde head dropped. “I know, Mama.” He sighed. “Sometimes I just don’t feel like being very nice.” I ruffled his hair as I smothered a grin with my other hand and glanced away to regain my mom-face; I knew exactly what he meant. “I am sorry, Mama. I will try to be nicer to Elle next time.” He smiled, acknowledging that his world was a sunny place once again.

As much as we’d like to feign innocence, we can all relate to my son’s forced apology. We may have been quite convincing. We may have spoken eloquent words with concerned eyes and gentle tones, but if our hearts were unrepentant then our apologies were nothing more than wasted breath. Likewise, each of us can recall instances when we felt a shift in our souls and genuine contrition for our actions or thoughts. In those moments, the apology came straight from our hearts. There was no need for theatrics because we were genuinely distraught and we truly wanted to change. There is no mistaking true repentance in any age. In fact, King David of the Old Testament shared a transparent glimpse into his own repentance in Psalm 51.

David had fallen in love with a married woman…a woman married to a loyal soldier in his own army. Knowing that what he was doing was adultery, David sent for her and slept with her anyway. A short time later, David discovered that she was pregnant with his child. Desperate to save face and status, David did everything he could to cover his sin. Each of his plans failed. King David eventually staged the death of the woman’s husband, effectively murdering an innocent man to hide his own indiscretion.

When God sent the prophet Nathan to confront David and spark change in his heart, David acknowledged his sin and confessed it to the Lord. Throughout Psalm 51, we see the portrait of David’s repentance. His confession of sin…his heartfelt sorrow…his longing for relief from his guilt…his desperation to be made clean again…his loss of joy…his desire for God’s help to change and his request for restoration. We can find each of these aspects in our own hearts when we are truly repentant.

Just as my son’s attitude and posture made his own heart position obvious to me, we can be certain that we are just as transparent to God. We may be able to fool others (or even ourselves) with false apologies, but God knows our hearts even before we do. He is not so easily fooled, and His discernment is divine. As we usher in this new year, let us each beg God to open our eyes to areas in which our repentance falls flat. We are human and subject to human failure, but the One we serve is capable and desiring to remake us from the inside out!

May we echo David’s prayer: Father, we have sinned against You. Have compassion on us and clean us of our sin. You are our Judge and You are just. Create a clean heart within us. Restore to us the joy of salvation and make us willing to obey You

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Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Remade 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 Remade!