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Surrender Day 7 Spilling Our Treasure: Digging Deeper

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Surrender Day 7 Spilling Our Treasure: Digging Deeper

Rachel Jones

January 31, 2023

Adoring,Forgiven,Gift,Worship

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 "Spilling Our Treasure"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Luke 7:36-50

36 Then one of the Pharisees invited him to eat with him. He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 And a woman in the town who was a sinner found out that Jesus was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house. She brought an alabaster jar of perfume 38 and stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to wash his feet with her tears. She wiped his feet with her hair, kissing them and anointing them with the perfume.
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “This man, if he were a prophet, would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—she’s a sinner!”

40 Jesus replied to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

He said, “Say it, teacher.”

41 “A creditor had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Since they could not pay it back, he graciously forgave them both. So, which of them will love him more?”

43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one he forgave more.”

“You have judged correctly,” he told him. 44 Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she, with her tears, has washed my feet and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but she hasn’t stopped kissing my feet since I came in. 46 You didn’t anoint my head with olive oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfume. 47 Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; that’s why she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 Those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Why would the woman give so extravagantly to Jesus? (verses 37-38)

Luke 7:37-38 describes a woman, probably a prostitute, according to Bible student Charles Ellicott, who approached Jesus to wash His feet with her tears, dry them with her hair, and anoint them with perfume. The foot washing itself was an act of service and honor, and the perfume was an extravagance that proved her love and devotion to Jesus.

Rod Mattoon explains, “Alabaster jars of perfume were so valuable in the first century they were often purchased as investments. This box may have been extremely expensive, as costly as one year’s wages.” Though the woman sought out Jesus when she heard he was at Simon’s house, we are unsure exactly how she knew about Jesus. Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer points out, “The woman through the influence of Jesus (it is unknown how; perhaps only by hearing His preaching and by observation of His entire ministry) had attained to repentance and faith, and thereby to moral renewal”.

This woman left a life of sin behind her when she came to Jesus, and she wanted to thank Him for the freedom that came with His forgiveness. (John 8:36) Her freedom from sin and oppression was worth more to her than the cost of the perfume in the alabaster box. (Romans 6:22) Humbling herself by washing and kissing Jesus’ feet was a way to show Him how much she loved her Savior. (1 Corinthians 13:4-5)

Liz Curtis Higgs suggests “We’ve called her silent adulation worship. What she really poured all over his feet was love. Her tears, her hair, her kisses, her perfume. Love, love, love, love.” This nameless woman’s unspeakable joy of salvation poured forth in lavish gifts of worship to the One who loved her so much that He would pay for her sins. (Titus 2:14)

The Everyday Application

1) Why would the woman give so extravagantly to Jesus? (verses 37-38)

Have you seen those stories of celebrities visiting sick or underprivileged kids, or kids who have accomplished some great feat or act of service? These kids receive extravagant gifts, visits to concerts or sporting events, and videos and selfies to memorialize the moment. These sweet accounts give me all the feels! But I rarely see stories about celebrities lavishing swag on “bad” kids; the bullies, the addicts, the misfits and losers. But this is exactly what Jesus does in Luke 7:37-38.

He treats one of the “bad girls” of the Bible with love and honor, forgiving her sins and accepting her worship, even though it was offensive to their Pharisee host, Simon. The woman couldn’t keep herself from worshipping Jesus, because He had freed her from her sins and she had to express her joy!

The religious leaders still regarded Jesus with caution, doubting His claims, and treated Him with more suspicion than respect. This woman of ill-repute honored Jesus in ways his host failed, by washing His feet. She used this humble deed as an act of worship (Romans 12:1) by pouring out tears and wiping them with her hair, though unbound hair in public was not acceptable per religious laws (F.F. Bruce). Nor could she hold back from pouring out expensive perfume on his feet, indicating her Lord was worthy of all her worship.

Lawrence Richards writes, “That was an act of love; an expression of gratitude. Her ‘many sins’ had been purged, and her tears were tears of joy.” Let’s follow this woman’s example of extravagant worship to the One who has given us everything and is worthy of everything we have. (Revelation 5:12)

The Original Intent

2) Why did Jesus point out the difference between how the woman treated Him and how the Pharisee treated Him? (verses 44-46)

In verses 44-46, Jesus pointed out how differently Simon the Pharisee treated Him than a prostitute who heard Jesus was at Simon’s house and came to see Him. Jesus asked Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she, with her tears, has washed my feet and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but she hasn’t stopped kissing my feet since I came in. You didn’t anoint my head with olive oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfume.” (verses 44-46)

Matthew Williams explains there were certain rules about visiting someone’s home in Bible times. “In Jesus’ day, three rituals were common: a kiss of greeting, washing of feet, and anointing with oil. . . Simon has set up Jesus for social shame. No Pharisee who liked Jesus would have done this.” Simon already held Jesus in contempt, but the Pharisee was shocked when the sinful woman entered his home and Jesus allowed her to touch Him. He even made a barbed comment that if Jesus was a prophet He should know all about the kind of woman who was washing His feet. (Luke 7:39)

Jesus made it a point to show Simon that this sinner loved Him better than Simon. He wanted Simon to consider that the woman’s sins were not the most important thing about her, and that Simon’s education and traditions did not make him better than the sinful woman. Jesus wanted to emphasize that forgiving sinful people was the very reason He came to earth from Heaven. (1 Timothy 1:15) Jesus did not want to distance Himself from sinners; He wanted to befriend them and bring them into God’s family. (Luke 19:10)

The Everyday Application

2) Why did Jesus point out the difference between how the woman treated Him and how the Pharisee treated Him? (verses 44-46)

Everyone loves the story of an underdog who defies the odds and comes out on top. From Little Orphan Annie to Rocky Balboa, people love to cheer on those who are looked down on and misused by others. Reading about the unnamed woman who washes Jesus’ feet is reminiscent of just such a tale as the unwelcome woman defies the religious elite, Simon, when she approaches Jesus at Simon’s home. Simon thinks that Jesus’ attentiveness to the woman and her gift is inappropriate, but Jesus points out that this sinful woman has behaved better than His self-righteous host. (Luke 7:44-46)

Jared C. Wilson notes how Simon “grumbles inwardly, not just because he doubts Christ’s holiness in allowing this scandalous scene, but because he considers himself to have higher standards than Jesus has.” Jesus wanted Simon and the onlookers to recognize that He “accepted her worship, covered her with dignity, and regaled her with forgiveness.” (Ifgathering.com)

Simon the Pharisee thought he was better than this woman with a sinful past and that he was more righteous than Jesus, who associated with her. Jesus wanted Simon to know that His forgiveness made scarlet sins as white as snow. (Isaiah 1:18) In pointing out the disparity between their treatment of Jesus, Christ emphasized that all people are sinners in need of a Savior (Romans 3:23), including the woman from the street and the sanctimonious Pharisee.

Jesus pointed out how her worship, while it made the establishment uncomfortable, was more acceptable than Simon’s pious hypocrisy. Jesus lovingly forgives everyone who comes to Him in true repentance (Ephesians 1:7), and He loves the praise and adoration of those who worship Him. (Hebrews 13:15-16)

The Original Intent

3) What does it mean that the one who is forgiven little, loves little? (verse 47)

When a promiscuous woman came to Simon the Pharisee’s house and washed Jesus’ feet, Jesus explained why He considered this an act of worship by telling Simon, “Her many sins have been forgiven; that’s why she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” (verse 47)

Jesus declared this woman’s sins, every single one, to be forgiven. David Guzik points out, “She wasn’t forgiven because of her great love; her great love was evidence that she had been forgiven, probably privately on a prior occasion and now publicly.” Simon had not shown Jesus even the common kindness of foot washing, and Jesus was associating this “little love” with Simon’s lack of awareness of his own need for forgiveness.

Kelly Barbrey notes, “In reality, both the woman and Simon are ‘debtors’ in need of forgiveness. The biggest difference, however, is the passion and awareness with which the woman confesses and the faith she has in Jesus’ forgiveness. Simon is similar to the debtor who owed the smaller sum. (Luke 7:41-42)

In denial of his own shortcomings, he haughtily looks down his nose at the woman who seems to have accumulated a lifetime of transgressions.” Simon didn’t believe he needed to be forgiven of anything because of his perceived superiority. After all, he was a Pharisee, one who studied and taught the law and the Scriptures. He thought he could learn nothing from a prostitute and a traveling teacher.

Jesus wanted Simon to see that God’s forgiveness was the great equalizer, making everyone who called on Jesus a child of God (John 1:12), blameless in His sight (Colossians 1:22), and desirous of sharing the love that had been lavished upon them.

The Everyday Application

3) What does it mean that the one who is forgiven little, loves little? (verse 47)

My friend made some disastrous choices that alienated his family. He recognized he was on a path to ruin and sought God’s forgiveness and restoration. Since then, he has lived like a man with a new lease on life. He is joyful in serving and compassionate with others who need God’s forgiveness. Even when consequences from bad choices continue to surface, he is humbly grateful for God’s forgiveness.

He reminds me of the woman who washed Jesus’ feet in Luke 7:47 of whom Jesus said, “her many sins have been forgiven; that’s why she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” My friend loves much because he knows how much God has forgiven him. He appreciates what God saved him from and what God has graciously allowed him to do, despite his past mistakes. Dave Roper explains that “Sin can make us more appreciative of God’s forgiveness and can lead us to a deeper, more extravagant love for Him than we could otherwise attain.”

Those who don’t seek God’s forgiveness don’t have the same perspective and can only “love little.” Vance Havner suggests that today, “Few alabaster boxes are broken in tearful joy over forgiveness. Sin has been glossed over; men do not regard themselves sinners and consequently feel no burden of guilt and, of course, no relief in His pardon.”

When you realize your need for God’s forgiveness, the comfort and love you experience is overwhelming; this joy is yours every time you come to Him. Christ never responds to our repentance with, “You again?” He never says, “You had enough chances.” In fact, Jesus urges us to ask Him for forgiveness when we pray (Matthew 6:12).

Anytime your sins cause you to turn away from God in shame, remember He is waiting to forgive you and love you. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

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disciple,gift,humility,Lavish,surrender
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The GT Weekend! ~ Eden 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) In the beginning of Genesis, we catch a glimpse of the life God intends for us. We see beauty in every aspect of life, even, or perhaps especially, in work. In our broken world, we can easily lose sight of the biblical significance of labor and its fruit. Society’s version of work leaves us disheartened, unfulfilled, and stressed because it shifts the focus off God. When you find yourself in the thick of it at work, what’s your focus point that renews your strength and motivates you? If it’s anything but God, you will eventually find it insufficient. When we change the lens through which we view labor, filtering our perspective through God’s character, we realize the gift of work! Each day, God provides opportunities to glorify Him and align ourselves with His character as we enter work attempting to model Him as He diligently labored over Creation. When you struggle to push through whatever labor you face, pray for God to shift your lens and align your heart with His. Don’t be discouraged should you not see tangible fruit from your labor, instead remind yourself of the truths Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:58, “be steadfast…excelling in the Lord’s work because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain,” and Galatians 6:9, “let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.”

2) Temptation is perhaps Satan’s most effective tool to spiritually attack mankind. He merely sets up situations that pull at the sinful desires of our flesh, knowing our bodies are at war with the Spirit of God living inside us, leaving us weakened and vulnerable. The best illustration of handling temptation is on display as Jesus suffered temptation in the wilderness after His baptism by John. He spent 40 days and 40 nights being tempted by the devil, but effectively resisting the urge to sin. (Matthew 4:1-11) Each time Satan spoke, Jesus replied using Scripture from the Old Testament. He used God’s words, the very words we read in our Bibles today, to expose Satan’s lies with Truth. This requires us to spend intentional time studying the Bible. Scripture is God’s favorite way to talk to us. What are some activities you could sacrifice in order to make time to listen to God and equip yourself against temptation? Could you wake up 30 minutes earlier, or turn off the television a little bit sooner, or scroll on social media a little less?

3) Jesus didn’t spend his time as a human here on earth building marble laden castles, throwing lavish feasts, and laughing drunkenly in wide hallways ordained with gold and silver. He walked the dirt lined paths of His earthly kingdom with His bare feet alongside messy, imperfect people, healing the sick and despised. He engaged them with questions that illuminated truth, tore holes in their lies, brought understanding and healing, and exposed those who weren’t yet ready to hear the answers they sought. God has never stopped asking us questions, engaging us in conversation to illuminate, heal, and expose the sin in our lives and lead us back to Him. His goal has always been to share in relationship with His creation, so make it a point, today, to follow His lead and engage the next person you run into with His love. Be open minded and intentional. After all, you never know where a question could lead, or how the Lord could use your obedience to rescue a soul for eternity!

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 Corinthians 11:12-15 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

But I will continue to do what I am doing, in order to deny an opportunity to those who want to be regarded as our equals in what they boast about. For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no great surprise if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will be according to their works.

Prayer Journal
Dear Yahweh, I thank you for being the guiding star that ever points north and whose light never falters. Each morning, You give me a day full of new opportunities to bring glory to Your name. I ask for Your help in shifting my gaze back to You when I lose sight of this gift. Please give me a heart that aches for Your Word and a soul thirsting for truth. I ask for Your direction when navigating worldly temptation. Please, Holy Spirit, remind me to put on Your armor in protection of the enemy as Ephesians 6:10-18 commands. Help me recollect Scripture in my times of weakness and allow me to move forward with the shield of faith and my feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace.

Give me courage to explore the power of asking questions not just with my loved ones and close friends, but with strangers and even my enemies, as I remember this battle we are in is not against flesh and bone, but against spiritual powers beyond what my eyes can see. Help me remember You love my enemy just as You love me. Thank You, Yahweh, for Your endless grace and mercy. May Your will be done in me today and every day. Amen.

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Fruitful Day 1 Anchoring Love

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 3:16-17
Romans 5:8-15
2 Peter 1:2-4
1 John 4:16-19
Galatians 5:22-25

Fruitful, Day 1

I’ve often heard the popular saying, “It is not the gift that matters, but the spirit behind it.”

While the giver’s intent is important, the gift itself often speaks volumes of the giver’s heart. Would we gift junk to someone dear to us?
No, love motivates us to give a precious gift to another.

Yet, our kind of love is imperfect. How we relate to and treat one another, how we love, is mostly dependent on their treatment of us.

But God’s love is not like ours; His love does not depend on our attitude.
He loves us irrespective of who we are, because He is love.

“For God loved the world in this way: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

“There is no one righteous, not even one. There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away; all alike have become worthless. There is no one who does what is good, not even one.” (Romans 3:10-12)

“But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

“No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

Jesus demonstrated His great love when He submitted Himself to the will of His Father without reservation, by offering His life as a sacrifice for our sins. What a great love! Now, we who believe in Him are the product of that love.

Before Jesus returned to the Father, He said,

“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. He is the Spirit of truth [. . .] I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you.” (John 14:16-18)

The Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, just as Jesus promised, on the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:1-4) We have also received the Holy Spirit when we put our faith in Christ!
The Holy Spirit is the gift of God’s presence in us, demonstrating His love for us.
Through His Spirit, He motivates and equips us to love one another, He comforts us in times of adversity, and fills us with joy even when we don’t have any physical reason to rejoice. He helps us  love even our enemies, and enables us to persevere in trials.

I can testify to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in me. When I encountered Jesus in my life, I began to learn of the depth of His love.

This hymn always reminds of His love; whenever I sing it, tears of joy roll down my cheeks.

“I am so glad that our Father in heaven
Tells of His love in the Book He has given,
Wonderful things in the Bible I see.
This is the dearest, that Jesus loves me.

I am so glad that Jesus loves,
Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me,
I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
Jesus loves even me.”

This song reminds me of my character before my encounter with Jesus’ love. I can’t imagine why Jesus should love a person like me: a selfish, self-centered, self-righteous, unforgiving, and Mrs. Know-All person.

Yet He died for me and paid the full price for my sins.
When I was boasting in my emptiness, bragging of my good works,
He knew they wouldn’t save me.

He revealed Himself to me as the only way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6) Only then did I begin to truly experience His love that goes far beyond our comprehension. Just as it is impossible to measure the quantity of water in the ocean, so is God’s love for us.

Wrapped in the embrace of His love, there was nothing left for me but to surrender my life to Him. I could not resist His compelling, motivating, magnetic love.
His love gave me peace I had never experienced before.
His love began cultivating the fruitfulness of His own character in me.
My life was transformed from one of self-indulgence and frustration to a life bubbling with joy.
Hallelujah! 

I am certainly not perfect, but I am not who I was before I encountered Christ’s love.
By the grace of God, my story is different.
Glory be to God!

I do not count on my selfish love to see me through weighty grievances or serious offences, but rather on God’s own love which He poured in my heart through the Holy Spirit. (Romans 5:5) I am absolutely certain of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish what human ability cannot.

Considering this great, incomprehensible love of God, I conclude with the words of Apostle Paul,

“Who can separate us from the love of Christ? [. . .] For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 8:35a, 38-39)

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Questions 2 Day 12 Rescue Mission: 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 Rescue Mission!

The Questions

1) What is Paul quoting in verses 10-12 and why does he quote them?

2) Verse 19 refers to those who are subject to the law but who is that?

3) What does it mean that “the whole world may become subject to God’s judgment”? (verse 19) Is there hope?

Romans 3:9-20

9 What then? Are we any better off? Not at all! For we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin, 10 as it is written:

There is no one righteous, not even one.
11 There is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away;
all alike have become worthless.
There is no one who does what is good,
not even one.
13 Their throat is an open grave;
they deceive with their tongues.
Vipers’ venom is under their lips.
14 Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
15 Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 ruin and wretchedness are in their paths,
17 and the path of peace they have not known.
18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are subject to the law, so that every mouth may be shut and the whole world may become subject to God’s judgment. 20 For no one will be justified in his sight by the works of the law, because the knowledge of sin comes through the law.

Original Intent

1) What is Paul quoting in verses 10-12 and why does he quote them?
Paul is referencing Psalm 14:1-3 in these verses which are also repeated in Psalm 53:1-3. “…There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away;
all alike have become worthless…” (verses 11-12) These words speak to the flesh nature of every person ever born. Paul’s Jewish Christian audience would have been familiar with the Psalmist’s words, knowing they were penned to describe every human heart from God’s perspective. This is a reminder of the depravity of mankind and the sin every person commits. Every human being is hopelessly stuck in their sin and by pointing his audience to their guilt, Paul is later able to point them to their only hope for salvation, Jesus.

2) Verse 19 refers to those who are subject to the law but who is that?
Paul is clear that Law speaks to only those who are subject to the law. However, that is not an out for Paul’s audience. His readers would have known the law being referred to was what we call the 10 Commandments. However, this law encompassed much more than those few commands. Included in the whole Old Testament law was the first 5 books of our Bible and every regulation found there. The Israelites had hundreds of laws they were supposed to follow, and no one could follow them perfectly. Paul is telling his audience they are all subject to the law. Every person in his audience knew precisely what Paul meant, and they all knew they were guilty.

3) What does it mean that “the whole world may become subject to God’s judgment”? (verse 19) Is there hope?
Paul does not sugarcoat the truth. God is a just God and He will rightfully judge the whole world. Every single person who has ever lived will indeed face judgement where they will be called to give an account of their works. Revelation 20:11-15 tells of this coming judgement. However, although we know all are subject to the law and all fall short of the hitting the “bullseye” on the target of the Law (Romans 3:23) there is hope. Romans 6:23 reminds us of the gift of Jesus, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Revelation 21 tells of the full promise of hope coming in fullness for all who trust Jesus as their personal Savior. Jesus paid the penalty for sin and death and His blood covers those who believe in Him when they stand before God on the day of judgment. He becomes the believer’s righteousness!

Everyday Application

1) What is Paul quoting in verses 10-12 and why does he quote them?
Paul refers back to Psalm and the sin state of all mankind. He reminds readers that none of us are good and, at some point, we have all turned away from His standard of righteousness. Whether it was a selfish thought, a white lie, or a lusting glance, all of these and much more violate His holy standard. In so doing, we become sinners, separating ourselves from a holy and righteous God with no ability to regain a perfect standing. Without this realization of our sinfulness, we are unable to see our need for a Savior. We feel we can be “good enough” on our own, compared to our own measure of “right”. Paul begins this chapter with the condition of all mankind so he can later point all readers to Jesus. If we do not view ourselves as sinful, not good, and without hope we will never surrender to God and accept the gift only Jesus can provide by His righteousness offered in exchange for our sinfulness.

2) Verse 19 refers to those who are subject to the law but who is that?
When I read the words “the law” I immediately think of the 10 Commandments. When God gave those to Moses, His intent was never for them to be a checklist for Israel (or us) to try to live up to. Instead, it was meant as a mirror, helping us see that no one could ever not break even just those 10 laws. As matter of fact, Israel had broken those laws before Moses ever made it off of Mt. Sinai with the law in hand. (Exodus 32) While we no longer live under Old Testament law today, we are still subject to the law. Jesus provided 2 commands which sum up the whole of this law, love God and love others, and I know I daily fall short of just those two simple commands. Just as the 10 Commandments showed Israel they were sinners, Jesus’ words show us we are sinners and in need of a Savior.

3) What does it mean that “the whole world may become subject to God’s judgment”? (verse 19) Is there hope?
Every person who ever has or ever will walk planet earth is subject to God’s judgment. This is His world and His rule applies to us, His creation. Scripture is very clear there will be a day of judgment when all will stand before God and be judged for our actions. This coming judgment is exactly why understanding the law, and how far we each fall short of its perfect standard, is so important. Because of the law, we see our desperate need for a Savior. John writes of the day of judgment in Revelation 20, but He doesn’t leave us at the judgment seat without hope. John writes of the promised hope that is coming in the New Heaven and the New Earth in Revelation 21. This promise is for all who have believed in Jesus and accepted the sacrifice of what He did for us on the cross. His righteousness can be ours in place of our sin; His perfection in exchange for our failure to follow the law! Sisters, the question is, have you accepted the gift Jesus offers for yourself? If so on the day of judgment, He will say this one is Mine! Our judgment as believers will be vastly different than those who have not chosen to believe because we will be covered by Christ and in Him, there is no condemnation, only life!

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Questions 2 Week Three!
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.

Reveal Day 15 The Gift Of One

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ezekiel 34:20-31
Philippians 2:5-11
Ephesians 3:14-21
John 10:14-18

Reveal, Day 15

We murmur with excitement at the whisper of a snowflake or two in the cold, December air. The trappings of Christmas beckon all to lean into the “most wonderful time of the year.” And we celebrate, with brightly wrapped packages. With twinkling lights, and cheerful holiday music, and cozy socks.

Yet, beneath the swirl of bright colors and enthusiasm, there is an underlying emptiness.

“Not enough,” and “too much,” are somehow equally accurate descriptions of the way our culture embraces the Christmas season. Because how does one properly celebrate remembering the birth of our Saviour? So little of what is familiar resonates with the simplicity of that miraculous event. We lean into more, forgetting that it all comes down to one.

One dark, starry night. A young couple, weary from a journey.
One tiny babe, wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
One promise, foretold by Scripture and the prophets, passed down from generation to generation, and finally fulfilled in the virgin birth of Emmanuel, God With Us.

One Way. 

Paved by the crucifixion and resurrection of the one spotless Lamb of God, come down to earth and wrapped in flesh, to pay for all the sins of the world.
Lined by the selfless service and sacrifice of countless followers of Him.

One. The man, Christ Jesus. He alone is the One Thing we crave more than anything else.

The Love we each ache for so intimately, so desperately, was given to us freely. Simply.
One day of celebration isn’t enough. One life isn’t enough.

Still, we seek what He gives so freely from everyone and everything but the Giver. We seek it in our earthly relationships, from our spouses, from our lovers, from our children, from our parents, from our friends. We seek it in acceptance, through our titles, and our accomplishments, and our social statuses. We seek it in the way we feel, through food, in drink, in substances. In busy-ness, in usefulness, in commitments.

We seek it in ourselves. In our own intellect, our own wisdom, our own perspective.
We work to fill the ache, the need, with all these things, every day, every year.
We’re born trying, and many of us die trying.
We yearn, and we strive, and we fail to fill the divine void with something tangible.
Over, and over, and over.  We work to better ourselves.
To become stronger, kinder, smarter.
To become more.

When the gift of Christmas, this Jesus, beckons us to become less. To stop trying, and stop doing, and simply accept this priceless gift He paid everything to extend.

Where are you striving in this season, Love? In your marriage? In your mothering? In your providing, or your homemaking, or your working? Where are you faltering? Where are you seeking approval from anyone other than your Heavenly Father?

Lean in close, Beloved. Listen to His words.
Let freedom wash through your weary soul this day.

“For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17)

This, HE, is the Gift of Christmas. Our Saviour, come to life, and to death, and then to life once again.

For you, Sister. For all of us. This is LOVE. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the priceless gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank You for loving me so much, You would send Your Son to pay the price for my sins. Help me to understand this Gift more fully, to accept the freedom and salvation You give me so freely. My life, and everything I have are Yours. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

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 Reveal Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

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

The GT Weekend! ~ Sola Week 3

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The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) When the work of saving our souls, and the work of giving us the gift of faith, and the work of making a Christian to grow into a clearer image of Christ begins and ends with the triune God, there is zero way we can take credit for any part of it ourselves. We submit to Him in total surrender, offering all we are, and He does the remarkable work of building His Church in and through us as we continue to surrender and follow Him. Praise God for this amazing work!! It’s when we refuse His work in our lives that we are met with discord in our relationship with Him and when we see our own relationships struggle. Human beings make very poor saviors. Where are you working hard to maintain control and be your own savior? Where is the Lord calling you into total surrender? What holds you back from doing this?

2) What if this was just a nice journey theme to study? Suppose we only learned some interesting facts about the Church during the Reformation years? If you and I choose to read and learn and then keep on walking without being challenged, we are the ones missing out. Not just us, but the ones God has crafted for us to influence with His truth. We must know this central Sola truths. We must hold them so dear to us they begin to shape how we view God, ourselves, Scripture, the Church, our purpose, and other people. The price of walking away from these Solas without a personal reformation is just too high. Where will you begin to intentionally make a shift? Which Sola was the most challenging to you as you studied? Where are you out of balance in holding tightly to some Solas, but distancing yourself from others? What will you do to make the Solas yours?

3) We need the truths represented by these Solas to color our everyday lives. Take a few minutes this weekend to sit with your Bible and a journal and pen and think through what are the most important aspects of each Sola and how you can align your real life with these truths. Scripture alone. How does this Sola impact where you seek wisdom and whose voice you listen to with final authority? Who dictates what’s right or wise?  Grace alone. Where are you tempted to bring God something in expectation of His favor being given? Is it your prayer life? Is it working hard in your relationship? We are called to follow Him, but out of a heart of love and obedience, not an attempt to win favor. Faith alone. It’s only through faith we are saved for eternity. Nothing Else. How is your faith? Is there evidence of trusting God woven into the fabric of your real, everyday life? Jesus alone. No other name can save us! Do you see Him as holding all authority? Is He the first you run toward, or your last? Where have you combined aspects of some other religions into what you believe? Is Jesus fully God and fully man? God’s glory alone. Whose glory are you living for? Yours? Your spouse? Do your kids carry a weight of performance driven expectations in order for you to feel like you’re a success? Begin asking yourself, is this for God’s glory or mine?

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 John 3:5-6 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Prayer Journal
Father God, it’s by Your powerful Holy Spirit that we are made new and awakened to a new life. Remind me it isn’t by my flesh, or my agenda, or my purposes that Your kingdom is built and people come to know You. Remind me to listen for the rhythms of Your Spirit and to live in a constant state of submission of my will to Yours. How fast I forget to do this and begin living in my own strength and wisdom instead of Yours! Make my heart soft to hunger for Your ways over mine. Ground me in truth, teach my heart Your Word so I live it out in greater ways each day. May your revival shape my heart, transforming me more and more into the likeness of Your Son, Jesus.

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

Hallel Day 10 Eden’s Promise

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 116:12-19
Matthew 26:17-56
Titus 3:4-7
1 Corinthians 1:20-22
Revelation 19:4-9

Hallel, Day 10

Have you watched a movie using flashbacks to help the audience understand how the past is connected to the current scene?

Or if, like me, you’re a fan of the popular TV show, This Is Us, you get it.

As I prepared for this Journey Study, the idea of a movie struck me. Since we are approaching Easter, the opening scene features Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.

We see the disciples asleep under a tree, and the camera pans to a lone figure in the distance.

Jesus.

He falls to the ground, exhausted. Emotionally spent, He weeps, and with sweat so thick it trickles down His brow as drops of blood, He cries out in anguish,
“My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me;
nevertheless, not as I will but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39)

As the heaviness of His words hangs in the air, the scene flashes back to another garden.

Here, in the middle of Eden are a man and woman, naked and cowering in fear as they crouch behind a bush, doing their best to hide. We expect lightning to strike, judgment crashing down on them as a result of their blatant disobedience to God.

But in a surprising twist, God curses the serpent.
While Adam and Eve’s sinful choice brings weighty consequences, God surrounds them with gracious compassion. He tenderly clothes Adam and Eve, promising one day their broken relationship with Him will be fully restored.

We realize that as Jesus kneels in Gethsemane, HE is the fulfillment of the promise made long ago in Eden.

The plot is perfect.
It’s Passover week.
The heartbreak of Gethsemane is still to come.
We find Jesus and His disciples eating supper together.

The evening must have been so confusing for the men who’d spent the past three years with Jesus. They heard Him teach, watched Him heal, and witnessed miracle after miracle. Yet, it seemed they still had NO understanding of the events unfolding before them.

The camera zooms in as the men sit around a table, eating the traditional Passover meal.

Sighing, Jesus looks around the room, soaking in the moment with His closest friends.

“How do I tell them, Abba?”, Jesus prayed. “They will be so confused and scared. Even after all this time with Me, they still don’t understand what we are doing.”

Heart heavy, He announces His impending betrayal.

Thaddeus spits his wine in shock. Philip drops the matzah he was passing to Judas.

“BETRAY You?”, Matthew utters in bewilderment.

“Which of us would do THAT?!”, James quickly adds, his eyes darting around the room suspiciously.

“It’s not me, is it?” Andrew whispers in Jesus’ ear, his face pale with worry.

Jesus moves the meal on to the last cup of wine, for with it comes the promise of a new covenant. His very blood would soon be poured out as a sacrifice bringing forgiveness of all mankind’s sins, past, present, and future.
He, Himself, would be the final Passover Lamb. 

After supper, we watch Jesus and the disciples making their way to the Mount of Olives. As they walk, despite the tension amongst them, out of ritual, the men continue singing the traditional Hallel. (Matthew 26:30)

On this night, however, their minds wandered as they sang the verses from memory.

“Pssst, Thomas, what do you think Jesus meant by BETRAY? Surely, it’s just another of His parables, right?”

“I don’t know. And what did He mean by ‘drinking His blood?’ Hey, John, you’re close with Jesus, do you understand what He’s saying?”

“I wish. I don’t understand, either. I want to know when He will overthrow the Romans and set up His kingdom!”

Jesus is singing along, yet His own heart and mind are in extreme turmoil.
“I am here to deliver them.
I came to fulfill promises.
I must die, so they can live.
I must do this.
Father, help Me! Help Me finish what We started so long ago.”

With heaviness, Jesus enters the Garden of Gethsemane followed by His confused disciples.

And we’re back to our opening scene of Jesus crying out in despair.
He knew exactly what the next few hours would bring.

This night was the culmination of thousands of years of promise, a single perfect life, and a propitiatory death.

His coming had a purpose:
to reconcile man to God,
redeeming all who were lost.
He left heaven so we could enter.

As the story continues, He hangs on a cross, paying the penalty for OUR sin.
Just as God extended grace to Adam and Eve in Eden, He now offers salvation freely to us. (Ephesians 2:8-9). NO ONE deserves such grace, yet ANYONE can accept His incredible gift!

When we accept the gift of salvation, we abandon our roles as spectators and become part of the cast! We look forward to being in the final scene, a wedding supper foreshadowed by Jesus’ final Passover with His disciples.

One day, all who have trusted Jesus as their Savior will celebrate with Him at the Feast of all Feasts, the finale of all finales!

Until then, we wait.
Like the disciples on Passover night, we may not understand everything happening in our lives. We may be confused, afraid, overwhelmed, or overcome with grief.

Just as the hymns of Hallel proclaimed what God had ALREADY done, while also anticipating what He WOULD do, we can choose to trust God to keep all of His promises.

We live with both the reminder of Easter and the anticipation of Jesus’ return.

In the middle, we choose worship.
Not because of our circumstances, but because of CHRIST.

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 Hallel Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

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

Esther Day 14 A Story For The Ages: 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 A Story For The Ages!

The Questions

1) Who is the “we” and why were we helpless?

2) Why is it important that Christ came “while we were still sinners”?

3) What should the response be to these verses?

Romans 5:6-11

6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. 8 But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 How much more then, since we have now been declared righteous by his blood, will we be saved through him from wrath. 10 For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received this reconciliation.

Original Intent

1) Who is the “we” and why were we helpless?
Paul opens chapter 5 by addressing those who are declared righteous by faith, that is, all believers who have fully trusted Christ for their salvation after recognizing their own sinfulness and inability to save themselves from the consequences of sin. He is writing specifically to believers in Rome, a group of mostly Gentiles although there were some Jews as well. The “we” he is addressing are those who believe in Jesus and have been saved through faith. That leaves the question why were those who believe helpless. Paul is referring back to their lives before faith. He is reminding them Jesus came with the plan of paying the price for their sins when they were still helpless and unsaved.

2) Why is it important that Christ came “while we were still sinners”?
As Paul addresses the believers in Rome, he reminds them Jesus came to pay the price for their sins while they were still in the midst of their sin. God knew they would never be “good” enough on their own, but because of the love He had for His creation He sent Christ to show that love and redeem them even when His creation was not expressing love back to Him. He knew many would come to Him and accept His gift of love, but He also was willing to die while knowing that many would still choose to reject Him. He was willing to pay the ultimate price of death in our place, a sentence He did not deserve, God’s perfection and holiness required justice and Jesus came to be that justice. Christ’s humble willingness to lay aside His rights as God (while still maintaining His absolute divinity) and sacrifice Himself while we still chose sin, emphasizes how there is absolutely nothing we can ever do to earn our own salvation. Every part of it is God and His work, not ours.

3) What should the response be to these verses?
Paul states pretty clearly in verse 11 what our response should be. The sacrifice of Jesus should lead to rejoicing. Paul wants his readers to remember what Jesus did for them and be overwhelmingly grateful. He is reminding them their sins have been paid for and their relationship to God is restored. They are a new creation and reconciliation has taken place! He literally saved their lives and redeemed them from the death they should have been responsible to pay by allowing Jesus to die that death in their place. Now all that is left to do is rejoice and live a life honoring to that truth.

Everyday Application

1) Who is the “we” and why were we helpless?
While the immediate “we” was the believers in Rome, believers today also fit into this word. Paul is addressing all believers and so his words are just as important to us as they were to his first audience. We are helpless, just as those original believers, because without the grace of Jesus paying the price for our sins, we are left without hope. That’s an important realization! You and I are completely helpless to save ourselves. There is nothing we can pay in our own merit that will cover our sins and repair our relationship to the Father. Ever! We are absolutely helpless if left on our own because each of us are sinners, which means we will never be flawless and holy. We are helpless. We need Jesus and the gift He offers in salvation in order to have a restored right relationship with God; the gift of His death in our place is the only way to be made right with God because God’s justice requires a perfect sacrifice. Only Jesus, as fully God and fully man, who never chose sin, but always chose obedience to God’s will, is the only one who can possibly fulfill all of God’s righteous requirements as a holy sacrifice.

2) Why is it important that Christ came “while we were still sinners”?
“While we were still sinners…” Let those words sink in for a moment. Christ came, willing to die for our sins and redeem us, while we were still sinners. There is such incredible news in that statement! So often we think we must clean ourselves up and become “better” people before we can be worthy of the love of Jesus. We feel there is work we must do. However, that is completely untrue! Paul reminds us Christ came in the midst of our sin in order to pay the price we could never pay. He didn’t wait for us to realize our lostness or to try and fix ourselves on our own. He didn’t even wait until we realized how desperate we were or the despair we were in because of our sin. He did not wait for us to cry out to Him, He first loved us by giving Himself for us! (1 John 4:19) God knew from the beginning of Creation that Adam and Eve would choose to sin and He already had a plan to redeem His creation back to Himself. His plan was always Jesus, but Jesus came in the midst of sin to take on the consequence of sin He did not deserve, but we did. All we need to do is accept the gift of salvation being offered to us no matter where we are in life or what our life looks like. For such a rich gift, we should be utterly grateful, and give our lives to Him and His service because He has been so good and kind!

3) What should the response be to these verses?
We were given the ultimate gift. We owed death and Jesus paid it. There isn’t anything better to receive than life itself! Our response should be nothing less than complete rejoicing! There should be a thankfulness that pours out of our souls for the gift we have been given. We deserve to spend eternity separated from God, and instead, Jesus provided complete reconciliation through His death. We now have a new life and the ability to live in relationship to God! When we live in this understanding, it creates both a thankfulness and obedient action. We should not be able to contain the joy in our lives that stems from this restoration and we should desire to share it with any and all who will listen. As we live in this right relationship with God, others begin to see we are different from the world. We should be jumping to share this amazing news with them! Our response is rejoicing, but this rejoicing should lead to action to bring salvation to a lost world. I challenge myself, and each of you, to ask who are you sharing this amazing truth with?

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with A Story For The Ages!

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 Esther Week Three!
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.

Focus Day 13 Me Or You?

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Read His Words Before Ours!

James 5:7-12
Proverbs 8:1-21
John 15:9-17

“Who does she think she is spouting off her credentials as if the rest of us aren’t qualified too? That’s not a great way to

Focus, Day 13

make friends in a new company!”

Whenever she wasn’t traveling and was in the office, I had this same thought, but then the Lord reminded me of a passage in Matthew 7.  Jesus is teaching to stop judging “her” for the splinter in “her” eye and worry about the giant plank in our own.
What was my plank?
Judging her for something I had done months early when I transferred to the department.

Then recently,  I judged a friend for getting into some serious trouble. Oh, I was high on my horse, passing out judgement like it was free candy day.
God’s words in John 15:17 crashed over me, “Love one another.”

What was my problem?
Why was I doing these things?

I was looking at others through my own lens.
Unfortunately, I still do that much too often. It’s pretty easy for us to get caught up in our own standards of “I would never”,
“That’s not a good way to handle things”, or even
“That’s not very godly or Christ-like.”

We pass our judgement and think nothing of it.
But what about when their “I would never” is the very thing we struggle with?
What if the way we would handle that situation isn’t what’s best for them?
Suppose we worried about our own areas for growth instead of focusing on theirs?

We forget that God never told us to judge others with condemnation because He doesn’t condemn. (Romans 8:1) In fact, He says “Do not judge.” Not just once, but over and over, in places like Matthew 7:1, Luke 6:37 and James 4:12. This kind of judgment of one another comes from a heart of jealousy, competition, arrogance, and self-righteousness.
All of which are in stark contrast to God’s character. (Note that we aren’t talking about righteous, brotherly/sisterly confrontation of sin, which we are most definitely called to do!)

James doesn’t only call out believers for this arrogant judging though, He doesn’t want us complaining about each other either. (James 5:9, James 4:11, 1 Peter 4:9) If you think about it, when we judge, are we not also complaining about that person’s imperfect nature?
But aren’t we all imperfect here on earth? This was Jesus’ point!

Instead of judging others we should be doing something else God commands.
Love.
So how do we go from judging to loving?

When God convicted me about judging my friend, I felt nudged to pray for her.
I hadn’t done the most loving thing you can do for someone — pray.
It cost me just a few minutes, but changed my entire perspective.

If given the opportunity, sharing your struggle with the same or similar thing moves you from self-righteousness to caring and understanding. Sharing verses of encouragement is also a very practical way to love instead of judge. You never know how much one verse can give someone just enough hope for that moment, day, or journey.

These loving acts are also acts of wisdom.
Proverbs 8 describes the importance of wisdom and the rewards for living wisely, which includes loving others without condemnation. In verse 18 a few rewards for living wisely include: riches, honor, lasting wealth, and righteousness.

Wisdom is God’s gift!
But His benefits include much more. Revelation 5:12 says Christ received power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory and blessing. Since we are co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), these valuable treasures are also available to us! It doesn’t mean we all walk around with exquisite material possessions, but it does mean we have an inheritance in Jesus that will never fade!

I tried to compare the short-lived satisfaction I might get from judging others with the eternal riches of Christ, but it’s not even worth mentioning.
Is it better to do things my way or to focus on living like Jesus?
How does my “wisdom” for life stack up against what God has appointed me to do by living wisely for Him? (John 15:16)

Two words.
It doesn’t.

The best, most wise thing I can do, day after day, is to focus on following Jesus with all that I am, which means loving others well and growing in understanding of who God is through studying Scripture.

As I focus on following, my Father will delight my heart in much sweeter ways than any temporary pleasure I might have in straying into sin with my words or heart attitudes.

I’m learning to follow better by asking myself some questions when I start to judge, complain, or do something unloving.

Am I judging this person because it reminds me of my own past or current behavior?

 Will doing this draw me closer to God in any way?  Will it draw this person closer to God?

Does this reflect God’s wisdom?

How can I turn what I am headed toward into an act of love?

Sisters, let us be rich in the Lord and rich toward each other by loving wisely!

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
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Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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 Three! 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 Focus!