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living hope

Reveal day 13 We Have This Hope

December 23, 2020 by Carol Graft Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 71
Psalm 130
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
1 Peter 1:3-7

Reveal, Day 13

Wars and rumors of wars . . . that is our life these days. One king after another has slaughtered us, starved us, kept us in confusion, unsure of the truth. Unsure of whom to trust.

At a loss, I try to remember the reassurances of my grandmother. “Remember Yahweh’s words,” she would say. “Listen for the prophets.”

But even Grandmother knew the prophets were long dead.

Their words of promise, of hope, are a distant, fading memory. A King to save us? That’s what they all say. Hundreds of years later, there is still no salvation from the bare existence we scratch out day . . . after day . . . after day.

They used to talk about David’s line, his descendants. From his family would come a new King, a Messiah. Ha! David’s line has not been seated on the throne for generations.

What good is Yahweh’s word when it simply isn’t?

It seems no one mentions Yahweh anymore. Not even a whisper.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My father has taken to reading the Torah and the writings of David again. Pulling dusty scrolls from forgotten back shelves, he reads aloud Psalm 130 and Psalm 131.

Hope.
Yahweh.
“Wait on the Lord.”
I can’t see it. But if it makes him feel better, I will listen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tikvah. HOPE. Why are people suddenly talking about this?
Today at the well, one woman was even singing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AND THEN IN THE HEAVENLIES —

“Now. It’s time.”

To the Earth below, there appeared a star, shining brighter than all others in the sky, and the sound of a baby’s first breath.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have you ever had a falling out with someone and not heard from her again?

I’ve been there.

What if you relied on someone to coach you, to give you good counsel, warn you of unwise plans on your part . . . but then suddenly she drops out of touch, just stops communicating with you?

How do you sit with that silence?

Israel sat in silence for 400 years. Generation after generation. An entire nation depended on hearing God’s voice, either directly or more typically, through His prophets, those He called to be His mouthpiece. Whether the prophets delivered words of encouragement and salvation, or chastisement and judgment, at least Israel heard from God.

But then came those 400 years of silence. As if Jehovah, God, locked tight the door of heaven. Silent.

It wasn’t as if they experienced 400 years of prosperity, of great economic growth and health, and stopped pursuing Him. No, they still had their cycles of corrupt governments, of wars, of pestilence.

Of hopelessness.

Maybe after so long without hearing from God, they simply gave up.

After being invaded and taken over by the world power of Rome and living under strict authoritarian rule, they wanted rescue. They wanted to hope in a King, a ruler who would come in like a warrior, defeat the Roman tyrannical rule, and bring prosperity and safety.

Have you ever felt that hopeless, that desperate?
Have you ever felt like God has left you, or you wonder if He was even there at all?

Even in the desperation, the questions, the loneliness, we can have hope.

We have hope in Christ, our God-made-flesh Who came to Earth and was born of a virgin.

Fast forward 30 years. Messiah begins His ministry of Hope. Not as the warrior or ruler Israel thought they wanted, but as a Savior, a Rescuer, and the Hope they needed.

He promised life abundant and life everlasting.
But like Israel, when we are in a hopeless situation, we can’t always see His promises.
We know we want out and want out now.
We want the answer to our hopelessness to be tangible. But it isn’t always.

Having faith in God, putting our hope in Jesus Christ, means trusting in the intangible. (Romans 8:24-25)

And yet, that intangible Hope is a very real anchor for our souls. (Hebrews 6:19)

We no longer need to strive within ourselves. We are free to admit we need something beyond ourselves; we need a Savior.

And so, our GOD OF HOPE gave of His very self to meet our desperate need. Jesus, the same babe born that first Christmas night in a Bethlehem cave, is our Hope. The God-man who gave His life on the cross, was buried, and rose again so we would be free and have eternal life is our living, breathing Hope.

He is your Hope. You only have to ask, to surrender yourself, your needs, and your heart to Him. Our journey in this life will still have challenges and struggles and hardship and hurt, but the One who sustains and controls everything in the Universe can and will be by our side through it all. (John 16:33)

Jesus Christ, our living hope. (1 Peter 1:3-9)

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

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

Posted in: Christ, Desperate, Faith, God, Hope, Jesus, Journey, Need, Promises, Reveal, Salvation, Waiting Tagged: God's Voice, Hopelessness, Jehovah, King, living hope, Messiah, Prophets, Remember, rescuer, Savior, silence, Star, Yahweh

Reveal Day 6 Filling The Empty

December 14, 2020 by Rebekah Hargraves Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 1:1-5
Romans 15:8-13
John 1:1-13
Luke 2:8-11

Reveal, Day 6

When I was growing up, Christmas was always my very favorite time of year. It was also my Daddy’s favorite season, and his excitement automatically spilled on us all. Christmas is still magical to me, even at the age of 28. Now, I also experience it through the eyes of my children, witnessing their wonder and curiosity, which increases my own anticipation.

While my love for Christmas hasn’t abated, my childhood naivety has. With my own aging has come the subsequent aging, and then passing, of so many with whom I celebrated Christmas as a child. The loss of these special people creates an undercurrent of grief and sadness when I think on Christmas. Add to this, the reality of being a mother of two and often falling prey to the lie I must be all things to all people in December. Here in the wake of hurry and loss, Christmas joy quickly wanes. What was once so tangible and easy as a child is complex and difficult to grasp as an adult.

Maybe you feel this way, too? Perhaps you’re grieving a loved one this Christmas. Or maybe, like many of your fellow sisters-in-Christ, you feel hurried and harried, busy and overwhelmed by all you feel you must do to make Christmas special.

You’re not alone!
Amazingly, in studying the first Christmas, we find a beautiful mystery experienced by all who welcomed the Savior.
Great joy.

And yet, it’s important to remember that those who welcomed Christ at the first Christmas battled their own churning chaos.

Jewish persecution ran high. Rome increasingly took more and more control of land, of taxes, of daughters as sex slaves, of food, and of morale, as Jews were pressed on all sides to serve the wealthy.

After 400 years of silence from any prophetic voice from Yahweh, the Lord God, it was easy for Jews to look around in fear at the swirl of chaos, wondering if joy had slipped away forever.

And finally, there were those who stood in direct opposition to a Messiah. King Herod certainly was not interested in welcoming a Newborn King, and so for him, there was no joy. Herod was bent on destroying Him so he could continue relying solely on himself, his own capabilities, and his own glory. Herod rejected the Savior, and the result was a complete lack of joy. He found only death, fear, and a reliance on self that never satisfied, but instead destroyed himself and others.

Do you find yourself reflecting Herod’s harried attempt to protect self and somehow attain happiness? Instead, does it feel like stress and hurry persistently steal away any elusive joy that might be found? What if our lack of joy reveals something about the focus of our hearts?

It’s shockingly easy to rely on ourselves to be the savior of the season as we purpose in our hearts to bake all the cookies,
watch all the Christmas movies,
attend all the parties,
complete all the shopping,
do all the crafts,
send out all the Christmas cards,
say “yes” to all the requests,
and decorate our home to the Pinterest max.

The chaos beckons with glitter and lights and peppermint drizzle,
while joy quietly waits to be delighted in.

If Christmas is feeling a bit more chaotic than cheery, is it time to consider that maybe self is the idol we’re trusting? Is it any wonder joy feels out of reach?

Scrolling all the way back to the beginning of time, when God spoke His voice into the mass of nothing, bringing forth all of everything, we find a God who delights in bringing His joyful presence into the chaos of emptiness.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Now the earth was formless and empty (…).”
(Genesis 1:1-2)

From nothing, His voice filled the chaos, bringing forth a creation He delightedly declared “Good!”

“Then God said,’Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good (…)”.
(Genesis 1:3-4, emphasis mine)

As darkness drew nigh that first Christmas and one girl’s laboring screams filled the night, followed by the shrill cry of a newborn babe, delight was filling the dark once more.  The very same Word was going forth from the Father once again.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

“I came from the Father and have come into the world.” (John 16:28)

His light was shining in the darkness as He Himself took on human flesh.

“The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” (John 1:9)
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4-5)
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (…).” (John 1:14)

The Joy of Jesus had come to rescue His people,
drawing them out of eternal night into eternal day. 

If your Christmas season is feeling heavy with sorrow and rising stress, cling to the same Living Hope around Whom angels and shepherds hovered as they welcomed the light of the world, and the Joy whose presence promised unending delight.

Our emptiness, our longings, our stress, and our sadness all point to our need for the fullness of God and our souls’ longing for Immanuel, God with us. As C.S. Lewis once said, “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”

Focus your eyes on that other world this Christmas, friend. With eyes of faith, see the One Who came to offer His life for you, His light in exchange for your darkness, and watch your Christmas joy surge and swell!

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

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

Posted in: Christ, God, Good, Jesus, Joy, Longing, Overwhelmed, Rescue, Reveal, Welcome Tagged: Beautiful Mystery, Christmas, delight, empty, Filling, Joyful Presence, living hope, Messiah, Savior, wonder, Yahweh

Worship VI Day 1 Is He Worthy

November 25, 2019 by Kendra Kuntz 2 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 53:1-12
Revelation 5:1-14
Revelation 7:9-17

Worship VI, Day 1

I have felt the brokenness of the world with my own two hands. I have grasped at broken pieces as they crumble and fall in little heaps on the floor.

I have seen darkness closing in on me as shadows become darker until, it seems, I can’t even see my own hands before my eyes.

I have heard the groans of creation come forth in the sounds of broken-hearted mothers weeping and sirens moaning while babies wail for compassion and children scream for love.

You have, too, haven’t you? You’ve felt the brokenness, seen the darkness, and heard the groans. You’ve ached so deeply in your soul that you’ve felt it physically manifest inside your body. You’ve longed so earnestly in your will for redemption that your beating heart has felt a pull and made your breath catch.

I see you.

It feels hopeless, sometimes, doesn’t it?

Take heart, dear one. The darkness doesn’t stop the light from shining through. No matter how small the light, the darkness will never fully encompass it.
Light always perseveres.

A friend introduced my mom and I to the modern-day-hymn, “Is He Worthy?” about nine months ago, when the brokenness, darkness, and groaning was pouring its way into our lives at every corner. Seven months later, more brokenness, more darkness, and more groans as we prayed my sister into Jesus’ arms and released her earthly body into the same earth we were created from.

Over the last three years, I’ve written many Journey Studies for Gracefully Truthful. The more I write, the more I learn about the Almighty, which overflows into deeper, more intimate worship to Him because I more fully comprehend the words I’m singing.

I’ve learned that Jesus coming from the “line of Judah” means that way back in the Old Testament, when Abraham’s grandson, Jacob, had twelve sons, the twelve tribes of Israel came from each son, and Jesus’ genealogy goes all the way back to Judah. In that line is Rahab, the prostitute who God saved because she feared Him, and King David, the shepherd who eventually became King of Israel and was a man after God’s own heart. I know Him better, so I can worship Him deeper.

The chorus of “Is He Worthy?” is taken from Revelation 5.

Is anyone worthy?
Is anyone whole?
Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave
He is David’s root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave
From every people and tribe
Every nation and tongue
He has made us a kingdom and priests to God
To reign with the Son

Jesus is the Lion of Judah.
Jesus conquered the grave when He rose from the dead three days after dying.
Jesus is the unsuspecting King, just as David was. 
Jesus died to ransom you and I, who were slaves to our sin and thereby sentenced to eternal death.

Jesus is the great rescue, the Redeemer, and our answer.
Jesus has made a way for every people, every tribe, every nation, every tongue.
When we choose to let Him cover our sins, we join the Heavenly Kingdom, we are made priests to God, and we are heirs with Christ Himself.

Jesus is our living hope!

When the brokenness, darkness, and groans feel like they’re just too much,
when our world seems utterly hopeless…

Take heart!

We are never without hope!
That hope is Jesus.

Our hope exists because the Light of Christ will always overcome darkness!
Our hope is that the world will be made new!
Our hope is that, though the enemy wins battles…
Our God has won the war! 

The Father loves us.
The Spirit moves in and among us.
Jesus is alive and we will dwell with Him one day.

This song has moved and rolled and tumbled inside of me as I’ve listened to it again and again… and again. So. Much. Hope.

I had the privilege of writing about Living Hope – who is Jesus – and the inner shift that happens when we start focusing more on Him. Maybe the darkness doesn’t seem so dark, maybe the closing in isn’t quite so tight.

Because of incorruptible Living Hope.

Because He is King,
Because He is God Himself,
Because He is,
Jesus is worthy. 

He is perfect and holy.
Flawlessly without sin.
And He gave His life so you and I might have life!

He is worthy! He is whole!
He is breaking the seal and opening the scroll that will begin the transformation from old world to new…

We have hope because He is worthy.

Sing (and probably cry) along with me, sisters, as we listen to this song with new understanding and enter into a time of worship that is so much richer, because we know Him more deeply!

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

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

Posted in: Broken, Deep, Hope, Longing, Love, Perfect, Redemption, Worship Tagged: brokenness, compassion, intimate, Is He, living hope, redeemer, rescuer, worthy

Incorruptible Day 6 Inner Shift

November 12, 2018 by Kendra Kuntz Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Peter 1:13-16 
1 Thessalonians 5:1-8
2 Timothy 4:1-5
Romans 12:1-2 

Incorruptible, Day 6

Ever since writing for Gracefully Truthful,
I’ve been continually amazed how the Lord perfectly aligns Journey Studies I write alongside my spiritual journey with Him.
We choose our Journey assignments months prior to writing,
and even longer before they ever go live on the website.
And still….
the Lord always leads me to write specific Journey Studies He knows in advance He will use to transform my heart.
This journey through 1 Peter has proven, yet again, God’s incredible timing and His miraculous voice through Scripture.  

As Partners at GT, we committed to read through 1 Peter many times before we even began writing. Two weeks ago (which was months ago as you read my words today),
I sat down to read and the tears began flowing as I fixated on the first chapter detailing birth into a living hope.
What I didn’t know when I chose this Journey was when it came time to write,
I’d be swinging from days of great hope to days that left me utterly hopeless.

Hopelessness has been hanging heavy here, Sisters.
But as I sat weeping with His Word, His Spirit breathed, and I was reminded of LIVING hope that is mine in Christ Jesus!
Hope that is moving and breathing and actively working because of Jesus!
Our trials will result in “praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ!”
(1 Peter 1:7) 

And because of that hope, sisters, that massive, freeing, and life-giving hope,
we land at 1 Peter 1:13… 

Therefore 

One powerful word; don’t miss it!  

Therefore means that “hope” doesn’t stop at “initial salvation”.
Yes, our salvation is certain and sure and these Scriptures that proclaim this glorious gospel are fully reliable because they are the very words of God that will not pass away. (1 Peter 1:25)
Yes! Hope is found here!
But “therefore” means it doesn’t stop there.  

Therefore. Because of. For that reason. Consequently. It Continues… 

Because our hope is so assuredly solid,
we are called to prepare our minds for action,
and take an active role in this living hope!  

Our salvation, grounded in hope, is meant to catapult us forward into living with hope
as our inner minds shift. 

At salvation, we surrender all we know of ourselves to all we know of the Savior, trusting Him not only to save us from Sin and Death, but to save us for the fullness of life.
That radical transformation where we begin moving into life, 
comes as a result of an inner shift.
A moving away from conformity to the ways of the world,
and a moving into surrendered transformation as the Spirit remakes us into the image of Christ Jesus.

Transformed into holy.
Just as He is holy.
Un-Fathom-Able!

We can never earn holiness, Sisters.
It’s no secret you and I would never, ever reach the perfection of the Almighty God by our own effort. One little lie, one little lustful thought, and we are sinners.
We are justified and made eternally righteous once we choose to make Jesus the Lord of our lives.
We grow in our like-Jesus-ness through daily surrender as we keep our eyes fixed on eternal hope. This is sanctification through the work of the Spirit.  

If Jesus is ours and we claim His incorruptible inheritance waiting for us in Heaven,
then we are called to conform to this gospel, and His holiness, leaving the ways of the world in the dust.  

That means the TV shows we watch.  

The movies we go to.  

The people we spend most of our time with.  

The places we hang out.  

The way we think.  

The way we conduct ourselves at work.  

Everything about us should be different because of the therefore.
Because of certain hope in the trustworthiness of the Savior. 

Our relationships should look different. 
The way we dress should look different. 
Our marriages should look different. 
Our language should be different.  

Not different because we’re trying so hard to look like Jesus.
Different because when we chose Jesus, an inner shift happened, hope grew,
we were made new. 

We long to look like Him more than we long to look like
that cute mom we adore on social media. 

OOFTAH.  

For me, that’s a hard pill to swallow because I idolize, yes, idolize, other mamas.
Her hair is perfect, her kids look so put together, her house is clean, she’s so talented, AND she loves Jesus?! For a long time, I wanted to look more like her than I wanted to look like Jesus (sometimes I still do). I focused on transforming myself to become more like her instead of my King. Maybe that’s you too?
Hope, Sisters.
Inner Shift.
Eyes on holy. 

When we say yes to Jesus, the radical inner shift begins.
I was about five when I asked Jesus to become my King; that’s when my inner shift began. Small, yes, but it was there.
My focus changed from inward to upward, and I became passionate about others meeting Jesus! Hope grew the fruit of a transformed life.
Hope of salvation is not the end.
It’s the therefore that doesn’t stop there.  

If He gave His life for me to live forever,
surely, I can give my life to serve and love Him.  

We have incorruptible hope.
It’s solid enough to anchor my everyday life and transform my heart toward holy!   

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Incorruptible Week 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 Incorruptible!

Posted in: Design, Dwell, Faith, Faithfulness, Forgiven, Fullness, Future, God, Gospel, Grace, Heaven, Hope, Jesus, Life, Love, Prayer, Preparing, Purpose, Redemption, Relationship, Scripture, Sin, Transformation, Trust, Truth, Wisdom Tagged: God, leads, living hope, plan, salvation, scripture, Sin, surrender, timing, transform, trust

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