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Word Day 10 Eyes To See

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 5:1-37
John 8:1-59
Ephesians 1:1-23

Word, Day 10

I recently read the story of Zacchaeus. (Luke 19:1-10) Though I’ve often read the story, this time I experienced it beyond the Sunday school story from my early years. Did you know his story occurred in Jericho? This wasn’t a fact I gathered from my felt-board storytelling long ago.

I could have told you the story of Zacchaeus without opening my Bible. I could have sung the little ditty written about him and provided a bit of historical context to reveal the depth of Zacchaeus’ heart change.

Compliments of my Sunday school years, I was familiar with the comparatively small Israelite nation marching around Jericho for seven days. As a result of their obedience, they witnessed Jericho’s mighty walls crumbling without being touched.

Yet, I never realized these two iconic Sunday school stories
took place in the same city, albeit years apart.

This new understanding added a fresh layer of significance to Zacchaeus’ story.
Jericho’s walls fell down in the presence of the Israelite army led by the Lord.
Zacchaeus’ spiritual walls of his heart crumbled in the presence of Christ.
Never before had I considered the internal dynamics taking shape in Zacchaeus’ heart. As a result, his story will never be the same for me.

While this seems unrelated to studying Jesus and His Words, my new understanding of Zacchaeus taught me an important lesson about studying Scripture. As I read anew of our diminutive friend, Zac, I hadn’t prepared for the study by recalling all the extra facts I already knew, placing them foremost as I prepared myself to “re-hear” a story I’d so often heard.
My filters were left behind.

When Christ came as God’s Word to take on human form walking about and engaging with people face-to-face, He encountered many from His own lineage (Jews) who firmly resolutely held their filters in place. The Pharisees were absolutely certain they knew what the Messiah would look like and act like, and it most assuredly wasn’t Jesus. They carried filters that clouded their vision of God speaking directly with them!

For all their years of studying Scripture,
they sorely lacked the ability to see the Word standing before their eyes. (John 1:14)

The Pharisees prided themselves on their wisdom regarding faith. They could eloquently recap the salient points of Scripture, just as I had boasted about my abilities to recall similar facts about Zacchaeus. They were so familiar with the Law, they even accused Jesus of breaking it.

“Jesus passed through the grain fields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick and eat some heads of grain. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “See, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” (Matthew 12:1-2, emphasis mine)

For all their education, they failed to truly encounter God.
Their hearts lacked the connection that would have enabled them to see and recognize the Lord demonstrating His very presence right in front of them.

My fresh reading of Zacchaeus’ story showed me how easily a filter slips into place, quickly distorting my ability to clearly see deeper truths.

Jesus was grieved over the hardness of the Pharisees’ hearts and their unwillingness to see Who was speaking to them.

…He (Jesus) looked around at them (the Pharisees) with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart…” (Mark 3:5, ESV, emphasis mine)

Christ called out,
“…looking they do not see, and hearing they do not listen or understand.
Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:
‘You will listen and listen,
but never understand;
you will look and look,
but never perceive.
For this people’s heart has grown callous;
their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes.’”
(Matthew 13:13-15)

In light of the Pharisees’ response to Jesus, I find myself praying for eyes to see Jesus when I read His Word. I long to see God just as His Words describe, and know Him better, without my filters.

Apart from our suppositions, what does Jesus tell us about Himself and God the Father?

What will our response be as we live out our everyday lives?

What filters do we have in place that may be hindering our ability to truly see God?
Pride and fear are two that immediately come to my mind.

Let’s intentionally ready ourselves to approach God’s Word by first removing our preconceived ideas and previously-constructed filters. Only then, are our hearts in a position to be struck by deeper understandings of the Word made Flesh.

Oh Jesus, thank You for coming to earth and demonstrating the Father for us in human form. Thank You for living a life that teaches us Your grace and truth.
As we come in humility to You, remove our filters and give us eyes to see You and know You in full.

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Word Day 7 How’s Your Worship?: 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 How’s Your Worship?!

The Questions

1) What are the benefits of following the Lord?

2) David repeats the phrase, “the fear of the Lord”; what does this mean?

3) Why does David write, “bless the Lord”? I thought God blesses us.

Psalm 103

My soul, bless the Lord,
and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 My soul, bless the Lord,
and do not forget all his benefits.

3 He forgives all your iniquity;
he heals all your diseases.
4 He redeems your life from the Pit;
he crowns you with faithful love and compassion.
5 He satisfies you with good things;
your youth is renewed like the eagle.

6 The Lord executes acts of righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
7 He revealed his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in faithful love.
9 He will not always accuse us
or be angry forever.
10 He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve
or repaid us according to our iniquities.

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his faithful love
toward those who fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed
our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
14 For he knows what we are made of,
remembering that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are like grass—
he blooms like a flower of the field;
16 when the wind passes over it, it vanishes,
and its place is no longer known.
17 But from eternity to eternity
the Lord’s faithful love is toward those who fear him,
and his righteousness toward the grandchildren
18 of those who keep his covenant,
who remember to observe his precepts.
19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.

20 Bless the Lord,
all his angels of great strength,
who do his word,
obedient to his command.
21 Bless the Lord, all his armies,
his servants who do his will.
22 Bless the Lord, all his works
in all the places where he rules.
My soul, bless the Lord!

Original Intent

1) What are the benefits of following the Lord?

In this psalm, David lists a multitude of benefits for following the Lord. Just because David was the one anointed to become king (1 Samuel 16:1-13), didn’t mean he was isolated and protected. He was hunted down to be killed by more than one person, including his own son, Absalom. (2 Samuel 17) He faced death often, and even before he was chosen as the next king, he was viewed as insignificant. (1 Samuel 17:33) He was also far from perfect. David murdered (2 Samuel 11:14-18), lied (1 Samuel 21:2-3), and committed adultery (2 Samuel 11:2-4). He still suffered the negative effects of those sins. Yet, he penned this psalm of praise, encouraging everyone to follow the Lord because His way is wise, best and overflowing with benefits. When he committed adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:1-15), David experienced the benefit of the Lord’s forgiveness. (verses 3, 9-10) David knew firsthand what it meant to have his life saved from destruction as he was pursued by enemies. (verses 6, 8, and 13) Because David had experienced the many, gracious benefits of the Lord throughout his life, he confidently proclaimed how the Lord would continue blessing future generations who committed to following the ways of the Lord. (verses 15-19) We see one evidence of God’s generational blessing specific to David and his son, Solomon, in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1:6.

 

2) David repeats the phrase, “the fear of the Lord”; what does this mean?

Fear in this case does not mean being afraid in the sense of terror, rather it means a humble recognition that God is all-powerful and the only One worthy of respect and glory. The fear of the Lord is reverential awe. David’s son, Solomon, would eventually write, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Proverbs 9:10) Fearing the Lord in the Old Testament looked like sacrifices, but it also was tightly connected to the posture of the heart. (Psalm 51:16-17, Isaiah 1:10-15) Brothers, Cain and Abel, both offered sacrifices, but only one brother’s offering was acceptable. (Genesis 4:4-5) Sacrifices were commanded by God because He wanted His people to understand that sinning against Him breaks His relationship with them. Sin pridefully asserts ourselves against God’s righteousness. Because God wanted His people to understand the seriousness of sin, and the reality that sin comes at a price, He instituted the Sacrificial System. Depending on the type of sin, sacrifices were required to pay the penalty of sin. Doves, grain, sheep, and bulls (yes, an entire cow!) were offered as atonement for sin when they stepped away from following God and His law. (Leviticus 19) All of this was designed to help Israel understand that fearing the Lord meant realizing God is righteous and holy while we are sinners, separated from Him. There were a lot of laws to remember, and along the way, Israel’s focus shifted from fearing the Lord to simply managing their behavior with ever-lengthening lists of “how to’s and don’t do’s”. David’s words were a reminder to Israel that fearing the Lord is a good thing; the best thing. Revering the Lord is the right way to live because only in this context, we enjoy a close relationship with the Lord. By walking in the fear of the Lord, God pours out His blessings on generations to come. (verses 13 and 17)

 

3) Why does David write, “bless the Lord”? I thought God blesses us.

There are several types of psalms including lament, thanksgiving, and praise among others. While some psalms combine themes, Psalm 103 is full of praise as the psalmist, David, lists reasons to “bless the Lord, oh my soul” both individually and corporately with other believers. David knew how to praise the Lord because he had witnessed the Lord’s kindness in all aspects of life, whether difficult or easy and he wrote many psalms extolling God’s goodness. He literally danced in the street so great was his desire to bless the Lord. (2 Samuel 6:14-22) David’s “oh my soul” refrain springs from a desire to go deeper in his worshipful adoration of the Lord. In the midst of his praise, David speaks to himself. He isn’t content with merely singing, or even dancing or hand-raising as outward expressions of praise. David wants to praise the Lord from the depths of his being. He wants to be all in for blessing the Lord.   

Everyday Application

1) What are the benefits of following the Lord?

Because the Lord doesn’t change, the benefits of following Him are the same for us as they were for King David and the generations who followed him. (Numbers 23:19, James 1:17) When Jesus came to earth as God incarnate (in human flesh), those who followed God experienced a fuller manifestation of His benefits. After Jesus ascended back to Heaven, He poured out the Holy Spirit to dwell within those who trusted Him. (Acts 2:4) His presence brought a radical abundance of blessing to God’s people. For us today, His benefit may not look like a leper being cleansed (Mark 1:40-45), but it could look like a different diagnosis, being healed completely, or having minimal side effects from a treatment. (verse 3) The benefits in the 21st century may be evidenced as the exact provision we need precisely at the time we need it. Deliverance may not be a physical “parting of the Red Sea”, but it could look like your plans suddenly changing, later realizing the shift ended up being better than the original plan. Even running late could be the Lord’s protection and deliverance from a potential accident. The Lord’s benefits are as simple as a flower’s bloom or as grand as healing, but the most significant benefit from the Lord is forgiveness from sin and redemption from our past. These benefits didn’t end when Jesus died on the cross, they only started there. The price Jesus paid to cover our unrighteousness was for all time. Repent from your sin, believe on the Lord Jesus, and your sins will be washed away just as David wrote, “…as far as the east is from the west.” (verse 12)

 

2) David repeats the phrase, “the fear of the Lord”; what does this mean?

Even today many view God as angry and vengeful when His “rules” aren’t followed. We tend to miss God’s heart’s desire to have a relationship with us. Still, our sin separates us from Him. This is why Jesus came as God in the flesh! Christ came to earth, sacrificing Himself as the full payment for all sin, demonstrating once and for all that God is merciful and gracious. He loves each person. In the Old Testament, sin had a sliding scale of “value”. Different sins mandated different types of sacrifices, some more costly than others. There may have been instances of people not being able to provide the sacrifice required, which meant they were still under the burden of unremitted, unforgiven sin. But Jesus! Jesus paid for all sin, whether large or small, past or present. All sin is sin. There are still consequences to our sins, but if we trust Jesus as our Savior to make payment for our sin and we repent, we are forgiven. The effects of sin remain as long as we are on earth, but the eternal price has been paid at Calvary with Jesus’ blood sacrifice. In our modern age, fearing the Lord should still be the focal point of our everyday lives. His love for us leaves us awestruck! Even when we are deep in sin, we are still loved and can be rescued! A lifestyle drenched in iniquity, a vice we can’t seem to overcome, even a bad attitude can become like mire and keep us trapped in the pit of sin. When we repent and believe in Christ, choosing to follow Him and His ways, we are rescued from the Pit of Hell! (verse 12) We are no longer separated from God! In Jesus, God in the flesh mercifully gave Himself for us. Instead of angry judgement, He gives compassion, love and mercy. We should stand in reverential awe of this divine, selfless grace as He wraps us in His love.

 

3) Why does David write, “bless the Lord”? I thought God blesses us.

We know how to bless others, like family and friends, with kind gestures of generosity or a thoughtful phone call, but how do we, mere humans, bless the Lord God Almighty? In our modern culture we use “bless” and “blessing” to mean bestowing gifts or as a description for receiving good things. But blessing the Lord can stem from nothing less than a true heart of worship. The Lord owns all things and has authority over all things, but He has given us free will to choose whether we will worship Him or worship ourselves. Even as finite human beings, we can indeed bless the Lord by surrendering our hearts in adoring worship to Him. While outward gestures bless people, the Lord looks at our hearts. We can raise our hands, bow our heads, and sing vibrantly, but unless our hearts are humbled before the King of Kings, we aren’t truly blessing Him. David wanted to praise God from his innermost being, to be completely in for blessing the God who rescued him. Psalm 103 lists a whole slew of reasons (if we needed some help) to give the Lord worship and praise. Let’s tap into the very deep core of our spirit, turning ourselves over in genuine worship to give God the praise and blessing due His name!

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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!

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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 :-))

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Enough Day 15 Promised Land Restored

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Corinthians 13
Isaiah 65:17-25
Philippians 2:5-11
Revelation 21:1-8
Revelation 22

Enough, Day 15

A friend made a sign for me reading, “You are enough.” She meant to encourage me not to feel burdened to live up to anyone else’s expectations. It sounds great, but not one of us is enough on our own, least of all me.

“You are enough” sounds easy and available for our immediate gratification.
But let’s not settle for the immediacy of what we can muster up
when what God has promised is glorious.

You see, God is love. He is worthy. He is Lord.
God is enough.

Any hope we have should be placed in Him, not ourselves. He alone can satisfy our every desire, heal every broken place, give us victory, and gather us to live with Him forever. Only He can fulfill every promise.

I know I’ve made some lofty statements here. But friends, they aren’t mine. They are God’s, breathed into the hearts and minds of men, and penned on the pages of the Bible. (2 Timothy 3:16) Shall we explore a little?

God is love.
1 Corinthians 13 gives us a picture of biblical love, explaining love is patient. Furthermore, 2 Peter 3: 9 tells us God is patiently waiting to fulfill His remaining promises, so more people may repent and join Him in heaven. Y’all, it’s been over 2000 years since Jesus came. Patient? Check.

We also see love is kind and not self-seeking. During Jesus’ ministry on earth, He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, taught thousands, raised the dead, forgave sins and most importantly, died on the cross to conquer sin and death! Yet, He didn’t go around announcing His miracles and acts of kindness. In fact, He usually instructed people not to speak of their interactions. (Luke 8:56 and Matthew 8:4)

1 Corinthians 13:6 says love rejoices in truth. In the New Testament, Jesus says, “I tell you the truth” over 70 times!

Clearly, God is love.

God is worthy.
There are many verses I could point to, but I’ve settled on two. First is John 1:1-5, where we learn:

  •     God is eternal
  •     Father God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit created everything.
  •     Jesus is the light of men and cannot be overcome by darkness

Then, there’s Revelation 5. Verse 12 gives us a glimpse of the throne room of heaven when the Lamb (Jesus) takes the scroll, thousands upon thousands of angels, the living creatures, and the elders will loudly say, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

In verse 13, we see “every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth on the
sea, and everything in them say,
Blessing and honor and glory and power
be to the one seated on the throne,
and to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

I can’t add anything to this. Quite simply and wonderfully, He is worthy!

Jesus is Lord.
God could have saved us from our sin and from death any way He wanted; He chose to send His Son, Jesus, to die for us on the cross.

Because Jesus was obedient to do the Father’s will,
“God highly exalted Him
and gave Him the name
that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow—
in heaven and on earth
and under the earth —
and every tongue will confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)

And when we reach the end times, written on the robe and thigh of Jesus will be His name “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” (Revelation 19:16)

Speaking of the end times, did you realize they bring fulfillment of an early promise God made to Abraham? God promised Abraham would be the father of many nations, but He also promised actual land. However, because God’s perspective is eternal, there is an even greater land we’ve been promised! Revelation 21:1-8 tells us of the “land” where God will dwell for the rest of eternity with “those written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27).

In this New Heaven and New Earth, we find:

Gather us to live with Him forever? Check.
Abraham never saw the extent of the land he was promised, but his offspring did. Now we can wait expectantly with the hope of God’s eternal Promised Land.

Friends, I hope you feel the same longing as Abraham. While we wait on the God who is enough, let’s get to know Him better. Let’s share Him with others, so they, too, will be in the Lamb’s book of life.

This world we live in is hard, but it’s not our real home. Can we agree to live in anticipation of the glorious day when everything is restored and we are eternally and blamelessly in the presence of our holy God? Let it be so.

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

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Enough Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Here’s a link to all past studies in Enough!

Enough Day 13 Sacrificial Lamb

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 118
Exodus 12
1 Corinthians 5:6-8
Mark 11:1-11

Enough, Day 13

“Bind the festival sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar!”
(Psalm 118:27)

This was the concluding chorus of King David’s praise song, preceding his final stanza, “You are my God, and I will give thanks to You; You are my God; I will exalt You.” (Psalm 118:28)

Then, arms flung wide, inviting all to join him in praise at the Passover festival, the King shouted victoriously the timeless familiar refrain of God’s chosen people, “Oh! Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His faithful love endures forever!” (Psalm 118:29)

Israel’s King David, known for his whole-hearted passion for God, his musical ability, his songs of celebration and laments, his sin and his forgiveness, was leading his nation in another Passover feast.

The hingepoint?
The binding of the Passover lamb.

One sacrifice, given on behalf of all, to atone for their sinfulness and free them from the slavery of sin and the cords of death.

Each Jew in attendance imagined the mighty Red Sea rolling back on itself at the command of Yahweh, so Israel could pass on dry land.

Freedom was coming, even as Pharaoh’s militia followed them, effectively sequestering them between two death traps, the sea or the army.

I can imagine Israel’s intensifying fear coiling within them. Mamas, hushing babies as their own tears flowed and panic pounded in their ears. Fathers, knowing they were helpless, pushed their families behind them, certain there would be no mercy from Egypt’s finest soldiers.

Israel knew these faces.
They’d seen them every day.

These Egyptians didn’t just ride chariots and fight Pharaoh’s battles; their hands held whips and their voices laughed as Jewish blood spilled under their abuse. These were the taskmasters. These were the men who spit on the Israelites and cruelly dictated every aspect of their lives.

Freedom from this nightmare seemed utterly impossible, until one afternoon Moses announced Yahweh had heard His people’s cries.
Mercy was coming.

But now, with desert sands quaking beneath them from the thunder of oncoming horses’ hooves, mercy seemed like a cruel joke. Where was Yahweh now? Where was His great freedom? Death from the sea on one side. Death from the ruthless Egyptian army on the other.

Then, in one unthinkable act, the Lord breathed a pathway through the Sea while His cloud moved to block the army, lavishing an entire nation of runaway slaves with incredible mercy.

In the place where Death had reigned, mercy ruled.

“Lord, save us!
Lord, please grant us success!
He who comes in the name
of the Lord is blessed.” (Psalm 118:25-26)

Hundreds of years after the Red Sea victory, David’s voice carried across the nation sprawling before him on Passover, his words a prescient echo of centuries beyond, when another crowd gathered before another King.

Palm branches waved, excitement electrified the atmosphere, and the same prophetic words reverberated through the air, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord.” (Mark 11:9)

Victory seemingly swelled, but the cheering participants were oblivious to the pervasive Death around them. Two Death Traps.

Death was the rightful consequence, earned like a paycheck, for even one sidestep from God’s standard of righteousness. And sins were aplenty. Lies, gossip, lusting hearts, and manipulative tongues named only a few.

An impassable chasm stood on one side, separating every person, of every color, every language, every gender, every sin from the glory of freedom and delight found only in the presence of the God of everlasting, enduring love.

On the other? Eternal Death. Unending darkness, unceasing punishment, and the fullness of God’s wrath poured out without pause for grace or mercy.

Mankind was hopelessly caught between Death on either side; yet freedom was coming.
In one unthinkable act, God Himself left His rightful glory and humbled Himself to stand between the ones He loved and the relentless onslaught of Death’s fury.

“Bind the festival sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar!” (Psalm 118:27)

Impossibly, the sacrifice of God Himself was bound to a Roman tool of unthinkable torture.
His blood spilled to pay for our sin. Mercy had come.

Mercy to take the eternal blow of death.
Freedom unleashed as Christ’s once-dead body flooded with the warmth of life.
Death lost and Life won as Christ rose to victoriously conquer the grave, forever.

Mercy ruled where Death once snarled.

“There are shouts of joy and victory
in the tents of the righteous:
‘The Lord’s right hand performs valiantly!
The Lord’s right hand is raised.
The Lord’s right hand performs valiantly!’”
(Psalm 118:15-16)

The Lord God had done, again, what mankind could never accomplish. Just as He forged the path of mercy through the Red Sea, so He paid the consequence of Death in His own body, allowing Himself to be bound as the Sacrificial Lamb. In His offering, He became the gate of Life, declaring “righteous” all who enter through Him, trusting Him as their sacrifice on their behalf.

By the blood of the Sacrificial Lamb of God, we are emancipated from the slavery of Sin’s whip, shame, mockery, and reign to run forever free in the rich flood of Christ’s unabashed mercy and love. And so my lips will ever shout King David’s refrain,

“I will not die, but I will live
and proclaim what the Lord has done!”
(Psalm 118:17)

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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 Enough 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 Enough!

The GT Weekend! ~ Worship VIII 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) Grab a pen and prepare for interaction! Scroll the word “worship” across your page and then write down every word that comes to mind. No judgement and no filtering! You might be surprised at what shows up from under your pen. I know I was! When you’ve given space and allowed pause for freedom, look back through your list and ask the Lord to stir your heart. Ask Him to show you more of Himself and more of you as you think about worship. Which words raise their hand and stick out to you? Sit with those. Why do they prod you for attention? What might the Lord want you to understand about these words? Look through your list again and note which ones make your soul press back a bit. Where is your discomfort? Ask the Lord to show you truth and uncover any misconceptions you might have about worship. Close out your time by meditating on Tuesday’s study passage from Revelation 21:5-6. Read it over slowly and consider the insights the Holy Spirit brought to you as you read and pray!

2) Paula wrote on Wednesday of how easy it is to simply recite truths, but forget to allow the Holy Spirit to radically transform our everyday moments with those powerful realities. Let’s keep the interactive reflection going by writing down as many truths you know for sure are actually a real reflection of God according to the Bible. (For example… God is “love”) 30 seconds…..and GO! Now pause and before you critique your word choices, pray and be still. Ask the Spirit to take you deeper into truth and to tear down lies you believe. Now read through your list and circle a few you feel most drawn to and even a couple you feel uncomfortable with. Looking at these words specifically, ask yourself how your everyday moments and interactions might be different if you really truly genuinely believed that about God and His character. Remember you’re only picking words that are actually biblical and true…. So that means “God being angry with me” doesn’t count. J If you’re feeling stuck, try reading Psalm 36:5-12 for some good descriptions.  Ask the Lord to remind you throughout the weekend of His good character and allow them to shape your real life!

3) We can’t stop being interactive with our journals and pens now! What is an image that comes to mind when you think of being relationally “close” to someone? Do your best to doodle that image on your page (don’t worry, you don’t have to show everyone later J). Now think of an image representing “distant” relationally; draw this farther down your paper. Settle in to your seat and think of scenes from your life where you felt close or distant from God and write down a few words to describe each of these under the appropriate image. Before you start digging into these, close your eyes, and ask the Lord to show you new insights about your heart and His, ask Him to draw you into worship. Pen in hand, write down some feelings you associate with each scene. What strikes you as interesting? What do you feel yourself putting up walls against? What emotions are stirring? What differences you do you see in your perspective of God and yourself and others in each scene? Look up Psalm 34:18 and read it out loud as you consider each distant scene. Hold onto truth! Look up Psalm 96:10-12 and be reminded of this truth about our celebratory God as you read these verses aloud for each close scene. Christ is present, every moment, every breath, every sadness, every joy. Lean in to Him!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Psalm 116:17-19 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

I will offer you a thanksgiving sacrifice
and call on the name of the Lord.
I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people,
in the courts of the Lord’s house—
within you, Jerusalem.
Hallelujah!

Prayer Journal
Father God, thank You for being a creative God! Thank You for showing me more of Who You are and revealing new insights to me by the power of Your Spirit. I praise You for Your Words which come alive as the Spirit leads me in understanding them! How kind and gracious You are to hear my cry, to listen to me, to love me. Lord, remind me of these truths I’ve learned today. Wrap them around my shoulders as if they are Your very arms embracing me. Spirit, keep the words of Scripture close to me this weekend. Slow down my mind and my hands so I can make space for true worship. I love You, Lord God, may my heart and lips and hands pour out praise to You!

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Fervent Day 5 Character Counts

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ephesians 3:16-21
Acts 9:1-26
Psalm 111:1-10

Fervent, Day 5

I have been blessed with amazing parents. The Lord has used them and their examples to shape me in innumerable ways throughout my life.

Sitting down to prepare for this study helped me see another such way they impacted me.

Recently, a friend of mine had unexpected car trouble and needed a ride. As it was the middle of a work day, I could not leave to help. However, I knew my parents might be available. I texted them and quickly got a response they could come to the rescue.

In this scenario, I confidently knew if my parents were not in the middle of another commitment, they would be willing to help. Over the years, they’ve shown their hearts are to serve and demonstrate the love of the Lord in tangible ways.
This pattern enabled me to ask with humble expectation. 

Just as I had confidence to ask my parents for help, Paul had confidence to pray according to the proven character of the Lord. His rich history with the Father enabled him to pray with faith and fervency.

That history began when Paul, formerly known as Saul, hunted those who loved Christ. His first encounters with the Lord involved witnessing the faith of those he persecuted. How must Saul have been impacted by the faithfulness of the Lord shown to someone literally suffering for believing in Him?

The road to Damascus encounter shifted Paul’s world, and he became as those he’d once hunted. His knowledge of the law became a foundation for freedom as he learned to walk with the Truth. The fervency with which Saul once attacked Christians became the fervency with which Paul sought to spread the Gospel.

Paul did not lead an easy life. He experienced great persecution throughout his missionary journeys. Beatings, shipwrecks, and imprisonments are only a few of his documented trials. I have no doubt Paul’s understanding of the Lord’s character carried him through every struggle. Because Paul boldly walked with the Lord in his private life, he was able to carry that boldness into his public life. The God he knew first in intimate prayer, was the God he depended on in persecution and trial. Prayer was the undercurrent weaving both together with integrity. Paul captured his encounters, both public and private, in writing so we have powerful examples of perseverance, humility, and faithfulness.

While I haven’t experienced the degree of challenges Paul did, the Lord has revealed His character to me by faithfully walking me through every season of my life. For instance, I waited for my husband for decades (for the record, I did not start counting at birth!). I relied heavily on the Lord and Scripture throughout those years. I believed I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living (Psalm 27:13-14), that He would never leave me nor forsake me (Hebrews 13:5-6), and many other promises in the Word. He poured into me sustaining contentment because I knew He is faithful.

Ironically, but probably not surprisingly, the arrival of my husband presented new and intense opportunities to lean heavily on the Lord’s character and deepen my prayer life. We married as the pandemic shut down the world, and I stepped into an overwhelming whirlwind of change.

In the midst of a season when almost all of my identity markers have shifted, I have rooted myself in who the Lord says I am and trusted He would remain true to His character, bringing to pass what He desired in me. (1 Thessalonians 5:24)

I am deeply thankful for the answered prayer of my husband and all the growth my marriage has already evoked in me. I am even more appreciative that, as my world tumbles into a new normal, the Lord faithfully remains the same. Knowing I can call on Him and will surely find Him enables me to pray with confidence and purpose.

Trust His character and pray with confidence. He is faithful!

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Reveal Day 2 Until He Appears: 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!
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The Questions

1) What should we do when we call out to the Lord, but He does not save? (verse 2)

2) Why would God tolerate wrongdoing? (verse 3)

3) How can justice come out perverted? (verse 4)

Habakkuk 1:1-4

1The pronouncement that the prophet Habakkuk saw. 2 How long, Lord, must I call for help and you do not listen or cry out to you about violence and you do not save? 3 Why do you force me to look at injustice?  Why do you tolerate* wrongdoing? Oppression and violence are right in front of me. Strife is ongoing, and conflict escalates.  4 This is why the law is ineffective and justice never emerges. For the wicked restrict the righteous; therefore, justice comes out perverted.

Original Intent

1) What should we do when we call out to the Lord, but He does not save? (verse 2)
The prophet Habakkuk had a problem. Commentator J.M. Boice describes his scenario like this, “He had lived through a period of national revival followed by a period of spiritual decline.” Under King Josiah’s reign, the nation of Judah followed God, but under successive kings, the country fell into sin.  Distressed by the immorality and injustice all around him, Habakkuk called upon God to save His people. He implored, “How long, Lord, must I call for help and you do not listen or cry out to you about violence and you do not save?” (Habakkuk 1:2) Habakkuk grew frustrated that His holy God was not stepping in to rescue the faithful from their broken situation. He wanted the Lord to swoop in and restore His people, but that was not God’s plan. When God told Habakkuk His plan included letting the Babylonians (or Chaldeans,) attack and conquer the nation as part of His judgment, Habakkuk was horrified (Habakkuk 1:6-12) This was not salvation! This would be the end of the world as he knew it. Habakkuk wondered, and pressed back, at God’s plan, so he went up into a watchtower to seek and wait on the Lord for a better answer. (Habakkuk 2:1) God patiently answered Habakkuk, explaining His plan and telling His prophet that the righteous will live by faith. (Habakkuk 2:4) Eventually, Habakkuk was reconciled to the fact that God is sovereign. As a result, Habakkuk was able to rejoice in God and the strength He gives (Habakkuk 3:18-19) For a long time, God seemed unwilling to save the nation of Judah, and when His plan finally came to Habakkuk, it seemed worse than the current situation, but the prophet pursued God and His ways. God granted him this clarity, not in full, but in part, along with peace about God’s design over Habakkuk’s. God welcomed Habakkuk’s questions as he struggled to understand God’s plan, and He encourages the same from us. God promises if we call to Him, pray to Him, and seek Him with all our heart, we will find Him. (Jeremiah 29:12-13)

2) Why would God tolerate wrongdoing? (verse 3)
The prophet Habakkuk is heartsick at the sin and injustice he sees all around him. He wonders why a just and holy God would put up with such wickedness. In Habakkuk 1:3 he asks, “Why do you force me to look at injustice?  Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Oppression and violence are right in front of me. Strife is ongoing, and conflict escalates.” When Habakkuk discovered God’s plan for dealing with Judah’s wickedness was to hand them over to the Babylonians, he was shocked and dismayed. (Habakkuk 1:12-13) Author R. C. Sproul explains, “Habakkuk couldn’t understand how God could use the evil Babylonians to chastise His people, when it seemed from a human perspective that the Lord’s purposes for Israel had failed and His faithful servants would not be vindicated. God responded that those He regards as righteous live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4).” God taught Habakkuk he could have faith in Him regardless of the situation.  Often, it seems like God is letting the bad guys get away with evil and it’s hard to accept that His plan isn’t to wipe them all out or bring them all down.  Sometimes, like in the days of Habakkuk, evil seems to go unchecked and God’s plan to deal with it seems slow and difficult to accept. We wonder, “Where is God?” or “When will He act?”  Author Ravi Zacharias assures us, “It is not that God has absconded or is absent; it is that there is a divine purpose behind His visibility or invisibility. If one can rightly read the clues, the mystery is opened up in profound ways. Just as evil can be understood only in the light of the ultimate purpose, so also must God’s presence or seeming absence be judged on the basis of His purpose.”  We can trust that God has a purpose for what He is doing and what He allows, even when we can’t envision it at the time.

3) How can justice come out perverted? (verse 4)
Habakkuk 1:4 reads from the prophet, “This is why the law is ineffective and justice never emerges. For the wicked restrict the righteous; therefore, justice comes out perverted.” The prophet Habakkuk abhorred the fact that God’s laws were being ignored and His people were flagrantly sinning and injuring one another. He watched in despair as those in authority either did nothing or participated in the abuses. Author Jack Arnold explains, “In all of Judah, the Mosaic Law was of no effect. Literally, this says the law was “frozen” or “chilled.” Wickedness numbs the Word of God. Law was on the books, but it was not enforced. Law had no authority. Because of unrighteous judges, the Law was made ineffective.” There was no justice in the land, only a perverted version bearing no resemblance to the righteousness laid out by the laws of God. When Habakkuk asks God why He doesn’t intervene, the answer God gives brings even more distress because He plans to send the wicked Babylonians to conquer the disobedient people of Judah. (Habakkuk 1:6) God eventually helps Habakkuk see His punishment as just. As author Chuck Swindoll notes how the story of Habakkuk “reminds us that while God may seem silent and uninvolved in our world, He always has a plan to deal with evil and always works out justice . . . eventually. The example of the prophet Habakkuk encourages believers to wait on the Lord, expecting that He will indeed work out all things for our good (Romans 8:28).”  Even when it seems like everything around us is wicked and falling apart, God has a plan for true justice to be enacted. It may not be on the timetable we want or in the manner we prefer, but God will always bring about true justice.

Everyday Application

1) What should we do when we call out to the Lord, but He does not save? (verse 2)
My friend struggles daily with physical ailments. She stays strong for her family, but she grows desperate for relief from her pain. Remaining hopeful is hard when no end is in sight. She longs to know why God hasn’t yet answered her prayers for healing. We have all been in similar situations, desperate to break free from persistent struggles with no coming relief.  Habakkuk experienced this enigma as well. He continually called on God to save his wayward nation, but instead of the hoped-for rescue, God revealed a plan that would greatly devastate Judah. (Habakkuk 1:2-11) Habakkuk struggled to accept God’s decision and questioned His drastic plan. (Habakkuk 1:12-17) Author Jennifer Rothschild notes, “because God loved His prophet perfectly, He didn’t give His prophet the perfect answer that Habakkuk wanted to hear, He gave him something better. He lifted Habakkuk’s spirit and gave him perspective.” This truth can be hard to accept, as it was for Habakkuk. No one wants to go through hard things that will undoubtedly bring pain and will forever change us. Habakkuk knew God’s plan would mean hardship and suffering, but he also recognized God requires the righteous to live by faith. (Habakkuk 2:4) Habakkuk knew he could trust his life and his nation to God because of His faithful, unchanging character. Jesus had this same experience in the garden of Gethsemane as He prayed deeply before being turned over to His accusers. Matthew 26:38-39 tells us, “He said to them, ‘I am deeply grieved to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with me.’  Going a little farther, he fell face down and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.’” How remarkable that Jesus Himself prayed for a resolution He wanted, but accepted the will of the Father instead! God cares about our situations and our desperation. We can trust He is in control even when He seems not to answer, or when He gives an answer that we don’t like. Though we may neither agree nor understand, we can always trust His perfect will and faithful character.

2) Why would God tolerate wrongdoing? (verse 3)
If God controls everything, why allow tragedy and sickness? Of course, even acknowledging there is evil supposes there is also good, and this is where God comes in! Author Ravi Zacharias points out, “Transcending value and justice must come from a Person of transcending worth and an ultimate law or value-giver. The only reason people have intrinsic worth is that they are the creation of One who is of ultimate worth and the perfect lawgiver. That person is God.” So, we only know about good because God is good.  But why does He allow evil in the world? Evil entered the world when Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God. (Romans 5:12) As a result, the world came under the sway of the evil one (I John 5:19, Luke 4:6) and humans became objects of attack from the devil (1 Peter 5:8). God’s plan to save fallen humanity from the eternal consequence of their sin was the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus. This work of Christ on the cross destroyed the power of sin and death, thwarting Satan’s plans for those who trust and believe in the Name of Jesus. (Hebrews 2:14) However, we still live in a sinful world, which Satan still rules for now. He still wages war against us, tempting us to give in to sin. At the second coming of Christ, evil will be vanquished forever when Satan is bound and thrown into the abyss of Hell. (Revelation 20:1-3) Pastor Tony Evans  explains, “God is holy; He can’t skip over our sin. He can’t tolerate evil, and we are all evil because of our sins. So for us to be able to draw near to God, Jesus’ death on the cross had to take place.” God’s plan for us involved a loving relationship with Him in a world without evil. Though sin kept us from God, He lovingly provided a bridge between Himself and humankind, this is Christ Jesus! Though we live in a world where evil exists, we hold tight to the hope of a future with Jesus where evil is no more (Revelation 21:3-4)

3) How can justice come out perverted? (verse 4)
I was a substitute teacher before having a full-time teaching job. I learned a lot about classroom discipline in those few months! Kids tested how far they could push the rules. It was obvious which classes had no rules and were confident they would face no real consequences when the teacher returned. I soon arrived at every job assignment with a backup lesson and rules of my own, just in case. I’ve had days in the classroom (even under my own management), when I was nearly as dismayed and distressed as Habakkuk when he watched the laws of God being flouted and justice being perverted making it unfair and ineffective. (Habakkuk 1:4) I have felt frustrated with God when it appears He is doing nothing about injustice. (Habakkuk 1:1) I wondered how I was supposed to teach grammar to kids hungry from poverty or neglect, who were under house arrest for serious crimes, who suffered with addiction, were victims of abuse, or were pregnant and scared. Why would God let such bad things happen to these kids? Why didn’t He stop the evil? Author Margaret Manning writes, “In our world of unanswered questions or in the difficult places where the answers are not what we want to hear, we are called to rest in this wordless place beyond answers . . . we can rest in God’s faithfulness from ages past. The wordless place can be for us the place of trust, instead of fear.” When I took my worries about my students to the Lord, I realized He could be trusted with my burdens for them. In the waiting, I understood He had provided each child with teachers, counselors, and coaches who cared, including myself! Some of us were just doing our jobs well, but some of us were also trying to be the hands and feet of Jesus to our students. We could not proselytize, but we could pray for them and speak truth over them. We could provide respite from the cruelties of the world every day by extending Jesus’ comfort. God saw their distress, and he sent people to help them. He brought true justice through His people.

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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!

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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 :-))

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Beloved Day 1 Unveiled Faces

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Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Corinthians 3:1-18
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Song of Solomon 2:1-17

Beloved, Day 1

“We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
(2 Corinthians 3:18)

Unveiled faces. Does that resonate differently now for anyone else in light of Covid-19? Walking in the front door of my house, I immediately remove my mask. Oh the freedom!

Now I admit, on days when an unwanted blemish visits and my mask covers it, I appreciate the ability to hide that flaw as I complete errands. However, I still remove my mask as soon as I possibly can. No amount of embarrassment will keep me wearing my mask, especially while at home.

As I sat down to write this study, which focuses on marriage and our relationship with the Lord, my mind turned to Moses and the mask, or veil, he used. Moses wore his face covering because his face shone so brightly after spending time with the Lord, the Israelites were afraid to approach him. (Exodus 34:29-35) However, the Lord spoke to Moses face-to-face, and their level of intimacy left Moses radiant . . . literally.

Today, when I loop my mask behind my ears, unfortunately, it is NOT because my face shines after encountering the Lord. Regardless of the why behind our masks, the outcome is still the same: covered faces. It’s amazing to see how wearing masks impacts social connections. We easily hide imperfections, but struggle to bridge the isolation the mask creates.

The same is true both in marriage and our relationships with the Lord. My husband and I cannonballed into marriage as we said our vows three days before the shelter-in-place order went into effect. Over the past few months, I have learned so much about him and myself. One of the greatest surprises and blessings has been the refreshing experience of knowing and being known on a deep level.

Neither my husband nor I are perfect; nor has our marriage been tested the way only time and a variety of challenging circumstances can. However, God is empowering us to extend grace to one another and, in that safe space of unveiling, to be courageous enough to be our true selves: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

As a result, the last four months have been filled with serious amounts of love and growth. My love for him increases as he continues to embrace me, even after my flaws have been revealed and my quirks uncovered. I’ve grown as I’ve been challenged to die to myself and pour out grace to him as well, to embrace his quirks and flaws, and to love how I see Jesus in him.

In math only credited to the Lord, I am more drawn to my husband and our time together in the midst of unveiling, both painful and sweet. As hard as it may be, I delight in being known and challenged to continue to grow. In turn, tears come to my eyes in the moments I see how graciously loving him has blessed him and enabled him to grow, too.

Only the Lord could breathe passion into a relationship and so cause an increasing cycle of multiplication in which both parties benefit. Is marriage incredibly hard work, requiring intentionality, time, and a whole lot of Jesus? Most definitely, but it is deeply beautiful work. 

For readers who are unmarried, I urge you to cultivate this same passion for, and with, the Lord (my exhortation for married readers is the same!). I met my husband later in life and in my single years, I learned how to have hot dates with Jesus.

Because of those times with the Lord, I entered marriage without expecting my husband to complete me. I’d reached a place where I was content for it to be me and Him for the rest of my earthly days. Through my encounters with the Lord, and learning how to be unveiled before Him and with Him, I have grown the confidence to be vulnerable with my husband and to pour out grace as I see my husband unmasked, as well.

I still spend time with the Lord and am learning how to seek Him together with my husband. I recognize the health of all of my interactions is directly impacted by my walk with the Lord. 

The Lord created marriage as a reflection of the relationship we can have with Him. Imperfect humans will never build perfect marriages, although we can strive for strong, faithful relationships! However, the Lord, in His perfection, carries the weight of our covenant relationships with Him and invites us to know and be known by Him.

Regardless of our marital statuses, let’s each draw close to the Lord and risk being unmasked before Him. The love, passion, and connection experienced within His boundless love is well worth being seen.

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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!

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Pause IV Day 4 Only Holy One

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Pause IV, Day 4

Habakkuk has heard the Lord’s reply to his anguished plea for God to fix what was broken in Israel, and he doesn’t approve.

As we saw yesterday, the Lord responded to Habakkuk with gracious kindness inviting him to look around and assess from the Lord’s perspective. Yahweh encouraged Habakkuk that what the Lord planned would be astounding. By the close of Habakkuk’s prophetic book, by the way, Habakkuk ends up agreeing with the Lord, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves. For now, Habakkuk doesn’t agree, in fact he is wrestling deeply with two seemingly conflicting realities.

One, Habakkuk knows several unchanging truths about God, and he verbalizes them back to the Lord. As you read through today’s passage, pick out what those truths are and write them down. Then add to Habakkuk’s list by writing some truths you know about God that are always true, regardless of your circumstances.

Two, Habakkuk sees evil, violence, wrong-doing, and massive injustices. He cannot comprehend why the Lord would somehow plan to right the wrongs by sending punishment to Israel in the form of another nation who lived wickedly.

How often have we held a truth about God’s character in one hand, while looking at brokenness or injustice in our other hand, then pleaded with God for understanding?! I know I have, many times in many different scenes in my life.

At the close of Habakkuk’s book, he makes a decision to trust the Lord and what he knows of His heart over the circumstances around us. But for now, he wrestles. Let Habakkuk’s struggle encourage you! God isn’t asking you to jump to the conclusion and skip the middle part of wading through challenge. Give yourself permission to pause, and be reminded the Lord is present even in this.

Grab your Bible, a journal and pen,
and open your heart to bask in the presence of the Almighty!

Today's Challenge

1) Be a scribe and copy the precious words of Scripture down word for word. Make space in your journal to write down all of Habakkuk 1:12-13 today. As you copy, lookup a cross reference or two as you come to them (they are the small letters next to certain words in your study Bible or online at www.biblia.com). As you write, think of the incredible gift it is to be invited into God’s presence through His word!

2) Choose one of these options to walk into greater depth with Jesus as you make the intentional choice to grow with perseverance and determination!
a) Pitch in to do something extra at church. Whether it’s helping with cleanup, opening doors, trimming weeds, or offering to help in a child’s classroom, step up to loving deeper by serving in a new way.
            b) Send a note of kindness and encouragement to your pastor!
            c) Check out some local ministries in your area and make plans to serve with them for an afternoon. Maybe it’s organizing school donations, serving soup, or stuffing backpacks for kids. Even better, get some friends to join you!
            d) Prayer walking is a simple way to begin shifting the eyes of your heart to truly see others. Walk around your neighborhood, some city streets, the aisles of your grocery store, or intentionally sit at a local coffee shop and pray, pray, pray. Pray for the people around you, pray for hearts to turn towards Jesus, pray for your own heart to be ready to share the full gospel if given the chance. Don’t worry about seeing results, that’s God’s job!
            e) Strike up a conversation with a random stranger. It may move to spiritual topics, it may not, but showing love to those outside our immediate circles always begins with a simple conversation. “What have you been doing today?” “Do you live nearby?” “Where do you go to church?” “What are your favorite local restaurants?” “I love your top! Where did you get it?” These open-ended questions work well!

3) Share the exciting, bold ways you are growing deep today with the rest of the GT Community! Our Facebook community page is always open! Or snap a photo and tag us on Instagram @gracefully_truthful

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Habakkuk 1:12-17

12 Are you not from eternity, Lord my God?
My Holy One, you will not die.
Lord, you appointed them to execute judgment;
my Rock, you destined them to punish us.
13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil,
and you cannot tolerate wrongdoing.
So why do you tolerate those who are treacherous?
Why are you silent
while one who is wicked swallows up
one who is more righteous than himself?
14 You have made mankind
like the fish of the sea,
like marine creatures that have no ruler.
15 The Chaldeans pull them all up with a hook,
catch them in their dragnet,
and gather them in their fishing net;
that is why they are glad and rejoice.
16 That is why they sacrifice to their dragnet
and burn incense to their fishing net,
for by these things their portion is rich
and their food plentiful.
17 Will they therefore empty their net
and continually slaughter nations without mercy?

How Does “Pause” Work?
1. Each day, Monday through Friday, for 3 weeks, we will provide you with a simple challenge. Each challenge is designed for you to engage with the Almighty in a deeper way and perhaps in a new way than you have been recently.

2. Having a journal is a must! You’ll want to take notes as you walk this special Journey of Pause.

3. Each week focuses on one or two passage of Scripture and we walk with you as you study and flesh these out for yourself. As you write your thoughts, read His Word, and pray, questions might come up. That’s Perfect! Ask a trusted fellow believer, a pastor, or send us an email as you work through them!

4. Jumping in at the middle? No problem! Here is the entire Journey Theme.

5. Connect with others on Facebook by visiting our GT Community Group!

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 Pause IV 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 Pause IV!