perspective

Follow Day 15 Lydia, Spaghetti, and Waffles

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Acts 16:6-15, 40
Romans 12:1-21
Mark 8:34-38

Follow, Day 15

Men’s brains work like waffles; women’s work like spaghetti.

Have you heard this analogy? While I’ve never read the book in which it’s presented, I am very aware of the concept. Men are able to compartmentalize their thinking (waffles), whereas women have several thoughts moving at once that may be under, over, in-between, wrapped around, tied in knots, etc (spaghetti).

For example, when my husband asks what I’m thinking, I need to follow one specific noodle in my mind to figure out how it connected with what we were originally talking about. In other scenarios, I will bring up a topic from a previous conversation and he will acknowledge he hasn’t considered it since because he “tucked that thought in its waffle square.”

I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure if my brain truly existed in the “waffle-sphere,” things would end badly. I’d tuck something away safely in a square and promptly forget about it forever. Or I would ineffectively label my squares and end up with a massive, jumbled laundry pile of sorts, one with random thoughts falling away like errant socks rolling down the sides and disappearing (is this where all the missing socks go?).

The more I imagined life with a waffle-mind, my thankfulness for how the Lord wired my brain grew. With these thoughts, I began writing this Journey Study and was surprised to encounter an entirely new and challenging perspective on our dear sister in the Bible, Lydia.

Lydia’s story graces only a few verses in Scripture, but a great deal about her can be inferred from those lines. If you already read the Acts passages at the start of this study, excellent! If not, take a minute to read now. (Acts 16:6-15, 40)

Paul encountered Lydia outside the city gates of Philippi, yet Lydia was introduced as being from the city of Thyatira. Looking at the map of Paul’s missionary journeys in the back of my Bible, I discovered Thyatira and Phillippi are not neighboring towns; Lydia was a traveler. 

Additionally, she was a seller of purple cloth, for which Thyatira was famous. Note the verse does not say she was married to a seller of purple cloth; no, Lydia was a business woman, defying social norms by actively working.

She is also described as God-fearing. Paul found Lydia and other women gathered in prayer outside of the city gates. These women were humble and determined enough to step outside the boundaries of the city (most definitely the physical ones, but perhaps the societal, economic, and emotional boundaries as well) in order to seek the Lord. Lydia’s presence was intentional as she denied her own convenient comfort. (Mark 8:34)

After Lydia is introduced, we are immediately told what she was doing: listening. Because she was actively engaged with Paul’s words, “the Lord opened her heart to respond.” (Acts 16:14) If I were to envision this scenario occurring today, it might look like a woman intentionally moving to a place where she can encounter the Lord. For me, that would mean leaving my phone in the other room, having my journal and a pen ready to write thoughts to and from the Lord, and time enough to be still and truly listen.

Lydia followed through on the Lord’s nudge to respond. Holding nothing back from the Lord, she and her household were baptized. Then, she served as hostess to Paul and his traveling companions on multiple occasions. She demonstrated hospitality, generosity, humility, focus, and faithfulness. (Romans 12:6)

Now, in a perfect example of my brain’s spaghetti-like wiring, let’s jump back to how Lydia’s example showed me two ways in which I am asking the Lord to help my “spaghetti-ness.” First, like Lydia, I’m learning I must carve out time to be with the Lord and listen. The compartments of church and my personal time with Him cannot be replaced by other things. Failing to prioritize those will be detrimental to myself and those the Lord is entrusting to me.

Second, I do compartmentalize some areas that I shouldn’t. The phrase “separation between church and state” is not a biblical concept, yet it aptly describes a pattern of distinct boundaries between Jesus and the rest of my life. Rather than existing in separate compartments, what I learn in church and during my quiet times MUST bleed over into the other facets of my life. I must blend my heart for the Lord with my work environment and ethic, my home life, and my time in community. This does not mean I have a “Honk if you love Jesus” bumper sticker on my cubicle, but it does mean that I live to be a light to those around me. 

Lydia took all she had and used it for the glory of the Lord.
As a result, her entire household met Jesus.

Paul and his companions were blessed, ministered to, and energized for their journeys.
The kingdom gained a hard-working evangelist with a broad sphere of influence.

Beloved, as we consider our lives, where might God be calling us to use what He’s already given us for His glory?

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 Follow 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 Follow!

The GT Weekend! ~ Neighbor Week 2

Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Sara helps us view our work through the perspective that we each provide a service of one kind of another. Whether grandmother, neighborhood quilt lady, school bus driver, or nail salon technician, we all provide a service to others. Consider the roles you actively serve in your everyday life. When was the last time someone noticed your work and encouraged you in it? Think back through those feelings and that scenario. What made it impactful for you? Now consider who are those providing a common service around you who you may have a tendency to overlook? The trash removers? The cashier? The bank teller? The postal worker? Your spouse? Your boss? Pray over these people!! Ask the Lord to give you a heart to love them as neighbors!

2) Rebekah identifies isolation and busyness as the culprits working against her when it comes to intentionally recognizing the people who are so close to her. While she regularly sees these people, she admits to knowing very little about them. Good intentions of offers to connect and build relationship slam hard against Isolation and Busyness. Closing the garage door is easier than crossing the street. What if we decided to re-arrange our schedules to allow space to engage our neighbors, the ones we “see”, but decide aren’t worth the investment? Suppose we, collectively, chose to take off the glasses that insist our plans must be prioritized over that text message to a neighbor or the decision to walk across the lawn and ask how we can pray for someone, or maybe even ask what they are having for dinner. Pray over who the Lord wants you to connect with, then step out and fight against Isolation and Busyness for the sake of the gospel!

3) We all have a story. We all know this is true. Every person we meet, at the store, in our neighborhood, driving down the road, standing next to in the parent pick-up-line at school, or sitting beside at church. Heavy baggage. Wounds. Heartache. Triumphs. Victories won. Loss experienced. And every story matters to the Lord. He saw the bleeding woman in the crowd (who didn’t want to be seen), and wanted her to feel known and loved. This was Christ’s mission, for all to be known and accept His precious gift of love for them. It’s one thing to say we love people. It’s another to sit with someone who aches, listen to their story, and reflect the love of the Savior in that present moment. Maybe it’s your child, or your spouse, or a friend you’ve lost touch with, or maybe it’s a perfect stranger, but the Lord is calling you to lean in and love well. Who will you be a neighbor to this week?!

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 Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!

Prayer Journal
I don’t mean to indifferent, Lord. I just truly don’t see them. All the people around me; I don’t really see them. I certainly don’t see them the way You do. It’s too easy to think about my problems, my relationship dynamics, the ways I feel I’m walking in circles, my losses, or the ways my needs aren’t being met. I confess, Lord, I often don’t see those around me as being real people. Broken people. People with just as many hurts and needs and broken stuff in their lives as I do. Father, I plead with You to break my heart for them. Open my eyes, Lord Jesus. Refuse to let me stay blinded to them, because You see every person uniquely and with tender love. You know their stories; they matter to You, just as my own stories, struggles, and triumphs do. Teach my tongue to speak Your truth and love over them. I know You’re already giving me opportunity to love them, help me to step out in obedience to share hope!

Worship Through Community

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

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

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Sketched V Day 2 Saul, The Pharisee: Digging Deeper

Leave a Comment

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 Saul, The Pharisee!

The Questions

1) What is the context of this passage?

2) Why is Paul explaining his heritage? What does it have to do with his point?

3) What contrast is Paul trying to explain in this passage?

Philippians 3:4-6

“Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.”

Original Intent

1) What is the context of this passage?
In this passage, Paul writes a letter to the Philippian church to encouraging them to live in the truth of the gospel and let nothing stand in the way of a life fully devoted to the Lord. As Paul brings his letter to a close, he gives a personal story of his own walk with the Lord in his conversion from Saul to Paul explaining where he has come from and what he now knows to be true. He gives warnings about lies to watch for and encouragement to stand firm in truth.

2) Why is Paul explaining his heritage? What does it have to do with his point?
Paul gives an account of his pedigree because he was among the elite within the Jewish religious leaders. He was considered by the average person someone who was closer to God because of his status and his outward appearance of merit. But in this passage, Paul details his lengthy list of qualifications that humans would point to and elevate him for the purpose of discounting all of it because he knew that when it comes to the gospel, pedigree and accomplishments mean nothing.

3) What contrast is Paul trying to explain in this passage?
These verses are one snippet of Paul’s argument in this letter. The point he makes is, despite all of his education and religious fortitude, in light of the gospel, true salvation is the most important thing. True salvation recognizes that no “thing” or personal “goodness” is fit to award us merit for salvation. We can only be saved through Jesus’ work on our behalf. Nothing we do matters to gain salvation. Saul was the “perfect” Pharisee, but was spiritually lost and separated from the one true God. He is warning the Philippians to not put trust in the things of the flesh and the world, because those things are irrelevant in the Kingdom of God. The contrast comes in understanding the things of God and pursing His ways versus pursuing the things of this world and relying on ourselves. Don’t be confused by religious labels but seek true salvation!

Everyday Application

1) What is the context of this passage?
As any good pastoral leader would, Paul is warning this congregation against trappings of this world and recounting where he put his trust before he encountered Christ. He was worldly, a murder of Christians, and outspoken zealot against Christianity, but he came to truth and realized there is no eternal value in status or degree. He understood those things would fade away and earned no favor in the sight of God. Paul is the perfect example of a religious leader whose was fearful of the truth of Christianity until he encountered it. God changed his life and his perspective on worldly pursuits and ambitions. Paul’s filter for his entire life changed. As he says later in the passage, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.” (Philippians 3:7)

2) Why is Paul explaining his heritage? What does it have to do with his point?
There were times in my life where relying on the fact that my parents were Christians seemed okay. I have a heritage of Christianity in my family, which somehow made me feel okay before God. Paul, in this passage, is clearly saying your pedigree, your degrees, your status, even your family history does not matter in the light of the gospel’s truth. The world then and now gives the message that obtaining things and status are the most important goals to pursue and Paul is reminding us those things mean nothing to God. Being labeled religious means nothing if there is no heart change to back that up.  Knowing Christ and having a relationship with Him is the foundation from which everything should flow. Faith in Him should matter most in our life.

3) What contrast is Paul trying to explain in this passage?
The battle for our eyes and heart to stay true to God and not be distracted by worldly pursuits is not new to the 21st century, rather as we see here, this deception has been going on for 2000 years. Be encouraged! Paul, the “perfect” religious Pharisee, encountered the one true God and became one of the most prolific missionaries in starting the New Testament church as we know it. Things of this world offer no hope, no real truth, and no consistency or foundation, but as Paul encourages us with his words, “ Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ.” (Philippians 3:8-9a)

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Saul, The Pharisee!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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

Our Current Study Theme!

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

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

Incorruptible Day 13 Sweet Sufferings

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

James 1:2-18
Romans 5:1-11
1 Peter 4:12-19 

Incorruptible, Day 13

I distinctly remember standing in the pantry searching for an after-school snack. I absent-mindedly looked at my options and stood there for quite sometime trying to decide what would satisfy. In hindsight, I can see that the indecisiveness probably stemmed largely from the fact that I sought something to soothe my wounded heart more than something to fill my snack desire. I don’t remember what age I was but guess I was in late elementary school or early junior high. I lack the details now of what had caused the heart wound, but I do know it was fresh enough that I had not yet decided how to respond to the pain.

As I stood there in indecision, I clearly remember these words coming to mind: “Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” (James 1:2-3)
In that moment I decided to choose joy, to look at my current situation and invite the Lord into it. The hurt did not go away, but joy and hope bloomed alongside it filling that void in a way that no fruit snack or granola bar ever could have. I remember leaving the kitchen knowing I’d just made a choice that pleased the Lord. Little did I know how foundational this decision would be throughout my life.  

A short while later, still pondering this encounter, I told a friend from church about it. Her response both shocked and surprised me. “That is not a trial,” she said with a finality that ended the conversation. I knew she was right as calling it a trial may have been a stretch in the grand scheme of things, but at the same time, I knew her response was horribly wrong.  

Yes, most trials are categorically more horrific than my Jr. High experience.
Abuse, natural disasters, persecution, heavy responsibilities, and health problems are all items that come to mind as trials. Scripture promises we will have trials and suffering. My friend had wisdom in her young age to remind me of the power of perspective and the need to be aware of my word choice as others may not view my situation as a trial at all.  

However, I also knew that my pantry encounter with the Lord
was not one to be dismissed.

While not necessarily a trial, the wound proved to be the perfect platform for the glory of the Lord to be both displayed and rooted in my life.  I walked away from that moment in the pantry with an understanding of the Lord’s response to a heart surrendered to Him regardless of the cost.
A heart that chose to believe Him at His Word.

I had made the decision to let Him take the pain of my current scenario and use it for His glory, a lesson that prepared me for much harsher circumstances to come. My friend may have closed the conversation between us with a somewhat brunt statement, but the Lord has kept the conversation alive between Him and me in the years since, though quite often I discovered this by reflecting on those hard choices to trust Him in the dark.

Lord, am I really failing they way they keep saying that I am? My future resides on passing this year. I keep trying my hardest and I keep praying for You to come.  

Are you enjoying our times together as you read My Word? I specifically chose that verse to come to life for you today to help you. Yes, your love for Me and My Word will be multiplied by the end of this season.

Lord, that person just mocked me for believing You are the only way to heaven. What am I supposed to do with that?  

Did you see the way they watched you to see your reaction? Did you catch the surprise in their eyes that you did not lash out in anger? Another seed planted. 

Lord, my coworker just yelled at me in front of the office for something I did not do. I wanted to correct them in front of everyone just to prove my point.   

What if you are the first person to show them My love for them? What if you are the last? 

Jesus has taken the short conversation with a young girl and transformed it into a lifelong invitation to know Him. Intimately. Deeply.
Suffering, by its very nature, seems to be something to avoid and despise.
While I have never reached the point of loving suffering, especially while in the midst of it, I have come to love more deeply the One who leads me through the pain, the One who redeems it.
Each time I embrace the suffering, He makes me more like Him.
Sweet sufferings for Your glory, Jesus.
  Behold, Daughter, nothing given to Me will be in vain. I redeem all things! 

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

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 Incorruptible 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 Incorruptible!

Sketched IV Day 3 Boaz

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Ruth 1-4
1 Samuel 16:10-13
Matthew 1:1-6

Sketched IV, Day 3

I’ve been faithful to Yahweh all my days.
When I was a boy my father, Salmon, took me to temple to hear the scrolls read.

I knew my father was faithful and Yahweh blessed him for it. His crops were always plentiful – enough to sell at market what we didn’t store for the family’s use.

I have admired the love of my father for my mother, and hers for him, and hoped to find that same kind of love. She would have to be a rare and special woman to accept a man with a mixed heritage. My parents met in Israel after my mother, Rahab, was spared from the destruction of Jericho. She left behind her prostitution in the rubble, but would always be a Gentile. My father’s compassion toward her has been an inspiration in my life.

As I grew into adulthood, I felt Yahweh had a special plan for me.
Something greater than farming.

Since He hadn’t yet revealed the whole plan to me, I followed in my father’s footsteps. I planted and harvested crops, which were abundantly fruitful. Soon, I hired workers and still the production increased. Before I knew it, my income had doubled, then tripled! I was thankful to Yahweh for blessing me, but I never let the money control me.

Instead, I chose to put people first.
I paid fair wages to my workers, allowing them to join the feast on the threshing floor. For the poor souls who had nothing to eat, I left a little more than most field-owners around the edges of the fields for them to glean.

But with all this success, I still had an ache in my heart.
I watched as all my friends married.
I rejoiced with them at their wedding feasts,
but inside my heart I questioned Yahweh.

When would I be blessed with a wife? Was I not faithful? Was I not obedient?
Then something told me: Maybe a wife was part of the special plan that Yahweh had for me.

I saw her as I returned from the marketplace one day.
The fields were full of workers, but she was different…pleasant.
She looked foreign, but that wasn’t what struck me.
She worked hard, but she had a calm, unflappable demeanor.
She was respectful to the hired workers and kind to fellow gleaners.
As I observed her interactions, my fascination grew.
Who was this beauty and what terrible circumstances had reduced her to gleaning a field to survive?

I asked my workers if they knew anything about her.
They said, “She is Ruth the Moabitess, and she stays with her mother-in-law, Naomi.”

Oh, my heart exploded with compassion!

I had heard of Naomi’s tragedies from the people in the marketplace. She had lost much, suffered so deeply, she even asked to be called “Mara” meaning bitter. Rumor had it her Gentile daughter-in-law had returned from Moab with her. This woman must know Yahweh, despite being outside the Jewish faith, to follow Naomi rather than staying with her own family in the wake of her husband’s death.
Again, compassion drew me back to the face of the worker in my field.

Special kindnesses were due here, so I instructed my hired workers to casually drop sheaves so Ruth could pick them up while she gleaned.
Even dirty and tired from the day’s work, Ruth still glowed.
Could I be falling for this woman half my age?

The workers harvested the barley, then the wheat.
Ruth was there each day, diligently gleaning for herself and her mother-in-law.
I was there each day to casually check on the work, but truth be told,
I couldn’t keep myself away from her.

After the threshing of the harvest and the feasting and drinking, I woke up – cold – to discover a beautiful woman lying at my feet. Startled, I asked, “Who are you?!”
She quickly awoke, trembling, yet with graceful boldness said, “I am Ruth, your servant. Take me under your wing, for you are a family redeemer.”

I knew she was right, the Law of Moses said I could indeed redeem her.
I could marry Ruth and give her a child, ensuring she and Naomi would be cared for in generations to come.

Now, joy filled my heart! I blessed her for her kindness, because she was a beauty who could have any man, especially one much younger than myself! Ah, but there was also a catch…another family redeemer who was first in line. This man would need to be found, and soon.

Before the daybreak while it was still dark, I sent her home to Naomi with more grain to prove my willingness to redeem her. I immediately went into town to find the man who was positioned as Ruth’s closest family redeemer. Foolishly, he said he would not redeem Ruth…something about the inheritance to his children.
His foolishness, my joy!!

Ruth and I were married and soon had a son named Obed.
Yahweh had a greater plan for me, indeed!

—

Obed later had a son named Jesse.
Jesse had eight sons; the youngest was a scrappy sheep-herder named David. 

The Lord Jesus Christ came from the lineage of David.
Boaz and Ruth were blessed to be in the bloodline of our Savior!

Never discount your “ordinary” circumstances; the Lord Himself may be using them in a mightier way than you could imagine!

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

A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

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 Sketched 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 Sketched IV!

Borders Day 13
Jesus Will See

2 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Luke 21:1-4
Mark 12:41-44
Matthew 6:25-34 

His name was Tony.
He had a long gray beard and wore tattered clothes and a backpack.

I can’t tell you the first time I met him, but I know that he became a part of our story when my mom asked him to meet her at McDonalds so she could buy him a meal.

After that, his name became a common word in our house.
“Tony this..” and “Tony that…”
And then, Tony came to church with us.

My dad brought Tony a tie and some clothes before we showed him to the bathroom of our tiny church to give him time to change and freshen up. The mixture of the Las Vegas heat, his thick beard, and wearing all of his belongings on his back made for a man with a distinct smell, and not necessarily a pleasant one.

Tony walked into the bathroom and didn’t emerge for a long time. It may have been 15 minutes, but that is a long time for a little mind.

When Tony opened that bathroom door, he still looked like himself, just a cleaner version that smelled a little nicer, too.

But Tony was so proud. He walked taller, he held his head higher, and he was excited and honored to go to church with us.

That day, Tony gave all that he could to the Lord. The only thing he could give was his appearance and his best effort to freshen up. He cleaned himself and clothed himself because he was going to meet with God, and he was going to bring God his very best.

Tony reminds me of the widow in the 21st chapter of Luke.

Imagine this…

There, Jesus sat across from the offering box in the temple, His legs crossed before Him while He watched offerings being placed into the box. One woman came forward with a bag bulging and jingling as she walked. She looked around to see who was watching before dumping the contents of the bag into the box. Her eyes gleamed as she thought, “The Lord will be so proud of me for giving so much!”

Another woman approached the box, not haughty as the one before her, although she also brought an offering that equaled quite a large sum. She was excited to give, and didn’t do so out of obligation or pride, but she gave knowing that she still had money left over to purchase food from the market for her family’s dinner that night.

Then a third woman came, as Jesus continued to watch. She approached the offering box without a bag in her hand, but her fist clenched tightly. Jesus knew her, because He knows us all, and He knew that she was a widow, among the poorest of people.
This woman had no husband to provide for her.
She was vulnerable.
She was alone.

He continued to watch as she drew her arm up and dipped her hand into the box, silently releasing what she had held her in hand.

Two copper coins. Combined, they didn’t even equal one penny.
And that was it.
That is all she gave.
But she gave all she had.
And Jesus saw.

Jesus saw the widow’s heart. He saw her courage. He saw her trust and her faith. He saw her longing to bring her Lord a gift, even if that gift seemed like nothing in comparison to the others around her.

The widow gave everything.

Tony, he had nothing, yet he still found something to give, and when he did, he gave everything.

Jesus sees the things we often don’t see. From the outside, it might not have appeared like Tony gave anything. He still wasn’t dressed in the nicest of clothes. His beard was still scraggly and there was still dirt under his fingernails. If I didn’t know Tony, I never would have seen his gift. But Jesus saw. Because He sees every little thing.

Giving everything we have doesn’t always mean giving money. It did for the widow, but for Tony it was giving his absolute best to his appearance as he went to worship God. It means giving when it’s scary by laying down our pride and trusting that God is going to provide, He is going to care for us, He is going to see, and He is going to love us no matter what.

Sometimes it means giving up your comfort and everything you’ve ever known to live on the mission field (Like this family!), and sometimes it means giving the last $20 in your bank account to someone even though you aren’t sure why, and sometimes it means giving a homeless man your nicest tie and a delicious meal, when you can’t even afford to take out your own family.

Give boldly, friends.
Give with faith, friends.
Give with everything you have.
And Jesus will see.

Maybe you noticed our hashtag on today’s image. #GTgenerousliving Being generous is tough, but we want to encourage each other to live generously. Go to our Inst feed (@gracefully_truthful) or FB page and tag a friend who you have found to be generous. Tag them and use the hashtag #GTgenerousliving Let’s brag on how Jesus is changing us and encourage one another in the process!

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

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 Borders 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 Borders!

Borders Day 7
Seeing Hungry Souls: Digging Deeper

2 Comments

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

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

The Passage

Looking for yesterday’s
Journey Study?
Check out Seeing Hungry Souls!

Colossians 3:1-4 English Standard Version (ESV)

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

The Questions

1) Who is the command in verse 1 directed to?

2) What is the command that is given in these verses?

3) What is the reason behind the command?

4) What is the future result?

The Findings for Intention

1) Who is the command in verse 1 directed to?
The phrase “you have been raised with Christ” tells us to whom this passage is directed. Those who have been raised with Christ are those who have put their faith in Jesus as their Savior. This command is directed at believers.

2) What is the command that is given in these verses?
The command is to “seek the things that are above” and “set your mind on things that are above.” The idea here is to be heavenly minded—to think about the eternal, rather than the temporal (earthly things). The things of this world will pass away, and only the Word of God and the souls of people will endure. Therefore, Paul urges believers not to be caught up in the temporary, earthly things.

3) What is the reason behind the command?
The word “for” at the beginning of verse 3 indicated that Paul is about to give a reason for the command in the previous verses. Paul says that “you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” This means that a Christian has died to sin, died to her former way of living that was controlled by a sinful nature. She is now secure in her reconciled relationship to God, through the work of Jesus Christ. This changes everything, including what we focus on.

4) What is the future result?
Verse 4 is talking about the future, when Christ returns at His second coming. When Christ appears, believers will also appear with Him, in our sinless, glorified state. This is the unbelievable future that we have to look forward to!

The Everyday Application

1) Who is the command in verse 1 directed to?
So many promises and commands in the Bible are given, not to everyone, but to believers. It is worth examining your heart to determine if this is really you. Have you truly trusted in Christ alone for your salvation? Have you confessed your need for someone to save you from your sins, and have you professed that Jesus, through his death and resurrection, has done all the work that is needed to satisfy God’s wrath and bring you into right relationship with Him? If not, do not delay, but give your heart to Him!

2) What is the command that is given in these verses?
What does it look like to set your minds on things above? Think about what things consume your thoughts. Are they temporal or lasting? Of course, some of our time and attention must be given to the mundane—that’s just how life works. But we should remember what Jesus said in Matthew 6, where he told us not to worry about what we will eat or what we will wear, but to seek His kingdom and His righteousness first. Pray and ask God to help you discern what earthly things you are setting your mind on, and ask Him to help you shift your focus to things above.

3) What is the reason behind the command?
Dear Christian, you must remember who you are! Remember, you are a sinner who has been redeemed! You are hidden with Christ in God, and this changes everything. As your new identity sinks deep into your soul, you are changed from the inside out, and you are able to carry out the command to set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.

4) What is the future result?
The nature of life in a fallen world means that we will stumble and falter, even in our best efforts to be true to how God has called us to live. But there is hope, unfading hope. Our identity as God’s child is secure, and our future in Him is secure. We can know that one day, when Christ returns or calls us home, we will be freed from the presence of sin and will be with Christ in glory. Hallelujah!

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

I Can Do That!

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

The Community!

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

The Tools!

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

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

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

The Why!

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

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

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

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

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

Worship Day 14
Your Hands: Digging Deeper

1 Comment

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

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

The Passage

Looking for yesterday’s
Journey Study?
Check out Your Hands!

John 14:25:28 English Standard Version (ESV)

“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

The Questions

1) What is the context of this passage?

2) On what basis does Jesus tell His disciples to not be afraid?

3) How does the “world give” in contrast to Jesus in this context?

4) Does verse 28 teach that God the Father has more power than God the Son?

The Findings for Intention

1) What is the context of this passage?
Here in chapter 14 we are entering midway into the most intimate conversation recorded in Scripture between Jesus and His disciples. The scene is recorded as having taken place in the Upper Room where they had the Last Supper together. Jesus’s time was very short, the moments were thick with emotion and deep-seated in truth, the most important truths Christ wanted his disciples to know and understand. The 12 knew that Jesus death was impending, and they were deeply grieved over “losing” Jesus.

2) On what basis does Jesus tell His disciples to not be afraid?
Jesus tells His disciples not to be afraid in regard to His death and separation from them. He wants them to know, as deeply as He does, that though the world will have all kinds of trouble for them, they will posses something the world cannot have: the peace of God through the gift of the coming Holy Spirit. Jesus was leaving them physically, but he was leaving the person of God the Spirit to dwell right inside of them. He is the source of their peace and comfort; He would be their teacher of truth until that glorious day when the Church will be gathered together in the very presence of the godhead!

3) How does the “world give” in contrast to Jesus in this context?
The world and its offerings of peace and satisfaction are fleeting, temporal, and leave us ultimately feeling empty because the world is ruled by the Enemy, who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. The peace Jesus offers through the gift of salvation and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is eternal, life-giving, and incorruptible!

4) Does verse 28 teach that God the Father has more power than God the Son?
Often we miss the true meaning of a passage because of our own biases or western thinking and assumptions, which could easily happen in this case. When interpreting Scripture, always let Scripture interpret Scripture, meaning let other, clear parts of the Bible help fill in our understanding of less clear portions. Here, we must keep in mind that the context is comforting the disciples as they feel they are losing the best One they’ve ever known, the person of Jesus Christ in physical form. But Jesus points them to the godhead by first promising the Holy Spirit to dwell inside them, and then He points them to an even “greater” reward found in dwelling with the Father. It isn’t that the Father Himself is more powerful or more important, but rather that being in His presence is better and greater and more fulfilling than being separated by living on earth. Jesus is telling them that where He is going is better because He will be restored to His rightful place at the throne of God, while at the same time encouraging them that there is a place there for them also! This concept is very similar to Paul’s teaching about being at home with the Lord (in Heaven) or at home in the body (on earth). 2 Corinthians 5:6-9

The Everyday Application

1) What is the context of this passage?
We often don’t think of God as being emotional, but we forget that He created our emotions and we see through studying Jesus’ life and teaching, that He embraces His emotions and uses them to continue building the Kingdom. I challenge you to read through John’s record of the entire conversation happening here from chapter 13 all the way through the end of 17. Read it as one dramatic play unfolding before you. Ignore chapters and verses and everything you thought you knew. See the Christ. See His love for His disciples. See His passion for our hearts and His love for the godhead!

2) On what basis does Jesus tell His disciples to not be afraid?
That gift of the Holy Spirit that Jesus was waiting to pour out on His disciples? If you’re a Christ-follower, you are indwelt with that Spirit! God’s power, His peace, His comfort, His guidance into truth is living and breathing inside of you. The same peace offered to His disciples the night before He would be crucified is held out for you. But diving into that relationship is up to you. His comfort is available, but just like open arms, waiting for an embrace, we have to choose to run into them. Are you seeking to build into your relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit that you might know God better? Peace awaits!

3) How does the “world give” in contrast to Jesus in this context?
Jesus’s reminder of the incorruptibility of His gift as opposed to how the world gives should comfort our hearts, remind us of our eternal future hope, and bring us peace like nothing else. Where are you desperate for peace and comfort? What broken places has the Enemy taken over in your life? Bring them to the Father! He longs to wrap us in the peace He offers!

4) Does verse 28 teach that God the Father has more power than God the Son?
So much of what we focus on and get stuck worrying about or being afraid of is whisked away when we shift our perspective to God’s eternal lens instead of our narrow, temporal one. Yes, there are most definitely trials and struggles on earth, but we have been given so much in Jesus. In fact, Scripture teaches us that through the divine power of the Holy Spirit and a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, we have access to everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). Take some time today to re-adjust your focus to the eternal and soak in some study of God’s character. Be comforted in knowing that we are never alone and our future as believers in Jesus is eternally secure!

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

I Can Do That!

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

The Community!

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

The Tools!

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

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

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

The Why!

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

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

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

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

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

Worship Day 7
Tis So Sweet: Digging Deeper

Leave a Comment

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

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

The Passage

Looking for yesterday’s Journey Post? Check out ‘Tis So Sweet!

Philippians 3:7-16 English Standard Version (ESV)

 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

The Questions

1) What had Paul gained that he is so willingly counted as loss?

2) What message is Paul hoping that the Philippians receive from this passage?

3) What does Paul mean by “press on” in v.12?

4) What is the goal that Paul references in v. 14?

The Findings for Intention

1) What had Paul gained that he is so willingly counted as loss?
In the verses preceding this passage, Paul explains his life and all that he has accomplished. He is making the case that if there were ever someone who could have confidence in their accomplishments, it would be him. In that argument, he wants the reader to know it doesn’t matter what he has accomplished in his life, if he is separated from Christ it means nothing.

2) What message is Paul hoping that the Philippians receive from this passage?
Paul had every reason to boast due to his status and position. He had every reason for others to look at him as being well accomplished. The message he gives the Philippians in this passage is clear that nothing matters if Christ is not consuming his life. He wants them to understand the greatness and power that comes from trusting in Jesus. He desires for the readers of this letter to fully grasp the passion with which they pursue the gospel and lay aside worldly standards that are meaningless.

3) What does Paul mean by “press on” in v.12?
Paul states that he “press(es) on to make it his own”. The word press in that sentence means to seek after eagerly, earnestly endeavor to acquire. As he lives his life, he seeks, and is encouraging the Philippians, to trust so deeply that they are eagerly pursuing with every part of their being the gospel in all of its glory.

4) What is the goal that Paul references in v. 14?
Paul is running the race of life well. He is pressing into the hope that comes from knowing and trusting Jesus. He is telling the Philippians that any believer’s life must represent a constant pursuit to know God and His will. The goal of imitating Christ Himself compels the believer to know the sweetness of trusting Him.

The Everyday Application

1) What had Paul gained that he is so willingly counted as loss?
The world would have us believe that keeping up with the Joneses is all we need in this life. We need only to keep ourselves happy and we have arrived. Unfortunately, that does not line up with the truth of the gospel, or even reality. There is more, there is a hope and calling to more. There is no amount of accolades we can acquire that will earn our salvation or our righteousness. Both come only from trusting in the one true God.

2) What message is Paul hoping that the Philippians receive from this passage?
When I think of loss, suffering, and sin, I don’t think of it as a blessing, but Paul wants us to be encouraged that regardless of what we face, our hope is founded in and based upon Christ’s death and resurrection. We don’t bare the weight of our righteousness and because of that we can run the race well. We can cast off our old and be made new. We can grow and mature in our faith as we cling to what we know to be true. We can cling to the faith we have obtained from trusting Christ as our personal Lord and Savior.

3) What does Paul mean by “press on” in v.12?
Sisters be encouraged! We can, with abandon, pursue the one true God. We can press on because we have hope that God is bigger. God is bigger than whatever you are facing: marital struggles, financial issues, depression, anxiety, addiction….fill in the blank. We press on because we have obtained, and are obtaining, what God desires when we rest in Him and worship Him alone.

4) What is the goal that Paul references in v. 14?
The goal in this life is to “hold true to what we have obtained”. (v.16) Hold fast, friends, to what you know to be true. Hold fast to the hope of your calling as a princess in the Kingdom of God. Hold fast to our protector, sustainer, and provider who calls you by name and created you with thought and purpose. (Psalm 139) The goal is to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant” at the end of this life. (Matthew 25:21) The aim is to mature in our faith and experience authentic worship when we trust Him with our very souls for all of eternity.

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

I Can Do That!

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

The Community!

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

The Tools!

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

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

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

The Why!

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

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

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

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

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