questions

If Day 13 Un-Risen

1 Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Corinthians 15:12-22
Matthew 28:1-7
John 10:14-18
Romans 6:1-11
Ephesians 1:18-23

If, Day 13

When we read the accounts of the Lord Jesus Christ in the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), we are awed by His greatness. He preached the kingdom of God and performed different kinds of miracles. He was full of love and mercy; wherever He went, He healed the sick, provided food for the hungry, and even raised the dead. For these reasons, a large crowd was always following Him. As Jesus continually met the basic needs of humanity, it follows that people would throng to Him.

But what if, after His death, His body decomposed, and His bones remained in the grave? Would He be any different from other religions’ leaders?

While the accounts of His life portray Him as unique,
His end would have been the same.

The figureheads of all other religions lived at a point in time, and their lives included some memorable events for their followers. They all died and were buried, and their tombs remain closed around their remains. The best their followers could do to remember them was to make those tombs into shrines for visitation and rituals.

What if the story of Jesus was the same?
What impact would an un-risen Jesus have on our faith, our spirits?
Apostle Paul addressed this question by explaining,
“And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Those, then, who have fallen asleep in Christ have also perished. If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone.” (1 Corinthians 15:17-19)

But thank God, Christ did not remain in the grave as other religions’ leaders; “He has risen, just as He said.” (Matthew 28:6) Indeed, Jesus predicted His death and resurrection. He said to His disciples, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and after He is killed, He will rise three days later.” (Mark 9:31)

“This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay down on my own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.” (John 10:17-18)

Hallelujah, what a Savior! Is that not powerful?
Christ laid down His life for us at will, and took it back after paying off the price for our sins. My people in Nigeria have a saying, “If someone promises you a shirt, look at the one on his body first.” The message is, no one can give what he does not have. Thank God, the Lord Jesus Christ lives forever and He has given us life in Him.

The death and resurrection of Christ provides all who believe and trust in Him with our unshakeable identity, both for this life and in eternity. In this life, we enjoy a new existence in Him; in eternity, we will live with Him forever.

Scripture says,
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

“Therefore, we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4) We can walk in “newness of life” because Jesus’ resurrection conquered the sin nature that once ruled us; now, through the Spirit, God remains in us. (1 John 3:9)

Finally, Scripture testifies, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God [and . . .] everyone who has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith.” (1 John 5:1-4)

Through the death and resurrection of Christ, we receive the grace of God, through the Holy Spirit, to live victoriously over sin and Satan. Christ is seated at God’s right hand in the heavens, “far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given.” (Ephesians 1:20-21) Furthermore, “[God] also raised us up with [Christ] and seated us with Him in the heavens with Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 2:6)

What does this mean for us?
We are also seated in Him, far above every authority of the devil. Glory be to God! We are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. (Romans 8:37)

Yes, we experience struggles in this world whose god is Satan, yet we have the assurance that we have already been saved from death to life, just as our God was raised from death to life. (1 John 3:14) Death was not His master, and neither is it ours who trust in Jesus, for “we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when he appears, we will be like him because we will see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2)

Then we will say, “Where, death, is your victory? Where, death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55)

Let the Good News ring out, Christ is risen!

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 If 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 If!

If Day 10 Under The Rug

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 90:13-17
Isaiah 53:3-12
Luke 6:27-36
Psalm 20
Revelation 20:11-15

If, Day 10

“Lord, I plead for justice. How long, Lord, before you turn and bring vindication? Don’t you see the oppression and suffering? I know your heart grieves injustice. When, Lord? When?!”

The words flew from my pen as morning mist hung low over the tranquil pond. I was on a spiritual retreat, and the dialogue between me and the Lord was fairly one-sided. I was angry and wanted the Lord to bring justice. Or at least my definition of it.

The tears flowed furiously as hot anger rose. Surely, the Lord would see, hear, and act on my behalf. Didn’t He see how right I was? I had walked with honor, acted with humility and love; still, I was treated unjustly. Wasn’t it the Lord’s job to defend me?

As my anger escalated, my eyes fell on my open Bible.
Tears blurred my vision, but one line was all the Spirit wanted me to hear.
“In His humiliation, justice was denied Him.” (Acts 8:33)

Full stop, Sisters.
My pounding heart took on a different rhythm. I had just been confronted with the tender mercy and righteous justice of the Lord God Almighty by the work of His Spirit living within me and actively speaking through His Word.

The clash of horrible injustice against a holy God collided with my perspective on personal justice.

We’ve each experienced injustice against ourselves or a loved one. Whether it’s on a personal front or a cultural battle, our hearts know the familiar ache for justice.

Shouldn’t God dole out justice on our behalf?
When can we watch our enemies fall?
Is God even just at all? How can He delay?

All good questions.
But, perhaps, you, like myself that morning, have forgotten what true justice would mean for all of us.

In our self-righteousness, we raise our eyebrows, cross our arms, and hope a parade of jurors have prepared their sentence of “guilty” for the offender. (Luke 18:10-14)

Can I be blatantly honest about that morning encounter?
The Lord showed me myself, then He showed me Himself.

I am a sinner.
Not a mistaker; a wretched sinner.
Every sin I commit is a slap in the face of a Holy and Righteous God who sacrificed Himself to save my unworthy self simply because He chose to set His love upon me. (Deuteronomy 7:7-8) When I forget how lost I am without Jesus, and incapable I am of doing good on my own, my sense of justice becomes ridiculously slanted as I elevate myself.

God is perfectly holy.
No flaw exists in Him, nor ever will.
From everlasting to everlasting, His ways, thoughts, actions, and emotions are always righteous. (Psalm 90:2, Isaiah 30:18)

No sin escapes His eye.
None.

Not my distant body language.
Not my subdued tone of voice with a hundred undercurrents of anger.
Not my bitter thoughts.
Not that little lie I told.
Not that lusting look I allowed to linger.

None.

Each and every sin carries a price tag because it offends a Holy God. The price is eternal death and forever separation from the loving, gracious holy God. (Romans 6:23)

This is justice.
I don’t deserve to be in the presence of Holiness because of my sin.

“Your iniquities are separating you
from your God,
and your sins have hidden His face from you
so that He does not listen.”
(Isaiah 59:2)

We should all be nodding our heads at this point.
It makes sense, doesn’t it?
If I want my spouse to apologize for acting and speaking rudely, while I’m also rude at times, how infinitely greater is my sinful offense to a Holy God Who has never sinned?

There is no *wink* *wink*, let this sin slip through the grid, Lord.
Just slide this under the proverbial rug since I’ve done many other good things.
This is utterly impossible.

Knowing this, King David cries out,
“If you, oh Lord, kept a record of wrongs, Oh Lord, who could stand?!” (Psalm 130:3)

None.

David’s point is clear.
No one can stand with clean hands and heart before God.
If justice were served, all would be condemned, from the “greatest sinner” to the “greatest saint”, for all have sinned. (Romans 3:23)

You. Me. Your pastor. My friend. All. Of. Us.

So I sat, stunned to silence as the fog lifted around my heart and the Spirit sunk His words deep into my soul. “In His humiliation, justice was denied Him.”

Jesus Christ, wholly innocent, humbled Himself entirely, allowing justice to be denied Him that I might be set free. He, who knew no sin, became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

My Sin.
My price tag of death.
Jesus paid it all and gave me His flawlessness instead if I say yes to Him.

No, God cannot sweep injustice under the rug.
But He did die in our place to pay for every last lustful thought and bitter word.
Then He hands us our freedom wrapped with infinite love.

He is a just and righteous God.
He hears every plea for mercy.
He paid the price for every sin.
And His gracious response to our sinfulness is to offer outlandish mercy.

“For He is gracious to the ungrateful and evil. Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.” (Luke 6:36)

Do I feel the sting of injustice in my home, at work, my city, and my nation? Oh YES!
Does God feel it? Far deeper than I do.

His response?
Mercy

I will stand up for the oppressed just as my Father God has stood up for me.
I will humble myself, not insisting on my justice, for my Father knows.
If the Holy God can respond in mercy, then how can I stubbornly do less?

While I extend mercy as my Father has, I’ll wait in confidence, knowing that One
Glorious Day, all injustices will be reversed.
All unrepentance will be met with perfect justice.
On that day, all creation will tremble at its Righteous Judge.

Blessedly, for all who have trusted Christ to pay the penalty for their sin, judgment has already passed over us, finding us flawless, for Christ’s righteousness has become our own. God’s wrath was already poured out on Christ on the day our freedom was purchased.

Lord Jesus, in view of God’s outlandish mercies (Romans 12:1-2),
renew my mind and let me bravely stand against injustice while holding out Your mercy.

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

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

The GT Weekend! ~ If Week 1

1 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) What if Jesus was not God? What if He was just a prophet or a good teacher, but not God in flesh? Or even if He wasn’t fully God, but something lesser? Considering these questions can either drive us away from the Lord or drive us straight into the arms of a loving, trustworthy, and faithful God. We saw in Monday’s Journey Study some solid reasons to believe Jesus was, and is, exactly the fully divine God He claimed to be. He defeated sin by living a perfect life. He defeated death by raising Himself from the dead. Because of these things, and more, He is worthy of our worship. We serve a powerful God. The great King of Glory does not fear our questions. There is no question too big for Him. Will you commit to bringing your questions to the Lord? Will you be honest with Him about your doubts? Will you faithfully search the Scriptures and consult wise, mature believers as you seek out your answers? What questions do you have? Where have you been looking for answers? Write down one or two questions about God along with the name of someone you know whom you could ask to help you find the answers. Pray over your question and ask the Lord to give you courage to step out in faith and search for truth!

2) Like making cake without flour, trimming the grass without a mower, or, perhaps most apt, drinking water from an empty glass, so is absolutely anything we attempt in the Christian life without the power of the Holy Spirit. We, as finite, prone-to-sin human beings, are utterly incapable of accomplishing the holy, righteous work of becoming like Jesus on our own power. We cannot forgive more freely, love more deeply, give more wholeheartedly, or treat others with more lavish kindness without the power of the Holy Living God taking up residence within our beings. Going further, even if we have genuinely surrendered our lives to Christ and He has faithfully given us the Holy Spirit inside of us, we can still adamantly choose to reject His power at work in us. Classic author Andrew Murray writes of every day being a battle of wills between our fleshly desires and the work of God. We can either choose to surrender moment by moment to His work, or we can stubbornly insist on our own abilities to accomplish His righteousness. Determine today to live in a constant state of surrender by practicing the simple hand motion of raising one or two palms upward. When you face a challenge of your will versus God’s way today, choose total surrender to the Spirit by rotating your palm upward and breathing a prayer of surrender!

3) Rejoice with me as we think about our great God! His character is so far above our comprehension of holiness. He is unable to sin because of His great power and might. He is perfectly just and perfectly merciful. He is unchanging, unshakable, steadfast, and He gives us direct access to Him. Even when we fall short, He is faithful because He cannot violate His own nature. Write a prayer of thanksgiving and praise to the Almighty God! Spend time contemplating what His sinless nature means for your relationship with Him and your obedience to Him. You may begin to feel discouraged by the weight of your own sin and your own shortcomings as you worship. Feel that weight, but don’t stay there! When we turn our eyes upon Jesus, we receive freedom from our sins. Repent and move forward in the strength of the Lord only He can provide. You don’t need to make yourself better to come to Him. Simply focus on His greatness, and He will work a mighty change in you!

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 Colossians 1:15-17 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

[Jesus] is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn over all creation.
For everything was created by Him,
in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions
or rulers or authorities—
all things have been created through Him and for Him.
He is before all things,
and by Him all things hold together.
He is also the head of the body, the church;
He is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead,
so that He might come to have
first place in everything.

Prayer Journal
Who is this King of Glory? Who is this God who would condescend to walk the Earth as a man, perfect and righteous? You are our God, the blessed Three-in-One, wholly loving, almighty, immovable, and the perfect lover of our souls. You have not left us on our own in our questions and our weakness, but You have rescued us by Your great hand! Forgive me, oh merciful God, for my doubts, my weakness, and my desire to have my own way. I have often resisted Your will and questioned your goodness. Thank You for your great mercy and grace. Thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit to work in my heart and guide me in obedience. Thank You for comforting me with truth as I search out your goodness. I ask for Your help as I surrender my will to Yours. Use my questions and my doubts to draw my heart toward You rather than toward the darkness. I believe in You, oh Lord, help my unbelief.

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

If Day 5 Without Sin

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 18:22-26
Deuteronomy 32:1-4
Job 34:10-15
James 1:13-18
2 Timothy 2:11-13

If, Day 5

My six-year-old daughter is full of questions. If she’s not asking what set the sun on fire, she wants to know why our noses point down instead of up. It’s a fun and exhausting season as I find myself trying to explain ideas I’ve taken for granted. My favorite questions, though, are the ones she asks about God.

One such question came up as I tucked her into bed the other night, “Mama, can God sin?”

“No, Baby, God is wholly good; He can’t sin.” I quickly replied, hoping this wouldn’t delay her imminent bedtime. Seemingly satisfied, she rolled over and fell asleep; leaving me alone with my swirling thoughts, wondering . . .

But, What if God Could Sin?

Throughout Scripture, the prophets and saints tell us with passion and certainty that God is without sin.

In Deuteronomy 32:4, Moses declared God to be “[t]he Rock–His work is perfect; all His ways are just. A faithful God, without bias, He is righteous and true.”

During his diatribe to a grieving Job, Elihu said, “It is impossible for God to do wrong, for the Almighty to act unjustly.” (Job 34:10)

In his letter to the early Church, James warned, “No one undergoing trial should say, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ since God is not tempted by evil, and He Himself doesn’t tempt anyone.” (James 1:13)

It’s clear then, according to Scripture, God is without sin, He could not possibly act unjustly, or fall into the temptation of evil. 

But what if God could sin? What would that mean for His character? What would that mean for us? What if, just for a moment, we considered the impossible? Perhaps, it would lead us to love the Lord just a little bit more than we already do.

Daring to Engage With the Possibility
First, we need to understand what sin is. In his book, Systematic Theology, Dr. Wayne Grudem asserts, “Sin is any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature”. (p. 491)

Sin violates God’s law either by action (ie: physically stealing someone’s belongings) or attitude (ie: coveting someone’s possessions). But it’s also anything that violates God’s law by nature. What does that mean?

When Adam and Eve sinned against God by eating the forbidden fruit, they ushered in a new human nature. Their “DNA” was altered, so to speak; it became corrupt. Therefore, every human thereafter is born into this world bent toward sin and destruction, in direct opposition to the will of God.

This is what makes our situation so hopeless without Christ. We come into this world inherently opposed to God, with no way to reconcile ourselves.

Uncovering The Real Question
Now that we’ve defined sin, we understand “could God sin?” really means, “could God violate His own moral law?”

According to 2 Timothy 2:13b, the answer is NO: “if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”

In other words, God cannot be anything other than Who He is.
So who is God?
Well, among many other things, God is omnipotent, righteous, and holy.

God is Omnipotent (all-powerful). God’s omnipotence means He can do anything, right? But if He can’t sin, is He truly omnipotent?

Yes. You see, when we sin, it is often because our will fails and we bend to Satan’s power. So, in order for God to sin, He would have to give in to temptation; His will would have to bend. But because God is all-powerful, His will can never fail. No temptation can overpower Him. If God could sin, it would be a sign of weakness, proving He is not all-powerful, and therefore, no god at all.

God is Righteous. In His letter to the Romans, Paul considers human nature and declares, “There is no one righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10). God, however, is righteous, meaning He always does what is right and just. (Psalm 119:137-144) If God was able to sin, He could act unjustly or even cruelly. An unjust (and all-powerful) god would be a terrifying reality.

Finally, God is Holy. To be holy means to be untainted by sin and set apart for the service and glory of God. If God could sin, He would no longer be holy. And no longer holy Himself, He would have no power to make us holy, leaving us without hope and without a savior.

After consideration, I am compelled to agree with Scripture: God is, indeed, without sin.
He cannot act unjustly or cruelly.
He cannot deny Himself.

I’m so thankful for these truths. And I’m thankful to serve a God who invites us to come to Him as a child- a crazy, inquisitive child- and seek His truth. For when we do, our hearts cannot help but echo Jeremiah 10:7 in exclaiming,

“Who should not fear You, King of the nations?
It is what you deserve.
For among all the wise people of the nations
And among all their kingdoms,
There is no one like You.”

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

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

If Day 1 One God?

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 9:2-7
Hebrews 1
Colossians 1:13-22
Daniel 7:9-14

If, Day 1

Years ago, a certain talk-show host sometimes used his show to attack the faith he’d abandoned. During one show he asked, “If God the Father is so ‘all-loving,’ why didn’t He come down and go to Calvary?” This man traded the truth he knew for a what-if question. I myself have heard it in several forms.

What if Jesus was just a prophet or a great teacher? What if Jesus wasn’t really God? Honestly, I’ve asked myself these questions. It wasn’t from unbelief, but a desire to be able to explain my faith to others.

Those questions have one answer: Jesus was fully God and fully man. Therefore God did come down, teach as only God could, and then endure the cross so we could obtain salvation and eternity in heaven with Him.

Want to know what’s good about my answer? I can back it up.

If Jesus isn’t God, then He and John the Baptist would be liars. John the Baptist called Jesus “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29) and “the Son of God” (John 1:34). Jesus said of Himself, “before Abraham was, I am,” (John 8:58), echoing God the Father’s statement in Exodus 3:14, “I AM WHO I AM.” But let’s go one step further.

If Jesus isn’t God, then God Himself would be a liar.
And let’s be clear.
God is holy.
He cannot lie. (Numbers 23:19)

When John the Baptist was baptizing Jesus, the voice of God from heaven proclaimed, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased” (Matthew 3:16-17) We know from Genesis 1 that the Trinity (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit) was present at creation. They work in tandem with each other. We see an example of this in John 14:16, where Jesus asks the Father to send the Holy Spirit to the believers. Three persons, yet one God, working for our good and our salvation.

Salvation means God working on behalf of man to deliver us from sin and death and give us eternal life in heaven. How does Scripture support this? What a great question! I started in Isaiah 9:6, “For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us.” Then it lists His names, “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” Who is this Son who is also Mighty God?

Matthew 1:20 says this, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Look, we found Mighty God. It’s Jesus!

You might be wondering why this is important. Well, it speaks directly to several assertions people make about Jesus. Let’s review, shall we?

  •     Jesus was just a prophet or a great teacher
  •     Jesus was a great man, but not God

Colossians 1:13-22 addresses these assertions. Verse 13 reveals God has rescued us from darkness and “transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.”
Who’s the Son God loves? Jesus.
Who possesses kingdoms and has authority over everything within them? Kings.
So Jesus was clearly not just a prophet or great teacher.
He was, and is, an eternal king.

I confirmed this in Daniel 7:14, “His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.” 

Well, what about the “great man but not God” statement? Colossians 1 says this:

  •     “He is the image of the invisible God” (verse 15)
  •     He created everything (verse 16)
  •     He is the head of the church (verse 18)
  •     God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him (verse 19)

Friends, Jesus was a great man. But He was also fully God.

But not just any “god.” Jesus is the One True God. He’s the God who reconciled His people to Himself by defeating sin and death. Defeating sin requires a perfect, sinless life. In other words, a person would need to be perfectly and absolutely holy. No human fits that bill. But God, presenting Himself in human flesh could and did, in the form of Jesus. Then, He went one better. He took on all the sin of the world so we could be considered clean before God the Father. We should sit with that for a moment.

To defeat death, we’d have to die and resurrect ourselves. Humans can die, but we can’t resurrect ourselves. But Jesus’ human body died and then was alive again. He, Himself, resurrected. No smoke and mirrors. Just the power and authority of God. Thus, Jesus earned the title of Savior.

God said this about Jesus, “And let all God’s angels worship Him.”
I say, let all of us worship Jesus, our one True God. He is more than worthy!

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 If 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 If!

Ready Day 5 Truth We See

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Thessalonians 2
2 Peter 1:3-11
Romans 15:13-20

Ready, Day 5

“For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our visit with you was not without result.”
– Pastor Paul

Is my life making a difference?
Does this sacrifice count?

The dishes that perpetually pile up.
The floor that always needs swept.
The times I held my tongue from that cutting remark,
or walked away from the gossip I wanted to hear,
or breathed deeply to respond with gentleness instead of anger.

It’s hard, isn’t it?
This in and out breathing, filled with a million mundane decisions that collect over time constituting a whole life. We want to leave our mark on the world. We’d love for the impact of our everyday to outlive the beating of our hearts.

How do we know that our everyday expenditures matter?

Paul’s words, penned centuries ago, ring fresh across the monotony of our moments.
“You know….our visit was not without result. On the contrary, …you know we were emboldened by our God…” (1 Thessalonians 2:1-2)

As I’ve read Paul’s letter to the new believers in Thessalonica, I’ve felt a kinship with them.
I’ve felt their fears. Their questions, some unspoken, and some voiced, have found their way across the strings of my own soul. Did they wonder what I’ve found myself wanting to ask, but pressed down the question for fear of being discovered as lacking faith?

Was it worth it, Paul?
Was your visit here, worth it? You were run out of town, plans didn’t go as you hoped, innocent people were punished. Everything felt jilted.

Do our sacrifices matter? Is God watching our everyday? Will this madness end well?
Does He see our fear, our wonderings, our sometimes-lagging faith?

Paul writes of knowing or remembering five times in the second chapter. Every single time, he addresses the Thessalonians by reminding them of a truth they already knew. He wasn’t writing them something new, he was lovingly shoring up their confidence in a truth they’d already anchored into.

Like a warm blanket to a shivering body, it feels as if God Himself tenderly lifts my countenance through Paul’s Spirit-led words, wrapping His truth sweetly around me.

I already know that yes, doing the dishes every day matters, even into eternity.
When I’m slow to anger, when I pick up the toys for the hundredth time, when I sit and listen to my 6-year old’s story about rocks and worms again, and when I call the friend God laid on my heart. Yes, even when I fall into a heap on my closet floor, sobbing for all the ways I’m sad, lonely, tired, afraid, or angry, I still know, the truth.
Even this is not without eternal result.

Knowing doesn’t equal feeling though, does it?
And how can we know? Are we sure?

Paul writes on with evidence to encourage the Thessalonians, and us.
Painting vivid strokes so we can see the brilliant truth we may not always feel.

You know our visit was not without result. (verse 1)
The Evidence?
Yes, the suffering was intense, the circumstances were messy and bleak, but the Lord is a God of all hope (Romans 15:13), so Paul prompts his friends to open their eyes and see the truth and its evidence around them.

You know we were emboldened by God to speak the gospel in spite of great opposition. (verse 2)
The Evidence?
The gospel was preached! God stirred up His power inside believers to hold out His truth in the face of their fear. He turned them away from the world and toward His purposes. This work wasn’t about the missionaries, it was about God IN them.

You know we never used flattering speech, had greedy motives, or chased our glory. (verses 5-6)
The Evidence?
The believers moved among one another, fearless of consequence, with the tender gentleness of a mother. They demonstrated dear care by laying themselves down entirely, being motivated to not only preach Christ, but share their very lives with each other. (verses 7-8)

You remember our labor and hardship among you, brothers and sisters. (verse 9)
The Evidence?
As carriers of the gospel of Jesus, the believers labored to imitate Christ in daily life. Their hard work was not found in mustering up their own righteousness, but in submitting to the Spirit at work in them to bring about a righteousness from God. (verse 10, 1 Thessalonians 5:23)

You know we treated you with the loving affection of a father toward his children. (verse 11)
The Evidence?
Marking their days, their relationships, their mundane moments and their bold ones, their body language and voice tone were beautiful brush strokes of encouragement, comfort, and firm urging to walk worthy the God who called them each to partake of His own glory and kingdom.

What lavish grace!
What unfathomable love!
What rich evidence of solid truth!

And so we constantly praise God… proclaims Paul. (verse 13)
God was at work. The sacrifices were indeed worth it, God was making sure of it.
The evidence was everywhere.

I look around my life again, sobered and encouraged by the Spirit’s words through the apostle from long ago. I see dirty dishes where food and laughter were shared. I see piles of laundry that covered healthy bodies of people who live in my house, people I praise God for the privilege of living alongside. I see a home where, if I choose to surrender again and again to the all-powerful Spirit of God within me, I will continue to see evidence of His truth at work all around me.

What do you see?
Will you surrender?

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

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

The GT Weekend! ~ Enough Week 3

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) Mandy shared on Monday about a piece that is missing from each of our lives. Take a few minutes and write down the “missing pieces” you long to be filled. What shape do they take on in your life? Making my list are a stronger marriage, knowing where to serve in ministry, and the ever-present ache for the little boy I never held. Wounds from the past, longings for what I felt should have been, and sadness over opportunities I’ve missed are all missing pieces I feel would make me more whole, happier, or satisfied. Mandy’s words challenge us to not only identify our missing pieces, but then to realize every jagged edge is meant to point us to our need for Jesus. Only One King can satisfy with abundance all the empty, wounded, lonely places of our hearts. This King is for us! If Christ is the ocean, what would it look like for you to intentionally leave those empty pieces behind you on the shore, trusting Jesus to satisfy you as you swim in His sea of abundance and fullness?

2) God intentionally, lovingly, gave His people, ancient Israel, a picture of His extravagant love for them in the sacrificial system He instituted. Yes, it was messy. Bloody. Animal sacrifices on the daily; visually repulsive. Yet, every single day, with every single sacrifice, God was turning their eyes to the innocent animal who gave its life that Israelite men, women, and children would be forgiven. Innocence slaughtered right in front of them that their sins might be paid for through the shedding of blameless blood. Every. Day. Sacrifice. Each Jew knew their sin carried a price, and every Jew knew it required a payment they could never muster on their own behalf for they were already stained with sin. Then, one day, outside of Jerusalem, the perfect Lamb of God offered Himself as the once and for all sacrifice to cover every sin and bind back every shame. God Himself lay slain on the altar of sacrifice. Whether you’ve long walked with Jesus, you’ve just begun, or you have lots of questions about faith, we must each decide what we will do today with such an immense sacrifice from such a lavishly loving God. Will we give Him our sin? Will we surrender the shame we carry? What will you surrender to the Slain, Resurrected Lamb of God?

3) Yesterday’s Journey Study begins, “A friend made a sign for me that said, “You are enough”. She meant to encourage me to not feel burdened to live up to another’s expectations. It sounds great, but not one of us is enough on our own, least of all me.” We all have areas of our lives we feel pretty great about. We’ve put in hard work and determination. We’ve made significant changes and grown in big ways. We want a stamp of approval, like the sign “You Are Enough”, emblazoned across our investment. What are those areas for you? While I strongly advocate for personal growth and I champion hard work and dedication (just ask my high schoolers J), Marietta’s words ring true, “…not one of us is enough on our own…” Perhaps you’ve also seen this at play in other areas of your life. No matter how hard you try, it still seems impossible to meet an expectation or climb that ladder of success. As you consider your experiences with this, allow these struggles to remind you we are each hopelessly far away from attaining our own righteousness, our own deep satisfaction, or our eternal salvation without Jesus Christ. He who came to sacrifice Himself and set us eternally free is the Only One Who Is Enough. The best part? He gives His own enough to each of us when we surrender to Him! Cease your striving, Sister, let His enough become your own.

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 Philippians 2:5-8 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,
6 who, existing in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God
as something to be exploited.
7 Instead He emptied Himself
by assuming the form of a servant,
taking on the likeness of humanity.
And when He had come as a man,
8 He humbled himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death—
even to death on a cross.

Prayer Journal
Oh Lord my God, how small I am often tempted to make You. Fashioning You in my mind to dwell only within a small box of my own making. How quick I am to imagine myself as able to avoid Your divine all-knowing, free to live my own life and be my own deity. Inflating myself, I make You lower. Lord, break my heart free from the folly of following myself! My chains to myself are many. Lust. Pride. Control. Self-satisfaction. Hard work. Gossip. Bitterness. Manipulation. Negativity. Self-promotion. Lord God, these are sins, every last one of them and many more. Slay them in my heart, Lord Jesus, making Yourself Lord in their space. Rule and reign with all freedom as You help me give ground where idols once rose high in my heart. Teach me full surrender here at the cross where You, the God of all, gave Your own full surrender to rescue me. Un-fathom-able LOVE. What grace. What mercy to free me from myself. Let it be so, Lord Jesus, let it be so. Amen and Amen.

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

Worship VIII Day 8 Who Is Like Our God?

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 71:19-21
Psalm 113:4-9
Romans 16:25-27
Jude 24-25
Ephesians 3:20-21

Worship VIII, Day 8

2020 . . . the year of the unexpected and unknown.
In Kansas City, we began the year celebrating a Chiefs Super Bowl victory.
We high-fived strangers wearing red, calling out, “How ‘bout them CHIEEEEEEEFS?!”
We stood UNITED as “MaHOMIES.”

The weather was perfect for the championship parade.
Little did we imagine the storms heading our way.
2020 was the embodiment of “when it rains, it pours.”
Our celebrations turned to confusion as we learned about coronavirus.
High-fives became a thing of the past, as did many of our other daily activities.

Vacations were cancelled.
Schools were closed.
Businesses shut down.

And all too soon, red wasn’t uniting us.
With a presidential election looming, teams were declared and apparently, picking sides was required.
Red or Blue?

Social distancing wasn’t the only thing keeping us 6 feet apart.
Social media became a place to attack each other’s opinions, judge choices, and condemn those with different thoughts.

We seem so divided.

2020 was a year of hard questions and few answers.
So far, 2021 has been more of the same.

Today, though, as I listened to Who Is Like Our God, I found questions with OBVIOUS answers.

I’d never heard this song before, but wow, it’s absolutely perfect for the challenges we’re facing.

Like us, the song is FULL of questions.

“Who was in the beginning before time began?
Who holds all of creation in the palm of His hand?”

The answer is certain, and therefore invaluable in a time of countless unknowns.

“My Father, He is the one who sustains all things
He is the source, the Creator of everything”

As Paul reminds us in Colossians 1:
“For everything was created by Him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together.”  

And while an understanding of God as Creator and Sustainer is foundational, it might not feel PERSONAL.
The stars and planets seem far away; the universe, big and overwhelming.

Especially when we’re dealing with job cuts, dwindling bank accounts, and constantly changing plans.
As we try to navigate the nitty gritty of our daily lives, we can find comfort in Psalm 139.

I, too, search for assurance God sees and cares about the details of my life. We are in the process of adopting 2 boys from Haiti. As I write, we have been waiting for 23 months. We are registered and approved for adoption, but we have to wait for a match. It’s excruciating to feel we are so close, and nowhere at all.  We continue to pray, wrestling with the when and why of our loooong wait.

I may not know how God will fulfill His promise for our family.  BUT I know GOD sees and holds our future: my boys here with us, playing in the backyard, reading bedtime stories, eating popcorn during movie night. He sees them wrapped in my arms.

When the ache for my boys is overwhelming, I find encouragement in Isaiah 40:31:
“Those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength;
They will soar on wings like eagles;
They will run and not become weary;
They will walk and not faint.”
And because I can trust GOD sees and cares, I can wait and trust with HOPE.

Similarly, David explains God’s involvement in our lives,
and today’s song reiterates,
“Whose thoughts toward me outnumber the sand?”

God thinks about YOU.
He SEES you.
He KNOWS you . . . the number of hairs on your head, your strengths and weaknesses, the promises on which you’re waiting.

He created you, fearfully and wonderfully, declaring YOU a masterpiece.
He made you ON PURPOSE, for a purpose. (Ephesians 2:10)

So we can REST in believing God knows us and will sustain us.
NO ONE else can do this.

“Who has given Him wisdom?
Who has made Him understand? [. . .]
Who is like our God in all the earth?”

The answer is obvious.
No one possesses His wisdom or understanding.
No one can compare.

He alone sees all and knows all (Job 28:24).
He alone has been since before time began (John 1:1-2),
and He alone knows how all eternity will play out, beginning to end (Isaiah 46:10).
Thus, He alone is ABLE to sustain the world He has created, including YOU! (Psalm 54:4)

“Fill me with knowledge of You, God
(Let me behold more of You, God)
Open my heart to your truth, God
(I have to have more of You)”

So, let’s do as the song invites and behold the Lord.
Let’s intentionally spend time in the Word, grounding ourselves in Jesus and on His promises.

Let’s ask Him to fill us with His knowledge,
and open our hearts to Him so we can KNOW the Truth.
As we do, we will find JESUS is the answer to all our questions.

Even in the hardest, most challenging scenarios 2020/1 could possibly throw our way.

Take a moment to revisit Read His Words Before Mine. As our spirits soak in the majesty and promise and hope of our God, we might just catch some air.

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 Worship VIII Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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

The GT Weekend! ~ Fervent Week 1

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) It’s supposed to be so simple, but it can feel so complicated, and if we’re honest, empty. What are we talking about? Prayer. In what ways have you wrestled through the significance and power available through prayer? What are the questions your heart wants to ask, but your tongue is afraid to voice? Maybe you’ve been blessed to listen as someone of great faith prays, or perhaps you’ve read some prayers in the Bible and wondered why God doesn’t seem to listen to you in the same way. I hope you’ll spend some time being honest about your fears, your questions, and your hopes for what prayer really is over the next few weeks of this Journey Theme. For now, take some time and write out some of your thoughts and experiences with prayer. Write down your doubts and some ways you’ve seen God working through your prayers. Close out your journal time by asking God to show you what HE wants you to know, deep in your gut, about truly fervent prayer!

2) Very interesting things start bubbling to the surface when we begin studying prayer in Scripture, especially the prayers of New Testament authors, on whose shoulders the first century church was rapidly growing. While there are many things we can take and apply from prayers in the Bible, among the easiest to begin applying right away is intercession for one another. Paul’s prayers are flooded with strong emotion for his brothers and sisters in the church. Though he had strong correction for many churches he wrote to, he loved them all fervently and prayed for them each with great persistence. Spend some time sitting silently with the Lord, asking Him persistently who He would have you interceding for. Then commit to praying specifically and consistently for that person. Consider reaching out with a text or phone call to let them know how the Lord has brought them to mind. The Lord will do much through your prayers for one another!

3) What are some things you know to be absolutely true about the Lord? Maybe He has been faithful to show His heart to you in specific circumstances in your life, or maybe you know Him because you’ve read of His character in Scripture and you trust His word. Or maybe, you just aren’t sure who God really is. Is He kind? Angry? Disconnected? Loving, but only out of obligation? Is He waiting for you to mess up so He can mock you? Trusting God, and speaking to Him in an on-going daily dialogue, is precious, but it isn’t a prize won overnight. We cannot manufacture depth with a God we do not know for there is no trust to build upon. The Lord knows this, and He invites us to come and to know Him deeply. His heartbeat is found in the pages of His Word and the context of biblical community. Whatever your next step into knowing Jesus might be, begin carving out time this weekend to explore what that could look like. Know Him, trust Him, and watch your prayer life flourish!

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 40:4-5 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

4 How happy is anyone
who has put his trust in the Lord
and has not turned to the proud
or to those who run after lies!
5 Lord my God, you have done many things—
your wondrous works and your plans for us;
none can compare with you.
If I were to report and speak of them,
they are more than can be told.

Prayer Journal
Lord, entering here into prayer with You feels too simplistic for a God whose grandeur and majesty are infinite and unfathomable. Yet, it is You, this very deity, who invites me to sit, and learn from the rhythms of Your good Father heart, and know what it is to both speak to You and hear the cadence of Your voice. Teach me, Abba. Teach me to pray. Teach me to know You. Teach me to pray earnestly for others, for myself, for the ones I love, for the ones I do not know yet Your Spirit has burdened me for, and teach me, Lord, to pray for my enemies. Loosen my heart strings, knock down the defenses I don’t even know I have, and draw me deeply into this mystery of fervent prayer.

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