real life

Follow Day 5 Where We See A Mess

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 3:1-14
Exodus 4:1-20
Acts 4:7-13
 1 Corinthians 1:26-30

Follow, Day 5

“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways.’ This is the Lord’s declaration. ‘For as heaven is higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Who but God would invite an ex- murderer to lead an entire nation? Humans use the past to judge the present, but God sees beyond the past. Regardless of our history, He longs to make us radically new and use us to build His kingdom.

Consider Moses, who grew up in the palace of the Egyptian pharaoh knowing he was a Hebrew. One day, he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave, and, after carefully ensuring no one was watching, Moses killed the Egyptian. Still, Pharaoh learned of Moses’ crime and sought to kill him, so Moses fled to Midian. Welcomed into the family of Jethro, a Midian priest, Moses planned to live out his days in the wilderness as an isolated shepherd caring for mangy sheep.

Like Moses, there was a time in my college life when I felt like running away. My boyfriend spent the night with another student in his home, and someone told the school authority I was the student. I was innocent, but unable to convince school leadership. My punishment was a warning; a repeat would earn my dismissal.

I was devastated. In time, bolstered by God’s merciful strength, I ended the relationship. God gave me a new beginning altogether: since then, I have been following Him, and am now in His service.

Similarly, Moses was in desperate need of a new beginning. Moses was content with a shepherd’s life in the bush; one day God appeared to him in a literal bush bursting with fire. God called Moses to Egypt to bring His people out from slavery and into a land of freedom and plenty, a land of promise.

Dismayed, Moses gave God a slew of excuses:

“Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” (Exodus 3:11)
What if they ask Your name? ( Exodus 3:13-15)
“What if they don’t believe me?” (Exodus 4:1)
I am not eloquent (Exodus 4:10); send someone else (Exodus 4:13).

Looking through the lens of his past, Moses saw himself as unfit for the work God was calling him to do. But despite his resistance, God was not deterred. He promised to be with Moses, and commissioned Moses’ brother, Aaron, as his spokesman. God also understood the physical fear hiding behind Moses’ excuses, and assured him those who sought to kill him were dead.

We cannot mess up God’s plan for us, even if we push against Him!
He refuses to give up on us because He looks not at our mess, but our potential in Him.

As Moses’ heart turned toward trusting obedience to God, he encountered God in a personal and powerful way. He received instruction and clear direction from God for his next steps. When he met resistance in Pharaoh, he sought God who faithfully met and guided him. Soon, the naïve and fearful man became a threat to Pharaoh and all of Egypt, until Pharaoh released the Israelites.

Sometimes, our past failures threaten to hold us back from following God. The past upsets us, and we lose confidence. Like Moses, we easily conclude we cannot be useful to God. Moses didn’t have an organized plan, talent, or the confidence of a leader, but God still invited him to follow. It was not about Moses, but about God. He chooses the foolish, the weak, and the despised to shame the wise and the mighty, so we boast in Him alone. (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)

Regardless of our past, God forgives completely, and equips us by His power for His service as we choose to follow His way. We see this truth in the lives of the apostles. Some were mere fishermen; one was even a tax collector, considered by the Jews as the most sinful; yet Jesus called each of them to follow Him. When the Pharisees grumbled about Jesus dining with sinners, Jesus replied His call was precisely for sinners such as them. (Mark 2:15-17)

Consider the Apostle Paul, a persecutor of the Church; yet God called him out of slavery and empowered him with the Holy Spirit to follow Him in freedom. As a result, Paul became a great preacher of the gospel. His Spirit-inspired writings continue to guide our lives today, comprising a large part of the New Testament.

Hear Paul’s own testimony, “This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners–and I am the worst of them.’”
(1 Timothy 1:15)

Moses’ story, the first 12 apostles, Paul, and even my own life, join together to declare in wondrous chorus . . .
Where we see a mess,
God sees an opportunity for transformation.

God simply requires hearts willing to accept His invitation to follow Him, one step after the other.

Sisters, let us turn our eyes from our pasts to the One who holds our tomorrows and whisper, “Yes.”

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Calling Day 10 The Jesus Life

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ephesians 4:17-5:5
Colossians 3:12-17
Psalm 1:1-3

Calling, Day 10

What are some of your family traditions? Do you vacation at the same time in the same place every year? Do you have a unique way of celebrating birthdays? What marks your family as a unit, a team? What are your values?

Every family has certain characteristics setting it apart from other families. Each is unique in its own way, and the family of God is no different.

When we decide to follow Jesus, we make the decision to leave behind past ways of thinking, believing, and behaving. We become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17) We join a new family, and adopt a new set of values along with a new identity. We are called to leave our former way of selfish living and, instead, take on the character of our adoptive Father, with our thoughts and actions reflecting Christ’s.

But how?
How do we develop the mind of Christ? 

Our culture loves self-help books. Whether we need to better manage our time, money, business, or diet, we can find many resources to help us succeed. While we might run across a few tips, lasting change requires more. We all know the motivation bought by those helpful tricks will wane after a few weeks, because our hearts and minds remain untouched.

In contrast, Jesus calls us to a radically transformed life, beginning with our inner selves. (Ephesians 3:16) Lifelong change will only grow from a renewed mind and transformed spirit.

True change, working from the inside out, will, in turn,
display the power of Jesus to a watching world.

I love preschoolers! Their hunger for learning and amazement with the simplest of concepts inspires me to approach life with wonder. One experiment I’ve loved performing with them is to place a white flower into a vase of water tinted with food coloring. After a day or two, the children note the flower petals are no longer white, but have become the same color as the tinted water.

Simple experiments teach the most profound lessons in life. Just as the flowers take on the color of the water in which they are placed, so we must be careful what we allow into our minds. God has graciously given us His Words, contained in the Bible, to show us how He expects us to live and why those expectations are necessary.

For example, we are told to treat each other with compassion, to encourage each other, to forgive each other just as God has forgiven us. (Ephesians 4:32) We can fake all of those behaviors to a point. Occasionally, we can force the action, much like a child who has been told to apologize turns with contempt to the one he’s wronged and mumbles an insincere “sorry.” Empty words have been spoken, but no heart change or reconciliation has taken place.

This heart change is only possible as we saturate our minds and hearts with God’s Word and by spending time in His presence through prayer. Colossians 3:16 encourages us to “dwell richly” in the Word of Christ and live together in unity. The more time we spend with Him, the more we develop the mind of Christ, and our actions will reveal His character.

The world today needs hope. As followers of Jesus, we possess that hope and are directed to share it with the doubting world. (Romans 15:13)

What are we showing the world? 

Are we showing love in our treatment of those who don’t know Jesus, and each other as brothers and sisters?
Are we known for building each other up, or are we tearing each other down over disagreements?
Are we forgiving, letting past offenses stay behind, as Christ has done for us?
Do we strive to mend broken relationships, believing the best in each other, or do we gossip to create further division?

In full transparency, I am guilty. 

This passage has wrecked me the past few weeks as I have wrestled with some attitudes which do not honor God or represent His character well. I am thankful we serve a Father who is generous in forgiveness, and continues to welcome me back into His arms. He listens to my apology and, with full knowledge I will certainly mess up again, He still chooses to love me and partner with me on His mission.

Sisters, shall we embrace this Jesus life?
Like my preschoolers’ flower and the tree described in Psalm 1, let’s deeply root ourselves in our Father through prayer, study of His Word, the exhortation and encouragement of fellow believers, and authentic repentance and reconciliation. As we are transformed from within, we will bear fruit in season, inviting the lost around us to join us on this journey, the Jesus life.

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Calling Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Calling Day 8 Live Worthy

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ephesians 4:1-16
Deuteronomy 6
Galatians 5:16-26

Calling, Day 8

“I’m curious. How did you save your marriage? I need to know so I can try to save mine,” my friend inquired.

I knew she was looking for a magic bullet. I didn’t have one for her, though. “We prayed individually. We went to our Bibles and discovered what marriage is supposed to look like. We read Christian marriage books.

“And at the end of the day, we just decided to love each other like Jesus loves us.” It wasn’t the easy answer she was looking for, but it was the truth. 

When I said my marriage vows, I was called to be a wife. As Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:1, I needed to live worthy of that calling, just as my husband needed to live worthy of his calling as a husband. But most importantly, we needed to walk worthy of being called by Christ.

Marriage is an earthly reflection of God’s relationship with us, His bride; so, Sister, regardless of your marital status, if Jesus lives in your heart, Paul’s exhortation to walk worthy of God’s calling is for you.

When Paul started Ephesians 4:1 with the word “therefore,” he reminded us of Ephesians 1 through 3. In those chapters, we find that by knowing God and accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we receive
spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3),
grace (Ephesians 1:7),
salvation (Ephesians 2:5-6),
power (Ephesians 3:16-17)
and unity (Ephesians 2:11-22).

These wonderful gifts are freely given to us.
And we honor God when we use them to reflect Him to others. 

Focusing on God enables us to live worthy of the gifts of salvation and the Holy Spirit.
But how?

If you’ve been in church, you’ve probably heard prayer is how we “conversate” with God. In these ongoing conversations with our Father, it’s helpful to dedicate space to listening, so we can also hear from Him. And finally, sometimes He answers me while I’m doing mundane things, too! He can speak to me at any moment, from driving in my car to preparing a meal!

Reading and studying the Bible are also important. We read not just to learn God’s instructions, but also to know His character. Again, human interactions mirror our relationship with God. Just as we grow closer to people as we spend together and learn their character, we can know God is loving, just, merciful, patient and faithful by reading His Word. 

God’s character and heart for us are revealed all throughout Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation. For example, in Deuteronomy 6, we learn what it means to fear God (Deuteronomy 6:2). This does NOT mean we ought to be afraid of God, but rather, we ought to live in respectful awe of God’s character and the greatness of His power and might.

And when we fear Him, we try to walk in obedience to His commands, which He gives us in the Bible. See how it’s all connected?

Finally, when we meet in community, we gain others’ perspectives about and experiences with understanding and applying Scripture. We can also be encouraged and challenged by other believers. Just like children learn life skills from older siblings, we can learn from those who are more spiritually mature. Consider Titus 2:2-8, which exhorts both men and women to teach those younger than them, both in physical age and spiritual maturity.

As we pray, read, and study the Bible, meet in community and revere Him, we come to know and love Him more, “with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:5)

Then, in a natural outpouring of this love, we begin to reflect Him to others around us. In doing so, we display His heart and character to those in our spheres of influence who may not know Him.

For instance, my friend was not a believer.

But she watched my husband and I work through an extremely difficult period in our marriage.
She watched me change attitudes and behaviors.
She watched my husband transform as he studied.
Thus, we were able to show her Jesus through our daily actions.

But when our lives do not align with the Bible, we can turn people away from the gospel. If our lives look more like the list from Galatians 5:19-21 than the one in Galatians 5:22-23, who would want that Jesus? I wouldn’t, would you?

And finally, Scripture urges us to remain consistent in our obedience and resulting godly behavior. We cannot live double lives. Even Peter falls prey to this trap of duplicity and is corrected by Paul in Galatians 2:11-14. May we never cause others to regard the Church as hypocritical.

In this Gracefully Truthful Community, we read and study the Bible. We learn about God’s character. We share authentically with each other. In this is place, we can grow in spiritual maturity. We are helping each other learn to live worthy of our calling!

I’m so glad I took those baby steps years ago. Because I, because we, chose to live worthy of the commitment to which God called us, my husband and I will celebrate 28 years of marriage this December.

So ladies, I declare with confidence, if the Spirit of God lives within you, then you CAN walk and live worthy of your calling.
Go show the world.

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

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

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Worship III, Day 2 Join The Song: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
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The Questions

1) What mercies of God does Paul refer to?

2) What does conformity to this age look like versus a transformed mind?

3) How does a person become a
“living sacrifice?”

Romans 12:1-2

Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Original Intent

1) What mercies of God does Paul refer to?
This verse essentially links to everything that Paul has stated thus far in his letter to the Romans, specifically chapters 10-11, which focus on the exceedingly rich mercy of Christ to extend salvation to sinful humanity. This merciful salvation brings redemption through Christ, by which we are given the payment for and freedom from sin; a restored relationship with God the Father; the calling and equipping to live a Spirit-led life that mirrors that of Christ Himself. The believers in Rome were to continually remember these mercies as their motivation for the way they lived.

2) What does conformity to this age look like versus a transformed mind?
“This age” is evil (Galatians 1:4) and the ruler of this world is our enemy (2 Corinthians 4:4). So when we, as Christ-followers, begin to copy people who are under the influence of Satan, we are putting ourselves in a very dangerous position. In essence, we are turning down the birthright we have access to in Christ and we are living as if we were still tied to Sin and Satan. A mind is transformed only by the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. By spending time reading Scripture, praying (even praying Scripture), and communing with the Holy Spirit by being aware of, and acting on, His promptings, we experience transformation. This is called “progressive sanctification” because becoming more like Christ is a gradual, lifelong process. Let’s not miss out on a single day!

3) How does a person become a “living sacrifice?”
The Old Testament included a sacrificial system detailing which animal to kill, and how to offer it, for specific instances. God does not require his children to literally die for Him (though many have because of persecution). Our daily dying is in a metaphorical sense. We are to put aside our own wants and desires, those that are pulled to the fleshly desires we once lived in before Christ, and instead trust Him to guide us as we give Him all we have.

Everyday Application

1) What mercies of God does Paul refer to?
Ladies, we should also keep the mercies of God in the forefront of our minds! Jesus’ payment for our sin should motivate us to be in continual worship. However, don’t beat yourself up (like I tend to do) if you find it difficult to maintain this posture. The Lord knows that there are millions of distractions in this fast-paced world we live in. But if you take a moment each day to remind yourself of the gospel, you may just find that over time you’ll begin to focus your energy on being rather than doing. Being still before God and studying His Word, will result in the Spirit bringing about deep life change. He will manifest His fruit as you learn to trust and obey Him. In the being with God, rather than focusing on the endless to-do lists of being spiritual, you’ll find yourself joining in the “symphony of praise.”

2) What does conformity to this age look like versus a transformed mind?
Have you heard the phrase “be in this world but not of it”? What does that even mean? And how do we do that? It’s not for the faint of heart, my dears. It requires dedication and intentionality to recognize the influences behind the behavior or music or idea that we’re tempted to imitate. The only way to discern the influence is to allow the Holy Spirit to renew our minds and train us in the ways of the Lord. A good way to do that is to spend time in Scripture and prayer each day. When we diligently practice listening to the Spirit’s voice, He will guide us in our everyday life choices. For me, it’s usually a feeling in my gut. It’s that “something tells me” feeling…you know the one? Each time I listen to the Spirit’s prompting is a new opportunity to worship, because it’s in those moments that I realize God is personally looking out for me!

3) How does a person become a “living sacrifice?”
Truthfully, even the desires I think are good and God-honoring are usually selfish. God has called each of us to put down our own desires and instead choose to trust Him. Recently I really wanted a new job and a new place to live in a smaller town, maybe in a different state. At the outset of searching, I put it in God’s hands. So far, I have not had any doors open, and the time has passed to give notice to vacate my current apartment. I must trust that I am where God wants me to be. Maybe it’s because I still have much to learn (let’s face it, I do…) or maybe it’s so I can be a witness to people here. Have you found yourself in a similar situation? It’s easy to ask Why? or to get mad at God because you didn’t get what you want. Trust is a choice, a difficult one even in human relationships where we see each other face to face. To trust in the Lord is harder, yet easier, because we have the testimony of His Word. Scripture reminds that He is the only perfect, righteous, just, provider, protector and lover of our souls. The Lord will never disappoint because He always has our best interests in mind…yours and mine, sisters. So go ahead and try this: today, let yourself be guided by the One who knows the deepest parts of your soul and still loves you. Then join the song of adoration and worship to our great God!

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

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Bride Day 10 The Unrepentant Life

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 51:10
Hosea 6
Romans 1:18-28

Bride, Day 10

I’m currently walking through a season of being still before the Lord.

After years of heartache, frustration, questions, and emptiness, the time has come for me to stop talking to the Lord about all the wrong in my life and
start listening to His truth and who He says I am.

I felt strongly that in order to start off this season of quiet, I first needed to repent.
To cleanse my heart of all that had a hold of it.
And so I sat down and listed them off, one by one.

God, I am sorry for thinking that I can be the best mom, wife, friend, sister, daughter, while serving on worship team, writing for a blog, and leading a small group without spending enough time in loving union with You.
Self-Reliant.

God, I am sorry for not acknowledging You for the help that we have received in the midst of job transitions, church commitments, being out of town, or a simple date night. None of those would have been possible without You.
Thankless.

God, I am sorry for not listening to you when You told me to keep loving my husband and serving him the way You have called me to.
Selfish

I’m sorry for not extending grace to my daughter as she stops to learn something new, causing us to be late yet again.
Prideful.

God, I am sorry for using the gift that You have given to me without letting You be used through me every single time.
Arrogance.

I was blind to how my sin added a soul crushing burden to my everyday life. Looking over the list I had just made I knew it was time to hear what the Lord wanted to say, and so with that, I turned the page.

And isn’t that so true of all of us?
We walk this life carrying bitterness towards someone who offended us years prior.
We hold grudges towards our spouse because of something said in an argument.
We try and navigate our life without the One who is the Giver of life, because we feel we are better guides.

We have become a people who think if we haven’t done ‘wrong’ by worldly standards,
or by the girl’s next door,
then we haven’t done wrong at all.
But sweet friend that isn’t true.

The Father’s heart is for His children to come back to Him,
releasing the sin that we have a hold of.
The sin that has a hold of us.

As we’ve journeyed through the book of Hosea for the last two weeks we can see an overall theme of unrepentance woven throughout. From Gomer, to Israel, to us as God’s people, unrepentant hearts are the constant.

In fact, the heading in my Bible over chapter six says:
A Call to Repentance
“Come, let us return to the Lord;
for He has torn us, that He may heal us;
He has struck us down, and He will bind us up.
After two days He will revive us;
On the third day He will raise us up,
That we may live before Him.
Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord;
His going out is sure as the dawn;
He will come to us as the showers,
As the spring rains that water the earth.”
Hosea 6:1-3

Charles Spurgeon notes in his commentary of this passage:
Tender fathers seek first to train their children by gentle means.

The Lord, in His patience, dealt kindly with His stumbling Israel, sending them favor after favor and blessing after blessing. But the more He multiplied His blessings, the more they multiplied their iniquities.
So they spent the mercies of God in sacrifice to their idols and committed transgressions with the false gods of the heathen, consuming with their lusts the mercies God had sent to bring them to repentance.

Walking through this season of being still before the Lord,
of being called back to repentance,
has caused me to realize all of the areas in my life that
I had taken God’s mercies for granted.

And as I turned that page in my story, falling before the throne of the God, with tears, with a broken heart over my sin,
do you know what I didn’t hear?
Condemnation.

You know what I didn’t feel?
Pushback

Oh I surely deserved it.
Sisters, our Holy God is rightfully wrathful to the offensiveness of our sin! (link rom 1:18)
I deserved much worse when I look face to face upon the sin I have loved and then compare it to the pure, un-adulterated, endless holiness of the Lord God Almighty.

But no.
In that moment as I turned my unrepentance into repentance, there was….
Peace.
Forgiveness.
Intimacy.
Love.

Because His wrath against my sin had already been pacified.
With blood.
Not mine, but my Savior’s.

Forgiveness is mine because my Savior pursued me, even in my sin, He pursued.
He fought for me.
He chased me, again and again and again.
And when I turned,
He. Was. There.

With peace.
With forgiveness.
With intimacy restored.
With love un-imaginable.

And right there is the tragedy of Gomer and Hosea.
Of Israel and her Shepherd King, Yahweh.
Love was waiting.
But she kept running.

Israel’s story, Gomer’s story, they don’t have to be ours.
Turn around, sister, lay your sins, one by one, right there at the foot of the cross of Christ,
and stand forgiven, redeemed, and at peace with the Almighty God!

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

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Bride Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Character Day 13 Forgiven & Free

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Leviticus 16:29-34
Psalm 32:1-5
Isaiah 1:18-20
Isaiah 44:21-23

Character, Day 13

Come alongside me for a moment and picture Peter as he approached Jesus with his serious questions about forgiveness. I imagine the conversation could have gone something like…

Peter, his brow furrowed: Yeshua, can we talk about forgiveness? I know you are too generous to forgive just once or twice, but how many times must we forgive? I’m thinking seven – it’s the perfect number in Jewish tradition. What do you think, Teacher? Is seven the perfect number for forgiving?

Jesus, smiling, slings an arm around Peter and pulls him to His side as they walk: My dear Peter. I love your heart to know My heart. And as generous as that sounds, know that it will never be enough. You must forgive exponentially more. Seventy times seven, if that is how many offenses you choose to pick up. And truthfully? A whole lot more. Let me tell you a story…

The response Jesus gave to Peter gives us a clear picture of Father God’s forgiveness portrayed over and over throughout Scripture.

In the Old Testament, He laid out clear boundaries in His commandments so His people (read: you and me) would know right from wrong and realize our need for His forgiveness and salvation. He outlined acts of atonement which, once completed, would lead each offender to be forgiven of their sin, reinforcing our need for His forgiveness and salvation.

Time and again, He called for their repentance in love and offered His perfect forgiveness to every repentant heart.

when His people worshipped idols and false gods
when His people turned from Him
when the Ninevites heeded his prophet, Jonah, and turned from their sin
when David repented of murdering Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba.
The Almighty God….forgave.

In the New Testament, we see God’s forgiveness lived out through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus reiterated God’s father-heart by forgiving those who came to Him. And not just forgiving their sin, but awakening them to new life.

Time and again, He received their repentance in love and offered His perfect forgiveness to every repentant heart…
and asked boldly that God would forgive those who hadn’t yet repented.

when Zacchaeus repented of his sin
when the woman with the alabaster jar anointed His feet with oil
when He healed the paralyzed man
when He forgave, and asked God to forgive, those who crucified Him.
The Almighty God….forgave.

Merriam Webster defines the verb forgive as:
to stop feeling anger toward someone
to stop blaming someone
to stop feeling anger about something
to stop requiring payment

God’s definition of forgiveness is so much more.
His forgiveness reaches past our human description
as He pursues each of us individually, passionately.

No matter our offense, no matter our dirt.
His love pushes the boundaries of our human forgiveness as He laid down His life,
His ultimate sacrifice.

There’s a worship song by Cory Asbury that has been on repeat in my home and heart lately. His words speak truth about God’s father-heart, His relentless pursuit of us and His forgiveness in a way that makes my throat throb and tears spring to my eyes every time I hear or sing it.

There’s no shadow You won’t light up
Mountain You won’t climb up
Coming after me
There’s no wall You won’t kick down
Lie You won’t tear down
Coming after me

I can vividly remember being a young teenager and huddling on the couch with friends as we watched romantic comedies like While You Were Sleeping or Sabrina or Anne of Avonlea. Every time the music would swell and the heroine would stop running away from “the one” who loved her and finally reward his long-suffering pursuit, such a sense of longing would fill me and my teenage counterparts. Oh, to be so loved! To be so pursued! To be so wanted!

If we are being transparent with one another, each of us must confess that we are all too familiar with that desire.
We all long to be pursued.
Perhaps you long for that pursuit from…
a suitor,
your spouse,
your friend,
your father,
fill-in-your-blank.

And Sisters? That is totally natural!
We were designed to walk with Him together in His perfect creation,
but when sin entered the picture, everything shifted.
We could no longer walk together with Him, instead we ran from Him.

And He pursued.

Still, He pursues.
That He might forgive.
Boundlessly.

And there it is.
The line in the sand between how we forgive and how He forgives.

When we forgive others, we
stop being angry,
stop blaming the other person,
stop requiring payment for their wrongs
so we can each move forward.

When He forgives us, He:
is not angry
does not condemn us
does not require payment for our sin,
because He Himself has already paid for us
so He can move toward us.  

God’s forgiveness, so unlike ours, removes the barriers we throw up,
allowing His pursuit to overtake us!
His forgiveness is all about restoring us to Himself,
so He can draw ever nearer to us.

Oh, my heart. Does that stir you the way it does me, Loves?
Our sin stands between us, an impassable gap,
But the Almighty God…..forgives.

His pursuit.
His forgiveness.
Results in freedom to delight in Him and He in us!

Father, You are majestic and holy. Your beauty is more than words can say. Your forgiveness is beyond our ability to fully understand, but we thank You for it and for Your endless pursuit of us. Teach us to pursue the hearts of others the way You pursue us.
Patiently. Relentlessly, and with much forgiveness and grace.
We love you.

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

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

Character Day 5 Righteous Anger

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Read His Words Before Ours!

James 1:19-21
Ephesians 4:26
Galatians 5:16-24
Psalm 37:7-8

Character, Day 5

I stood there holding the severed kitchen faucet handle, adrenaline still pumping. My then five-year-old son had been helping me rinse dishes. Our stubborn hearts were at odds. He was ignoring my instruction. I was being controlling. In anger, I slammed my hand down on the faucet breaking it beyond repair. Shame, sadness, and despair rushed over me.

I never considered myself an angry person, but suddenly, in the trench years of very small children, flares came easily. Anything from obnoxious noises, toothpaste on towels, and spilled milk (I know, I know…), to sibling spats, sassing, and willful disobedience were moments I could erupt.

I knew that fits of anger were a work of my flesh (Galatians 5:19-20), and I began crying out for God to help me. I knew I needed the Word of God to save me from myself (James 1:21). The Spirit began showing me the connection between my anger and whose kingdom I’m bowing to – mine or God’s.

The question isn’t simply, ‘Is anger sinful?’.
Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:26 that to be angry and not sin is possible.
Yet a few verses later he also admonishes the church to
“let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away..”.
Psalm 145:8 explains, “The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love”.
Yet, Psalm 78:49-51 paints a picture of God’s unleashed anger.
So how are we to discern this visceral emotion?

Unrighteous Anger of Man
In their book The Cry of the Soul, Dan Allender and Tremper Longmann bring clarity stating, “the core of unrighteous anger is a hatred of vulnerability and a love of control”.

When we feel pain, offense or exposure, unrighteous anger attempts to secure for ourselves satisfaction right now. It might be triggered by a legitimate wrong, but the defining point is how that anger is directed.

James 1:20 says, “For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

This pricked my heart early on in my battle with anger. In my attempt to correct and discipline my children, I had allowed my own satisfaction to be a driving force. Instead of submitting to the Spirit’s control, I was tossed around by my natural reactions to things that jarred my comfort, peace, and control. My own desires were the things I was seeking to satisfy my heart.
Unrighteous anger is a hungry search for satisfaction in our own timing,
and with our own methods.
Ultimately, it is a display of discontent with God. 

Righteous Anger of God
Is righteous anger, then, shoving our desire under a rug or ignoring injustice?
Is it playing nice and downplaying an offense?
Not at all.
It is critical for our souls to acknowledge that all is not right in this world. The Psalms are full of laments and questions directed toward God. A re-orienting of the direction of our anger, however, is needed. To be righteous in our anger is to reflect God, whose anger is always directed at sin and darkness.

Looking to God in our anger, we also wait on His timing to show His character.
Psalm 37:7-8 begs, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.”

We must acknowledge our anger honestly before God, acknowledging our inability to make things right. Psalm 4:4 tells us to “Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.”
This is counterintuitive and uncomfortable.
It can also feel incapacitating.
Yet this is exactly where God wants us:
running to Him in our anger and crying out for His action.

Allender and Longmann explain,
“Righteous anger warns, invites, and wounds for the greater work of redemption.
It is full of strength that is neither defensive nor vindictive, and it is
permeated by a sadness that is rich in desire and hope…..
righteous anger allows the offense to be seen as an issue between the offender and God.” 

Is your anger permeated by sadness over sin and rich in desire for God’s holiness?
Or is it a short fuse connected to the hope of your own desires?

When I slammed my hand down in exasperation on my kitchen faucet, I wasn’t thinking about the greater redemption of my son, nor was I full of hope. I was mad and wanted to end the struggle.
But God has more for our anger.
He desires to use us to bring about His greater work of redemption.
As we submit to His Spirit, He will do this through us!

Lastly, consider God’s example.
We deserve His full wrath because of our sin,
but instead received mercy and grace.
God poured out His fury upon His perfect Son, who paid the punishment for you and me.
God’s wrath was satisfied, His holy standard maintained.

Father thank you for your grace.
Use our anger to point us to your holiness, righteous fury, and redemptive work.
Help us embrace utter dependency as we wait on you to make all things new and right.

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Character Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Pause Day 9 Making Him Known

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Here in Colossians, Paul details the complete fullness of the Lord Jesus Christ,
the second person of the triune God.
Fully God, fully human, present before creation, and co-equal with God the Father and God the Spirit in all ways.
The very fullness of God.
One can’t help but sit back and marvel when we take the time to slow, to pause, and really read what Paul is teaching here.

But it gets even better as that indescribable fullness of the Almighty is offered through a glorious mystery revealed in the gospel straight to our hearts!

Even more delightful still, this fullness overflows into the relationships around us, drawing others closer to God Himself through us!
Incredible Beauty!
The God of the universe using human agents to invite the lost into a relationship of peace with Himself!

Don’t take my word for it, read His!

Today's Invitation

1) It’s Scribe Day 2 for this week! Enjoy pausing to copy down Scripture word for word from Colossians 1:15-29. Don’t forget to lookup a cross reference or two as you come to them (they are the small letters next to certain words in your study Bible or online at www.biblia.com).

2) Choose one of these options to walk into more with Jesus as you boldly live out Christ’s love!
a) Buy someone’s lunch or coffee anonymously.
b) Pick up a shoebox and pack it for a child in another country to receive as a gift and to hear about the gospel!
c) Engage a stranger in conversation, looking for a way to encourage them before you part ways.
d) Prayer walking is a simple way to begin shifting the eyes of your heart to truly see others. Walk around your neighborhood, some city streets, the aisles of your grocery store, or intentionally sit at a local coffee shop and pray, pray, pray. Pray for the people around you, pray for hearts to turn towards Jesus, pray for your own heart to be ready to share the full gospel if given the chance. Don’t worry about seeing results, that’s God’s job!
e) Reach out to someone and ask how you can pray for them specifically

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

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Colossians 1:15-29

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation[g] under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pause Day 7 Grounded & Steadfast

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His Word is rich.
It is sweet. 
It is precious.
It is life-giving.
Nothing we at Gracefully Truthful, nor anyone else in all of Creation past, present, or future, can add to the loveliness that is the plain Scripture bound up before us in the Word of God.

We are much too easily pacified with clever words, thinking we can feast sumptuously without bringing fork to plate to mouth by actually reading, meditating, and studying Scripture.

Feast with us, Sisters.
Hope is here.
Delight.
Strength.
Encouragement.
Patience.
Perseverance. 
Grow deep, friends, be grounded and steadfast in His Word!

Today's Invitation

1) Hold the lovely Scripture in hand and read Colossians 1 fully through 4 times.

2) Each time, write down everything that pops out at you, makes you curious, or wonder “why?”. When you’re finished, go back through and you’ll be amazed at the new things the Spirit is leading you into knowing about Him!

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Colossians 1

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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