renewal

The GT Weekend! ~ Build Week 3

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The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Confessing sin isn’t glamorous or exciting. It doesn’t increase our popularity or score us bonus points on social media. But, as Marietta described on Monday, confession and repentance are the only materials that can properly sustain the desired framework of revival and renewal. Whether it’s in our own hearts, our closest relationships, or within the broader contexts of church, career, or city, confession and repentance, while completely un-lucrative, are absolutely essential for Building Renewal. I’m raising my hand to wanting the new life of revival and renewal breathed into every area of my life. Imagine the lasting good that would unfurl in my parenting, marriage, ministry, church, and city! Pause here for a few minutes, not with an agenda, but to just be still before the Lord. He desires good because He IS good. Focus on His good character. Ask Him directly what good He wants to build in and through you. Are you willing to ask Him to convict you of sin that He might bring this good work? Ask Him for grace to receive His conviction and holy desire to repent and flee from sin that true revival might be unleashed in you!

2) Have you ever moved homes unexpectedly or against your wishes? As a pastor’s wife, we moved 6 times. While we usually had some choice in the matter, the new place always came with different needs. There were often “expectations” for me as pastor’s wife that didn’t quite fit me. Sometimes, the ministry I most enjoyed already had a qualified leader in that position, so I was given different roles that I didn’t feel equipped to fulfill. Yet, with every challenge, I learned to be secure in God’s plan. He taught me to trust Him and often, I learned many new things. On Wednesday, Bethany shared, “God has placed you, and for a purpose.” I’m reminded of Esther when Mordecai encouraged her, “Who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14) Are you in a hard place? Have you been placed ‘for such a time as this’? Remember the faithful, sovereign God is always in control. He has a plan, and we can trust it. Ask Him what He would have you do rather than asking to be removed from that place; watch how He equips and builds you to do His work!

3) Gather. Community. Worship. What images are stirred up as you read these three simple words? Go back and read them again, pausing to prayerfully allow the Holy Spirit to speak to your heart. Do you have an internal angst as you wrestle with imagery over a specific word? Talk to the Lord about this. Physically hold open your hands and repeat the word over and over slowly, asking the Lord to rebuild your ideas and bring conviction or encouragement surrounding this idea. Where are you bringing your heart to gather recently? Again, in prayer with your eyes closed to avoid distractions, reflect on your week. Where has your heart been drawn? Go slow and let the Spirit lead your thoughts and speak truth and grace over you. Where do you see the Lord’s unabashed love for you? Where is He inviting you into deeper worship? How have you responded to opportunity to partake in biblical community? Breathe deeply, friend, the Lord your God has died for you, taken you punishment for your sin, and risen alive to conquer your shame and guilt for eternity! Drink deeply of this radical love and open yourself in new ways to the building plans of the Master Architect!

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 Jeremiah 31:3-6 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued to extend faithful love to you. Again, I will build you so that you will be rebuilt, Virgin Israel. [insert your name]
You will take up your tambourines again and go out in joyful dancing.
You will plant vineyards again… and will enjoy the fruit.
“Come, let’s go up to Zion, to the Lord our God!”

Prayer Journal
Lord, I come in humbleness before You. I ask forgiveness for times I have not trusted You and gone out on my own; for times when I forgot You love me perfectly and have my best interest in mind. Renew my life, Lord. You love me with an everlasting love, and I don’t deserve it. But I do love You, Lord. I long to come into Your presence with joyful singing and dancing once again. Please rebuild my life to glorify You. Thank you, Lord for never leaving me alone. Thank You for convicting me of sin or when I stumble. Thank You for giving me a song in the night. You are a good, good Father.

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

Build Day 12 Building Renewal: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Building Renewal!

The Questions

1) How does Daniel’s prayer relate with Nehemiah’s prayer in Nehemiah 1:4-11?

2) Daniel uses various titles and descriptions of God in his prayer; how is this significant?

3) How is this prayer of gut-wrenching confession still anchored in hope?

Daniel 9:3-10

3 So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek him by prayer and petitions, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:

Ah, Lord—the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps his gracious covenant with those who love him and keep his commands— 5 we have sinned, done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled, and turned away from your commands and ordinances. 6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, leaders, ancestors, and all the people of the land.

7 Lord, righteousness belongs to you, but this day public shame belongs to us: the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and all Israel—those who are near and those who are far, in all the countries where you have banished them because of the disloyalty they have shown toward you. 8 Lord, public shame belongs to us, our kings, our leaders, and our ancestors, because we have sinned against you. 9 Compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord our God, though we have rebelled against him 10 and have not obeyed the Lord our God by following his instructions that he set before us through his servants the prophets.

Original Intent

1) How does Daniel’s prayer relate with Nehemiah’s prayer in Nehemiah 1:4-11?
If you think of a series of progressive, story-telling books, you’ll have a good idea of what’s happening with Daniel and Nehemiah. In brief, Israel was a budding nation birthed through Abraham’s son Isaac, the child of promise, by which God had covenanted with Abraham that He would turn a childless, aged man into the “father of many nations”. (Genesis 12:1-3) Isaac’s sons were twins, Jacob and Esau. Jacob had 12 sons who became the 12 tribes of Israel (God changed Jacob’s name to Israel). These 12 families became slaves in Egypt as they had become so numerous that Pharaoh felt threatened. God called Moses, an Israelite, to lead the people out of slavery and into the Promised Land (also part of God’s covenant with Abraham). Twelve plagues later and 40 years of desert wanderings, Israel stepped into Canaan. Eventually, Israel grew tired of God’s rule over them and demanded a human king. Saul, Israel’s choice, was her first king, but he was self-focused and lacked real love for God or Israel. God chose David as the next king, and this shepherd-boy turned king, loved and cared for Israel well. David died and his son, Solomon, took over, but after Solomon’s death, the kingdom of Israel split. The Northern Kingdom (Israel) and the Southern Kingdom (Judah) continued rebelling against God, loathing Him, committing idolatry, and rejecting God’s covenantal love for them on repeat for centuries. During this time, God raised up prophets to warn Israel and Judah to repent of their sin, but they adamantly refused. Per the original covenant forged when Moses led Israel from slavery, God would punish His people by sending them into exile for their rebellion. Exile occurred at the hand of the Chaldeans (Babylonians) and would last 70 years. Youthful Daniel was taken captive from his homeland of Jerusalem and died in exile. The first exiles returned to Jerusalem around the year 537 BC, Nehemiah’s story began around 445 BC, nearly 100 years since Daniel’s death.

2) Daniel uses various titles and descriptions of God in his prayer; how is this significant?
Verse 3 begins with an interesting phrase usually translated in English, “I turned my attention”. The original Hebrew reads less eloquently, “I gave my face”. This wasn’t simply looking with the eyes, but the willful determination of Daniel’s entire being given in steadfast surrender. It was as if he were saying, “The whole of my face is set firmly upon You as I pray, and more so, as I await Your answer; I will not be moved, for so important is the cause for which I plead.” Also interesting are the titles for God Daniel chooses to use as he prays. In your Bible, verse 4 probably capitalizes all 4 letters of the title LORD, signifying God’s personal name for Himself, YHWH, (Yahweh). By calling out, “I prayed to the LORD (YHWH)…”, Daniel reminds himself and God of the deeply personal nature of God’s relationship with Israel. He chose them, He crafted them, and He birthed them as a nation. Daniel continued his petition, “…my God.” (verse 4, emphasis mine) While other Israelites had proven they cared for Yahweh in name only, while quite willing to worship false gods as it benefited them, Daniel verbalized his personal choice to respond to God’s invitation by reciprocation. Daniel chose YHWH as his own God. These insights, gained by studying the original language for a few words, is about to deepen as we read Daniel’s next two words, “Ah Lord…” (verse 4) No longer capitalized, the lowercase for “Lord” references the Hebrew word “adonai”, meaning lord, ruler, or sovereign. First, Daniel addressed God personally, and then followed on with the two-fold understanding that YHWH was also Adonai, King and Sovereign over all. Nothing was beyond His lordship and reign, and Daniel was His servant.

3) How is this prayer of gut-wrenching confession still anchored in hope?
“We have sinned, done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled, and turned away from your commands and ordinances. We have not listened…” (verses 5-6) “…public shame belongs to us.” (verse 7) “…public shame belongs to us (…) because we have sinned against You.” (verse 8) The litany of Israel’s sins against the Lord were long, deep, and wide. They had offended His holiness and broken relationship with YHWH, their personal God, and the cut was deep against Him. They had violated the terms of their covenant with their sovereign Lord, Adonai, and they deserved death per the legal binding agreement of their covenant vow. According to the stipulations laid out, they had literally “missed the mark” (Hebrew hata for “sinned” in verses 5 and 8) of righteous living as was spelled out in their covenant. Legally, Israel’s situation was absolutely hopeless. Restitution with the Almighty was impossible. Their sins were too great and their ability to cleanse themselves of shame and offensive reproach was equally impossible. Yet, stunningly, Daniel did not plead without hope. He clearly knew Israel’s situation, it was his own words that laid it naked before the Lord God, but Daniel had one hope, and he clung to it with remarkable tenacity as he gave his face to God in prayer. “Compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord…” and dare he say it? Yes, he spoke it, “our God.” Daniel went beyond saying YHWH was “my” God, to boldly re-claiming the Sovereign Lord as Israel’s God. Why? How could he make such a claim in the face of their reprehensible pile of sin? One reason alone, because He knew God’s character to be rich in compassion and forgiveness.

Everyday Application

1) How does Daniel’s prayer relate with Nehemiah’s prayer in Nehemiah 1:4-11?
The similarities between Daniel’s prayer and Nehemiah’s are uncanny, given their prayers were recorded nearly a century apart from each other. This fact alone should give us pause to consider the weightiness of their model and reflect how our prayer lives would benefit by following their examples. Both men had set their lives unswervingly upon honoring the Lord God, and they both had become keenly aware of their nation’s sinful rebellion after reading Scripture. (Daniel 9:3-10 and Nehemiah 1:5-11) Daniel pleaded for God’s mercy in remembering Israel in their exile, while Nehemiah, also living in Babylon, pleaded with the Lord for mercy as well, even though the specifics of their requests were quite different. Both men called upon the very same covenant of love as evidential reason for God to grant them mercy and favor. The two prayers evidence nearly exact addresses for God and model the same flow of adoring God (Daniel 9:4 and Nehemiah 1:5), confessing sin (Daniel 9:5-6 and Nehemiah 1:6-7), interceding for the nation (Daniel 9:7-8 and Nehemiah 1:6-7), and requesting favor (Daniel 9:17 and Nehemiah 1:11). Go see for yourself, it’s quite amazing! As you read Daniel 9:3-10 and Nehemiah 1:5-11, take note of the portions that make you curious and stick out to you as if bolded, this is the Spirit of the Lord inviting you to commune with Him over His Word! Prayerfully reflect on these things as you read the two passages side-by-side again. What is the Lord teaching you and convicting you of as you read His Words?! Take the challenge set forth by these two men who never met on earth and begin intentionally modeling your own prayers after their example. Go ahead and start right now in prayer!

2) Daniel uses various titles and descriptions of God in his prayer; how is this significant?
Daniel and Nehemiah both leaned on God’s covenant as grounds for their request, but we must remember who began the covenant relationship, God. God told Abraham He would make him into a great nation. God allowed Jacob (Israel) to have 12 sons, who would become the 12 nations. When it was time to ratify the covenant in writing (ie: Ten Commandments), God came down from Heaven in a cloud instead of insisting His people rise to Him in His grandeur. (Exodus 19:16-19) Here is the humble YHWH! Fast forward a few centuries and this same God fulfills His covenant to Abraham by sending Jesus, God in the flesh. True to His character, He began the relationship, He set His love upon humanity. (1 John 4:19, John 15:16) What was humanity doing while Adonai humbly sacrificed Himself for us? We hated Him. Still, He came. (Romans 5:8) This is YHWH, the sacrificing, covenant-keeping God. I came to a place where I faced the reality that, for all my self-proclaimed “goodness”, I too was a God-hater. My sins brought the punishment of death upon Christ, by His choice. While I hated Him, He loved me. Like Daniel, there was a point when I reciprocated His invitation to make me His own, and I claimed Him as my God. I turned from my perverted sins and became His, welcomed into a covenant relationship I had done absolutely nothing to earn. Like Daniel, the more I grew in my faith, the more I realized I could also call Yahweh my Adonai. Christ was my precious friend, but also my sovereign Lord. I was both friend and His joyful servant. How might seeing God as Yahweh and Adonai shift your relationship with Him?

3) How is this prayer of gut-wrenching confession still anchored in hope?
Oh Sisters, I cannot stop the tears streaking my cheeks as I write of God’s beautiful compassion and forgiveness! Israel’s sins were grievous and perpetual, indeed they were. Yahweh had every right to be forever angry with them, toss them aside, and forget them for eternity, but as the psalmist wrote, “He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve or repaid us according to our iniquities.” (Psalm 103:10) Breathe. That. In. What was true for Israel on the day Daniel pleaded with God for release from exile, and the people were welcomed Home, is true for you and me. It was true for Nehemiah when the people wore sackcloth, ashes, and wept violently over their sin, knowing it was only God’s compassionate forgiveness that could rescue them from the consequence of their rebellion. His response to Israel’s weeping with Nehemiah is precious and life-giving, “Do not weep…do not grieve, because the joy of YHWH is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:9-10) As if the Lord’s response to both of these prayers is not stunning enough, look at the disciple John’s words to all people who look to Christ for their sole rescue from the consequence of our own sin, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) If you’ve ever wondered if it could possibly be true that God would forgive your awful sin, whatever it is, read the stories of these two men, read the words of John who walked beside Jesus in real life, and know beyond all assurances that YES, Christ will forgive your sin completely, welcome you Home to Him (John 14:23), and will free you (John 8:36) to walk in delight with Him all your days (Psalm 23:6).

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
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Catch up with Building Renewal!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
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Our Current Study Theme!

This is Build Week Three!
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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 :-))

Memorize It!

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Build Day 11 Building Renewal

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Nehemiah 9:5-37
Nehemiah 10:30-39
Daniel 9:3-10 
Psalm 51
1 John 1:8-10

Build, Day 11

Sin is something we usually want to hide. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve tried to hide their knowledge of their nakedness. (Genesis 3:7) In the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas called Jesus friend as he betrayed Him to the religious leaders with a kiss. (Matthew 26:47-49)

For hundreds of years, the Israelites were stuck in a cycle of sin, crying out, repentance, forgiveness, restoration, and then sin again. They knew their history, but here, under the leadership of Nehemiah, was a fresh chance to get it right.

Envision this scene.
Your church is assembled in a public space with heads full of dust, wearing sackcloth, with stomachs rumbling from fasting for days. And then, out loud, everyone confesses their sins and the sins of their ancestors. You read through the Bible, spend time worshiping the Lord, crying out to Him and confessing some more.
Corporate repentance. 

Now envision yourself, burdened for your community. You start your day connecting to the Lord “by prayer and petitions, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.” (Daniel 9:3-10)
Personal repentance.

We should be excited about this model of personal (Daniel 9:3-10) and corporate repentance (Nehemiah 9:1-4). Personally, I was ready to run at “heads full of dust”! This isn’t about pride or appearance. It’s about seeking spiritual renewal from God.

Throughout the Bible, we see renewal stemming from repentance.
1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Acts 3:19-20 tells us, “ Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out, that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord[.]” 

Personal repentance brings renewal by giving us
the right perspective on sin (Psalm 51:3-5),
restored relationship with God through His forgiveness (Psalm 51:2, 7-9),
and willing hearts to stay turned from our sin and toward God. (Psalm 51:12-13)

We also see corporate repentance throughout the Bible.
In 2 Kings 23:1-3, King Josiah read the Word before the people. They made a covenant “to follow the Lord and to keep His commands, His decrees, and His statutes[.]” (2 Kings 23:3)

In Ezra 10:1-4, the prophet Ezra “[…]prayed and confessed, weeping and falling facedown” while the people also wept, confessed their unfaithfulness to God, and made a covenant with God to “send away all the foreign wives and their children[.]”

Corporate repentance draws us closer to God individually and as a community because we lament our ancestors’ sins along with our own and collectively vow to turn back to God. It also brings us in line with our duties from 1 Peter 2:9 as “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

From Nehemiah 9:5 to 37, Nehemiah proclaimed God’s praise, and gave an account of how God provided for and protected Israel. As he recounted each event, Nehemiah pointed to the people’s sins and unfaithfulness contrasted against God’s steadfast faithfulness. It was a stunning reminder that “There is no one righteous, not even one.” (Romans 3:10)

It’s also a reminder of God’s character and power. When we feel weak, we can draw strength from the Creator of the world. When we are being persecuted, we can know God is able to handle our enemies as He did Pharoah. When we are in need, we’re reminded that if God could provide manna and quail from heaven, He can surely help us. And we are refreshed by knowing, even when we sin, and we will, God is a “forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love[.]” (Nehemiah 9:17)

How can we practice these things today?

For personal and corporate repentance and renewal, we should come before Him with humility. We do this by verbalizing our wonder at His character and holiness. Then we should move into a time of confessing sin. Personally and corporately, we should be doing this on a regular basis. Just like we are eager to restore a relationship with a loved one by apologizing for an offense and changing our future behavior, we should take this even more seriously with the Lord.

One additional step we can take is modeled in Nehemiah 10:30-39, where they wrote out the changes they promised to make. Similarly, what if we wrote out, following some examples from our text, our commitments to the Lord? Here are a few examples:

“On Sunday, I will not take an extra shift at work. I trust the Lord to provide those extra funds.” (Nehemiah 10:31)

“Our family will agree on an additional gift to give to the church yearly.” (Nehemiah 10:32)

“I will cut unnecessary purchases and give it to my church or a ministry,” or “I will reserve time on my calendar to serve at church or with a ministry each month.”  (Nehemiah 10:35-37)

If we record and review our promises, we can trust our faithful God will bless us to do even more! We will be able, because He is able. Imagine the testimony our lives will be to His honor and glory!

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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 Build Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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Here’s a link to all past studies in Build!

Sketched V Day 6 Paul, The Student

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Galatians 1:11-2:21
1 Thessalonians 2:2-9
1 Timothy 3:1-10
Romans 12:1-2

Sketched V, Day 6

“For I would have you know, brothers,
that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel.” Galatians 1:11
Brothers, my Galatian brothers in Jesus. I wish you could feel how deeply those ink marks are etched into my heart. You see them on papyrus, but the truth of them will burn forever inside my soul, engraved by that glorious light that once blinded my physical eyes, that I might see with spiritual eyes. The True Gospel is not, cannot be, from man at all.

“For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it,
but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.”  Galatians 1:12
Just as Peter and James received the truth of Jesus by His personal, fleshly revelation, so did I receive Him. He appeared to me just as He did to them. The mystery of why He chose me is too unfathomable, especially considering my past….

You’ve heard of my past, haven’t you? My former life as I wrapped myself up in Judaism?
You know how I heavily persecuted the Church and all followers of Jesus,
violently working to utterly destroy it. Galatians 1:13-14
I knew Judaism inside and out. I could recite all 600 traditional laws, along with all the Torah laws. I spent my life in this pursuit of knowledge, working it out in everyday life so I could earn my status before God. No one could spot a blemish better or faster than me, for I was a zealous student of the law. It made me who I had become. And I was a loathsome man, Brothers!

But Grace, oh but grace! Given by the One who had set me apart before I was born. He who called me and revealed His Son to me, that I might preach Him among the very ones I’d been persecuting. Galatians 1:15-16
No one would have dreamed it possible I could become a follower of the Way, but Jesus took this worm of a man, the greatest sinner with a black, sin-filled heart, and He remade me. Even so, my fellow brothers and sisters, my legalistic mind needed re-training.
I had always given myself entirely over to being a student; now the role of learner was even more critical.

And so, I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. Then after three years….  Galatians 1:16-17
The mission Jesus gave me ignited my passion in ways that made my former zeal for persecuting followers look bland, tasteless, and empty. Passion grew inside me with every passing day, but the hand of the Lord was pressing down upon me to wait.
Three years, brothers, three years I waited!
Have you ever known you were called to much, but were held back waiting?

Have you felt that fiery agony?
Have you wondered what would come next? Here I was held: waiting.
I left Jerusalem and all the apostles after my conversion because I knew my mind must be renewed. I had much to learn about grace.
I re-read the Torah with brand new eyes, and as I poured over it, preaching and making connections with other believers along the way, the Word came alive!
It became ceaselessly precious and gloriously new with every word.
No, the gospel is not from man, it’s much too powerful!
Yes, the God of my Fathers was redeeming all things while I waited.
Yes, the stirring in my soul was gaining momentum as I submitted to the role of student once again.
The lessons I learned in Arabia will forever be the most precious to me because I was a student of the Lord God Himself, learning His ways and hearing His heart which went far deeper than 600 pitiful laws that could never hope to describe His glory, grace, and love.

… I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother. I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.  They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”  And they glorified God because of me.
Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me.  Galatians 1:18-2:21
I moved from Arabia, awakened to life by an intimate closeness with Christ.
For the first time as a redeemed man, I met Peter, or Cephas, my brother in Jesus and fellow apostle. The fifteen days with him was like an outpouring of the Spirit’s fire!

I felt Peter’s passion as he re-told stories of his time with Jesus. He shared of his own, priceless journey with the Master as he had grown from fisher on the sea to fisher in the world. The more we shared our experiences, the stronger the Spirit burned within us, binding us together in united passion for our Lord and fierce love for the lost and Christ’s Church. Just as time spent with the Lord in the Scriptures had been precious, I was experiencing the beginnings of what it meant to be in community with other brothers and sisters just like yourselves, Galatians! Student, I was still.

Living in community and studying the Scripture together renewed me, challenged me, and took me deeper in my walk with the Savior. This passion for both of these sent me into the regions of Syria and Cilicia, connecting with other followers, studying His Word together, and building genuine community. This was the heart of Christ’s Church!

I had no idea of the extent persecution would become my life, but for now, in the waiting, the Lord was teaching me of His good heart, His redeeming grace, and His boundless love for the church, His Bride.

Fourteen years later, after falling in love in ever-deepening ways with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit through community and Scripture study, I was ready to fully embrace the deep mission God had called me to on that long ago, yet ever fresh, day as I traveled to Damascus. I penned my first letter to the Thessalonians and now I’m writing to you, my Galatian brethren.

If you learn nothing else from me, hear this:
The gospel is much too powerful to be from man, and if you allow Him, the Lord Himself will teach, train, woo, and redeem you, even while you wait, if you give yourself over to community and Scripture study.

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

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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 Sketched V 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 Sketched V!

Remade Day 10
Messy Love

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 16:4-15
John 14:25-28
Isaiah 48:15-19

I flipped the turn signal with my index finger, groaning inwardly as my mini-van slowed to a stop. The intersection was crowded and the number of vehicles ahead of me were a surefire indication that I would be late. I turned on the radio and glanced out the passenger window.

There he was again.

Dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt, the man held his poster board sign high for all to see:

“REPENT, THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND!”

His clothes were tidy and clean. His hair was combed. His lips were a straight line as he stared solemnly ahead. He didn’t utter a word, but his shouting seemed audible nonetheless.

I grimaced as I read the words again. Ducking my head, I breathed a sigh of relief as the light turned green and the line progressed. I caught one last glimpse of him in my rearview mirror and wondered at my surprisingly negative reaction. I didn’t disagree with the words on his sign. The same words were in my Bible, too…but in this instance, the method of delivery left me with a bitter taste in my mouth. There was truth printed on his sign, but my heart recoiled at what I perceived as a lack of grace.

We can all remember a time when we felt something similar. Perhaps we overheard someone deliver a harsh rebuke to a friend who didn’t yet know Jesus…and our stomach dropped as our eyes welled with compassion. Perhaps we witnessed a friend issue a side-eye toward the scruffily-dressed visitor in the pew beside us…and a flash of protective anger lit our spirit for a moment.

Or maybe it was us.

Maybe we responded to a lost, hurting friend who asked for advice…by pointing out their sin.

Maybe we posted or shared a harsh rant about our neighbor, or the state of the world, or our political opinion…never realizing that we were alienating the very people we have been charged to love. Maybe in our effort to share Jesus, we failed to remember that we can not claim responsibility for changing ourselves…or that we are incapable of sparking conviction in another.

Try as we might to correct our thinking or forsake our old nature on our own, there is nothing we can do to change ourselves, short of accepting Christ and allowing the Holy Spirit to change our hearts and minds.
We simply cannot do it.
It will never happen.
Where our nature is to accuse, to condemn, and to judge, His nature is to convict hearts, to portray righteousness, and to depict judgment.

Jesus’s words on this are clear. “And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.” John 16:8, NLT (emphasis mine)

He…not us. Never us.

When we would say, “I AM RIGHT AND YOU ARE WRONG,” or “CHANGE YOUR WAYS”, He would say to us, “Oh Beloved, that’s not for you to say.” When we find ourselves accusing or judging, we must step back and consider our hearts. Are we listening to Holy Spirit in that moment? Are we seeking ways to love boldly and with grace?

Sometimes, we forget that Jesus didn’t clean the world of sin before He came to us.
He saw us in our sin, in our filth, in our despair and He said,
I see her.
Every wrinkle, every blemish, every scar.
And I’m going anyway.
Whether she chooses me or not, whether she opens her heart to me or not.
No matter her sin, no matter her shame.
I love her anyway.
I will live and die for her anyway.

Sometimes, in our misguided efforts to prove our holiness, we become afraid that by loving well we will get a little dirt on us.
It is far less messy to talk about change and instruct others than it is to actually live it. Thankfully, in Jesus, we have a beautiful model of living and loving others in this world while not being of it. We must each pause to examine our motives to make sure we are operating from a posture of humility and grace, pointing others to the true Source of our change: the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, just as I recoiled from my friend with the sign, those He has placed in our path will recoil from us in our lack of authenticity.

Holy Spirit, help us to recognize when we lose sight of your power to change us and this world. You are the only One capable of convicting hearts, of portraying righteousness and of depicting judgment. You are powerful and real and we give You full authority in our hearts, minds, lips and fingertips. Help us to recognize when You are speaking to us and give us a yearning to love others in the way you desire.

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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 Remade 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 Remade!

The GT Weekend! Desperate Week Two

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The GT Weekend

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

Journal With Us!

Journal Prompts

1) Think of places where you’ve longed to belong. What was it that you were craving? How have those situations changed as you’ve grown in your walk with Jesus?

2) Where have you allowed your desire for love and acceptance lead to a negative situation in your life? Toxic friendships, abusive situations, premarital sex, bitter heart, manipulating people, or something else.

3) If you could ask for serious, deep healing in one area of your life, what would that be? Ask the Lord to begin healing that area!

Worship In Song

Music Video: Lauren Daigle’s Redeemed

Pour Out Your Heart

Father, thank you for Your word and its truths. I praise You for searching for the lost and bringing back the strays, for the way You bind up the injured and strengthen the weak. Lord, I ask that You would do that in my life. Show me places, Lord, where I’ve spent so much energy on finding acceptance outside of You that I’ve missed enjoying Your intimacies. Give me strength to stop searching for approval outside of You, to stop making decisions based on pleasing others, and to stop pretending like everything in my life must always look picture-perfect.  Jesus, I ask for healing. Pour out Your healing in my life. Let me feel your love for me to the very core of my being. Allow Your grace to wash over me as I accept the healing only You can provide. Thank You for continuously reaching down from Your throne of grace to meet me where I am on my journey with You!

Pray With Us!

In everything, with praise and thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God!
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