rooted

Fervent Day 5 Character Counts

Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

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

Fervent, Day 5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
Join us for every Journey Study by signing up!
Looking for yesterday’s Journey Study?
Share your thoughts from today’s Study!

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

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Fervent Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

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

Worship VII Day 14 One Day: Digging Deeper

Leave a Comment

Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out One Day!

The Questions

1) What is worship and how does Paul encourage believers to worship?

2) What are the causes of our worship?

3) How does worshipping God change us and impact our daily life?

Romans 5:6-11

6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Original Intent

1) What is worship and how does Paul encourage believers to worship?
The original word for worship in Greek is proskyneō. It means submission to a higher authority, often accompanied with a bowing to the ground. The image given to demonstrate this kind of submission is a dog licking his master’s hand in a token of reverence and adoration. This is a picture of whole-hearted devotion and loyalty. Worship, at its heart, is humble submission, which is why Paul writes in Romans 12:1 that we, as Christ’s Body, are to offer ourselves together as a living sacrifice. Paul says, “This is our true worship”. Worship is a lifestyle characterized by a giving of self in whole-hearted surrender and whole-minded submission to the goodness and greatness of God. It isn’t only something felt or acknowledged, but something lived through attitudes of our heart and sacrifices of ourselves and our resources in everyday life. Paul’s words in Romans 5 speak specifically of God’s magnificent grace towards us in offering Himself as the ransom for our sin-wrecked souls. He concludes in verse 11 by stating, “we boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ…”. Paul exhorts his audience, and clearly models for them, that true worship is anchored in reverent humility to God for the vast love He has lavished upon us, sinners that we are!

2) What are the causes of our worship?
In the Romans 5 passage we discover how worship is rooted in awareness of what we have been given and how we have been loved. 1 John 4:19 says we love because He first loved us. In like fashion, we worship because we have experienced God’s goodness. In Psalm 150 we are reminded to praise Him for His deeds (what He has done), the greatest of these being our salvation and restoration to relationship with Him (Romans 5:10). The “hymn book of the Jews” (Psalms) is replete with specific reasons to worship the God in whom alone is found salvation. (Romans 5:11) Psalm 115:1 instructs our hearts to praise God for His steadfast love and faithfulness while Psalm 103 recounts “His benefits” including forgiveness, rescue, and redemption. Psalm 100:1-5 says we praise Him for making us and Ephesians 1:3 says we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing because of Christ, and therefore we bless God. Worship wasn’t something that began after Jesus died to rescue our souls, neither is it something Jewish people did in the Old Testament when circumstances were wonderful. Regardless of feelings or situation, there are always reasons to worship because we need not look any farther than God and His character to discover a reason to worship Him!

3) How does worshipping God change us and impact our daily life?
We are talking about worship being a lifestyle of humility and honor toward God. In 1 Samuel 15:22, God says (through Samuel) “to obey is better than sacrifice.” To worship God is a sacrifice, but it is best carried out through obedience. God’s Word is filled with examples of His people choosing to worship in faith and obedience, which then resulted in God showing favor and victory. (2 Chronicles 20:22) Worship brought physical victory in battle to Israel. Their decision to worship out of obedience removed themselves as an idol in their hearts and gave room for God to move in the way He had willed. Scripture teaches us to give thanks to the LORD with all our heart. (Psalm 9:1) When we are truly thankful, our hearts are engaged. Worshipping God brings us to a place of full engagement with Him. God invites us to lift our eyes over the things of this earth and focus on the place where He sits at the right hand of God; here, our real life is hidden. (Colossians 3:2) Because Paul’s life modeled consistent, humble worship, the Lord worked through His life in incredible ways. Paul recognized his life was nothing compared to knowing and experiencing God. (Philippians 3:8-9)

Everyday Application

1) What is worship and how does Paul encourage believers to worship?
God created us to live out worship in everyday lives, but we often are tempted to worship anything but the Only One Worthy of worship. As we come to understand worship as humble surrender and loyal submission to the Lord, amazingly, we see a connection of humility to God Himself, the sole worthy object of our worship. Though God had every right to never lower Himself, He did exactly this by coming to earth in human form to become our Reconciler and Salvation. (Romans 5:8-11, Philippians 2:6-8) Our great God is a humble God! When He calls Himself the Helper of Israel (the word “ezer” in Hebrew refers to Helper and the name of God JEHOVAH ‘EZER emphasizes it). These terms reflect the heart of God as He calls Himself one who concerns Himself to stoop down. (Psalm 113:4-6) As we worship, we stoop in response to how the Savior God has already bent for us. Worship, at its heart, is grateful submission. It’s a bowing and acknowledgement that someone is greater and worthier than ourselves. Yet, we serve and love a God who stoops to bless us; Who came to a cruel cross to die for us; Who takes on a lowly life for us. God is lofty, yet He tells us His way of greatness is not one that holds Lordship high over others’ heads (Matthew 20:25-28), but instead stoops to bless us. (John 13:3-5) Worship is both a response and a fully engaged bending as we answer the One who bent for us and continues to bend humbly for us out of love.

2) What are the causes of our worship?
Paul writes in his letter to the Ephesians, “I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-19) As we practice living our everyday lives rooted and grounded in love, we become motivated to love God responsively. This creates a heart of true worship. As we fix our minds on what is good, true, noble, and praiseworthy, our minds are lifted to remember the goodness of God and genuine worship overflows. (Philippians 4:8) As we consider His character and His names (which reflect His character) we are drawn to recall the truth of who He is. This creates a mind of worship. As we humble ourselves in the sight of God, surrendering self to the Savior, we receive the will to worship. Here in this sacred space, we truly begin loving the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. (Matthew 22:37) This is the picture of lifestyle worship, wholly engaged with our Creator, Redeemer, and Lover of Our Soul.

3) How does worshipping God change us and impact our daily life?
We know God wants us to take on a heart of obedient worship that consistently permeates our everyday lives. What does this look like? In Micah 6:8 He says, “do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.” This is a picture of lived-out worship. Even though we will have trials in life, He will use them to shape us. Along the way, He calls us to worship Him through the storms, as this anchors our hearts in truth despite changing circumstance and feelings. This is how He develops our dependence and strengthens our endurance in faith as He reinforces our hope. In Romans 5:3-4 Paul writes, “…we also boast in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Worship gives us perspective in every circumstance, the capacity to be joyful in the face of affliction, and the means to be filled with strength when we are at our weakest. Like a faithful dog leans on his master, giving his life in devotion, we can give our lives to God. He takes that sacrifice and multiplies it for our good. We cannot out-give God. Our life of sacrificial worship always fills us more than any other thing we seek on earth. When we offer true worship, we lift our eyes and gain perspective.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with One Day!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Worship VII Week Three!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

Pause IV Day 9 No Sin Unseen

Leave a Comment

Pause IV, Day 9

Today’s reading in Habakkuk sounds strange to our ears and can be difficult to follow, understand, and make sense of in today’s culture, which is why it’s imperative to first read it through the lens of then-current-day culture.

Go ahead and read verses 6-14 to gain an initial footing in the passage!

As we’ve already studied, Israel was rebellious against God. As consequence, the Lord was using the wicked Chaldeans (or Babylonians) to overtake Israel, taking them into captivity in Babylon. Habakkuk struggled with this consequence of using an evil nation to overtake God’s people who were supposed to be set apart as His holy and chosen people.

In today’s passage, God addresses this tension as He speaks in detail about the sinfulness of the Chaldeans. Their sin was not hidden from God any more so than Israel’s sin, and their day of experiencing the righteous justice of God would also come.

In verse 5, “He” is the arrogant one we read about in yesterday’s Journey. His appetite to fuel himself and his own pride is insatiable; this person is always thinking about more of himself and his own pleasure and desires while also justifying himself to be in the right.

Still sitting in arrogance and a resistance to God’s promised word that consequence would come, the arrogant one feels confident in himself. He believes God would surely never punish him because he feels justified in self-righteousness before God. From this position of self-security, he arrogantly “looks down” upon the evil Babylonian Empire.

From his place of pride, the self-righteous one feels he can securely mock the Chaldeans/Babylonians because he judges himself as far superior to them; surely, God would never judge him. (verse 6) These arrogant ones in Israel are “they” in verse 6.

To help you have greater understanding in reading verses 6-14, you can replace “him” and “you” with “Chaldeans” or “Babylonians Empire”.

The Chaldeans were a wicked people, violent, dishonest, and murderous. Even the stone walls cried out, testifying against their atrocities. (verse 11) Their greatest sin, however, was just as evil as Israel’s. Arrogance and pride were rooted deep in their hearts, as they thumbed their nose at God, “(Babylon) place(s) his nest on high.” (verse 9) Like the very first inhabitants of Babylon (Genesis 11:4), this nation was still reaching for equal status with God, high and lofty above all others.

Babylon’s sin. Israel’s sin. My sin, and yours, are all on equal footing. When we seek our ways over God’s we usurp His authority and crown ourselves as our own little god.
This is the arrogance that brought on Israel’s captivity, Babylon’s ruin, and our own eternal death and separation from God.

The word of the Lord closes out today’s reading with a powerful reminder of the Only True God. Just as water fills the seas, so the whole earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord’s glory! (verse 14) One Lord of all. One just King. His glory supersedes all things.

Today's Invitation

1) Be a scribe and copy the precious words of Scripture down word for word. Make space in your journal to write down Habakkuk 2:6-14. As you copy, lookup a cross reference or two as you come to them (they are the small letters next to certain words in your study Bible or online at www.biblia.com). As you write, think of the incredible gift it is to be invited into God’s presence through His word!

2) Choose one of these options to radiate Jesus’ love to others as you hold tightly to the anchoring truth of the eternal confidence we have only through Christ!

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

3) Share the exciting, bold ways you are living out your eternal confidence 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

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!
Connect with our community on Facebook!

Join the GT Community on Facebook!

Habakkuk 2:6-14

Won’t all of these take up a taunt against him,
with mockery and riddles about him?
They will say,
“Woe to him who amasses what is not his—
how much longer?—
and loads himself with goods taken in pledge.”
7 Won’t your creditors suddenly arise,
and those who disturb you wake up?
Then you will become spoil for them.
8 Since you have plundered many nations,
all the peoples who remain will plunder you—
because of human bloodshed
and violence against lands, cities,
and all who live in them.

9 Woe to him who dishonestly makes
wealth for his house
to place his nest on high,
to escape the grasp of disaster!
10 You have planned shame for your house
by wiping out many peoples
and sinning against your own self.
11 For the stones will cry out from the wall,
and the rafters will answer them
from the woodwork.

12 Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed
and founds a town with injustice!
13 Is it not from the Lord of Armies
that the peoples labor only to fuel the fire
and countries exhaust themselves for nothing?
14 For the earth will be filled
with the knowledge of the Lord’s glory,
as the water covers the sea.

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 IV 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 IV!

Blessed Day 9 Blessed Are The Merciful: Digging Deeper

Leave a Comment

Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Blessed Are The Merciful!

The Questions

1) How did faith in Christ’s goodness translate into the giving of mercy?

2) Why does our faith make Christ turn towards us?

3) What made Jesus turn around and see the woman hidden in the crowd?

Matthew 9:18-22

While He spoke these things to them, behold a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live. So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples. And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. For she said to herself, If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well. But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well. And the woman was made well from that hour.

Original Intent

1) How did faith in Christ’s goodness translate into the giving of mercy?
The law was the basis for Israelite society and was a blueprint for mankind to approach a holy God. The law is holy, its commandments are holy, righteous, and good. (Romans 7:12) Knowing the commandment declared a woman like her unclean, she took her life in her hands and made a gamble. The command says, “If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, that goes beyond her customary impurity she shall be unclean. Everything she touches and sits on is unclean. Any person that touches her or an object that came in contact with her shall be unclean until evening.” The woman with the issue of blood was a living breathing scarlet letter. The commandment which was to bring life brought death to her relationships and her standing among God’s people. But the goodness of God embodied in the Son of God brought life that day. The laws of uncleanness declared that no one could approach the temple of God and defile it, the penalty was divine retribution or death. Thankfully, we serve a God full of mercy, and God’s mercy is rooted in His goodness. It is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance. (Romans 2:4) The word had spread that Jesus was near and the woman reached out on the chance that His goodness and mercy would heal even a woman like her. Instead of divine retribution for touching the living temple of God, she received grace, mercy, and healing.

2) Why does our faith make Christ turn towards us?
During Jesus’ day, the Pharisees taught the people a purity code. This purity and holiness code were based on being untouched or undefiled by unclean things or people. “If the holy or unclean came into contact, one or the other ceased to exist: the holy became unholy or it destroyed the unclean thing”. In this culture, the holy is kept away from unclean things lest either one is destroyed. But what is the most important thing to a God that has confined all under sin? (Romans 11:32) The reason all have been confined to sin is so He might have mercy on all! The path of mercy is laid by the stones of faith. For without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6) The righteousness which is of faith is not based on outward appearance. It is not based on a set of rules and regulations that keep the marginalized out and away from sight. The righteousness of faith gives us peace with God through Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1) Jesus made sure to tell the woman in front of the crowd it was her faith that moved the hand and heart of God that day.

3) What made Jesus turn around and see the woman hidden in the crowd?
In Mark’s version of this story there are a couple more details that give additional context. The first is that a multitude is pressing against Jesus and the disciples. Imagine if the Rock decided to take a stroll through town and word got out he was giving out autographs. As the Rock is making his way to a friend’s house the crowd presses to get a chance to see him. However, the Rock has some bodyguards around him, trying and failing, to keep the crowd under control. In the midst of the chaos, a woman pushes through crawling and getting stepped on for a chance to touch the cuff of his pants. The Rock feels something tugging at the bottom of his pants and suddenly stops and demands to know who touched him? When this happened with Jesus, of course the disciples’ reaction was, “Are you kidding me right now?!” I know you see this crowd of people and you’re asking “Who touched my clothes”? In Mark’s version, the woman knew immediately she was healed and Jesus knew immediately He had intentionally healed. I don’t know what made the woman shrink back into the crowd after receiving her healing, perhaps it was fear or shame at being on public display. Thankfully, Jesus stopped everything and everyone from moving, in order to acknowledge her miracle and call her Daughter. If Jesus did not publicly acknowledge it, the society around her would have still treated the woman as an outcast. I’m glad our Savior didn’t let the woman shrink back into the shadows. That day, she received her healing for her body and soul.

Everyday Application

1) How did faith in Christ’s goodness translate into the giving of mercy?
Many times in life, we have received a message of promise from our God, that defies belief. God has given us a word of healing and restoration, but the circumstances shout a different reality. A marriage that has no hope of reconciliation, a wayward child that has abandoned the faith, or a sick and tired body bound with pain. It can be a struggle to see the goodness of God in the midst of life’s circumstances. Especially if the circumstances have lasted for years, like the woman with the issue of blood; goodness, hope, and mercy can seem like alien concepts. One day Moses had a meeting with the Lord God and asked to see His glory. Instead, the Lord God decided to give Moses a revelation of His goodness, “I will make all My goodness pass before you.” (Exodus 33:19) “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.” (Exodus 34:6-7) Goodness and mercy walk hand in hand. In fact, the roots of mercy are found in the goodness of God. Because we know that God is good, He will have mercy to those that call on His name. One, long ago day, the woman encountered the goodness of God passing before her just like Moses and trusting in Christ’s goodness her faith made her whole. I would implore you to ask God for a fresh revelation of His goodness towards you. Like the psalmist says His goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life (Psalm 23:6), and I would have lost heart unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. (Psalm 27:13)

2) Why does our faith make Christ turn towards us?
In Hebrews 11:6 it says, “But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him”. Have you ever stopped to wonder what did the author of Hebrews mean by the phrase, “He is”? He is what exactly? It doesn’t say it’s almost like a fill in the blank scenario He is ___. It reminds me of when Moses asked God “If they ask for your name what should I say to them? God replies tell them I AM has sent you.” (Exodus 3:13-14) Most gods then and now are known primarily for one thing. In Hinduism if you need help with love or fertility, you would pray to Gauri. In Buddhist teachings, you would pray to Chana Dorje for power. Because Yahweh is all-encompassing, He is everything you need. When approaching the I AM, and the HE IS you must remember that because of Christ’s sacrifice, He has forever proven He is good and He hears you. Once you realize the goodness which leads you to repentance, you know He hears your requests. You can be confident in your position in Christ. “Now this is the confidence we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” (1 John 5:14) That confidence is your faith in Christ, just like the woman with the issue of blood had confidence in Christ’s ability to heal. You have confident faith that He is whatever your situation needs at the moment. The great I AM is good. The great I AM is loving, and the great I AM is the author and finisher of your faith. That confidence in God Himself is what causes Him to turn towards you.

3) What made Jesus turn around and see the woman hidden in the crowd?
One thing I have noticed as I’ve grown older, is that people are really good at hiding hurt and shame. There is a good reason for hiding because life can be cruel, especially when we are most vulnerable. Over time we put on masks to hide the hurt, shame, and pain of life. Like the woman with the issue of blood, we can become so good at hiding, that those around us can’t see and we get trampled underfoot by the crowd. Part of the process of restoration involves revealing those hidden parts we like to hide and bringing them into the light. Because God looks at the inward heart of man, He is more than capable of healing wounds the eye cannot see. The beautiful part of the story of the woman with the issue of blood and Jesus is that He ended her days of hiding from the crowd. Jesus purposely called her out and, instead of shaming her, gave her double honor. During these lockdowns, protests, and pandemics it can be easy to get lost in the midst of so many social issues, but even in the midst of all these things, you are still the apple of His eye. You are hidden no more.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Blessed Are The Merciful!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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

Our Current Study Theme!

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

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

The GT Weekend! ~ Neighbor Week 1

Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Kids. We love them. They drive us crazy. We long for them. We dream of tiny toes and whispy soft hair. Our hearts are crushed at teenage rebellion. Our insides break at loss. We watch them in their sleep, these pieces of our hearts. We cheer them on, we weep over them, we see us in them, and oh how we pray for them! Great is the gift of standing eye-to-eye with a child of any age and letting them feel seen and known and radically loved. How rich is the treasure of a child! Whether you have children, wish you did, are glad you don’t, or miss your grown children or grandchildren deeply, children are a gift for all of us! Pray specifically this week for God to increase your love for ‘the neighbor kids’. Maybe even write down a couple of names and pray diligently for their hearts to know Jesus!

2) When we think of Jesus’ call to “love your neighbor”, the face of our spouse doesn’t naturally pop into our thinking. What would it look like if we were each to very intentionally consider how to go about loving our spouses deeply, practically, and without condition of their response this week? If you aren’t married, engaged, or dating, ask the Lord to give you a specific married couple to pray over this week. Connect with them, ask how you can pray. Bring them before God this week and love them deeply as Jesus has called us to love one another. Choose one radical way to love your neighbor-spouse this week, and do it!

3) To love others well, it’s critically important we understand how magnificently we ourselves are loved by the Great God of Love. When we are rooted in truth, dancing in grace, and embraced by the everlasting, confident love of Father God, we give love to others. And we do it well. Consider the way you love others currently, and let it be a guide to help you understand how you view yourself as loved by God. Where are you stingy in your love? Where are conditions attached? Where does performance play a major role? Take these to the Lord and ask Him to show you His own deep heart of love and choose to hold fast to truth!

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 1 Corinthians 13:7-8 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Love bears all things,
believes all things,
hopes all things,
endures all things.
Love never ends.

Prayer Journal
Oh God of Love, Your kindness towards me is unfathomable. I’m so small and insignificant in comparison to the far-flung stars and vast galaxies. Even these are nothing to You. Yet, not even a sparrow falls to the ground without Your knowing. Every hair on my head is numbered. Every freckle is known, let alone every emotion, fear, and secret way inside me. How could I possibly keep this love inside for me alone? Yet, how quickly I become selfish, losing sight of how deeply I am loved by You! I slip into thinking You are stingy, becoming bored with my humanity, annoyed at my inner self. But, no, Your love is constantly present. When I sit here, wrapped in this incredible truth, love for others bubbles to the surface. Give me opportunity to love my neighbor, Lord Jesus, as You have so radically loved me.

Worship Through Community

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

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

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Sketched VII Day 5 All In

2 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 13:5-18
Matthew 8:18-22
Luke 14:25-27

Sketched VII, Day 5

My husband and I said, “Yes” to the something big two years ago.
We’ve been married 10 years, we have three children, two with us, and one with Jesus. We’ve lived in seven houses in three countries.
We’re familiar with the Lord asking us to do something and us (trying) to say yes.

Our most costly “yes”, however, came when He asked us to Go.
For us, going meant moving across the world to share the Gospel with people who haven’t heard it and don’t have access to it from other people in their culture.
These are the unreached.

The price tag for obedience is varied for many, but Jesus says in Matthew 8 it may involve not having a place to lay your head. In Luke 14, Jesus says one should hate his father and mother in order to leave and follow Him. While not literal in meaning, these examples demonstrate what it looks like to surrender. We must be ready to give up everything we hold dear to us if we really want a deep, vibrant relationship with Him. This is not only my family’s cost for obedience, this is for every Christ follower!

Serving in cross-cultural evangelism is hard.
We moved to a country where we knew no one and didn’t speak the language. The food was strange and spicy, the traffic didn’t seem to have any system beyond Don’t Crash. While we have a really comfortable place to live, the plumbing is taped together, the washing machine is filled with mold, and the bugs and critters seem to multiply overnight.

One of our elderly neighbors passed away a few months ago. We attended the wake service for her and our eyes were opened again to the lostness and lack of hope without Jesus. Her religion believes that the night someone dies, God and Satan fight for the soul of the deceased. In order to get that person to Heaven, the family and friends must say special prayers and recite parts of their holy book with great fervor.
Hopefully, the deceased makes it in to Heaven.

We sat for nearly three hours listening to these petitions.
Many people had the prayers memorized.
Some used a book as they recited empty, hollow, words.
Wearing a scarf and long sleeves in the uncooled room was stifling.
Our kids were fussing and bored, tired of sitting quietly for so long.
Spiritually, the heaviness and darkness in that place was oppressive.
This is part of our price for following Jesus with everything we have.

When we see the heart of God, it’s easier to understand why He requires a 100% surrender. Jesus says in John 10:16,
“I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen.
I must bring them also.
They too will listen to my voice,
and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.”

The why is rooted in radical love!

This neighbor and her family belong to an unreached people group in our city.
If there is no one to tell them of the redeeming love of our Creator God,
How Will They Know?

How will they believe anything different
than their traditional upbringing dictates?

Paul asks these same, bold questions in his letter to the Romans.
How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in?
And how can they believe without hearing about him?
And how can they hear without a preacher?
And how can they preach unless they are sent?
As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!
(Romans 10:14-15)

If all Christ asked of us was a head-nod assent to the fact that He is God and died to save us, then we not only cheapen His sacrifice, but we also miss out on being bearers of His good news. The cost to carry the good news is high, it’s total surrender.
But it is worth it!

Jesus asks us to give all, but He gave all of Himself first.
And He did it out of love for the lost who did not know Him.

Part of our task is sharing the Gospel with everyone the Holy Spirit prompts us to share with. This requires boldness we do not possess on our own, which is why God gives us His own Spirit inside of us to teach us how to surrender in obedience.

We frequent our neighborhood mall, markets, and playgrounds with the desire to proclaim the Good News often. We also work with a local group of believers to bring increased health to our church, with the long-term goal of seeing them reach their neighbors with the Gospel. All that sounds good on paper, but in the flesh, it’s messy at best, and always involves surrender.

In reflecting on our previous year on the field, the Lord has taught me repeatedly how the goal of my life is not to make it easy.
I’m not promised an easy life in Scripture.
In fact, I’m promised quite the opposite.
“If they persecute me, they will persecute you also.” (John 15:18)

In the midst of this challenging year, He has shown how the joy of my salvation will sustain me. By God’s grace, we may learn to be more effective on the field, but it likely will never get easier. And that’s okay.

What “yes” is He leading you into today, dear one?

Carve out time to ask Him, Lord what would you have me do?
Listen for His gentle whispers.

Praise the Lord, you don’t have to be ready for what He’s asking you to do.
He’ll do it through you as you give Him your yes!
Count the cost, place it before Him as an offering, and step out in surrender.
Immense joy, found in that tight space, is waiting for you!

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
Join us for every Journey Study by signing up!
Looking for yesterday’s Journey Study?
Share your thoughts from today’s Study!

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

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!

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

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

Captivating Day 13 His Heartbeat

4 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Colossians 1:7-13
1 Timothy 2:1-8
Revelation 14:6-7

Captivating, Day 13

Our miniature matatu (think African style of a city bus…kind of) bumped up and down and our bodies bounced with it without the constraint of seatbelts. Red dust flew up behind us while some billowed through the windows, filling our nostrils with the ever-present African-dust smell. The chatter of my seven teammates filled the matatu, but I wasn’t hearing them. My senses were in the slums of Kenya, seeing, hearing, smelling, breathing my surroundings, but my heart and my head were somewhere else.
I saw children playing in the streets made of dust, I saw women walking to and fro, and I heard men shouting to one another, but in my mind, the red dust of this town was replaced by red dirt of Southern Utah. Children’s laughter was replaced with the memory of the foster children’s laughter from the camp I’d worked at earlier that year.
Never in my life had I experienced the pull and the weightiness of the world… and I broke. 

As we drove through Kenyan slums, I could literally feel my heart being torn in two, slowly ripping right down the middle. When we arrived at the preschool ministry site for the day, everything came pouring out with deep sorrow. I turned to my leader, Allison, and said, “I don’t know what’s wrong. I’m here, I know I’m here and I’m supposed to be, but I’m so broken for the people in Utah who need Jesus, and I’m aching for the foster children in Kansas City who need redemption. What is wrong with me?”

“Kendra,” she told me gently, “have you ever prayed that God would break your heart for what breaks His?” I slowly nodded my head and squinted my eyes.
“He’s doing that right now.” 

If I was weeping before (which I was), I was weeping harder now.
I didn’t know God’s heart hurt so much for us, and I only had a glimpse.

If we know anything, it’s that our world is shattered and broken.
Spreading the healing hope of the gospel and praying for nations to know the Lord is our urgent mission until Jesus returns. Paul presses the Church to pray for God’s creation in each of his epistles by asking them to pray for other churches, for people in leadership, and for those who are still lost without hope… but, why?

Why do we pour out our hearts in prayer for the
hurting, hungry, desperate, lost, broken people who make up God’s creation?
Because, God… “wants everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4). The Father’s heart is for His Creation.
He longs for us to know His love and be rescued from our sin.

Let us learn from Ezekiel 22:30, where God says He is looking for someone to stand in the gap for their nation, but found no one. We are called to stand in the gap for the nations with the hope of the gospel! Let us, who have the authority to approach the Father’s throne because of Jesus in us, pray for the nations!

Can I be real for a minute? (Ok, ok, I’m always real.)
Sometimes, I feel so overwhelmed with how many people I need to pray for, and how many things I need to pray for, and all the brokenness and lostness and heaviness
that I just don’t pray at all.

I know I need to pray for the nations, for my daughters, for my friends and family, for the people in leadership positions in the Church and in my country, but I don’t always know where to start or what to pray.

I’ve found the best place to begin is rooted in Scripture, following the leading of the Holy Spirit. Read His Word, and be ready to pray whenever and however the Spirit is pressing in.

Pray for the nations’ leaders to be filled with wisdom and be surrounded by wise and godly advisors. Pray for their hearts and ears to listen to wise counsel. (Proverbs 11:14)

Pray for leaders who don’t know Christ to have divine encounters with believers who would point them to salvation. Pray for leaders who are Christians to have steady discipleship pouring into them and that they would have strength to fight the arrows shot at them from the enemy. (Proverbs 2:1-8 and Ephesians 6:12-18)

Pray for unity in the Church in each nation. As each nation writes their own laws and citizens live in ways they feel just, the Church has different struggles in each country. How the Church is being pulled in the United States is entirely different than the struggles for the Church in New Zealand or India. Pray for unity within the Church in each country, and that followers of Christ would base their standards on biblical truth and not what society dictates. (1 Corinthians 1:10)

Sisters, sometimes I feel small.
Sometimes I feel like my prayers and voice won’t matter.
Will the Lord really hear my pleading for the underground church in North Korea?
He will.
He does.
And my prayers are pleasing in the sight of the Lord, as are yours.

Ask the Lord to break your heart for what breaks His.
Ask Him to burden your heart for the lost.
You might be surprised who you feel burdened for, but don’t be surprised when He answers your prayer. When He does, take action and pray for the lost, the hurting, the persecuted, the Christians and the non-Christians, then take steps to bring hope to them!

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

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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

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

Ignite Day 6 60 Seconds Of Truth

2 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

John 3:1-21
1 Peter 1:1-25
I Peter 3:13-22

Ignite, Day 6

60 seconds on the clock.
Your questions to answer:
What do you believe?
Who is the Lord?
What is His role in your life?

Ready?
On your mark, get set, go!

Can you share within a short time frame and with concise confidence what you actually believe? If a true clock were ticking, what words would come from your mouth? Even more importantly, what words would come from your heart?

I flip that question on myself and sometimes find myself fumbling for words to convey what my heart and mind already know to be true about my relationship with the Lord.

Anyone else find herself in a similar situation?
You know that you know that you know, but the quick ability to clearly put it all into words to tell someone else….. flounders?

If so, know you aren’t alone! Countless others before us have experienced that same reality.
If that isn’t you, glory to God! How honoring to Him to be prepared to share the hope that dwells within you with clarity and truth.

As I research and write this particular study, I recognize the beloved sting of conviction and thank the Lord for both the challenge and the invitation to be intentional with my words and my faith. I know myself, and the best way for me to do exactly that is to write down what I believe, to pour over the words, and weigh them in His presence.

I am not the first person to do this, however. Centuries ago, wise individuals intentionally joined their hearts and minds to write formal statements of their beliefs, which happens to be the very definition of a creed. A few creeds have withstood the test of time having been adopted by the global Church across denominations.

One of the most widely known creeds is the Nicene Creed, aptly named as it was first written by the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. The Council convened in the midst of false teachings arising during the life of the early Church. The leaders wrote the creed collectively and a subsequent meeting in 381 resulted in a finalized version, which sometimes is called the Nicene-Constantinople Creed and not just the Nicene Creed. The Nicene Creed specifically addresses the Trinity and the role Christ plays in our salvation.

Another creed, though not as well-known as the Nicene Creed, is the Athanasian Creed. It is named for Athanasius, a man who stood against those around him who were denying the identity of the Trinity. While he may not have been the one to specifically write this creed, it was named after him as it was Athanasius who fought valiantly for the creed’s Scriptural truth. He lived around the time of the creation of the Nicene Creed as well, and it may have been written originally in Latin rather than the original Greek and therefore not as wildly accepted in the global church for that reason. The Athanasian Creed speaks to the nature of the Triune Godhead and Christ’s living as both fully God and fully man, specifically combating the false teaching of Arianism, which propagated the idea that Christ was not fully Divine.

The Apostle’s Creed rounds out a solid list of the well-known creeds. This one contains a brief outline of the Trinity and recap of key events in the life of Christ as documented by the apostles in the Gospels.

All three creeds contain the truth of who the Godhead is and are excellent starting points for creating a creed of your own. Consider beginning by writing down a few of the core beliefs of Christianity, then ask yourself what you believe about them and why. Not sure you have the time to formulate a full-blown creed immediately? Memorize one of these time-tested, Scripture-rooted creeds written centuries ago! (Once again tasting the conviction to do the same as I type this.)

Regardless of whether you write your own creed or you hold fast to one written so long ago, may the words and truth ensconced in them fill our hearts and minds, guiding us in our everyday life.

May these truths set us free!
May the words become launching pads for deeper intimacy with the Lord, greater understanding of the hope we have through salvation, and fresh opportunities to share the reason for the hope within us!
May we lovingly embrace the reality of the Trinity and rejoice in interacting with the Godhead Three-in-One. (Check here for an excellent, easy to read resource to help in understanding the Trinity!)
May our lives be forever changed because we prepared for the 60 second (okay it can be longer than 60 seconds) window in which we can share what we believe.

As I leave you to ponder what would fill your 60 seconds, words from the Athanasian Creed humble me and cause me to rejoice because we are able to interact on a daily basis with the Lord of Lords. May we remember “that we worship one God in trinity and the trinity in unity, neither blending their persons nor dividing their essence.” Amen!

60 seconds on the clock.
Are you ready?

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

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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

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

Anchored Day 6 Beautifully Pruned

7 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Colossians 1:24-2:3
Colossians 2:4-23
Ephesians 4:11-14
Hebrews 5:12-14

Anchored, Day 6

When we moved into our house, autumn was upon us, and many of the plants had started to fade away. The entire year following, I was delighted and surprised by multiple green sprouts appearing in my little bed at the front of our house. Fortunately, my Gamma had come to visit for several months and was able to teach me about the daisies, hostas, and roses blooming before my eyes. The roses thrilled me the most, and while they weren’t the large yellow roses my Papa and Gamma had always had in their garden, they were still a beautiful, bright pink. My Gamma gently warned me that when I cut flowers, I needed to cut them at an angle right above the growth bud, so the stem would continue to grow and produce more flowers. I hadn’t been as cautious about that before, resulting in an awkwardly shaped rose bush on the side of my house.

I was reminded of this pruning process, but the necessity of pruning when I read this post on Instagram:

“You will go through seasons of pruning,
when God removes you from good things –
friendships, privilege, ministry platforms, money, sustenance, hope, even your reputation. Pruning is always very painful and very difficult,
although you may have a clear conscience and know that it comes from God,
and that there are promises of a better and more fruitful future.
It usually results in being very much alone.
Most people will shy away from you when you experience pain.
David in scripture was blessed to have one friend who stood solidly with him through God’s pruning and he eventually walked into a season of abundance.”

My roses needed to be pruned – correctly – in order to continue growing and produce more roses than they otherwise would.

Another word for pruning: sanctification.
And ooftah does sanctification hurt sometimes.

But is it worth it?
Oh yes, dear Sisters, it totally is.

Because sanctification means that I look more like Jesus and am being used for my intended purpose of bringing glory to Him.

Sanctification means I’m growing.

Paul talks about both the pain that comes with sanctification, as well as its inestimable value. He actually rejoices because of his suffering (and let me tell you, sanctification happens most during suffering).
Paul understands that through this growing, pruning, and maturing process He is being prepared to take new ground for the Kingdom!
Paul speaks of proclaiming Jesus’ name and building strong disciples so we may all be fully mature in Christ.
This kind of maturity isn’t about physical age, rather it’s characterized by the natural growth that comes from intentional willingness to be consistently discipled by the Holy Spirit. By regularly dwelling with the Lord through Scripture intake, prayer, and living authentically in biblical community, the Spirit strengthens our “inner being” to love Christ and be shaped to mirror Him more and more.

Speaking of this maturing, Paul says, “So then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, being rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing with gratitude.” (Colossians 2:6-7)

Saying yes to Jesus is only the beginning.
Surrendering your heart and receiving “Christ Jesus as Lord” will save you for eternity, but if you stop here, you’ve chosen to live far below your birthright in Jesus.
Paul urges, “continue to live in Him..”
Become rooted, built up, and established in the faith.
Don’t Stop Now!
Say yes to Jesus, and keep saying yes as He prunes your heart and life!

The “steadying” growth Jesus cultivates in a heart committed to Him,
makes you keenly aware of truth verses a lie.
And, Sister, the world is full of deception and ‘empty deceit’. (Colossians 2:8)

Paul ached for the Church.
He ached for believers to not be stuck drinking milk, but eating solid food.
He ached for believers to grow deep and become rooted that they would be able to distinguish between truth and heresy.

Heresy ran rampant in the Colossian church, and it does in our culture today too.
The only way we will know the difference between what is solid and a deceptive mirage is by renewing our mind through Scripture. We must be….
Regular.
Consistent.
Intentional.
Disciplined.
Mature in Christ.

As you encounter suffering, hold fast to the faith because Jesus is worth it.
Give yourself fully to spiritual disciplines, watch the Spirit grow you deeply.
Stand firm for truth, and lead others well as you love with grace.

The second half of this beautiful post continues:

“I bless you with the pruning of the Lord.
As painful as they are, they are for the best.
They come from a wise Father.
I bless you with pruning that brings redemption.
I bless you with deep, solid, life-giving friendships when you are going through a season of God’s pruning you.
I bless you with friendships that are designed, crafted, nurtured, and given to you by your Father, even at the same time that He is taking away other friendships that you have deemed important and necessary to your life.
Although you may be severely pruned, I bless you with at least one friend who maintains covenant relationship with you in your darkest hour and is able to encourage you, strengthen you, and focus your attention on God’s promises.”

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

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

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

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