Gracefully Truthful
  • Register!
    • GT Journey Groups
  • Today’s Journey
  • Previous Journeys
  • Faces of Grace
  • GT Bookstore
  • Our Mission
    • Our Beliefs
    • GT Partners
      • Audra
      • Dee
      • Donna
      • Merry
      • Michelle
      • Rebecca
      • Sarah
      • Sara Melissa
    • Translations Matter

rules

Ten Day 6 Family On Purpose

August 10, 2020 by Michelle Promise Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 20:12
Genesis 1:1-2:3
Leviticus 19:9-37
Ephesians 6:2-3

Ten, Day 6

Dread knotted in my stomach.

I had done it.
I was sure my parents would not only find out, but also be disappointed.

I had chosen to do what my foolish little girl brain wanted, instead of listening to my parents’ request. I didn’t honor them with my choice, and guilt mixed with remorse was coming on hot and heavy.

I was probably 10 years old when I decided to sneak into the garage refrigerator after dinner one night. It was the spare fridge, the one Mom used when preparing for company.

I took a spoon to my favorite dessert, Éclair Cake, and thought I could get away with helping myself to a few more bites. Somehow though, when I was putting it away, the pan flipped upside down. Even with the lid on, the dessert was ruined. There was no way to keep my secret now. Mom would undoubtedly realize a little snitch had been to her dessert.

You see, Mom and Dad had some rules. There were four of us kids at home. Left to our own devices, we could create lots of chaos. Therefore, the ‘rents had some parameters for us to live within, which allowed our house to have order, stability, and certainty. In their parental wisdom, they demonstrated their love for us by maintaining boundaries.

The Lord our God also has rules and parameters for us, His children.

As we journey through the Ten Commandments, we first see a list of rules. However, if we look a bit closer, we realize what seems to be a list of dos and don’ts is actually a reflection of God’s character. 

“Honor your father and mother so you may have a long life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” (Exodus 20:12)

God created the world in a specific order. (Genesis 1:1-2:3) He put in different systems to maintain this order. (Genesis 1:26-30) The Levitical law shows us God doesn’t act on a whim, but has a plan and a purpose for even the smallest part of our lives. (Leviticus 19:9-37)

Returning to Exodus, we see the family unit has order and purpose.
And we learn our God is a God of order and purpose.

Nothing Creator God does is wasted. His actions were purposeful in the Old Testament, in the New Testament, and in our lives now. He holds the systems of this world in His mighty hand and works things together for our good.

Life often seems chaotic and confusing. Bad things happen, loved ones become terminally ill, senseless murder continues. Our finances crumble, our children don’t make wise choices, we need to retire before we had planned. Where is order and purpose?

David, the Psalmist, wrestled with similar troubles. He wrote, “Save me, God, for the water has risen to my neck.” (Psalm 69:1)

Yet, by Psalm 71, David was able to declare, “My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you because you have redeemed me.”

David recognized God was using the overwhelming parts of his life to draw him near. God was redeeming the mountains of challenges David had climbed throughout his life by giving them beautiful purpose. 

Where have you felt the flood waters rising?
When have you experienced the Loving Father’s redemption?

Just as a loving parent has rules in place for the good of their children, God gives us parameters to guide us. When we honor our earthly parents, we honor our Heavenly Father. He loves us perfectly and completely; He knows what we need and how we may stumble. Honoring our parents is a command we can take hold of, trusting the Lord is creating order and fulfilling purpose.

{Let’s talk for a moment about parents who are harming their children. Make no mistake: honoring our parents does not mean submitting to abuse. If you are currently being abused at home, you can reach out here (nationally) or here (locally in KCMO). We, the collective church, support you, even if your abusers are Christians. Even if they’re involved in ministry. Even if they’re pastoring your church. God is not asking you to stay in harm’s way.}

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 Ten 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 Ten!

Posted in: Beauty, Character, Creation, God, Good, Journey, Love, Redeemed, Redemption, Wisdom Tagged: chaos, children, family, purpose, reflection, rules, Ten

The GT Weekend! – Screenshot Week 1

August 25, 2018 by Michelle Promise 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) The temptation in Christianity to follow rules rather than focus on our relationship with God is constantly present. Where in your local church have you seen “religion” creep in? What do you see as your role in bringing life-giving change? How can you encourage others to walk in relationship with Father Abba rather than get stuck in religion? 

2) “As a follower of Jesus, the kingdom of God has prepared our participation no matter what title you have, what role you own, what place you live or what work you do.” (Treasured Kingdom, Gracefully Truthful) What do you think about this statement? Do you agree or disagree? Where have you been participating in the kingdom of God in your daily life? God gives purpose to our hands at work for His kingdom sake regardless of how glorified the task seems to be in our human opinion. Take heart and join the work of His kingdom; you have a vital part to play!  

3) Our participation in leading others to faith, discipling and pouring into their lives, is clearly shown throughout Scripture. Along with these investments, we often take on the responsibility for the outcome of our efforts. That part is not from Scripture, but is a lie from the evil one. God, via the Holy Spirit, is the only One who can change hearts and soften them towards His Truth. Where have you been tempted to believe this lie from the devil? Where do you need to grow in boldness in sharing or discipling?  

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Colossians 3:14-17 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!
 
14 Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (emphasis added)

Prayer Journal
Lord Jesus, forgive me of my regular return back to religion. It’s so comfortable and I know that I’m meeting the made-up requirements my mind has created. I want to walk closely to You; to know Your heartbeat well because I’ve listened to it for so long. Bind me to Your side and guide me back to You when I start to step away.  

As I fold laundry, wipe my baby’s nose, or scrub the toilet remind me I am working for the kingdom of God. I am teaching my precious children how to do everything in the name of the Lord; an invaluable life lesson. And when I’m sharing truth with non-believers or discipling my new sister in Christ, remind me that no life change happens at the work of my hand. I’m called to be obedient in sharing truth and asking for You, Holy Spirit, to be moving in their lives. Less of me Lord, and more of You!  

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

Tweet
Posted in: church, Faith, Follow, God, Grace, GT Weekend, Jesus, Kingdom, Life, Purpose, Relationship, Service, Treasure, Truth Tagged: disciple, faith, heart, kingdom, purpose, relationship, religion, rules, Truth, work

Screenshot Day 1 From Religion To Relationship

August 20, 2018 by Christine Wood Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 9:9-17
Matthew 5:17-20
Isaiah 1:11-20
Galatians 3:21-29

Screenshot, Day 1

Jesus constantly pushed the boundaries and did things that were socially unacceptable for ‘good’ people to do. He didn’t follow the rules.  He didn’t do what was expected.

Jesus spent time with people I wouldn’t approve of.
I wouldn’t feel comfortable with the people Jesus hung around.
I wouldn’t want my daughter dating the people that Jesus spent time with.

The people I would approve of, the religious ones who followed the law and the traditions of the church, were the ones Jesus rebuked.

This challenges me!

While the religious leaders were always close by, the disciples Jesus called to follow Him were not the religious elite. They were a motley crew of misfits and rejects (I mean that in the most loving and respectful way possible) who other Rabbis hadn’t wanted to take on as students, or who did not qualify for a good religious education.

When Jesus taught the crowds and performed miracles, it wasn’t the good religious people who were at the front of the line, deserving the focus of the Messiah. It was the oppressed, marginalized, outcaste and rejected of society. Jesus interacted with women and children, the sick and disabled, tax collectors and prostitutes. Sinners.

God gave his people the law to show them his character and holiness, to show them how to have a relationship with the living God, to give them a way to live in tabernacle with the Almighty God.
But they missed the point.

They took the law as a set of rules and set up more rules around the rules.
They invented ‘religion’.

Religion made them feel good about themselves.
They could tick their boxes and make their sacrifices and fulfil their requirements.
They became proud and judgmental, and their hearts became hard.

Then Jesus came along and challenged everything they knew as right and good. He said,
“But go and learn what this means:
‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’
For I have not come to call the righteous,
but sinners.”
Matthew 9:12-13 (NIV)

Jesus went on to explain, you can’t mix the old way of thinking with the new.
You can’t follow the law for salvation, you must have faith in a Savior.
Religion must give way to relationship.

The law was to show us that we cannot rely on ourselves for salvation.
The law shows us we need a Savior.
The law brings us to Jesus.

Our human propensity to develop formulas, follow and obey rules is persistent.
Obeying rules makes us feel good about ourselves.
It also makes us proud and judgmental,
just like the religious leaders who heckled Jesus.

It makes our hearts hard and callous.
We need to hear Jesus’ message loud and clear today,
“I desire mercy, not sacrifice!”

We can’t mix and match the old way with the new. In one short parable Jesus teaches: if you use new cloth to patch an old tear, you make the tear worse. If you put new wine into old wineskins, the wineskins will be ruined, and the wine will be wasted.

We have a couple of thousand years of church tradition to follow. There are many wonderful examples of faith and spiritual discipline, but we can easily turn tradition into formulas to follow and rules to obey.
Jesus calls us into a dynamic, innovative, exciting adventure instead!

I’m a rule follower.
I think I would have been a good Pharisee.
I like knowing what to do and what not to do.
I like knowing where I stand and what the consequences will be.
I have been driving for 30 years, and I have never received a parking or speeding fine.
True story. I find comfort in the rules.

This makes me a terrible passenger!
I can’t cope. I’m constantly distracted, looking to see if we are speeding, changing lanes without indicating, or sneaking through an orange light.
I am filled with anxiety. The road rules have my full attention.

I miss out on appreciating the beautiful scenery.
It’s difficult for me to engage in a good conversation.
I miss out, because I’m focused on the wrong thing.

I’ve been a Christian all of my life and have grown up in church each Sunday. I know what a ‘proper’ service is like, how many hymns should be sung, and how long a good sermon should last. While I’m busy critiquing the service, I miss out.
I notice the drums are too loud…..while missing the words of adoration I should be singing to my King.
I notice someone’s skirt is too short….. while missing out on the look of hurt in their eyes. I’m focused on religion instead of relationship.
I’m holding on to old wineskins, while claiming to want new wine.

Jesus’ ministry shows us what God is like.
He spent time with people who were lost and loved them.
He healed the sick, fed the hungry and loved the lonely.
He wasn’t interested in following the Pharisee’s rules.
Instead, Jesus focused on relationships.
He loved people.

This is a constant challenge for me, and I hope it is an encouragement for you.
Let’s reject the striving for approval, which makes us proud and judgmental.
Together, let’s enjoy an intimate relationship with our loving Savior and nurture a heart that loves one another.

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

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

Posted in: Borders, Character, church, Excuses, Faith, Faithfulness, Fellowship, Flawless, Freedom, Grace, Hope, Jesus, Purpose, Redemption, Relationship, Shame, Sin, Truth Tagged: fellowship, grace, hope, love, purpose, relationship, religion, rules, scripture, Truth

Tabernacle Day 3 Relationship Rules

June 20, 2018 by Sarah Young Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Deuteronomy 11:22-28
Psalm 51:16-17
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Micah 6:6-8
Luke 10:25-28 

Tabernacle, Day 3

Don’t play in the street.
Don’t touch the stove.
Don’t climb on the bookshelves. 

Sometimes, kids think all parents say is NO.
As my girls are growing up, they have commented how I am mean or never let them do anything fun.
Of course, they are exaggerating, and as adults we laugh at their limited perspective. 

But then we do the same thing to God.
We complain about all the RULES.
We think He’s trying to take away all our fun; when in reality, He desires our good. 

Just like we want to keep our children safe, God wants to protect us. Just as we LOVE our little ones and long to watch them grow and learn, God wants that intimate RELATIONSHIP with us too.  After all, we ARE His children! 

In Hebrews we are reminded that God’s discipline is not only for our GOOD, but so that we can“share in God’s holiness!” In the book’s thirteen chapters, the author proves how JESUS provides a NEW and better way to relate to God.  

We see without a doubt that God longs for us to know Him deeply and personally.  This RELATIONSHIP then transforms us.  All we do stems from our love for God, in response to His love for us. 

In the Old Testament, God established a covenant with the nation of Israel. 
He provided them with rules covering EVERY single aspect of their daily lives.
We can easily get “stuck” reading through Leviticus, with all the regulations regarding what they could eat, what they could wear, how they could cut their hair, what days they could work.  Not to mention all the offerings they had to bring and the exact ways they needed to be prepared and presented.

We might start to think God is pretty legalistic, and demanding.
We are mistaken. 

Look DEEPER… 

As the Israelites made their way from Egypt to Canaan, they set up a Tabernacle every time they camped.  There, God dwelt AMONG them. 

This was VERY different from the distant gods the pagan people of the land worshipped.  

God DID give specific instructions for building of the Tabernacle, both in material and directions for construction. He also laid out clear directives for how to worship and even enter the Tabernacle. (See Exodus 25 to 30! Yes, it took 6 chapters for all the instructions!) 

Again, we might look at all these rules and picture God as a domineering dictator. We would be very, very WRONG! 

The Israelites were coming from Egypt, where people worshipped gods galore. 

Pharaoh himself was considered a god, but even he prayed to the gods of fertility, agriculture, astrology, knowledge, magic, and the afterlife.
In all, the Egyptians had over 40 false gods, each one demanding sacrifices in return for their favor and blessing. 

When the Israelites escaped after 400 years of slavery and made their way to Canaan, they were bombarded with new false deities.  

While the Israelites had a transportable Tabernacle, the people of Canaan had elaborate temples where gods and goddesses were worshipped.  Just as these temples were in the center of the city, life revolved around pleasing one deity after another.  

The people were at the mercy of the gods, hoping they sacrificed enough, but never knowing for sure how the gods would respond.  

The Canaanites went to great lengths in attempt to earn the gods’ favor, including severe fasting, mutilating themselves, and even sacrificing their children.  

God, in His GOODNESS, was working to protect His people from this awful lifestyle of emptiness and brokenness.
He offered a very DIFFERENT way to worship;
He offered a RELATIONSHIP! 

God is NOT a dictator. 
In Deuteronomy 30, God reminds the Israelites of their CHOICE to obey and be blessed, or turn away and experience His discipline. 

Unlike the deities of the time, GOD made it VERY clear what He expected, and ALWAYS followed through on His promises to bless His people when they obeyed. 

Thousands of years have passed since the days of the Tabernacle, but we have the same opportunity to CHOOSE to “love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.”  

As we give ourselves to God, we are delighted to discover that we are
NOT regulated by a long list of do’s and don’ts.
Rather, LOVE is the ONE “rule” we live by. 

With Christ, we aren’t left wondering if we’ve “done enough.”
We rest in knowing that HE did all of the work for us.
When He died in our place, paying the debt we owed because of our sin and giving in exchange His completed, perfect righteousness to us, HE finished the work on our behalf. 

From Genesis to Revelation, we see a beautiful story of redemption as the Creator God reaches out to US so that we can KNOW Him and become like Him. 

What about YOU?
God is inviting YOU to be in RELATIONSHIP with Him,
to let Him transform HOW you live and ultimately WHO you are.
Will you let God’s rule bring your freedom TODAY? 

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

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

Posted in: Dwell, God, Holiness, Jesus, Love, Provider, Relationship, Sacrifice, Strength, Transformation, Uncategorized, Worship Tagged: complain, desires, God, love, protect, relationship, rules, tabernacle

Tabernacle Day 1 All About Relationship!

June 18, 2018 by Rebecca Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

1 John 4:13-21
Genesis 15
Romans 4 

Tabernacle, Day 1

Confession: I’m a rule-follower.
I don’t like to color outside the lines. Black and White, that’s my safety zone.

My growing up, rules didn’t define the relationship, rules were the relationship.
And fear enforced them.

When I read about the Ten Commandments, it made natural sense that if you were going to follow God, you had to follow the rules.
Be good.
Obey.
Follow the signs.
Don’t color outside the lines.
Perform. Perform. Perform.
Confess. Confess. Confess.
And if you’re good enough, then God will show you favor. Maybe.

In fact, I distinctly remember inviting a friend to church with me when I was in 5th grade.
The very first thing I did when he got there, was hand him a copy of the Ten Commandments from my Bible. If he was going to be in church, He would need that list first.

As I got older and studied the Bible more, I had a big problem…..
Why was the God of the Old Testament so intent on making everyone follow the rules?
(And there were A LOT of rules!)
Yet, the God of the New Testament, was so kind and gracious, loving and forgiving.
Why did He change?

Years passed and my 5th-grade-self grew older, accepting that, despite the appearance of change in the New Testament, the vengeful God of the Old Testament was still lurking, waiting to pounce on my missteps.
Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, God had to love us. He was obligated to.
But, deep down, He was mad at us.
He was mad at me. 
I decided I was always just one mess-up away from His Old Testament wrath to be unleashed.

My legacy of fear and performance held me tight, 
coloring everything, including my marriage. 
Seven years into a marriage that was careening quickly towards divorce, with my past entangling me at every turn, I found myself sitting on a small couch across from an incredibly kind counselor. Imagine my surprise when I learned in that counselor’s office, that black and white thinking was actually harmful to a healthy relationship!
Suddenly, the black and white seams that had clearly outlined my definition of “relationship”, began to unravel.

As I sorted through what this truth meant for my marriage and other relationships, I was also forced to tear down everything I thought I’d understood about God.
One evening, as my husband was talking about God and the Old Testament, he explained quite matter-of-factly, that the Ten Commandments were the result of a relationship that had begun centuries earlier. 
I was rocked to the core at what this could mean. 

God didn’t base His love on my performance?
God wasn’t waiting to rain down fire on me?
His love was exactly that….love. 
WITHOUT FEAR?! 
I was undone. 

How could my husband be so confident?
God’s Word speaks for itself:

“For what does the Scripture say? 
Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness.
Now to the one who works, pay is not credited as a gift, but as something owed. 
But to the one who does not work, but believes on Him who declares the ungodly to be righteous, his faith is credited for righteousness.” (Romans 4:3-5)

Abraham didn’t earn God’s favor.
There wasn’t one thing Abraham did to become righteous in God’s eyes;
he simply took God at His word.
Genesis records God saying to Abraham, “Look at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then He said to him, “Your offspring will be that numerous.” 
Abraham’s response?
“Abram believed the Lord, and He (the Lord) credited it to him (Abraham) as righteousness.”

Following this incredible exchange of belief and radical grace, Abraham questioned the Lord, asking Him what the sign would be that the Lord would do this incredible thing of making Abraham’s offspring innumerable. The Lord God, gracious again, provided Abraham with a covenant. An everlasting, unbreakable vow, as proof that He would indeed do as He promised.
(The actual covenant story is pretty amazing! Check it out!)

Fast forward 430 years from the night that covenant was cut to the day Moses received the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai. The Lord was leading His people, who were just the beginning of Father Abraham’s offspring, out of slavery in Egypt and into the land God had promised them in the covenant. (Genesis 15:7)

The Ten Commandments were given as a result of the relationship that had begun long before with a man named Abraham and his faith in the God who could do the incredible.
These commandments were the proof of a relationship that already existed, 
not the means to become righteous before God.

In fact, Paul would later use these same commandments to prove that, through the Law, we are able to recognize sin for what it is…a falling short of God’s perfection. (Romans 3:19-20) 
Once we can identify sin, we see how holy the Lord is, and how desperate our need for Him.

Just like Abraham, we too can take the Lord at His word.
He is offering us salvation by taking the punishment for our rightly deserved sin upon Himself. He will credit our faith as righteousness! 

To the Lord God, it has always been about a relationship.
From Abraham, to Moses, to Jesus, to you and me, the relationship has always been primary. The rules are simply an overflow of how to live inside that relationship of grace!

No, He’s not mad at us.
He’s not obligated to love us; He just does because He IS love.
He freely offers us grace, that we, as an overflow of love and adoration to Him,
might follow Him in obedience and live a life that honors Him!

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

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

Posted in: Believe, Fear, Follow, Forgiven, God, Jesus, Love, Relationship, Truth Tagged: confess, fear, follow, gracious, kind, relationship, response, result, rules, Sin

Woven Day 10 Ruled By Rules

February 9, 2018 by Kendra Moberly 2 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 20:1-21
Matthew 19:16-24
James 1:22-25 

When I was still pregnant with my twin daughters, they were given a book called, “The Jesus Storybook Bible”. (If you’ve never heard of this book, go order it right now! Or you can wait until you’re done reading… but seriously. You need this in your life. Not just for your kids… but for YOU. You’ll see why…)

Anyways…

This “children’s” Bible had beautiful illustrations with some of my favorite current color schemes bringing the truth of these Bible stories to life in a way I’d never seen before. The author wove God’s great redemption plan through every story. For the first time in my life, as I read these stories to my babies after they were born, I saw a connection between the Tower of Babel and Christ’s birth, or the Creation story and Jesus’ death, in a way I’d never seen it before.
As I read this book aloud to my, often sleeping, babies, I found myself amazed.
Some may call it hormones, or maybe it was the Holy Spirit,
but I never cried over a book like I cried over this children’s Bible.

So, I want to share with you one of the biggest things I learned while reading this book about God’s truths.

Rules can’t save us.

Guys, I knew this already.
But I didn’t know it.
I could have told you that “rules don’t save us”.
I could’ve even told you that God gave us rules to protect us
and show us that we really need Him.

But I truly learned this one day while I was rocking my babes.
In awe, I read and reread the last few sentences of the story of The Ten Commandments:
“Only one Person could keep all the rules.
And many years later God would send Him –
to stand in their place and be perfect for them.
Because the rules couldn’t save them.
Only God could save them.”

How many times have we gotten stuck thinking that we need to be perfect in order to be loved by God? How many times have we thought that following the Ten Commandments, or even the “rules” that have become tradition and standard in the modern Church, were the key to being given grace?

Sisters… wearing dresses to church on a Sunday won’t save you.
Praying before every meal won’t save you.
Raising your hands during worship won’t save you.
Listening to the Christian radio station won’t save you.
Having a daily quiet time won’t save you.

We’ve got to stop thinking that we need to follow those rules
for God to keep extending His grace to us!

Some of these are still great guidelines to follow to help us grow in our relationship with Him… but DOING will never equal GETTING when it comes to a grace-filled, saving relationship.

Even further… following every single one of the Ten Commandments is utterly impossible for us because of sin. Go ahead, and take a look at the Laws and see how many you’ve broken.
You aren’t alone, every human being falls into the category of “sinner” because we’ve all broken the Law of Holiness designed by God, who is Holy.
We are doomed to Death because of our inability to perfectly fulfill the law!

God gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments for several reasons.
Yes, He cared about their personal well-being and He didn’t want to see them hurt. He knew that they could greatly minimize the hurt in their lives by following these commandments. Just like we know that children are given rules to minimize the possibility of their getting hurt. And yes, He needed to bind His people with a common law, just like we are bound by the common laws and constitutions of our lands.

But most of all… He needed to remind His children of their sinfulness. He knew that they would never be able to keep this law, and every single time they failed, they would be reminded of just how sinful they are, and just how perfect God is. James tells us that the law can be used as a mirror. Any time we start to think that we have it all together, we can just look in that mirror and realize that we have seven zits popping up, our roots are two inches long, and we haven’t plucked our eyebrows in a few weeks.

We are so far from perfection.

And there was only one Person who was ever able to follow every one of the Ten Commandments.

Jesus.

Once we choose to step into the grace that Jesus has extended to us, once we choose to fully embrace that grace, only then can the gap between “Us trying to follow The Law and miserably failing” and “The Law” be filled.

Do you see it?!
Do you see how the Gospel is literally woven through the Ten Commandments and every single law written after that?
It is amazing and exciting!
The Bible isn’t just a bunch of random stories placed together.
Every single story has a purpose,
and that is to point to Jesus and the redemption we can receive through Him!

Hundreds of years before Jesus even walked this planet,
God was weaving His plan of redemption from His heart straight to yours!

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 Woven 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 Woven!

Posted in: Character, Freedom, Gospel, Handiwork, Hope, Inheritance, Jesus, Legacy, Love, Made New, Ordinary, Power, Purpose, Redemption, Relationship, Trust, Truth, Worship Tagged: gospel, grace, hope, love, performance, rules, scripture, worship, woven

The GT Weekend – Remade Week 3

January 21, 2017 by Michelle Promise 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!

Journal With Us!

Journal Prompts

1) There’s no one right way to be a follower of Jesus. We aren’t cookies cut out of the same mold in our expression of love back to Him. How does this change your view of the “rules” or legalistic tendencies of humans?

2) Write out the following and post it somewhere you will see it easily.

God told us to do two things. Love Him and love others.
If we are doing those two things, then we are living in His will!

3) Are you struggling to move forward in anything? Turn it over to the Lord and be blown away by the place He leads you into next!

Worship In Song

Music Video: Elevation Worship’s “Resurrecting”

Pour Out Your Heart

Father, I sin against You often, yet You take me back into Your presence. I turn back to me leading the way instead of listening for Your gentle whisper. Forgive me Father, take that from me and renew my mind.

Lord, You are in the business of restoration and redemption; not condemnation and separation. Draw me closer to You, let me not be fearful of stepping in your presence before I try to fix all the broken things in my life.
Let me be remade by Your Spirit.

Pray With Us!

In everything, with praise and thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God!
Click here to comment and pray with the GT Community!
Want to connect with a GT Partner?
Send your prayer request to prayer@gracefullytruthful.com
We are committed to praying over and walking with you!

Journey With Us

Sign up to have GT Journey Studies sent to you!
What were your thoughts from the GT Weekend?
How were you drawn near to the Father and encouraged in your faith?
Share with the community and encourage other women!

Posted in: Accepted, Broken, Character, Excuses, Faith, Forgiven, Freedom, Grace, Hope, Power, Praise, Prayer, Redemption, Relationship, Sin, Trust, Truth, Worship Tagged: fellowship, forgiveness, grace, praise, prayer, relationship, rules

Social

Follow GT!

Questions or Comments?

Contact@gracefullytruthful.com

RSS Gracefully Truthful

  • Questions 2 Day 2 Let’s Party: Digging Deeper January 26, 2021
    One of the most common questions every human heart asks is, “What is my purpose?”. Solomon, even with all of his wisdom, asked the same question and explored many avenues to discover true, lasting happiness and purpose. While he had studied wisdom and book learning and how people live out their lives, he found it […]
    Rebecca

Copyright © 2021 Gracefully Truthful.

Lifestyle WordPress Theme by themehit.com