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The GT Weekend! ~ Fervent Week 3

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The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) It’s difficult to feel connected with, or have compassion for, those whose stories we do not know. For Christ-followers in the western hemisphere, this is often the case as we consider our brothers and sisters who live under constant persecution. Take some time this weekend and explore the stories of these fellow believers in greater detail, allowing their everyday experiences to shape the contours of your prayer life with increased fervency. Watch the online film for the Nik Ripkin’s Insanity of God or read some accounts of saints gone before us in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. Study Paul’s words about his persecution and the effect his suffering had on the believers around him in Philippians 1:12-20. Be reminded that those Christ-followers who live in religious freedom are deeply connected with those who are persecuted. Commit to live and love and preach Jesus and pray fervently as one connected Body because of Christ Jesus.

2) The temptation to section off spiritual “God things” from our “everyday-everything-else” lives is strong for most of us. Without intentional discipline training to keep the two intertwined and seeing them as one life, we forget the Almighty is God of all, including our everyday moments. Just as physical discipline and self-control push us forward in fitness, these same traits further our spiritual growth. Practicing spiritual disciplines like prayer, fasting, memorizing Scripture, giving generously, and studying Scripture move us away from spiritual mediocrity and towards a life that seamlessly blends our spiritual and physical lives together as one. Of the disciplines listed above, pick one or two you haven’t practiced lately and begin incorporating them into your everyday rhythms. Wrap your strength training exercises in prayer, asking the Lord to strengthen your faith as you press forward to know Him deeper!

3) Merry concluded our Journey Into Fervent by drawing us near to God’s heart through the call to Family. Of all the different ways we think about God, at the top should be Father. He loves us as His children and invites us to come freely to Him within the tender, deep relationship of Abba Father. Not only are all Christ-followers welcomed into this sweetness with Abba, but we also are connected with one another as brothers and sisters through this wonderful adoption! I often remind my children that friends will come and go in the seasons of life, but their siblings will be with them forever. This is especially true for all who trust Jesus as their Savior because we will share eternity together with each other and our Great God and Father! When we begin viewing one another through the lens of family adopted through magnificent love, our own love for each other grows, forgiveness flows, and our differences are no longer important. Who can you begin loving more fervently as family starting this weekend?!

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 Romans 15:5-6 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, according to Christ Jesus, so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with one mind and one voice.

Prayer Journal
Let’s pray Merry’s prayer together this weekend!
Our Father. It’s only by Your mercy and grace we can come to You, together. And hopefully, confidently, if stumblingly, we come to You. Lord, we don’t possess the kind of love that knits hearts together in one mind and spirit, but You do. Your word says we can ask for anything in Your name, and it will be done. Abba, we want to want unity in the Church. We don’t know how to go about it, but You do. Would you fill us with the Spirit of unity? Would you pour out love like we’ve never seen in Your Church in this age? Make us one, as You are one. You’re the only One Who can. This day, our lives and all we have are Yours alone. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Worship Through Community

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

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

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Fervent Day 14 Strength Training: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Strength Training!

The Questions

1) What does a life surrendered to Christ look like? (verse 1, 6-21)

2) What does it mean for believers to not be conformed to this age? (verse 2)

3) What does it mean to not repay evil for evil? (verses 17-18)

Romans 12:1-21

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

3 For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one. 4 Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, 5 in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another. 6 According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts: If prophecy, use it according to the proportion of one’s faith; 7 if service, use it in service; if teaching, in teaching; 8 if exhorting, in exhortation; giving, with generosity; leading, with diligence; showing mercy, with cheerfulness.

9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good. 10 Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honoring one another. 11 Do not lack diligence in zeal; be fervent in the Spirit; serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer. 13 Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Give careful thought to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. 18 If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for God’s wrath, because it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord. 20 But If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head. 21 Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.

Original Intent

1) What does a life surrendered to Christ look like? (verse 1, 6-21)
After spending the majority of his letter to the Romans expounding on the incredible richness available to us through Christ for this life and the next, Paul turns our attention to practically living out our everyday lives from this perspective. His short answer is that we, collectively as a whole body of believers, are to present ourselves as a singular living sacrifice together, set apart as holy to Him. The animal sacrifices of the Old Testament were now rendered obsolete by Jesus’ sacrifice for us, but what every believer can still give is the holy offering of our lives as acts of worship and obedience. Paul urges all believers to present the whole of our lives to God for His holy work. Hebrews 13:15-16 helps us understand the believer’s sacrifice is marked by continuous praise, doing good in love, and sharing what we have. These “living sacrifices” are pleasing to God. Romans 11:33-36 is a beautiful poetic picture of the cry of the adoring heart as it offers thanksgiving and praise to the Lord. This passage speaks of the depth of the riches, wisdom, and knowledge of God. His ways and decisions are far beyond the mind of man, “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory Forever!” (Romans 11:36) Paul’s outburst of song was to heartily remind the believers in Rome that, if they were truly surrendered to Christ,  having a transformational change in their lives owing only to God, then the overflow would burst forth in worship of both their tongue and their lives. This was no superficial shift, but a very real whole-heart adjustment, and the result was a deep, stirring desire to worship the Only One Worthy of such complete adoration. The sacrifice of life was demonstrated by serving with the whole self, ready to do His will moment by moment with a heart of adoration. Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and the instrument through which the Holy Spirit works. A transformed heart results in a worship so deep and radical it overflows as continual “living sacrifices” to the God who rescued us and made us new!

2) What does it mean for believers to not be conformed to this age? (verse 2)
Paul used imagery that would quickly connect with his audience as he wrote of God’s heart call to not be “conformed” to this age. His Greek word usage for conform gave the idea of making a copy or following a pattern and passing it along. In contrast, however, the Greek for “transform” means entirely new, not manufactured on our own power, but to quite literally become something altogether different. Paul wanted his readers to immediately understand the significant difference between self-induced patterning and radical transformative metamorphosis because of Jesus! Paul was a list-maker (maybe you are too!), and in his letters he listed several examples of worldly patterns including “sexual immorality, moral impurity, outbursts of anger, drunkenness, envy, and anything similar.” (Galatians 5:19-21) The temptation to sin is strong; there is hardly an end to the list of things the lover of Jesus should shun. Because we have been transformed, utterly made new, our hearts and lives are meant to be expressed not for self, but for Christ! Everything should be done for God’s glory! (1 Corinthians 10:31) Transformation is not a matter of impulse, on again and off again, rather it is continuous as we submit ourselves to the work of the Holy Spirit within us. Paul’s intentional wording reminds us this transformation is not done of ourselves, instead we “are being transformed…from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18) As believers, we are not, however, passive in this transformation process, it is our duty is to cooperate fully, allowing the Spirit to do His work in our hearts and lives.  Conforming to this world chooses to worship ourselves instead of the Lord. Live with a heart ready to humbly offer surrender in worship, ready to be transformed by the Spirit of God as you lean in to His wisdom! (Proverbs 2:1-5) 

3) What does it mean to not repay evil for evil? (verses 17-18)
Here, Paul reiterates the principle of non-retaliation for the Christian that Jesus taught. (Matthew 5:38-48) Verse 17 reads, “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Give careful thought to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes.” Paul didn’t want the recipients of his letter to be left wondering what it looked like to follow Christ in everyday life on this side of eternity. Romans 12 answers that question. Revenge feels natural and all-important in the moment of anger, or in looking back after being poorly treated, but Paul declares we must resist this human, fleshly instinct, instead surrendering to the Spirit’s work. By His power in us, we can actively refuse to pay back evil to another who has done evil toward us. This is true whether the person who hurts us is a believer or not. Rather than emotionally react, Paul tells us to be thoughtful when evil is done to us. He suggests we see that moment of lusting after retaliation to be an opportunity to instead demonstrate Christ’s love He extends freely to all people. “Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for God’s wrath, because it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord. But If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head.” (verses 19-20) After all, we cannot display Christ’s love and forgiveness until we have the opportunity to forgive someone! When we do, we are making a powerful statement about the kind of love Jesus lavishly gives. Acting with intentional goodness toward our enemies is far more effective in showing them God’s heart than attempting petty revenge. Together, let’s refuse to sink to evil’s level of repayment, instead leaving justice to God!                                                                      

Everyday Application

1) What does a life surrendered to Christ look like? (verse 1, 6-21)

We live in a day when finding authenticity is a challenge. From imitation crab to faux nails to Instagram filters, we work hard to have the appearance of the “real thing”. While this condition is commonplace in our world, it is a tragedy when it comes to a believer’s life. If we are brutally honest with ourselves, “Imitation Christianity” is something all believers are tempted with on various levels. It’s easier to live our everyday lives without considering our call to be “living sacrifices” to our God. Imitation Christians can be difficult to spot as they can appear on the outside like a genuine believer. Church attendance, generous giving, a good neighbor, and even serving in church are all marks of genuine believers, but they are easily copied by going through the motions. What is impossible to imitate, however, is a transformed heart of worship! Are we true believers or only imitating? To help us understand what it looks like in everyday life to be an authentic “living sacrifice”, Paul lays out several characteristics each anchored firmly in a heart attitude of sacrificial worship to God. “Let love be without hypocrisy.” (verse 9) Only authentic love, flowing from the heart of God Himself, can genuinely be without hypocrisy. Real love is a matter of the heart, not the face. Masking your real feelings and intentions with superficial niceties is a charade none can sustain before others, and certainly we cannot deceive the Lord God. “Detest evil; cling to what is good. Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honoring one another. ” (verses 9-10) Hearts truly transformed by Jesus and indwelt by the Holy Spirit will neither be passive nor indifferent about evil. Rather, they will be repulsed by it, despising what harms others and dishonors God. In place of harsh, self-righteous judgement, the worshipful heart will cling steadfastly to what is good, humbly believing the best and choosing to honor others over themselves. May we each evaluate our hearts before the Lord, asking Him to convict us regarding true sacrifices of worship that honor Him. Let’s bless others graciously and be honoring with our words, choosing to live every day from the overflow of worship!

 

2) What does it mean for believers to not be conformed to this age? (verse 2)

Conforming is so easy! It requires little effort or thought to follow the pattern provided by those around us. Just do what everyone else is doing! While following the well-traveled road can provide a sense of safety, comfort, and belonging, the Christ-follower has been made new that we may live with a full abundance the world does not understand. As you consider your heart desires, ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you are following a worldly pattern. Ask Him for conviction and repentance! Ask the Spirit to encourage you where you are choosing to live in full surrender to His work of transformation in you. Guard and celebrate these areas! Identifying worldly patterns is nearly impossible without the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who brings conviction in order to shift our hearts, not to condemn or shame us. Whether you feel drawn away by wanting a bigger or better house, car, or lifestyle, remember that every believer is called to fight against the pull of the world’s pattern for life. While these feel appealing, they are temporary and can lure our hearts away from worshipping the Only One Worthy of our life’s sacrifice of worship. Only Jesus will satisfy. Purposefully fight against following the pattern by steady surrender to the Holy Spirit in your everyday life. Dare to break free from pattern-following, Ladies! Follow the Good Shepherd of our hearts for the most abundant life possible! Resist the tempting urge to focus on the physical and fleeting delights of this world, setting your heart on things of Christ (Colossians 3:2), determining to be renewed in our minds (verse 2), and ready for action in this transformation process! Rebel against the power of darkness and the schemes of the world. Be a nonconformist, a rebel with a cause for Christ!

3) What does it mean to not repay evil for evil? (verses 17-18)

God spoke through Paul to pen the difficult words, “If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” While we may find it easy, or at least, easier to live peaceably with our friends, the Lord leaves no wiggle room for exception cases. He commands us to “live at peace with everyone.” While Christians need not look far before we find someone with whom we disagree, whether believer or not, God calls us to live peaceably with them. Honor. Love. Respect. Kindness. Gentleness. These should characterize our engagement with, well, everyone. Lost souls without Jesus do not come to Him because a Christian condemned their outward choices, but rather, because they showed the rich, selfless love of the Savior in everyday life circumstances. As believers, there are certainly times to call out our brothers and sisters who are choosing sinful, destructive life patterns, but even this is to be hemmed in love, seeking their peaceful reconciliation with God. Paul’s timely message reminds us of 3 keys to living peaceably with everyone: 1) Retaliation does not belong to us, only to God. In the end, no human being has the right to judge, only the God of all justice can do this. 2) Treating one another with kindness results in lasting change. Vengeance brings discord and piles on hurt, but kindness motivates repentant hearts and fosters deep relationships, which allow space for authentic conversations. 3) Evil can never be conquered by evil. Hatred, if met with more hatred, only results in its increase. If we stoop to revenge, then we ourselves have been overcome by evil. Booker T Washington stated, “I shall not allow any man to belittle my soul by making me hate him.” Mark Twain adds, “The only safe and sure way to destroy your enemy is to make him your friend.”

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

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

This is Fervent Week Three!
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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

The GT Weekend! ~ Fervent Week 2

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The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Does the term “fervent prayer” feel intimidating to you like it does me? When you think of giants in the faith spending hours on their knees in prayer, do you feel like giving up before you even start? The whole idea of lengthy prayer can feel awkward and even impossible, but remember that every Christ-follower is on a journey and it’s the Lord who leads us all as He pursues our hearts. Not one step on our journey into prayer is made without Him going before us and leading us tenderly by the hand. As we journey, He reveals more about our own hearts and shows us the beauty of Himself. Small utterances of faith grow into longer and ever deepening conversations of total trust and dependence. In the conversation, we learn to love Him. Spend time thinking about your conversations with the Lord this past week. Have you had any? What are they about? What would you like your conversations with the Lord Jesus to be characterized by? Jot down a few notes of how you’d like to grow in your relationship with Him, then begin by taking a step of faith and praying deeper than you have before, even if it does feel awkward!

2) Often fervent prayer can be our “last resort” in difficulty. Perhaps you’ve heard this phrase, or even said it yourself like I have, “I feel so helpless; the only thing I can do is pray.” Because prayer is the unseen work, it can be difficult to give ourselves to it fervently when all seems lost. This active prayer is made of real faith, Sister! God does not call us to “blind faith”, rather knowing Him deeply allows for our faith to grow. Marietta referred to God as the “anchor of our souls”, but unless we trust Him in this role, we will not fervently pray to Him whether life is easy or difficult. Spend some time reflecting on how much you trust the Lord. Is He your last resort, your first, or somewhere in the middle? Remember the antidote to lack of trust is knowing Him deeper, and the gateway to knowing Him is found in every page of your Bible. Set up a Knowing Journal and keep it somewhere you’ll see everyday. As you read Scripture, jot down something new you can know, and trust, about God. Let this knowing lead you into the depths of fervent prayer!

3) Sarah shared some bold, riveting statements in yesterday’s Journey Study. As you re-read these, identify which one irritates your soul, and be willing to sit in that discomfort for a few minutes. Take the “right now” to quiet yourself, be still, embrace silence, and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you. “The gospel is an issue of life or death, an eternity in heaven or in hell.” Do you agree? Does your everyday life reflect this? How so? “The fact that someone somewhere could die without Christ should be a matter of great concern to me.” In what ways does your heart already long for others to know Jesus? This is a great place to begin in prayer! Ask the Spirit to increasingly stir your heart with His desire for the lost. Boldly ask Him for names and faces of those who don’t know Jesus, write them down, and begin covering them in fervent prayer. Post reminders on your mirror, on your phone, and your fridge to intentionally pray for their hearts and for opportunities to share Jesus with them.

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 Timothy 2:1-4 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Prayer Journal
Teach me about fervent prayer, Jesus. Put me in your school of learning to pray with Your heart, Your passion, and Your depth of understanding. Convict me of giving into temptation to judge others from the outside while forgetting that they also represent souls in need of a Savior, just as I am. Take me deeper every day with You, whether I recognize it or not. Open my eyes to new opportunities of seeing Your hand at work and Your Spirit teaching me about You. Increase my faith, Lord Jesus! Bring people of faith into my life who can challenge me as I grow and show me by example what it looks like to trust You and share in conversation with You. Teach me to honor You as both Faithful Friend and Mighty God in my relationship with 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

Fervent Day 10 Seek And Save

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Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Corinthians 2:14-16
Ephesians 6:19-20
Colossians 4:2-4
1 Timothy 2:1-4

Fervent, Day 10

Jesus came to seek and save the lost.
(Luke 19:10)

Condemned by the Pharisees (the self-righteous and corrupt religious leaders of His time) for dining with sinners, He said His mission was to save those very sinners.
His heart was for their rescue!

In response to the same accusation, Jesus said,
“It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who are sick.
I didn’t come to call the righteous, but the sinners.” (Mark 2:17)

Jesus proved His mission again when, nailed naked to a perpetrator’s cross,
He prayed for God to forgive His killers.

In like manner, the apostle Paul committed his life to the ministry of preaching the gospel to save the lost. His love for Jesus compelled him to give up everything to his advantage and do what Jesus was passionate about. Paul even said he considered his life of no account except to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. (Acts 20:24)

Paul described the gospel as the fragrance of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and himself as the means through which it is spread. For those who believe, the gospel is the aroma of life leading to life, but to those who reject, it is the aroma of death leading to death. (2 Corinthians 2:15-16) The same gospel which gives life to those who believe stands as a judgment to those who reject it. Scripture says he who believes in the Son of God will not be condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already. (John 3:18) Whoever has not put his faith in Christ is considered lost.

Paul was not deterred from preaching the gospel, though many rejected it. He used every means to make the gospel known to and accepted by those who were lost. He said he became “all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some.” (1 Corinthians 9:22)

In his words, we see a deep sense of urgency in praying for. and ministering to, the lost. He recognized God desires all to know the vast richness of knowing and experiencing Christ as Savior. Therefore, Paul seized every opportunity he had to preach to, and pray for, the lost. Additionally, when he wrote to the churches, he called other believers to pray alongside him.

Paul described how his heart longed for his Jewish brothers and sisters to repent and be rescued, he even wished he could be accursed from Christ for their sake if it were possible! (Romans 9:1-5) He prayed fervently for their salvation, despite the fact that they were the very people persecuting him.

Studying the passion Paul had for the salvation of the lost, I was moved to tears.
I realized I have not given the Gospel the commitment it deserves.
I must confess my concern had only been for my family members. I hardly prayed for outsiders; the best I could do for them was my little contribution for the work of missions. But the fact that someone somewhere could die without Christ
should be a matter of great concern to me.

Every believer should carry an attitude of great concern toward the lost. We may not have the opportunity to travel round the world to preach the gospel, but we can share the hope of the gospel with those in our own communities!

The gospel is an issue of life or death,
an eternity in heaven or in hell.

How would it be if Christ returns, or any of our loved ones die in their sin, without us making any effort for their salvation by sharing Jesus?!
Imagine the pain and sorrow we would feel.
We have a duty not only to be involved in missions,
but to pray earnestly for the salvation of the lost.

Praying for the lost can never be over-emphasized; Jesus Himself asked His disciples to pray earnestly for the Lord of harvest to send laborers into His harvest. (Matthew 9:38) In like manner, the apostles prayed for boldness to declare God’s word. (Acts 4:29) Paul urged Timothy to intercede in prayer for all people, including kings and those in authority, because God desires for all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. (1Timothy 2:1-4)

Not only does God desire everyone to be saved,
but He calls us to join with Him on His mission of sharing this beautiful gospel overflowing with hope and love. (Matthew 28:18-20)

We confidently know our prayers matter for the salvation of the lost.
Therefore, the thought of the reality of hell for unsaved souls should drive us to our knees to pray for the lost with fervency.

Who will you pray for? 


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

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

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

Fervent Day 7 The Zealous Prayer: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out The Zealous Prayer!

The Questions

1) What are Paul’s reasons for thanking God for those reading his letter? (verse 4)

2) What does it mean for the testimony of Christ to be confirmed in people? (verse 6)

3) If the author Paul were summarizing this section, what would he want his audience to never forget?

1 Corinthians 1:4-9

I always thank my God for you because of the grace of God given to you in Christ Jesus, 5 that you were enriched in him in every way, in all speech and all knowledge. 6 In this way, the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you, 7 so that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you will be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful; you were called by him into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Original Intent

1) What are Paul’s reasons for thanking God for those reading his letter? (verse 4)
You have to slow down to answer this question, re-reading the sentence that begins in verse 4, “I always thank my God for you because of the grace of God given to you in Christ Jesus…” Even once we find the answer “because of the grace of God given to you in Christ Jesus”, it still doesn’t feel like much of an answer. This means we slow down even more (a good study habit for exploring Scripture!). Paul had experienced “the grace of God…in Christ” when he was radically transformed from Christian-hater to Christ-preacher after literally meeting Jesus on the street one day. His whole world shifted with new purpose, new love, and we still feel the shockwaves of his whole-life obedience to Jesus even today. Paul understood in deep ways what it meant to partake of this rich grace of God in Jesus. Through his experience, and because he knew the Corinthian believers also had taken in this indescribable grace gift (2 Corinthians 9:15), his heart was deeply stirred to rejoice often and with great fervency over them. Those who gathered in house churches in Corinth, many of whom he hadn’t even personally met, shared in the same grace of God in Jesus Christ that Paul experienced. This thrilled Paul’s heart and he spent precious time in prayer reveling in this sweet, sacred joy. Going further, he verbalized this genuine thankfulness for them in his letter.

 2) What does it mean for the testimony of Christ to be confirmed in people? (verse 6)
Paul’s letters are abundant with the gospel, it’s transformative power, reasons it is trustworthy, and a pleading urgency to fully surrender to life-saving message that Jesus, promised One from centuries past, came in human flesh as God Himself, to buy back a sinful and rebellious people, dead set against Him. Paul celebrated this gospel message and gave his life to preach it, calling himself a “servant” to it. (Colossians 1:23) God not only used Paul to preach Christ crucified, risen, and coming again (1 Corinthians 15:1-8), but the Spirit of God also inspired Paul to write down clear evidences for the transformed life. Jesus said good “trees” bore good “fruit” (Luke 6:43-45), meaning that lives having been made new by God’s Spirit take on the pattern of good, spiritual growth in everyday life. As Paul penned this letter to the Corinthian believers, he encouraged them by noting some of these “evidences of true faith” that could only result from real transformation. Because they had willingly received God’s grace available through Christ, they had been “enriched in Him in every way” (verse 5). This means that both in outward ways and internal heart ways, Christ Himself was fortifying them, strengthening them, and making them more like Him. Then Paul specifically calls out the Spirit’s transformation in their speech and their knowledge. (verse 5) It’s by these “proofs” Paul recognized the transformative work of God’s grace in the life patterns of the Corinthians. First they were transformed by the renewing of their minds by undertaking to know and understand God better, and this resulted in their speech being transformed. 

3) If the author Paul were summarizing this section, what would he want his audience to never forget?
Unity and fellowship are the undercurrents woven in and out of Paul’s letters, standing up as the purpose behind the beautiful gospel Paul gave his life for. Every letter speaks of their sweetness and strength, painting a picture of the church so stunningly wrapped in unity and fellowship that it’s breathtaking to behold. We, the wretched, the sinful, the ones who have earned a just rejection from God because of our supreme unholiness, are so deeply sought after by God Himself precisely because He desires oneness with us just as He experiences in full within the godhead of Father, Son, and Spirit. Jesus’ own fervent prayer speaks of this desire so beautifully, “May they all be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us, so that the world may believe You sent Me.” (John 17:21) The reason Jesus came was to restore unity and oneness between the beloved (human beings) and God. Astounding! Because of this passionate desire for sweet fellowship far removed from the stain of sin, all believers are now magnanimously ushered in to enjoy the wonderous gifts of unity and fellowship with each other just as they enjoy them with God Himself. Surely, this is a truth so precious it defies description! As he begins his letter, Paul names himself and “Sosthenes our brother” (verse 1) as the senders of these God-inspired words. Paul did nothing alone in his mission to preach Christ, always calling others into fellowship and unity, with the purpose of sharing Jesus. There was no hierarchy in Paul’s mind as he wrote the words “our” and “brother”. They were one team as they lived out unity and shared fellowship made possible because of the grace they were united in from Christ.

Everyday Application

1) What are Paul’s reasons for thanking God for those reading his letter? (verse 4)
We don’t generally spend much time considering the depth of the simple words “the grace of God given to you in Christ”, but Paul hinged the majority of his letters on this easily overlooked concept. If you’re like me, you likely haven’t given prayerful attention to others who have also been rescued from eternal death and separation from God because of their sin as a result of this same, wonderful “grace of God given to us in Christ.” Fervent prayer isn’t made up of long prayers with many religious words or pious actions, rather it’s built upon the simple building blocks of our faith. The more we are familiar with them, the deeper and richer our prayer life becomes. Just in studying today’s text, let’s slow down, all together as sisters, and consider the magnificence of being freely given God’s glorious grace so lavishly in Christ. What does this mean for you? From what have been rescued? For what purpose have you been given this radical grace gift in Jesus? As you look at your day today, right now, what are you freed from and for because of Jesus’ grace in your life? Then turn your thoughts to others who have been given this sweet gift of grace. Start making a list of sisters who you know have trusted Jesus as their Savior and now are free to dance in the same grace you both share. Pray over these names, celebrate them, and let the Lord stir your heart to rejoice over them just as He did for Paul!

 2) What does it mean for the testimony of Christ to be confirmed in people? (verse 6)
Paul described a foundational truth of being transformed by the Holy Spirit when he wrote in his letter to the Roman believers. “Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you… Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2, emphasis mine) First, the Corinthians were transformed by the renewing of their minds by undertaking to know and understand God better, then this resulted in their speech being transformed. (verse 5) Throughout his letters, Paul teaches that the steps to depth and intimacy with God begin with surrendering our hearts in full to Him and allowing His Spirit to renew our thoughts and what we know of God. This results in a transformed life! The more we know our Savior, the greater our prayers will reflect that depth, and the fuller the effect of the Spirit’s work will be felt in the overflow of our everyday life choices. The question for us isn’t, “how do I change this behavior to be more like Jesus”, rather we should come to the Lord and ask Him to help us know Him better. When we do, He will radically transform how we view Him and our sin, resulting in real, genuine life change! 

3) If the author Paul were summarizing this section, what would he want his audience to never forget?
Paul’s introduction not only includes the Corinthians who would hear his words read as the precious words were passed around from house church to house church, but he flings wide his welcome by writing, “to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called as saints, with all those in every place who call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord—both their Lord and ours.” (verse 2) How inclusive he is! “All those in every place”! That’s me! That’s you! It’s your pastor and your spiritual mentor and your friend and all those who have trusted Jesus with everything they have, entering into fellowship with Christ and one another. Such a lavish gift is not to be downtrodden, overlooked, or taken lightly. Yet, oh sister, my heart is convicted as I write, for I know with all certainty I have done all of these. I have enjoyed my time with God, attended church, smiled at my Christian friends, and passed over or skirted around those I didn’t want to be with. I have most certainly not welcomed “all those in every place who call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.” Maybe you’re feeling the Spirit’s conviction call as well? Not the shame of guilt, but the invitation to sit with Him, to know Him, to be renewed by His truth, and to be transformed in how we love and welcome and view our brothers and sisters in Jesus. Such a sweet oneness of fellowship we are missing out on by skipping over this grand welcome! Lord Jesus, humble my heart as I sit with You. Show me how You love Your church, of which You have welcomed me into. Increase my love for You that I might extend it more generously to those around me. For Your sake, Jesus, amen.

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

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 Fervent 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.

Fervent Day 2 Grace And Peace: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Grace And Peace!

The Questions

1) Who is Paul addressing in verse 1 and why are they supposed to stand firm?

2) Why is Paul urging Euodia and Syntyche to agree? (verse 2)

3) What do we learn about prayer from verses 6 and 7?

Philippians 4:1-7

4 So then, my dearly loved and longed for brothers and sisters, my joy and crown, in this manner stand firm in the Lord, dear friends.

2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I also ask you, true partner, to help these women who have contended for the gospel at my side, along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers whose names are in the book of life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Original Intent

1) Who is Paul addressing in verse 1 and why are they supposed to stand firm?Paul is addressing believers in the ancient city of Philippi. To know why Paul is instructing them to stand firm we must look back to what he wrote in Philippians 3:12-21. Here Paul reminds believers to not dwell on the past, but instead look ahead to the prize. (verse 13) He also, with tears, reminds believers that not all people follow Christ. There are enemies of the cross and their end is eternal destruction. (verses 18-19) Paul then reminds them of who they are in Christ, and the rich reward waiting for them in Heaven. (verses 20-21) This foundational reminder is what leads up to Paul’s instruction for the Philippian believers to stand firm. They must stand firm in Christ, anchoring their identity in Him in order not to be swayed from following Jesus by those enemies of the cross.

2) Why is Paul urging Euodia and Syntyche to agree? (verse 2)
Euodia and Syntyche were two believers who were both prominent leaders within the Philippian church. Paul does not provide details about the disagreement between these ladies, however, he does urge them to end their disagreement and repair the relationship, not only for the themselves, but for the whole church. Paul urges their reconciliation for the benefit of the gospel’s mission. They could have been extremely effective in spreading the Good News, but their arguing could cause others to turn away from the eternal hope Jesus offers. Paul didn’t want to see the spreading of the gospel hindered by their inability to reconcile and therefore he urges them towards unity.

3) What do we learn about prayer from verses 6 and 7?
First and foremost, Paul reminds his audience to not worry about anything. (verse 6) However, he does not leave them wondering what to do with their worry. He immediately instructs them to turn to the Lord with everything in prayer as the antidote for their anxieties. Paul provides the Philippians with guidance about different ways of entering into prayer conversations. While prayers often include petitions to God, there are greater depths to explore, and Paul points his audience toward these deeper waters. Prayers should be characterized with heartfelt thanksgiving as we remember and praise God for all He has done and for Who He is as our Lord and Savior. The result of patterning our prayer life in this way results in indescribable peace! (verse 7)

Everyday Application

1) Who is Paul addressing in verse 1 and why are they supposed to stand firm?While Paul is addressing the believers in Philippi, his message is just as much for believers in Jesus today as it was for them. Just as there were those who were not in Christ in Philippi, we find ourselves in the path of those who also do not belong to Christ in our everyday lives. There were enemies of the gospel in Paul’s day and there are enemies of the gospel in ours. Satan is at work and there isn’t a promise of ease when we become believers. Instead, we are promised attacks. Therefore, we must keep our eyes on Christ, on our identity in Him and stand firm against the attacks that are sure to come. When we keep our focus on the prize to come and trust in our identity in Him, we are able to stand firm against any attack that comes our way. Let’s ask the Lord to not only help us stand firm in truth, but also to remember Paul’s tears when he considered the enemies of the cross. Paul’s desire was for those who were far from God to be drawn near to Him. Who can you begin fervently engaging with love to share the gospel?

2) Why is Paul urging Euodia and Syntyche to agree? (verse 2)
These women were believers and leaders within the church at Philippi and they found themselves in the midst of a disagreement. Paul urged them to repair their relationship for the sake of the gospel. While we can love the Lord with all our hearts, serve within His church, and share the Good News with those He puts in our path, we can also damage the advancement of the gospel if our relationships with others are damaged and disunifying. People cannot hear what we are saying about eternal life and Jesus’ love when our actions do not match up. If we are sharing about a God who loves unconditionally, but we cannot love each other, the unbelieving world misses the message. Just as Paul urged these women to agree and repair their relationship for the sake of Christ, we must also ask ourselves if we have a relationship that needs repairing for the sake of the gospel. Who do you and I need to reconcile with in order to allow the Lord to fully work through our lives?

3) What do we learn about prayer from verses 6 and 7?
As believers, we are all called not to worry as it belies what we know to be true about God and His good, kind character. We enjoy a personal relationship with the God of the universe; He is in control of everything and desires for us to turn our worries over to Him. These are burdens He doesn’t want us to carry! However, we all know this is easier said than done. Paul reminds us in these verses there is no petition too big for God. We can bring it all to Him, trusting His will in every situation. A mentor of mine says it well, “We don’t pray before we work, prayer is the work and then God works.” That’s the God we serve. We petition God, then wait for Him in His divine timing to work. God will always answer. However, we need to remember God will answer in His wisdom, not necessarily what we desire. Paul’s reminder to give thanks is also crucial for us to include in our prayers. I can personally attest to God’s goodness when we thank Him. As we respond in thankfulness, looking for the ways God is working, we begin to see through His eyes instead of ours. When we begin choosing thankfulness as a habit, we find reasons to be thankful even in the hardest of situations. We begin to see God’s hand at work even when life doesn’t make sense. God is always working. Are we looking for His activity?

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Grace And Peace!

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 Fervent Week One!
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! ~ Questions 2 Week 3

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The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) There is a pervasive and insidious lie in our culture today: people are basically good. Many of us believe this lie (to some extent) without even knowing it. We live as though we can make ourselves “good enough” and acceptable to the people around us, and ultimately to God. Shining light on this deception, God’s word reveals to us our need for a Savior by showing us how sinful we actually are. Without the work of Jesus, all our “good works” are like dirty rags (Isaiah 64:6). We need Him to cleanse us from our sins and make us right with God as only He can do because He is both fully divine and fully human. It is only through a relationship with Jesus we can find righteousness and be made whole. Consider today, dear sister, if there are areas in your life where you have convinced yourself you can make yourself good enough. Where have you denied God’s power in an attempt to fix yourself? What would it look like to invite Jesus into the broken places, and accept the truth that only He can make you right with God? Ask God to show you where you need His healing presence, and ask Him to help you accept His grace in the process.

2) How many times have we treated prayer like a cosmic vending machine? “If You give me X, then I will do Y.” Or “I will give anything if Your will just…” fill in the blank. It can be tempting in our moments of deepest longing and desperation to believe God is holding out on us or that we know better than He does. But in reality, God loves to give good gifts to His children. He doesn’t give half-baked plans or empty hope; He gives good and perfect gifts. What are you waiting for? Perhaps you are waiting for a husband, or a child, or a promotion at work. Maybe you are waiting for clarity for the next step you are supposed to take in life. How are you talking to God about those things? Have you fully surrendered your desires and trusted His goodness over your limited perspective? Or are you demanding, and attempting to manipulate, God into giving you the desires of your heart? Take some time to consider what it means that God gives good gifts. Be honest with God about your desires, then ask Him to give you a heart fully surrendered to His will.

3) What a wonderful thought that our God needs nothing! He is fully sufficient and does not rely on anyone or anything to help Him. While this thought can rightfully wound our pride, it should bring us comfort knowing He is fully self-sufficient. This truth frees Him to willfully choose to love us without condition! Our God loves us so much He chose to suffer and die for us, even though He was under no obligation to do so. What beautiful, breathtaking love! As the children’s song goes, “Jesus loves me, this I know!”. Not only does He love us, He also desires us. He desires a deep relationship with us, and He invites us to respond to His call. How will you respond? Where do you need His helping hand in your life? (Hint: everywhere!) Do you need to turn from your sin, and believe in Him for the first time? Do you need reassurance of His love for you? Do you need help overcoming sin and shame in your life? Do you need His enabling hand to help you walk in obedience to what He is calling you to? Write down one or two specific ways you know you need Jesus. Ask Him to be your Helper, and then walk in obedience to Him. Our all-sufficient God is delighted to sustain you!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Philippians 4:4-7 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Prayer Journal
How great is Your love for me, oh God! You came down so low that I might be made right with You. You did not save me because of Your need, but because of Your love and desire to have a relationship with me, even though I had nothing to offer. Help me to constantly remember my need for You. Help me to abide in Your love through obedience to Your word. I acknowledge I so often fall short. I see my need when I sin against my friends, my neighbors, my family, and against You. I see my need when insecurity and self-sufficiency rule my thoughts. I see my need when I try to be good and fail. Please forgive me for my arrogance, and draw me into a closer relationship with You. Show me where I am still trying to do things on my own, and help me to trust in Your sufficiency. You are my only hope in life and death. Help me to rely on You in all things.

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

Questions 2 Day 12 Rescue Mission: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Rescue Mission!

The Questions

1) What is Paul quoting in verses 10-12 and why does he quote them?

2) Verse 19 refers to those who are subject to the law but who is that?

3) What does it mean that “the whole world may become subject to God’s judgment”? (verse 19) Is there hope?

Romans 3:9-20

9 What then? Are we any better off? Not at all! For we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin, 10 as it is written:

There is no one righteous, not even one.
11 There is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away;
all alike have become worthless.
There is no one who does what is good,
not even one.
13 Their throat is an open grave;
they deceive with their tongues.
Vipers’ venom is under their lips.
14 Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
15 Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 ruin and wretchedness are in their paths,
17 and the path of peace they have not known.
18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are subject to the law, so that every mouth may be shut and the whole world may become subject to God’s judgment. 20 For no one will be justified in his sight by the works of the law, because the knowledge of sin comes through the law.

Original Intent

1) What is Paul quoting in verses 10-12 and why does he quote them?
Paul is referencing Psalm 14:1-3 in these verses which are also repeated in Psalm 53:1-3. “…There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away;
all alike have become worthless…” (verses 11-12) These words speak to the flesh nature of every person ever born. Paul’s Jewish Christian audience would have been familiar with the Psalmist’s words, knowing they were penned to describe every human heart from God’s perspective. This is a reminder of the depravity of mankind and the sin every person commits. Every human being is hopelessly stuck in their sin and by pointing his audience to their guilt, Paul is later able to point them to their only hope for salvation, Jesus.

2) Verse 19 refers to those who are subject to the law but who is that?
Paul is clear that Law speaks to only those who are subject to the law. However, that is not an out for Paul’s audience. His readers would have known the law being referred to was what we call the 10 Commandments. However, this law encompassed much more than those few commands. Included in the whole Old Testament law was the first 5 books of our Bible and every regulation found there. The Israelites had hundreds of laws they were supposed to follow, and no one could follow them perfectly. Paul is telling his audience they are all subject to the law. Every person in his audience knew precisely what Paul meant, and they all knew they were guilty.

3) What does it mean that “the whole world may become subject to God’s judgment”? (verse 19) Is there hope?
Paul does not sugarcoat the truth. God is a just God and He will rightfully judge the whole world. Every single person who has ever lived will indeed face judgement where they will be called to give an account of their works. Revelation 20:11-15 tells of this coming judgement. However, although we know all are subject to the law and all fall short of the hitting the “bullseye” on the target of the Law (Romans 3:23) there is hope. Romans 6:23 reminds us of the gift of Jesus, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Revelation 21 tells of the full promise of hope coming in fullness for all who trust Jesus as their personal Savior. Jesus paid the penalty for sin and death and His blood covers those who believe in Him when they stand before God on the day of judgment. He becomes the believer’s righteousness!

Everyday Application

1) What is Paul quoting in verses 10-12 and why does he quote them?
Paul refers back to Psalm and the sin state of all mankind. He reminds readers that none of us are good and, at some point, we have all turned away from His standard of righteousness. Whether it was a selfish thought, a white lie, or a lusting glance, all of these and much more violate His holy standard. In so doing, we become sinners, separating ourselves from a holy and righteous God with no ability to regain a perfect standing. Without this realization of our sinfulness, we are unable to see our need for a Savior. We feel we can be “good enough” on our own, compared to our own measure of “right”. Paul begins this chapter with the condition of all mankind so he can later point all readers to Jesus. If we do not view ourselves as sinful, not good, and without hope we will never surrender to God and accept the gift only Jesus can provide by His righteousness offered in exchange for our sinfulness.

2) Verse 19 refers to those who are subject to the law but who is that?
When I read the words “the law” I immediately think of the 10 Commandments. When God gave those to Moses, His intent was never for them to be a checklist for Israel (or us) to try to live up to. Instead, it was meant as a mirror, helping us see that no one could ever not break even just those 10 laws. As matter of fact, Israel had broken those laws before Moses ever made it off of Mt. Sinai with the law in hand. (Exodus 32) While we no longer live under Old Testament law today, we are still subject to the law. Jesus provided 2 commands which sum up the whole of this law, love God and love others, and I know I daily fall short of just those two simple commands. Just as the 10 Commandments showed Israel they were sinners, Jesus’ words show us we are sinners and in need of a Savior.

3) What does it mean that “the whole world may become subject to God’s judgment”? (verse 19) Is there hope?
Every person who ever has or ever will walk planet earth is subject to God’s judgment. This is His world and His rule applies to us, His creation. Scripture is very clear there will be a day of judgment when all will stand before God and be judged for our actions. This coming judgment is exactly why understanding the law, and how far we each fall short of its perfect standard, is so important. Because of the law, we see our desperate need for a Savior. John writes of the day of judgment in Revelation 20, but He doesn’t leave us at the judgment seat without hope. John writes of the promised hope that is coming in the New Heaven and the New Earth in Revelation 21. This promise is for all who have believed in Jesus and accepted the sacrifice of what He did for us on the cross. His righteousness can be ours in place of our sin; His perfection in exchange for our failure to follow the law! Sisters, the question is, have you accepted the gift Jesus offers for yourself? If so on the day of judgment, He will say this one is Mine! Our judgment as believers will be vastly different than those who have not chosen to believe because we will be covered by Christ and in Him, there is no condemnation, only life!

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

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

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Questions 2 Day 8 100%

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 14:6
2 Timothy 3:16
Proverbs 7:2-3

Questions 2, Day 8

“Wow. Nothingness. That is a major card.”

I looked at the owner of the tarot cards with interest, wondering what he meant. He went on to explain how the card represented a shift in a person’s season of life, a time to be open to anything. The old passed away, and the slate was wiped clean for something new to happen.

My new friend cocked his head to the side, noticing my intrigue. He watched while I laid down one card after another. I was astonished by the idea these cards could somehow give a glimpse into my future.

I was halfway through college and in a life chapter where I didn’t know what I believed. After growing up in the church and spending six years at a private Christian school, I was disillusioned by what I saw. I wondered how people could call themselves believers in the one true God, and yet live lives that looked nothing like the Jesus I saw in Scripture. For example, I was horrified to learn of physical and emotional abuse within my church community. I also wondered why my efforts to meet an invisible standard left me feeling more tired than loved.

Instead of wrestling with God like Jacob in the wilderness, I ran. I created my own god of sorts, and tried to live a life that was good according to my own standards.

Seven years later, and less than a year into marriage, my husband and I moved to the other side of the country, away from the Bible belt where I grew up. It didn’t take me long to realize the dominant belief system in the area was completely different from what I knew, and it caused me to question once again. 

What did I believe? 
Could I isolate some parts of Scripture and believe those, but not others? 

When I discovered we were expecting our first child, I was gripped by the need to find a firm foundation sooner rather than later. These weren’t just my beliefs anymore, but truths we would pass on to our firstborn. Even though I knew he would reach an age where he would need to discover who Jesus was for himself, I wanted to provide him with a solid place to begin.

Through God’s grace, we found a church where the Word of God was preached with boldness. Additionally, there were teachers who had spent years studying the principles found in Scripture.

I realized I could come with my questions, because the God I spent my childhood learning about was big enough to handle them. But I also saw, perhaps for the first time, that my questions didn’t have to stop me from trusting God’s Word. I could wrestle with my questions, and bring them before God and His Word, but I was still required to make a choice about the credibility of Scripture. If all of God’s Word was true, I realized I was held to His standard, whether I received the answers I wanted or not.

In the third chapter of John, we meet someone else with lots of questions. He comes to Jesus at night because he doesn’t want the Pharisees to see him with this mysterious miracle worker. As he presents his concerns to Jesus, you can almost hear the confusion and apprehension in his voice. 

“‘How can anyone be born when he is old?’ Nicodemus asked him. ’Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?’” (John 3:4)

His name is Nicodemus, and even though he is a teacher, he has difficulty grasping what Jesus is saying to him. Be born again? What does that even mean? 

Nicodemus walked away with more questions than answers that night, but Scripture indicates his journey to discover who Jesus was did not stop there. In chapter seven, we see him defending Jesus, and after Jesus’ crucifixion, Nicodemus pays his respects as they take down Jesus’ body for embalming.

Instead of letting his questions and confusion send him further away, Nicodemus allows his need to draw him closer to the heart of the Savior. And what he realizes is this: aside from Jesus, there is no other way. No life, no future, and no hope.

Like Nicodemus, we have a choice in our wrestling. We can come to Jesus, or we can search for answers in other places. But friends, either way, we will never have all the answers on this side of eternity. We must make a choice to not simply trust the parts of Scripture we like, or can identify with, but the whole thing.

All of Scripture is God-inspired, true, and holy . . . even when we don’t fully understand it.

Even when it’s hard, or challenges us, or convicts us. 

Even when we have questions. 

This is faith.
This is what it means to be a follower of Jesus.

After spending a year raising my newborn, I realized my questions couldn’t keep me from surrendering the whys to Jesus. So I came to Him with all of it, and I never looked back.

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

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Questions 2 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 Questions 2!