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Alive Day 2 Justice + Mercy = Freedom: 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 Justice + Mercy = Freedom!

The Questions

1) Why was there condemnation? (verse 1)

2) What could the law not do? (verse 3)

3) What does it mean to “walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit”? (verse 4)

Romans 8:1-4

8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, 2 because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering, 4 in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Original Intent

1) Why was there condemnation? (verse 1)
From Adam and Eve’s first sin there have been consequences for turning away from God’s standard of holiness. (Genesis 3) God established a sacrifice system that called for the spilling of innocent blood in order to forgive sin. This begins with the animal whose blood was shed to provide clothing for Adam and Eve. (Genesis 3:21) In Leviticus 6-7, God provides the guidance for sacrifice and forgiveness which Paul’s audience would have known well, as they regularly offered these sacrifices for their own sins. They knew condemnation existed because of sin and forgiveness only came through sacrifice. Freedom in forgiveness would always cost the death of an innocent one. However, it was understood that the blood of animals did not have the power to remove the sin that stood between the offender and God. (Hebrews 10:4) Rather, these sacrifices, and the need for them, point directly to the One who would come with the power to completely pay for sin’s penalty in full and remove the offense of our sin against a Holy God. This One to come was Jesus.

2) What could the law not do? (verse 3)
God provided Moses with the Law, also known as the 10 Commandments, in Exodus 20:1-17. The Jewish audience would have known this law well. Not only were they quite familiar with these 10 commandments, but they also would have known the other 613 laws found in the Pentateuch or Book of the Law, which are the first 5 books of the Bible. These laws made up the rhythms and boundaries of their everyday lives. It was impossible for any human to follow these laws perfectly and attain flawless righteousness, instead their purpose was to point out that perfection and forgiveness under the law was an insurmountable feat. Therefore, God had a plan which He began to reveal throughout the Old Testament about the fulfillment of the Law. One day, Jesus would come and perfectly fulfill the Law because He is God, the Only One who is blameless without sin. Jesus would accomplish for us what the Law could not.

3) What does it mean to “walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit”? (verse 4)
Every person ever born is born of the flesh. Even Jesus had an earthly mother. However, Jesus put on the likeness of flesh becoming like those He came to save. (Philippians 2:4-8) He did not give up His standing as God the Son to put on human flesh. He was tempted just as we are, but did not give in to that temptation and sin. (Matthew 4:1-11) He withstood it perfectly, allowing Him to eventually take humanity’s sins upon Himself at the cross and pave a way for the gift of the Holy Spirit to be deposited inside every person who truly repents (turns away) from sin and believes in Him through faith. (Acts 1:8; 2:1-4) Daily there is temptation to walk according to the desires of sinful flesh, but Jesus makes it possible through the Holy Spirit to walk in Him and turn away from fleshly lusts and sinful desires.

Everyday Application

1) Why was there condemnation? (verse 1)
Each one of us is a sinner. (Romans 3:23) In light of that sin, each of us deserves condemnation for our sins and Paul is clear that the condemnation we earn is death in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death…”. While God has always required sacrifice for forgiveness, it wasn’t until Jesus that the sacrifice was permanent. Being fully God and fully human, yet was utterly without sin, Jesus was the Only One who qualified to pay for the debt of sin in full. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Only through Jesus is there no longer condemnation for any who believe in Him. (verse 1) Jesus walked on earth as the only perfect person to ever live. He then took the sins of humanity to the cross. (1 John 2:2) If we simply accept the gift of His sacrifice we are forgiven and free from condemnation’s shame. However, that does not mean there is no accusation. I appreciate what Matthew Henry says, “He does not say, “There is no accusation against them,’’ for this there is; but the accusation is thrown out, and the indictment quashed. He does not say, “There is nothing in them that deserves condemnation,’’ for this there is, and they see it, and own it, and mourn over it, and condemn themselves for it; but it shall not be their ruin”. We are still guilty of our sin, but we are no longer condemned through the blood of Jesus. There are often still consequences for our sinful actions in our relationships, but the final punishment of death has been eradicated for eternity. If we repent (turn away from sin), and seek God’s forgiveness, He will no longer hold us accountable to pay for our sin. (Acts 3:19)

2) What could the law not do? (verse 3)
Jesus told His disciples, “Don’t think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17) As a matter of fact, Jesus summed the entire law up into 2 statements: Love God and love others (your neighbor). (Matthew 22:35-40) The reality is, you and I could never be perfect under the law. We are incapable of perfectly living out even 1 of the 10 commandments God gave to Moses. However, God knew we would fail when He gave the law; our sin didn’t catch Him by surprise. Hebrews 10:1 says, “Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come, and not the reality itself of those things, it can never perfect the worshipers by the same sacrifices they continually offer year after year.” Therefore, He sent Jesus to do what the law could not. Jesus fulfilled the law for us, but His righteousness isn’t ours automatically. We must choose to accept His free gift of forgiveness and freedom from condemnation in order to claim it for ourselves.

3) What does it mean to “walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit”? (verse 4)
We are all born of the flesh and it is in our natural tendency to sin. Our default nature is to love sin. There is a reason we don’t need to teach small children to sin (hit, bite, get angry, retaliate, or scream for their way) but instead parents are to correct their sinful behavior. In our flesh, we are born sinners and are all in need of Jesus. (Romans 5:12, 1 Corinthians 15:21-22) Jesus came, died on the cross, and conquered death allowing for freedom from the flesh. However, just because we accept what Jesus did for us doesn’t mean we leave the flesh completely behind to never sin or be tempted again. On the contrary, it is a daily battle to die to self and walk in the “newness of life” provided through Christ. (Romans 6:4-8) When we choose to surrender our will, moment by moment, to the Spirit’s work in us, He will teach us to keep in step with Him as He conforms us into the image of Jesus. (Galatians 5:16) This transformation is not immediate but a daily choice where we look more like Jesus tomorrow than we do today and more like Jesus a year from now that we did last year. As the Spirit leads, and we choose to follow, we are actively being conformed to the likeness of Jesus. (Romans 8:29)

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Justice + Mercy = Freedom!

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 Alive 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.

Enough Day 2 Creation’s Groan: 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 Creation’s Groan!

The Questions

1) How did the serpent deceive Eve?

2) Who was the serpent?

3) Why did God curse the serpent?

4) How was the curse broken?

Genesis 3:1-4

Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?”

2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit from the trees in the garden. 3 But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.’”

4 “No! You will certainly not die,” the serpent said to the woman.

Original Intent

1) How did the serpent deceive Eve?
Genesis 3 tells how a serpent enticed Eve and Adam to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. It’s easy to look at the text and think, “I know this story”, but there is much more to uncover here! This passage contains a warning to all of us about Satan’s tactics and includes a seed of hope. When the serpent asked Eve, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1) She replied by misquoting God, “But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.'” (Genesis 3:3) God never said not to touch it. (Genesis 2:17) Before Eve was created, God told Adam not to eat it, “And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.” (Genesis 2:16-17) Fostered by the slight manipulation of truth, which nurtured doubt in God’s goodness, Eve reached for the fruit and took a bite. Eve listened to Satan’s lies over believing God’s word. Death and evil were abstract ideas before her sin. Everything was new, alive, and holy. Just like a child can’t comprehend death if they haven’t lost a loved one, Eve and Adam didn’t understand separation from God or one another. She let her experiences determine her reality instead of trusting God. The serpent confidently told her a half-truth, “No! You will certainly not die.” (Genesis 3:4) He knew touching the fruit wouldn’t lead to death, but disobeying God’s word by eating the fruit would bring fatal consequences.

2) Who was the serpent?
The serpent was more than a snake in the grass; he was the tempter Satan who deceives the whole world. (Revelation 12:9) Though Satan once lived with God as an angel, he desired to be higher and more powerful than God. As punishment for his prideful arrogance, and his total disregard for the Lord God’s rule and authority, God cast him from Heaven. (Isaiah 14:12-14, Ezekiel 28:13-17) His existence is eternal enmity, or hatred, towards God and His creation. (Genesis 3:15)

3) Why did God curse the serpent?
When God asked Eve, “What have you done?” she replied, “The serpent deceived me and I ate.” (Genesis 3:13) Interestingly, God didn’t ask the serpent, “What have you done?” Instead, after Eve answered God’s question, God cursed the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than any livestock…” (Genesis 3:14) Bible theologian, Barnes explains how Satan’s sin was a moral sin because he deceived Adam and Eve. Therefore, he received a moral punishment in the form of a curse. The Hebrew word for curse in this passage (Arar) is more significant than using a curse word. God’s binding curse on Satan is an intentional response to devaluing God’s word and His character by deceiving Adam and Eve. Later, in Genesis 12:3, we see another connection between devaluing people, God’s creation, and God’s righteous curse, “I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Satan also received a physical punishment for leading Adam and Eve into physical temptation. The serpent was devalued, forced to crawl on his belly. Deception transformed his relationship with people from congeniality to conflict and enmity. Sadly, people also received physical punishment for their transgressions. Adam’s work became difficult (verses 17-19), Eve’s labor would be painful (verse 16), and their relationship changed so that Eve’s desire was intent on Adam and Adam would rule over Eve. (verse 16)

4) How was the curse broken?
God cursed the serpent for his deception, but there was also a promise of judgment for the serpent through the offspring of the woman. (Genesis 3:14-15) The literal translation of Genesis 3:15 reads, “between your seed and her seed. He will strike your head and you will strike his heel.” In the original language, “her seed” is singular and does not refer to all her offspring; it is one person, who is Christ. (Galatians 3:16) Though the prospect of having one’s heel attacked by a serpent isn’t pleasant, attacking the head of the serpent is a death blow preventing the serpent from ever hurting another person. Romans 16:30 encourages believers by pronouncing, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” Jesus’ purpose was to destroy the works of the devil, breaking the curse between Satan and mankind once and for all. (1 John 3:8) Jesus crushed Satan’s head by dying for us and subsequently conquering Death forever by rising from the dead. All who trust in Him, recognizing He alone was able to pay the debt of death we owed because of our sin, will be freed from Satan’s curse. Those who believe, taking on Jesus’ offer of life for themselves, will live for eternity at peace with Him. No more death and no more curse! (Revelation 21:4)

Everyday Application

1) How did the serpent deceive Eve?
When the serpent tempted Eve, she could have halted his lies by leaning on the full truth of God’s Word. She could have taken Satan’s statement about death straight to God as He came to walk in the Garden in the cool of the evening. (Genesis 3:8) As Christians, we can avoid deception by asking God to teach us and lead us through the Holy Spirit. (John 14:26) We can also read the Bible and learn God’s word for ourselves. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Satan will tempt us to doubt God’s word with possessions, power, success, and necessities like food. “For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world.” (1 John 2:16) We need to stand guard against Satan’s scheming tactics (2 Corinthians 2:11); even when we are in a close relationship with God, we can be enticed by Satan and our own curiosity to disobey God when something forbidden looks delightful and desirable. (Genesis 3:6) No one is immune from Satan’s temptations. After fasting for 40 days in the wilderness, Satan tempted Jesus. (Matthew 4:1-11) Satan used God’s own words against Jesus by quoting Psalm 91:11-12, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will give his angels orders concerning you, and they will support you with their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” Where Eve had failed, Jesus responded to Satan by quoting Deuteronomy 6:16, “It is also written: Do not test the Lord your God.” Jesus modeled how we can stop Satan’s attacks by quoting Scripture. Staying in communion with God, knowing His word, seeking His heart, and bringing our questions to the Holy Spirit for wisdom and understanding will help us resist temptation.

2) Who was the serpent?
We likely don’t give much thought to Satan or his schemes today, but his tactics are just as real for us as they were for Eve and Adam. Satan is the father of lies, his nature is to lie, and his primary strategy is deception and manipulation of truth. (John 8:44) He devalues God’s Word, enticing people to question Him and disobey Him. Satan desires every created being to doubt God’s goodness, His love, and His plan. In light of this reality, we should re-assess what we believe ensuring we are clinging to truth from Scripture and leaving no room for lies from the enemy.

3) Why did God curse the serpent?
We can all attest that deceit leads to damage and conflict in relationships. It often has direct, and indirect, ripple effects resulting in repercussions for generations. The serpent’s deception led to enmity, which is personal hostility, in his relationship with all humanity. Enmity refers to hatred and enemies. The Cambridge Bible explains that enmity means a blood feud. Genesis 3:15 reads, “I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring.” The serpent treated Adam and Eve with contempt by lying to them. He treated God with contempt by disparaging God’s command as a means to keeping Adam and Eve from something better. He enticed them to show contempt for God’s word through disobedience. His deception destroyed the relationship between the serpent and mankind and damaged their relationship with God and with each other. When we show contempt for God by disobeying his commands, or for people by lying, stealing, or being unfaithful, we have created a biblical curse in our relationships that will lead to damage and long-term conflict.

4) How was the curse broken?
Jesus came to restore humanity’s relationship with God and with other people. Eve and Adam still lived under the consequences resulting from disobeying God even though they were tricked by Satan’s deception. Each one of us is responsible for our own choices, there is no room for “the devil made me do it” mentality. (James 1:13-16) For Eve and Adam, communion with God was damaged as was their relationship with each other.  Through Christ’s sacrifice which paid the debt we owe because of sin, a pathway was created for our relationships to be renewed and restored. In Jesus, we have communion with God and each other. He is our peace. (Ephesian 2:14) In Christ, we can have healthy relationships between men and women and all people regardless of our differences. “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Creation’s Groan!

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 Enough 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! ~ Worship VIII Week 1

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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) On Monday, Marietta transparently shared of an idol taking up time, focus, and adoration in her life. Her willingness to be so honest gives me the courage to stop shying away from addressing “idol worship” lurking in the corners of my own heart. I want to say Jesus is my first and only love, and that every other love flows from my rich and intimate relationship with Him, but if I discount my love of self, I’ve already deceived myself. Whether it’s the desire to “control”, the urge to “fix”, or my “bad habit” (ie: sin!) of jumping to conclusions about others before hearing the whole story, I know the list of idols vying for my attention is long. If I’m not actively praying for the Lord to remove temptation from me, I will easily fall into the idolatry habit of setting up Jesus as just “one of” my many idols instead of worshipping Him as the only One deserving of my whole life. If you sat for just 60 seconds, what idols would you identify from your life? Ask the Lord for courage to look them in the face. Ask Him to give you a heart that is repulsed by idol worship. Choose one idol you feel the Lord leading you to tear down, and text a friend, asking her to hold you accountable to flee the temptation of idol worship.

2) Paul sings of the riches of God, of His vast knowledge, and depths of wisdom that are impossible to plumb in his magnificent hymn of praise. (Romans 11:33-36) The way Paul sings about these gives me the idea he would gladly sit and consider them and gaze on them for eternity without boredom. I’ve spent a considerable amount of time on many pursuits. Some worthy, and some utterly ridiculous. I can remember a season where I put countless hours into a game on my phone. How many hours have I spent belittling myself or others? Too many. The amount of time I’ve spent picking up toys after small children is quite high as well. When I consider the amount of time I’ve sat in worship, awestruck at the glories of the God I serve, I admit it doesn’t even come close to comparing. While I can easily justify my time by insisting that toys don’t pick up themselves, I forget that true worship isn’t limited to instances when I can physically sit still, open my Bible, and journal my praise. Opportunities for fully attentive heart worship are as plentiful as the seconds in my day and yours. Begin your journey into deeper worship right now by asking the Holy Spirit to guide your thoughts, to remind you to offer up praise in the everyday moments instead of just the ones you deem as “holy”. Start a dialogue with the Lord and practice continuing it throughout the day and watch your relationship with God deepen as worship colors everything!

3) Yesterday, Carol pointed us toward the constantly astounding beauty of creation helping us attentively take in the glory of the Lord and respond with worship. We interact with the earth and its beauties every day in various forms, yet it takes intentional practice to move beyond interaction to worshipping the Creator. Set aside time this weekend to explore what it would look like in your relationship with God to spout off praise as you take in the intricate details of creation around you. Did you breathe deeply? Thank Him for perfectly balanced molecules of hydrogen and oxygen. Did you remind your heart to beat? Thank Him for designing your body with such stunning handiwork, wisdom, and creativity. Did your ear catch the sound waves of your friend’s voice? Praise Him for the atmosphere we live in. Maybe you caught a glimpse of the sun, a passing cloud, a masterfully painted sunset, or even the hard-packed ground in winter, these are invitations to know the Creator better and turn your heart to praise Him for His grace, beauty, love, and care!

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 11:33-36 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Oh, the depth of the riches
and the wisdom and the knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments
and untraceable his ways!
34 For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?
35 And who has ever given to God,
that he should be repaid?
36 For from him and through him
and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever. Amen.

Prayer Journal
Lord Jesus, how deeply I need Your truth to radically shake up my perspective and shape the way I worship You. You are good. Your love endures forever. Your faithfulness stretches to the sky. Lord God, my view of You is still too small; show me who You are. Show me Your glory. Let me glimpse Your face, so I might know You, love You, and worship You in spirit and in truth. Help my hands to slow, my mind to submit to Your renewal, and my eyes to look with fresh understanding at Your creation. Show me Yourself, Lord Jesus. In the process, expose my ugly idol worship, give me eyes to abhor it, then give me strength to tear these idols down so I can love You alone. One moment at a time, one breath of surrender after another, teach me to open my hands, lift my eyes, and offer You my whole heart, Jesus!

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

Pause 2, Day 5 Pillars Of Prayer

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Pause 2, Day 5

As believers, we know prayer is essential to our daily walk with Jesus. We connect with Him, we care our souls, we listen, we grieve, we rejoice, we intercede for others all through prayer.  
Prayer is mysterious, absolutely necessary, a powerful connection,
and sometimes boring.  
 
But Paul challenges our temptation to fall into boredom or distraction with one game changing play.  
“Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving.” 
 
Thankfulness.  
 
Before launching into an exquisite and detailed list of prayer warriors and their tireless work of prayer, Paul equips the church to pray with alertness by giving thanks.  
 
When gratitude is woven into our prayers, Kingdom Work is accomplished and our hearts are knit to God’s and one another’s.  
 
Let today’s reading and challenges set you up for a weekend of prayerful worship and deep gratitude as you stay alert in prayer through thanksgiving!

Today's Challenge

1) Read through Colossians 4 out loud today twice. Slowly. Linger over that verse (or verses) that stick out to you, slowing and listening as God’s Spirit speaks to your heart! Choose 1 or 2 to write out on notecards and post them around your house – then post a picture of your reminder cards on Instagram or on our Facebook Community Page. Take the weekend to memorize these and forever hide them in your heart!

2) We are so excited to share this hand-crafted Spotify playlist! We created it as we prayed over *you*. Put this playlist on repeat this weekend and be reminded of the rich truths God has shown you this week in Pause!

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

Join the GT Community on Facebook!

Colossians 4

Masters, deal with your slaves justly and fairly, since you know that you too have a Master in heaven.

2 Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains, 4 so that I may make it known as I should. 5 Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.
7 Tychicus, our dearly loved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. 8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we are[a] and so that he may encourage your hearts.9 He is coming with Onesimus, a faithful and dearly loved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here. 

10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you greetings, as does Mark, Barnabas’s cousin (concerning whom you have received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and so does Jesus who is called Justus. These alone of the circumcised are my coworkers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. He is always wrestling for you in his prayers, so that you can stand mature and fully assured in everything God wills. 13 For I testify about him that he works hard for you, for those in Laodicea, and for those in Hierapolis. 14 Luke, the dearly loved physician, and Demas send you greetings. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters in Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her home.16 After this letter has been read at your gathering, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17 And tell Archippus, “Pay attention to the ministry you have received in the Lord, so that you can accomplish it.” 

18 I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. 

How Does “Pause” Work?
1. Each day, Monday through Friday, for 2 weeks, we will provide you with a simple challenge. Each challenge is designed for you to engage with the Almighty in a deeper way and perhaps in a new way than you have been recently.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The GT Weekend! Prayer 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) When we’re faced with temptation, looking to Jesus’ model of interacting with the devil is a great reminder. He said, “Get away from me Satan.” Jesus spoke with authority and precision to receive deliverance from His temptation. As believers in Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit living in us and can also speak with that same authority and precision when faced with temptation. How have you commanded the devil away from you and seen immediate deliverance? Share below to encourage the Body!

2) Bottling up our questions and fears is normal. We unpacked one question this week in All of Everything. What other questions about Scripture do you have? We like to use www.studylight.org to cross-reference or research Scripture. We’d love to hear your questions about the true, perfect Word of God. Our God is powerful enough to handle any of your questions, lay them out and let Him prove Himself! Email us at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com ~

3) Praying in expectation and recognizing that God may not answer in the manner of our request is another tension of Scripture. We can hold these two truths in tandem and allow faith to fill in the mysterious gap between the two. How have you wrestled with these truths? How have you experienced the power of prayer in your life first-hand?

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 15:9b-13 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

9b As it is written, Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,
and I will sing praise to your name.
10 Again it says, Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people! 11 And again,
Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;
let all the peoples praise him!
12 And again, Isaiah says,
The root of Jesse will appear,
the one who rises to rule the Gentiles;
the Gentiles will hope in him.
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
(emphasis added)

Prayer Journal
Father, I want Your joy and peace so I can overflow with hope. That sounds perfectly peaceful. My life feels like it’s been up-ended and is in this constant state of flux; pour out more of Your joy and peace in my life Lord. I choose to trust you, bless You for Your faithfulness Mighty God of All.

Lord, this study You have been teaching me to “choose joy” as I’ve studied more about prayer. Thank You for revealing Yourself and Your face as we’ve journeyed together these last three weeks. As I ask for big things in confidence of your ability and power to answer them, I trust your sovereignty to reign in Your answer, regardless what answer You choose.

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

Prayer Day 14 All Of Everything: 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 All Of Everything!

The Questions

1) Why don’t all versions of the Bible have the bracketed section? Is my Bible really reliable?

2) Why do end a prayer with a “doxology”? Where else do we see this modeled in Scripture? 

3) How does the “doxology” tie back to the Lord’s Prayer?

Matthew 6:13 (HCSB)

And do not bring us into temptation, 
but deliver us from the evil one. 
[For Yours is the kingdom and the power
and the glory forever. Amen.]

Original Intent

1) Why don’t all versions of the Bible have the bracketed section? Is my Bible really reliable?
This is a great question, and one that Merry did an excellent job of covering in her Journey Study yesterday. We can both acknowledge the squirmy, uncomfortable way it makes us feel to wonder, ‘what if the Bible isn’t reliable?!’, while also knowing with extreme confidence that the Scripture you and I hold in our hands is 100% trustworthy. The fact that Scripture even reveals its variances for our inspection is proof that the Lord is not afraid of our investigation. The God of the Universe is big enough to handle our doubts and misunderstandings. Editors didn’t need to edit out variations between eyewitness accounts or different authors, because only one Author’s voice counted, The Holy Spirit. Were those words in the brackets actually spoken by Jesus at the conclusion of His model prayer? Maybe. Maybe not. But the truth they hold is not only biblical, and found other places in Scripture, it anchors us and our prayers in a world of unknown. The kingdom is His. The power is His. The glory is His. He is Sovereign, my friends, and there’s no better “last word” than that one!

2) Why end a prayer with a “doxology”? Where else do we see this modeled in Scripture?
A “doxology” is defined as an oral or written praise to God and is often found at the end of prayers throughout Scripture, going back to the Old Testament all the way to the New. In fact, one of David’s most famous doxologies is extremely similar to the one found here in Matthew 6. Seriously, go look it up; you’ll be amazed! (1 Chronicles 29:11-13) It’s so similar in fact, that scholars believe it was held as a model and it became common for God’s people to verbally end their prayers with not simply an “Amen”, but with a doxology that recognized the sovereign power and authority of the God to whom they prayed. Interested in studying more doxologies in Scripture? Check out David in Psalm 41:13 or Psalm 72:18-19 along with many other Psalms. See a few of Paul’s in Romans 11:33-36, Galatians 1:5, Philippians 4:20, or Ephesians 3:20-21. The author of Hebrews includes a beautiful one in Hebrews 13:20-21. Peter records his in 2 Peter 3:18 and John’s doxology shouts of God’s glorious, eternal victory in Revelation 5:9-14.

3) How does the “doxology” tie back to the Lord’s Prayer?
The words of the doxology are beautiful enough as they are and precious in the truth they hold, but when we examine how they tie back into the model prayer, the depth and creative intricacy is truly incredible!
“Our Father” and “Your Name be honored as holy” are found at the beginning of the prayer, and at the end, these are summed up in a single word: Yours. One name, one Lord, one God of all; there is none other.
“Your kingdom come” reminds us of the un-crossable chasm that exists between God and man without Jesus’ sacrifice to bridge that gap. The prayer ends with the affirmation: Yours is the kingdom. The kingdom is God’s alone, it’s His creation, His plan for eternity, and though He has designed us to join us in His work, the work is His.
“Your will be done…” leads us into the next section that encompasses our everyday physical needs as well as our spiritual ones and is brought full circle with the phrase: Yours is the power. We pray because He holds all power and we are utterly incapable without Him. We pray because we cast ourselves entirely upon His ability and none of our own. It’s His power that supplies, His power that equips and fuels us. His alone; not ours.
Finally, we are brought to a breathless close with: Yours is the glory. Our hearts know, and gladly rejoice, in the praise that is rightfully God’s alone. His is the kingdom. His is the power. His is the glory.

Everyday Application

1) Why don’t all versions of the Bible have the bracketed section? Is my Bible really reliable?
Have you allowed yourself permission to ask the tough questions about Christianity? Whether you’re a Christ-follower or not, I encourage you to keep a list of gut-honest questions. God is big enough to defend Himself. And honestly, if He’s not, then He isn’t mighty enough to save. As I recently asked a friend of mine, “wouldn’t you rather know? For sure?”. Wouldn’t you? If we are staking our eternity on the reliability of what Scripture teaches, we have the right to question its trustworthiness. What are your questions? What makes your stomach turn with un-announced queries when you read the Bible? Sister, there are answers! Good Answers! Ask your questions, take the Lord up on His invitation to know Him better. Trust me, no, trust HIM, the reward will be sweetly worth it!

2) Why end a prayer with a “doxology”? Where else do we see this modeled in Scripture?
The Lord’s prayer begins with the intimate title of “Father” and concludes with all glory and praise being given to the Most High God of All. He is both the safe haven to cling to and the Mighty Warrior who reigns in awe and victory. Closing our prayer time with a doxology is an invitation for us to be reminded that He is God of all, we are not, and we praise Him for that! We take great comfort in knowing that the Sovereign King of Heaven loves us as a Father, cares for every broken heart, knows every hair on our head, and holds final authority over all creation. A doxology is an expression of our faith like nothing else. We are praising Him not because He needs to hear it, but because our hearts are re-focused and peace floods within us when we simply praise and adore the King of Kings. Have you ever considered how you close your prayers? Consider writing a few doxologies yourself. Study some in Scripture and take a few days to craft your own. Practice the art of praising the Lord and watch your faith grow, your peace deepen, and your relationship with the Father become richer!

3) How does the “doxology” tie back to the Lord’s Prayer?
As we slow down to examine the details of these few words in the doxology and how they tie to the Lord’s Prayer, consider how each of these phrases apply straight to your everyday life right now.
Yours – Where are you relying on something other than that One Name to satisfy and fulfill? Where are you glorifying an object or a relationship or a person above the Lord?
Yours is the kingdom – Whose kingdom do you spend your days building, the Lord’s or your own? What do your schedules and text messages and interactions with people and where you spend your money say about whose Kingdom you’re most invested in?
Yours is the power – Fearful? Worried? Overwhelmed? Tense? These are each signal flares that you’re walking away from the truth that the power is the Lord’s, not ours. When our trust is focused on our ability to perform or control, we have forgotten that the power is His, and we’ve forfeited His peace in the process.
Yours is the glory – Much will quickly be righted in our world when we consciously choose to slow down enough for praise and adoration. Consider the type of words that first form on your lips in any given situation and you’ll quickly get a gauge for the status of your heart attitude. Critical, angry, tense, annoyed, frustrated….these types of words come from a heart that insists on the glory being our own. When we begin training our hearts and tongues to first praise Jesus, giving Him the glory due Him, our hearts are made new right in the middle of our everyday lives! Try it!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with All Of Everything!

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 Prayer Week Three!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

Prayer Day 12 Delivery, Please: 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 Delivery, Please!

The Questions

1) Is it really okay to approach God with boldness?
Isn’t that disrespectful or assuming?

2) What does it mean to “draw near with a true heart”?

3) How does “holding fast” draw us deeper into worship?

Hebrews 10:19-25

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus— 20 he has inaugurated for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh)— 21 and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. 23 Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us watch out for one another to provoke love and good works, 25 not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.

Original Intent

1) Is it really okay to approach God with boldness? Isn’t that disrespectful or assuming?
The book of Hebrews begins by stacking up the evidence of who Christ is; He is the ONLY one who could ever completely fulfill the atoning work required as due payment for our sin. The author emphasizes how Christ is now SITTING at the right hand of the Father. In a sermon by the late Reverend R.C. Sproul, he explained how the priests of the Old Covenant were constantly standing and working to provide the necessary sacrifices, ceaselessly, year after year. But when Christ spilled his own unblemished blood, as the ultimate High Priest, He was able to sit down for the work was completed.
In 10:19, the direction curves with a “Therefore” to the practical application of this truth. First, we are told, “have boldness to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus.” This emphasizes the solidity of what has occurred; nothing can shake or undermine the eternal work of Christ’s death on our behalf. There is no dependency on a person’s strength to enter God’s presence. Christ has assuredly torn the blockade to God’s presence, and we are welcomed into His presence through forgiveness. Christ has given His people privilege to speak to God directly and safely allowing us to worship, repent from sin, and seek refuge in Him.

2) What does it mean to “draw near with a true heart”?
After the encouragement of drawing near with a true heart, there is description of the heart being sprinkled clean and the body being washed. So, do we need to bathe before praying? The Matthew Henry Commentary notes the author is providing a tangible picture and parallel of the physical to the spiritual. The physical, outward confession of salvation in Christ is baptism. With baptism, the sense of a physical washing clean and removal of stains is to help us understand how Christ washes our souls clean from sin stains we cannot scrub out with good deeds and intentions. We are to draw near to God with pure intentions and a full surrender to Christ, relying on Him and not ourselves!

3) How does “holding fast” draw us deeper into worship?
This passage of Hebrews 10:19-23 begins with the means by which one is able to draw near to God (through the blood of Christ as our high priest). Accepting Christ’s sacrifice as your own, opens the door for true worship. In verse 22, we are directed to the “how” of drawing near to God, “with a true heart in full assurance of faith”. Finally, in verse 23, the author implores us to “hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering”. Verses 24-25 then elaborate on living out this life of worship as a community of believers loving each other in everyday life.  It is this “holding fast” aspect that creates the natural overflow of a life of worship as we love those around us for the glory of God!

Everyday Application

1) Is it really okay to approach God with boldness? Isn’t that disrespectful or assuming?
The term “boldness” can get muddied in the real or fictional heroes of culture. Boldness is often tied up with rebellion, fighting for something, or taking charge. Dictonary.com gives definitions for “boldness” as “not hesitating in the face of actual or possible danger…necessitating courage” amongst other definitions. The English Standard Version of the Bible translates “boldness” in verse 10:19 to “confidence.”
In the Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis’ analogues God’s holiness being like that of an “untamed Lion”. God is not “tamed” by human logic or persuasion. His holiness demands a justice for sin that ought to have each of us quivering.  Because Christ’s sacrifice offers reconciliation, we are extended the offer of fellowship with God, talking with Him in the manner originally intended back in the Garden of Eden. Though we ought to never lose our humility and reverence when praying, we can know that we are speaking to God as clearly as if He were sitting next to us. He hears us, is listening, and is responding. We can draw close to Him without intimidation, converse with Him our heart’s struggles, and know we are in His presence.

2) What does it mean to “draw near with a true heart”?
When Christ died, taking the punishment for sin we rightly deserved, the veil in the Tabernacle was torn from top to bottom, allowing direct access to the presence of God for all people. (verse 20) The Matthew Henry Commentary notes that for Christ to have graciously torn that veil and opened access directly to God, it would be a dishonoring and “un-grateful” response on our part to then refuse to draw near to HIS presence. Fellowship with us is not only what HE enjoys, but is also what He knows will bring us deep satisfaction. A relationship with God is not “what’s in it for me” or a last-minute panic button when we receive consequences for our decisions. Rather, drawing near with a true heart means we have surrendered everything to Christ alone. We are to draw near with humble gratitude for His merciful invitation to fellowship with God, with adoration of who HE is. It is through this lens and in this position of gratitude, we are invited to lay our petitions before Him.

3) How does “holding fast” draw us deeper into worship?
Usually when one is need of “holding fast,” it is because a storm is blowing strong and the muscles are weary. Living in tornado alley, a storm is inevitable, but the timing or strength of it cannot be predicted. Schools practice drills of moving deeper into the building, ducking down, and covering heads. To be safe, people practice the basics over and over in hopes that when the storm hits, even children can get themselves to refuge without delay.
We are called to be in the habit of drawing near. At times, it may feel mundane or “I already know this”, but this rehearsing the truth of the gospel, is slowly preparing us for when life feels out of control. With practice, rather than panic when the storm hits, we can run deeper into God’s faithfulness. We “hold fast to the confession of our hope” by looking to Christ as our source for real life and deep satisfaction, trusting the gospel over our feelings, and consistently digging deeper into His Word. Only when we do this can we really have front row seats to watching God work. God uses this holding fast to pull our hearts into adoration of HIM and humility of ourselves, thus the overflow of worship cannot be stopped!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Delivery, Please!

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 Prayer Week Three!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

Prayer Day 11 Delivery, Please

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 6:5-15
Romans 7:15-20 
Hebrews 10:19-25 
Matthew 4:1-11  

Prayer, Day 11

“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” ~Jesus
Temptation is the desire to engage in short-term urges for enjoyment,
while threatening long-term goals.

It’s something we all face and have all given in to.
“We have all fallen short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 

The face of temptation looks different for everyone,
but one thing is the same, when we follow temptation, sin will drag us in. 

Every. Time.

For some, it may be the urge to spend money on things you don’t need.
For others, it could the desire to eat or drink or medicate the pain away.
Or maybe for you, it’s looking to the internet to satisfy a sexual urge.
The urge to share that juicy story, the desire to arrogantly prove yourself right, the lust for more.
Temptations are everywhere, for everyone.  

As we walk through life, we look for healthy ways to handle temptations.
We put money in safe places, so we can’t spend it.
We lock away the food and drinks.
We pursue accountability partners and even counseling. 

But, if we are completely honest, even with all the safeguards, we still give into temptation. 

Because here’s the truth about temptation for anyone who does not have Christ. 
You cannot win against the temptation to sin. 
It’s absolutely impossible. 

The apostle Paul says of himself before Jesus:
“For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.  So now it is no longer I who do it, but Sin that dwells within me. 
For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. 
For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 
For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 
Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.”
Romans 7:15-20 

See, without the rule and reigning authority of Christ and His Righteous Life indwelling us, making us free, we are dead to life. 
We are chained to sin.
Temptation will always grip us.  

But guess what?
There is hope!

Paul concludes his description with a desperate, pleading question:
“Who will deliver me from this body of Death?!” (verse 24)

Who??!
Jesus.
Jesus delivers.

And so, Paul shouts with triumphant victory!
“Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (verse 25)

Under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, we are freed unto Life! 
We are no longer under the reign of Sin and Death, tied down with no choice but to accept Temptation’s death knell, we are free. 
Free to walk away from Temptation and her seductive lies.
She doesn’t.
The Enemy never does. 

James wisely teaches, “Resist the Devil (by submitting to God), and he will flee from you.”

Peter reiterates, “Resist him (the Devil), be firm in your faith…”

Freedom from temptation begins and ends with Jesus Christ.
First, our lives fully surrendered to Him.
Second, our moments of temptation given over to Him.

“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

This was Jesus’ own prayer.
It was His modeled invitation declaring Himself to be
the only way out of temptation. 

Want true deliverance?
It’s found in nothing else than by calling on the Sweet Name of Jesus. 

In 1 Corinthians 10:13, Paul says, “God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

During Jesus’ own experience with temptation, He again modeled for us the proper way to fight temptation: with the all-powerful Word of the LORD.  Matthew 4:1-11.  

We must use God’s Word of God to fight temptation.
Until we start fighting spiritually,
we will continue to fall into Death instead of living real life.

Just as Paul knew that through Christ alone, who took our punishment for our sin in our place, giving us His righteousness and free access to God through Himself,
he knew every victory was bound up in that powerful name of Jesus Christ.

Victory to break the chains of sin that temptation brings.
Chains keeping us in darkness.
Chains holding us in bondage.
Chains keeping us from experience of redemptive power of grace.
Chains holding us back from being fully used to glorify God. 

Temptation is strong, but our God is stronger! 

So Lord, “lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil.” Matthew 6:13
Lord, “search our hearts, know us, and remove any evil way in us.” Psalm 139:23-24 

God, You have already won the battle of our hearts, so help us walk in that freedom!
Teach us to rely solely on you, using your Word to keep us firm.
Remind us, Spirit, that we are Dead to Sin because of Jesus Christ!
Teach us, every day, in all the ways we are tempted, to give ourselves fully over to You. 
Deliver us Lord, like only you can!
And we will join with the shout of Paul,
“Thanks be to God (for the freedom that comes) through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

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

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