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The GT Weekend ~ Terrain 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) The Jordan River was muddy, narrow at some spots, and wide in others. During flood season, it rushed madly and left mud-covered banks on either side. The Jordan was far from the beautiful flow of cascading water we might be prone to conjure up in our mind’s eye as we read of Jesus’ baptism or of fledgling Israel crossing before the battle of Jericho. Muddy as it was, the Jordan River played a pivotal role in both Old and New Testament stories, acting as a transition from one major scene to another. Think back over the major turning points in your own spiritual life. What emotions and circumstances marked their significance? If you had been the author of your life, would you have chosen cleaner, easier pathways for your journey? While the Jordan didn’t win any awards for being beautiful and clear, it did provide life-giving water to the entire Judean plain. Sometimes, life is found in the most unsuspecting of places. If you could “drop a pin” in the locations of your life marked by ugly struggle and hardship, consider the muddy Jordan River flowing through these areas. Pray redemption over them, and remember how deeply God loves to bring good, life-giving things out of muddy messes!

2) Forgotten. Hidden away. “Nothing good comes from Nazareth”. On Wednesday, Brenda took us away on a journey between two cities, utterly insignificant in their description and their surrounding terrain, but flooded with impact that reaches our own place in time. The Lord God could have chosen anywhere for the Messiah to be born and teach, but He intentionally picked the forgotten and neglected. This theme continues through all of Scripture and is woven tightly into every redemption story. So, let’s do something brave together, okay? I’ll take out pen and paper and you do the same. Take a big breath and write down, by name, all the places you wish were known and loved about you and your story, but remain hidden, unseen, and tucked away. Or perhaps, you’ve dared bring these out into the light only to have them rejected, “Nothing good comes from (fill in the blank).” Go ahead, write them down, I’m writing too. Don’t just mentally tick a list, it’s important to put these in ink and let our eyes take in the sight. One word, two words, get narrower and more descriptive. Are there tears in your eyes like there are in mine? Now tear these out of the page you’ve written and hold them up in your hands outstretched to the God who sees all things and specializes in bringing significance and beauty and richness out of the “good for nothing”. Lord God, take our broken nothings and make them beauty as You know us completely!

3) When we begin studying the physical components of the ancient world where Jesus taught, walked, laughed, and died, we gain a new perspective on the world around us. God seems so far off sometimes, doesn’t He? We are tempted to think He is out of touch. Our challenge in studying Terrain is to be reminded that the God who ordains every leaf to tremble in the wind, and knows the whereabouts of every strand of your hair, is keenly present in every moment. The whisper of the wind. The silkiness of rose petals. The smudgy kiss of a toddler. He is present. Yesterday, we were encouraged to “take a tent” to the Mt. of Olives and let our sandal clad feet explore the rocks and budding flowers, and the let the wispy olive tree branches graze our cheeks. As we walked in our minds, we were prodded to consider our own journeys with Jesus. Where have we seen Him? How have we encountered Him? Where does our hope lie? Take a full 60 seconds and just pause. Close your eyes and see the mountain, smell the breeze, listen for the Savior’s voice. What do you hear? As you open your eyes to your own landscape, decide to look closer into the ordinary things and be reminded of the utterly un-ordinary God who loves 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 Luke 12:6-7 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight. Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Prayer Journal
Here is my mess, Lord, will You take it? Myself. All my sinful ways. The ways I decide to trust me over You. The attention and love I give to those things and while choosing to ignore You. My hard heart and sharp tongue. My love of self.
Here is my list of hidden things, all those I tuck away sensing their insignificance and rejection; will You look at them? Wayward sons, willful daughters, broken trust, scars too deep for words, dreams I try to pretend haven’t died, wistful aches that I don’t voice.
Here are my ordinary everyday things, Lord. Soap bubbles, sticky floors, strong-willed children, wayward sons, willful daughters, the scent of outside play, the tree branch outside my window, the silky grass at my feet, the softness of my pillow, and Your words singing over me to the rhythm of the Spirit’s dance.
Lord God, how is it possible for You, the Holy of Holies, to look upon me and all my wretchedness? Yet, You do. More so, You invite the broken, the heavy-laden, the sin-shattered to come. It’s as if our brokenness is the requirement for coming to You that You might redeem and make whole. Lord God, may it be so. Let me know 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

The GT Weekend! ~ Sketched VIII 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) Lazarus had a story to tell. Back from the dead! Talk about the very best come-back-story! The truly radical part of Lazarus’ story, however, wasn’t found in his silent heart beginning to beat again, it was in how Jesus had changed his heart his sisters forever. One day, Lazarus’ body stopped working again, and it didn’t start back up, but his soul was safe forever in the presence of the Lord. Because Lazarus had trusted Jesus with much more than his body, the radical part of his story was that one day, Lazarus would live forever with Jesus Christ in fullness and sweetness. You and I weren’t buried in a tomb and brought back to life, but this picture is the same for our souls. Before trusting Jesus with our everything, our souls were chained up in sin and death. After Jesus, we are free, alive, radically made new! Is this you?! Made new? Tell your radical story!! Pick one person to share with this week! If you aren’t absolutely certain you have a “death-to-life” story with Jesus, send us an email (contact@gracefullytruthful.com) or connect with a friend who loves Jesus. Don’t wait another day!!

2)  Naaman’s skin disease was miraculously healed, but the greater healing was his prideful heart being dramatically humbled before God. It’s easy for us, as human beings, to only focus on the physical instead of the spiritual. We pray for bodies to be healed. We pray for hurts to be made whole. We pray for financial pitfalls to be reversed. We pray for many physical or relational things, and while we are invited by the Lord to pray about all things, the Lord is most interested in our spiritual condition. How He loves to use the physical realm to point us toward the spiritual one! As we come to the Lord this weekend, let’s ask Him to heal our hearts, to root out our sin, to teach us to worship Him in fullness, and for our minds to be renewed by His gentle, Shepherd hand! Expect Him to heal!

3) Disappointment. Loss. Grief. We’ve all walked these roads and felt the depth of emotion associated with these struggles. For Tamar, her disappointment seeped through her entire life. One by one, those who were supposed to protect her and stand up for her, not only let her down, but put her down. They demoralized her. They cheated her. They used her. They abused her. They mocked her. Yet, the Lord heard her, He saw her, and He moved on her behalf to bring about His wonderous glory! While few of us have experienced the severity of circumstance like Tamar, we each walk our own difficulties. Sister, if the Lord used the extreme brokenness of Tamar, grafting her story into the very lineage of Jesus Christ, who extended radical grace to all peoples through His sacrifice on the cross, how greatly will He work in your brokenness?! Sit for a few minutes in total quiet (or as much quiet as you can manage to ascertain!), hold open your hands, and speak to the Lord as you surrender your broken places and sharp, cutting edges. Ask for redemption and wait as He moves!

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 Isaiah 63:7 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

I will make known the Lord’s faithful love
and the Lord’s praiseworthy acts,
because of all the Lord has done for us—
even the many good things
he has done for the house of Israel,
which he did for them based on his compassion
and the abundance of his faithful love.

Prayer Journal
Lord God, You have done unfathomable things! My tongue can testify endlessly of Your mighty power and I will never tire of sharing the incredible things You have done in my life, Lord! “You have made me rejoice, Lord, by what You have done! I will shout for joy because of the works of Your hand! How magnificent are Your works, Lord! How profound Your thoughts!” (Psalm 92:4-5) Lord, give me more opportunities to share what You have personally done in my life, for none can argue with my personal experience with You. Take my story of redemption and bring others near to Your heart through it! Give me courage, Abba. Courage to share, wisdom to follow Your leading, and tenderness toward those hearts who are utterly lost and condemned without hope in You. Stir my heart to tell of Your healing in my life!

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

Redeemed Day 12 The Waiting Game: 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 Waiting Game!

The Questions

1) Why does it matter that Boaz is a relative?

2) Why would Ruth uncover his feet and lie down?

3) Why does Ruth agree in verse 5?

Ruth 3:1-5

3 Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, shouldn’t I find rest for you, so that you will be taken care of? 2 Now isn’t Boaz our relative? Haven’t you been working with his female servants? This evening he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. 3 Wash, put on perfumed oil, and wear your best clothes. Go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let the man know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 When he lies down, notice the place where he’s lying, go in and uncover his feet, and lie down. Then he will explain to you what you should do.”
5 So Ruth said to her, “I will do everything you say.”

Original Intent

1) Why does it matter that Boaz is a relative?
Ruth and Naomi are both widows.  Being a widow during Old Testament days meant a life of poverty. Expositor’s Bible Commentary describes their life this way, “lonely, with no prospect before them but hard toil that would by and by fail, unable to undertake anything on their own account, and still regarded with indifference, if not suspicion, by the people of Bethlehem.” Their life would have little to no hope unless someone stepped in to provide. God, in His wisdom, had provided for this reality within Israelite culture by means of a relative. Ruth and Naomi needed a “kinsman redeemer”, who was typically the closest male relative, in order to have assurance of provision for their future. While Boaz was not the closest relative, he was the closest relative willing to take on this responsibility. As long as the closest relative agreed, the next in lineage, would have the opportunity to step in as “kinsman redeemer”.

2)Why would Ruth uncover his feet and lie down?
When we read Naomi’s instructions to Ruth they seem inappropriate, at best, within our modern context. However, Expositor’s Bible Commentary helps us understand what Ruth is truly doing. “Ruth is to go to the threshing floor on the night of the harvest festival, wait until Boaz lies down to sleep beside the mass of winnowed grain, and place herself at his feet, so reminding him that, if no other will, it is his duty to be a husband to her for the sake of Elimelech and his sons.” (Expositors) Ruth is presenting herself to Boaz in hopes of redemption. This was not a scandalous action, rather, it was common for a servant to lay at the feet of their master.  Naomi is encouraging Ruth to present herself in hopes that Boaz will marry her, or find another relative to do so, therefore redeeming her (and Naomi). Matthew Henry says, “Naomi herself designed nothing but what was honest and honourable, and her charity (which believeth all things and hopeth all things) banished and forbade all suspicion that either Boaz or Ruth would attempt anything but what was likewise honest and honourable. If Naomi’s instructions were as indecent and immodest (according to the usage of the country) as they seem to us now, we cannot think that if Naomi had had so little virtue (which yet we have no reason to suspect) she would also have had so little wisdom as to put her daughter upon it, since that alone might have marred the match, and have alienated the affections of so grave and good a man as Boaz from her. We must therefore think that the thing did not look so ill then as it does now.”

3) Why does Ruth agree in verse 5?
If Naomi’s instructions seem strange to us, then what must we think of Ruth’s agreement! Surely, it speaks to Ruth’s character. Matthew 1:5 includes Ruth in the genealogy of Jesus which speaks greatly of her faith and character. By no means was she perfect, but she was chosen much like Abraham, Noah, Moses, and so many others because God knew their heart and chose to work through them, despite their weaknesses. Matthew Henry says, “We may be sure, if Ruth had apprehended any evil in that which her mother advised her to, she was a woman of too much virtue and too much sense to promise as she did (verse 5), “All that thou sayest unto me I will do.” Thus, must the younger submit to the elder, and to their grave and prudent counsels, when they have nothing worth speaking of to object against it.” Ruth found no objection in Naomi’s instruction and therefore agreed to follow it.

Everyday Application

1) Why does it matter that Boaz is a relative?
While we do not live in Old Testament days, we are still in need of a redeemer. In our flesh and humanity, we are just as Ruth and Naomi, lost and hopeless in our sin, “unable to undertake anything on their own account” (Expositors). We are all born with a sin nature and not one of us has lived without sin, except for Jesus.  Matthew Henry says, “that he is our near kinsman; having taken our nature upon him, he is bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh.” It is through His sacrifice that we are redeemed. Through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, provision was made possible for the eternal future of every single person who believes on Him with full trust and faith. A future that includes a restored relationship with God and an eternity spent delighting in His love for us and then reflecting that love back to Him in worship.

2) Why would Ruth uncover his feet and lie down?
This action seems completely immoral in our sight. However, we cannot assume that to be the intention Naomi (or Ruth in her agreement) had as they made this decision. Ruth presented herself to her redeemer and awaited further instruction from him. She did not make advances, but sought redemption. We must do likewise with our redeemer, Christ Jesus. Matthew Henry says, “Thus must we lay ourselves at the feet of our Redeemer, to receive from him our doom. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” We should lay ourselves at His feet seeking His direction and guidance. His plans and ways are always best, we simply need to ask, listen, and then obey. We come with humility and total trust and acceptance of His response, which, according to Scripture, we already know is glad welcome and the gift of eternity with Him! As we lay ourselves down in surrender, the Lord Jesus redeems us, raising us to walk in newness of life!

3) Why does Ruth agree in verse 5?
Ruth is a foreigner in Israel. She listens to the guidance of her Israelite mother-in-law trusting she knew best. Her obedience is not blind, rather a result of trust built in a relationship. She knew Naomi and trusted she would not guide her into destruction, but a better life. In our lives, we face situations and decisions where we need to seek the wisdom of others. We need to surround ourselves with believers who are wiser than us and whose guidance we can seek. However, we must also be willing to listen, like Ruth did, to the guidance given. Ruth would have lived a much different life had she not heeded the council of Naomi. God places people in our lives who, along with the direction of the Holy Spirit, guide us into a much different life than we can lead on our own. We are not meant to walk this journey of life alone, but with others who can help support, guide, and direct us into the best of what God has for us. However, just like Ruth, we must know the guidance being given is done in wisdom from the Lord. We determine this through an established relationship with the person and by spending time seeking the Lord through prayer and study of His Word. If we are given sound, biblical wisdom, it will always line up with what the Lord says in His word.

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

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!
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Our Current Study Theme!

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Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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The GT Weekend! ~ He 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) On Monday, Paula wrote of the Lord being, “Someone fierce. Someone dangerous to their reign of deception. Yahweh Sabaoth, the Lord of Hosts.” The great I Am (Yahweh) is the Lord of Hosts (Sabaoth) and of Angel Armies. With His mighty force He pushes back the powers of darkness, for they hold no power or authority against Him. Truly, it isn’t even a fight, for just a word from Yahweh and enemies are vanquished. In your own life, where do you need to surrender your battles to Yahweh Sabaoth who is never defeated? Where do you hold more tightly to lies than truth? This is a battle for the Lord of Hosts! Where relationships crumble, where brokenness runs deep, where wounds are still felt, where the darkness in our minds or hearts is heavy, these are battles for Yahweh Sabaoth. Turn them over to Him and shelter in His hiding place as He fights for you!

2) “From everlasting to everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” Psalm 90:2 holds truth I need in my everyday life. He is the unchanging God. His promises are sure and certain. His hope is alive from eternity past to eternity future. He rules across all of time. Because each of those statements are true, it is utterly impossible for Him to be unaware of my mundane moments or be left powerless over them. Rather, this verse is a reminder to me that in every messy moment, He is God. When I’m weeping, when I’m dancing, when I’m breathless with excitement or heart-broken, He is God. Nothing is unseen by Him. Take this truth and breath it in and out. Make this verse your mantra, applying to every moment of hurt and joy because our God spans from everlasting to everlasting!

3) El Gibhor means Mighty God. Read, victorious in every way. No battle is too intense. No suffering too painful for His healing. Not even death holds the “win” against El Gibhor. Every broken aspect of our lives is an opportunity to surrender it to the power of the Mighty God, waiting for His timing and His wise, loving power to bring about redemption. For those who trust Christ with the full weight of their lives, Mighty God acts and moves on their behalf to bring about victory and redemption in every part of their lives. We might see that redemptive work in our lives now, in part, but one day, we will see the full working of El Gibhor as He has mightily worked for our good in all things! In the now, we wait with the certainty of coming hope, trusting our God! What heavy burden have you been carrying that you will choose to surrender to Mighty God in trust?

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 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us. 8 We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; 9 we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.

Prayer Journal
I am so weak, Lord! How could You even consider me as You operate within infinite power and authority? How could You show kindness to me, or remember my existence? How could You bother with seeing my mundane struggles? Even my biggest struggles, heaviest burdens, and deepest wounds are nothing difficult to You, yet You lavish love, tenderness, compassion, and Your own righteousness upon all who call on Your name for salvation! In my humanity, Lord, I admit that when I walk through difficulty or no longer feel close to You, I doubt Your goodness. I forget You are the One holding even my cell structure together. The true reality of Your loving character will never change. Never will you abandon. Never will you leave me hopeless. Never will You destroy the soul who has trusted You. May my tongue sing Your praise of goodness all my days!

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

He Day 6 Yahweh Jireh

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 22:10-18
Matthew 6:5-8
Matthew 6:25-34
Ephesians 3:20-21

He, Day 6

I have never felt more “unseen” than in my first few years of motherhood. With my husband coaching late night games and my son often rising before dawn, I spent most mornings wondering how I was going to make it through another fourteen hour day alone with the kids.

Those were difficult, yet fruitful years, as I leaned into my desperate need for God. I needed Him for strength, grace, peace, and joy, and He provided me all of those and more. During those long, lonely days, I came to know Him as Yahweh Jireh, “The Lord Who Provides.”

Abraham was the first to call God by this name. He did so just after an enormous test of faith, when God asked him to sacrifice his one and only son, the son born of God’s promise to make Abraham a great nation. 

In Genesis 22, we watch as Abraham binds his son, Isaac, and lays him on an altar. Abraham raises his arm, fully prepared to use the knife he holds, only to hear the Lord call out and stay his hand. As Abraham looks up, he sees a ram caught in a thicket of thorns. It is God’s provision, a substitute sacrifice to stand in Isaac’s place. Abraham’s son no longer needed to die, God had Abraham’s full attention. 

Yahweh Jireh can be defined as both “The Lord Perceives” and “The Lord Provides.” These definitions may seem at odds, but as we will see, they are really two steps in a single action.

A great example of this is found in Numbers 11:4-23. In this passage, the nation of Israel is grumbling against their leader, Moses, and ultimately against the Lord. They are tired of the manna God has provided them and desperate for meat. They are so desperate, in fact, they begin to long for the land of their captivity, Egypt. 

The Lord hears their complaints and His righteous anger is aroused. He declares He will provide them meat; in fact, He will provide them so with much meat they will be sick of it. He informs Moses He will send them quail for a month.

Moses seems indignant and replies, “I am in the middle of a people with six hundred thousand foot soldiers, yet you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat, and they will eat for a month.’ If flocks and herds were slaughtered for them, would they have enough? Or if all the fish in the sea were caught for them, would they have enough?” (Numbers 11:21-22)

The Lord responds, “Is the Lord’s arm weak? Now you will see whether or not what I have promised will happen for you.” (Numbers 11:23)

The Lord makes it clear He will be the one to provide for Israel, not Moses, and indeed He does. Not only does He perceive both the Israelites’ “need” and its origin in attitudes of ungratefulness, but He provides remedies for both.

If we fast forward to the New Testament, we see another instance where Yahweh Jireh perceives and provides. In John 6, Jesus is wrapping up a full day’s teaching alongside the sea of Galilee, when He looks up at the gathering crowd. Moved with compassion, He looks over at Philip and asks, “Where will we buy bread so that these people can eat?”. (John 6:5)

I imagine Philip’s pulse quickened at the question, his mind reeling with the impracticality of finding, much less affording, enough bread to feed the thousands before him. 

“Two hundred denarii [nearly a year’s wages] worth of bread wouldn’t be enough for each of them to have a little,” Philip responds, despairingly. (John 6:7)

But Jesus never intended for Philip to purchase bread. The text tells us before Jesus asked the question, He had determined a solution. He would provide the food and He would do it through the meager offering a small boy’s lunch: five loaves of bread and two fish.

In both of these instances, God perceives a need and determines He will meet it.
Both times, man perceives the need and despairs.

Are you in a place of despair? 

Do you find yourself surrounded by overwhelming problems and unmet needs? Be encouraged! There is nothing, not a moment, of our lives that goes by unobserved by Yahweh Jireh. Unlike an uninterested bystander, the Lord not only perceives our needs, He moves on our behalf to meet them. 

Nowhere is this more true than in our need for a savior. Just as God provided a ram to stand in the place of Abraham’s son, He provided Jesus to stand in ours. 

Our salvation is a need we couldn’t possibly satisfy on our own;
our sin is a debt we could never repay.
Thanks be to Christ, we no longer have to. 

His death ensured our forgiveness;
His righteousness became our own.

Whatever you are in need of today, bring it before Yahweh Jireh. He has met our greatest need through salvation. How much more can we trust Him with the rest?

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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 He 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 He!

Relentless Day 6 Faith or Fear?

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Judges 6:11-18
Lamentations 3:21-26
1 Corinthians 1:26-30

“Thanks for coming for the interview yesterday. We’d like to offer you the job.”

As I stood with the phone to my ear, letting the words sink in, all I could think was there must be some mistake. Surely, they weren’t seriously offering me the job!

Doubts and insecurities flooded my mind. As much as I wanted this job as a school’s worker with a Christian charity, I didn’t feel capable. I was too inexperienced, too lacking in confidence, definitely not good enough to even consider this. Although I wanted the job, the chances of being selected had seemed so small, I’d really only gone to the interview for the experience.

Plus, I’d been dealing with some difficult things lately. There was no way I felt strong enough to take this on right now. All too conscious of my weakness, I was sure they could have found someone better.

I imagine Gideon’s feelings may have been similar when the angel of the Lord appeared to him. Cowering at the bottom of a winepress, threshing wheat, hiding from the Midianites who had destroyed the Israelites’ crops and reduced them to starvation, he wasn’t exactly a picture of strength.

When the words, “valiant warrior” are uttered, I picture him looking round in bewilderment to see who the angel is addressing, not thinking for a moment that the greeting is intended for him.

What’s more, the angel announces that God is with him! Gideon has little confidence in either part of this greeting. He struggles to see beyond his fear and his weakness to consider himself a “valiant warrior,” while also finding the idea of God being with him difficult to believe. After all, the Israelites’ oppression at the hands of the Midianites has been going on for seven long years. By this point, Gideon is worn down and out of hope. He can’t help but blurt out his honest question:

“If the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us?”  (Judges 6:13)

Don’t we all ask similar questions at times?

Whether it’s a significant time of tragedy or loss, a situation where our hope and hard work give way to disappointment, or simply a day when the pressures and frustrations of life seem to mount up, it’s easy to question where God is and why He has allowed these things to happen.

Maybe, like Gideon, we have tried to hold on to God’s promises and the ways we have seen or heard of His power in the past, but, when we look at our current situation, we feel abandoned. The idea of God having a good plan for us can seem hard to believe.

It’s reassuring that God doesn’t rebuke Gideon for asking this question, but neither does He provide an explanation.

Judges 6:14 provides an intriguing twist: “the Lord turned to him.” As He calls Gideon to go forward in the strength he has and lead Israel to victory over the Midianites, it seems Gideon suddenly realises he is not merely talking to an angel, but God Himself.

God’s response to Gideon’s question is not to answer, but to draw close and reveal Himself. He shows Gideon He has not abandoned him, but that, even in the midst of the suffering and oppression, He is right there with him.

As God continues to speak, we see His relentless love both towards the Israelite nation and towards Gideon as an individual. By this point, the Israelites have been spiralling round in a self-destructive cycle of sin for several years. God has forgiven them time and time again, yet still they continue to turn away. It would have been understandable for Him to have rejected them, but instead He remains committed to the rescue.

The manner in which He chooses to effect that rescue is through Gideon, even in his weakness. Despite Gideon’s doubts and hesitation, his lack of confidence, and his fear, God’s commitment to His plan for Gideon is relentless. Gideon still doesn’t understand, and he continues to question his ability and seek reassurance, but despite this he is called to move forward and to step out in faith.

Gideon is faced with an important choice: follow God, or follow his fears.

As I considered my unexpected job offer, I had a similar decision to make. When I looked at myself, I felt inadequate and ill-equipped, but then I remembered my many prayers that God would let the right person get the job, and in the end, I knew my reasons for hesitating were due to fear. Instead, I knew I had to step forward in faith, trusting that God had answered my prayer, that He would be with me and help me, and that His strength would be enough.

As I did so, I saw His relentless faithfulness in providing all I needed and leading me into a place where I could serve Him and flourish. As I look back, twelve years later, still happily involved in the same ministry, I’m grateful He enabled me to choose faith over fear and as God used me even in my weakness!

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Kaleidoscope Day 6 Strength Of Humility

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Corinthians 13:4
Nehemiah 9:16-19
Philippians 2:5-8

Kaleidoscope, Day 6

“I’m not staying in this tiny town!”, I declared, my voice full of hurt and anger.

“And I’m not leaving,” my husband responded with just as much conviction.

We stared at each other, feeling every inch of the emotional chasm separating us. We had only been married eight months, yet we had already hit a wall strong enough to break us up.

I had grown up in a big city and always imagined raising my children near my parents. But, I married a boy from East Texas, with roots as deep as pine trees are tall. His family owned land and cattle in a small town and one week after we were married, we moved there, five hours away from my family.

While I could see the cracks forming in our young marriage with every stance I took, my pride kept me from letting up. I wanted to move to my hometown and live near my parents, and if my husband wouldn’t agree to that, then maybe we weren’t meant to be after all.

.   .   .   .   .

It pains me to look back at that time in my life. I couldn’t see how tightly the vine of pride had wrapped around me, squeezing the life out of my marriage.
Pride has no place in love.
This is what 1 Corinthians 13 teaches us.
To be proud is to be self-reliant, self-preserving, and self-focused.

Pride leaves no room for an “other”.
If your world is consumed with making sure
your needs are met,
your rights are not trampled,
or your kingdom is being built,
then you have no time to meet the needs of others, to speak out in their defense, or to build them up. Blinded by pride, one can never experience true love, nor can you extend it.

The antidote to pride is humility. C.S. Lewis once said, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” By this definition, to be humble, is to be focused on others. As a Christian, it means to be focused on God. And in humility, we have no better example than Love incarnate: Jesus Christ.

Philippians 2:5-8 beautifully depicts the humility of Christ:
“…who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be explained. Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death- even to death on a cross.”

The love of Christ is unlike any other precisely because it is humble.
He did not seek His own best interests, or His own desires, or His own will.
He did not “puff himself up” or think himself too good to die for us.
He laid every right aside for the good of the world, in obedience to His father.

We see God’s selfless love throughout Scripture, not only on the cross, but also in the desert. As a “stiff necked” people, the Israelites rejected Him time and again, but God remained faithful.
He always sought them out.
He always won them back.
He never stopped loving them, no matter the cost.

And that’s the heart of it, isn’t it?
True love always costs us something.

In fact, true love costs us everything; it costs us our selves.
We see this everywhere from motherhood and marriage to friendships. We see it in our relationship with God. To truly love God is to lay down our will and humbly submit to His.

In the world, selfless love is a dangerous proposition.
In Christ, there is no safer bet.

The world warns that no one will care for you if you don’t care for yourself. But Christ’s perfect love drives out that fear. Wholly taken care of by His perfect love, we are free to love others without thought for ourselves.

.   .   .   .   .

After some time had passed, my husband broke our silence. This time, the anger in his voice was gone, leaving only sadness and desperation.

“I’m doing everything I can to make you happy here, don’t you see that? Why won’t you just give it a chance?”

As tears filled his eyes, my heart began to break. I loved this man. What was I doing? He was doing his best to make me happy in our new home. My pride was the only thing standing in our way to a strong marriage and a new life together.

In that moment, I chose to let go of my plans and trust God. It was a decision I had to make every day for the next year, as God faithfully worked in my heart to help me choose our future over my past.

Pride threatened to destroy my marriage, but humility saved it; taking my eyes off of my pain and setting them on God’s plan.  Though it was a difficult time in our marriage, we experienced the truth of 1 Corinthians 13 first-hand.
Love is not proud, it is humble and fully rests on His love for us.

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Anchored Day 3 Together

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Colossians 1:3-14
Genesis 1:1-2
Matthew 28:16-20
2 Corinthians 3:12-18
Ephesians 1:7-10

Anchored, Day 3

“Alllll by myseeeeelllllllff
Don’t wanna be
Allllll by myseeelllff
Anymore”

Celine’s soulful lyrics have become stock in trade for rom com break-up scenes and may leave us rolling our eyes (or reaching for the tissues; no judging here . . .). But perhaps they are so ingrained in our culture because of her plaintive statement of a truth that resonates deeply within us.

Centuries earlier, John Donne penned a similar sentiment:
“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man
Is a piece of the continent, a part of the main”.

We were made for together.
At the inception of humankind, our Creator spoke this foundational idea:
“It is not good that man should be alone.” (Genesis 2:18)

Sisters, we were made in God’s image, and central to His identity is community and fellowship, together.  He is the triune God: God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Scripture tells us before anything else was, God was, eternally existing in fellowship with Himself. Born from this shared love, His creative heart crafted humanity, breathing His own life into us, fashioning our desire for community to mirror His own that we too might experience shared love of fellowship together with Him and others.

Why this emphasis on life together?
In part, He knew how dangerous alone can be.

 When we’re alone (physically or spiritually), our problems become larger than life.
We begin ignoring the provision of God Himself as we elevate our problems above His goodness. As we fixate on our struggles, we can’t begin to conceive of sharing another’s burden. Our gaze turns increasingly inward, into a deepening spiral of self-absorption, hopelessness, and paralysis.

When we’re alone, the whispered lies of the enemy become the loudest sound we hear.
God’s words of truth become faint, fading into the distance of our memories. “Sure, God calls you His beloved,” the enemy sneers, pressing play on our personalized failure reels, “but could He really love someone who does this . . . and this . . . and this?”

Heads hung in shame, we find ourselves agreeing. All too soon, we’re no longer defined by the love of our Father, but by everything ugly within us.

When we’re alone, we abandon our discipline.
We find ourselves exhausted by the weight of carrying on in our feebleness, and after all, who will know if I don’t (insert discipline here) just this once?
Here, our last tenuous tethers to life-giving habits are severed.

His solution: together.

Together, we lean into loving accountability.
Our communities both seek the best for us and deserve the best from us. When we choose discipline, not only are we transformed by consistent change, but we build trust within our tribes.

Together, we can put physical voice to the Word of God, drowning out the enemy’s condemnation as we remind each other of truth. When we risk vulnerability within biblical community, we encounter the awesome power of shared experience. We are reminded how life is a journey for all, and failure doesn’t disqualify us from His plan.

Together, we gain perspective on our problems.
We can draw on one another’s experiences, finding wisdom and guidance as we seek the Lord together. We feel the rebirth of hope, reconnect with empathy, and are energized to act on our faith in the world around us.

The church at Colossae excelled at together.
Paul opens his letter to them with praise for the love they have for one another in the Spirit (Colossians 1:4, 8). He’d heard of their deep understanding of the hope and grace of salvation, and how it’s moved them to join their hearts together on their journey.

However, they stopped short of putting feet to their faith.
This body firmly believes in the hope of life in God;
they see the suffering around and within them, and their hearts swell with empathy . . .
but they don’t seem to be quite sure what to do next.

Contained within Paul’s prayer for the church are two practical ways for these believers to act, together.

First, Paul prays the Colossians would grow in knowledge of God’s will, tempered with wisdom and understanding (Colossians 1:9). God is know-able; His word stands ready to teach us His heart!

Then, Paul urges the Colossians to let this Word of God dwell with them deeply (Colossians 3:16) as His Spirit guides their actions. Partnership with the Father, because of the Son, through the Holy Spirit, teaches them walk in a manner worthy of their calling, fully pleasing to God, and bearing much fruit. (Colossians 1:10)

Sisters, this is God’s calling for us!
We can follow Paul’s instructions by asking ourselves these questions as we read Scripture:

What is God showing me about Himself?
The Colossians were encouraged to grow rich in knowledge and understanding of the Lord. How does what we read inform our perspective of the Almighty?

What is God showing me about myself and others?
What is God’s heart for my community? What lens should I see myself and others through?

What am I going to do about it?
How do I put feet to my faith? What are tangible, practical ways I can act on the Word and will of God, for me, for the body of Christ, and for the lost?

As we live out the vibrant, active Word of God,
lives are changed,
discipline becomes consistent,
and transformation results.

As we are sanctified, the Bride of Christ more closely resembles her Lover and the world around us begins to touch the true heart of the Father.

Together, we seek Him.
Together, we grow.
Together, we bear fruit.

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

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Sketched V Day 12 Paul, The Prisoner: 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 Paul, The Prisoner!

The Questions

1) What is the context of this passage?

2) What is Paul’s definition of weakness in this passage?

3) What is Paul’s mindset in this passage?

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Original Intent

1) What is the context of this passage?
In this passage Paul has been boasting, but not in the way that one would think. Rather, Paul boasts of all the ways God has moved and worked in his life and the world around him. Paul is pointing out that in his humanity he is weak. He even asked God to remove a specific affliction. The response he received from God was that the mighty strength of the Lord is made (or displayed) perfectly in the weaknesses of humanity, even in physical affliction. God assures Paul His grace is sufficient and He is more than able to use suffering for the gospel’s sake. Humility, and a trusting reliance on God, are gained when we face affliction and hardship with the firm understanding that we are neither alone nor is our suffering wasted.

2) What is the weakness that Paul is talking about in this passage?
The weakness Paul describes is two-fold. The first description is found in verse 7, just prior to this passage where Paul has eluded to a “thorn in the flesh”. There is a very real physical alignment that he is suffering from, but there is no description given about what that “thorn” is for him. The second part of weakness for Paul is life circumstances and he lists them out in verse 10 as well as previously in chapter 11 and in other places in his writings.

3) What is Paul’s mindset in this passage?
Paul here describes his mindset as contentment and the source of that peace. He is content in knowing that God is using his hardship, persecution, and weakness. God’s love, authority, and ability to use all things for His glory gives Paul hope because there is reason and purpose even in suffering. He will “boast” about his weakness so that in his human weakness he will find eternal strength, which is put on display for all to see.

Everyday Application

1) What is the context of this passage?
God is always moving and working, but sometimes in the prisons of our life, it is hard to see that God is doing anything. It is difficult to see past the circumstance and feelings of weakness to comprehend how God could possibly use it, or us, for good. Rest assured, we can have hope that His grace is indeed sufficient and He has not left us alone. We are given promises all throughout Scripture and we can solidly know God “will never leave or forsake us. So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5b-6) We can take joy in knowing that God uses us despite our weaknesses; even in our calamities, the Lord assures He will work for His purposes.

2) What is the weakness that Paul is talking about in this passage?
On any given day, it is easy to recount the weakness of humanity. We simply watch the news to see the suffering in the world. Suffering and sadness are not new to this age, they are a product of the fall that began in Genesis when sin entered the world. Since that time, God has been working to redeem and restore the brokenness of this world through His Son and through the work of His Spirit. His desire and promise is that one day He will wipe away the insults, persecutions, and hardships, but in the meantime, He wants to work within His children to show a lost world that He has love, grace and mercy to offer in suffering.

3) What is Paul’s mindset in this passage?
The challenge for us, as it was for Paul, is to find contentment in God’s promises rather than losing sight of them by focusing on the circumstances surrounding us. Paul trusted God so intimately with his life that God’s desire became Paul’s desires, even if it meant shipwrecks, imprisonment, and beatings. I’m reminded of the old hymn, “Standing on the Promises of God” when I read these verses because in our times of suffering and weakness, standing on His promises is the only way to find contentment and hope. Contentment does not mean I’m happy or I don’t question events in my life, rather I know I can find eternal joy in recognizing how earthly circumstances do not define me or control me. They should push me and cause me to draw closer to the One who loves me and saves me. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

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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

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Our Current Study Theme!

This is Sketched V 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 :-))

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