The GT Weekend! ~ Kneel Week 2

January 15, 2022 by Erin O'Neal Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

1) Jesus is the greatest authority of all time. He is the beginning and the end, the life-giving vine, and He made himself low that we might have fellowship with Him and abide in Him. He is present with us, and He is our great High Priest, which means IN HIM, we have direct access to God the Father. How would your prayer life change if you fully embraced the knowledge that Jesus Himself presents our requests to the Father? He says that whatever we ask in His name He would give us. Consider the Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. Read the prayer out loud and consider what it could look like if God were to answer each of the requests listed there for your life. If you want to study this prayer with fresh insight, pick a few studies from our Journey Into Prayer theme. Then take a moment to examine your heart. Are you abiding in Christ? Is there a pattern of sin in your life that you need to repent from? Is there someone you have wronged and need to make amends with? Repent of your sins, make a plan to be at peace with everyone as much as it depends on you (Romans 12:18), then boldly approach the throne of God (Hebrews 4:16), making your requests known to Him with thankfulness (Philippians 4:6). Don’t be afraid to pray big and pray specific. Speak your requests out loud and worship your God. He can do far more than you can ask or imagine. Watch to see how He works in your life.

2) On Wednesday, Bethany challenged us to pray while assuming the best about God. She reminded us we are called to pray about everything, that God wants to know us better, that He is characterized by giving good gifts, that He knows us and what we are struggling with, and finally that He is gracious to us. Which of these truths do you struggle to believe the most? Talk to God about this today. Write down one or two of these truths that are difficult to accept. Why are these harder to believe? What holds you back from accepting God’s character and graciousness toward you? What would need to change for you to believe it? After you consider these questions, look back at the Scriptures Bethany presented to confirm the truth about God’s character. As you read the words God gave us about Himself, consider what would change for you if you truly embraced these things about God. Finally, write a prayer asking God to help you assume the best about Him, and pray as though you do believe those things. God can and will meet you even in the midst of unbelief. He will help you, because He desires you to know Him more.

3) When Daniel prayed to God on behalf of the people of Israel, he didn’t ask for forgiveness because he or the people deserved it. He acknowledged before the Lord how they had done nothing to deserve His forgiveness or action on their behalf. Instead, Daniel asked because he knew the Lord had (and still has!) abundant compassion. Even in our weakest moments, we can rely on God’s character to remain the same. He is gracious and compassionate. “What are you waiting on? What are you wrestling through? What are your hardships? Bring them to the Lord.” Ponder in your heart if you can agree with the Apostle Paul when he says, “When I am weak, then I am strong.” And Sister, remember you do not need to be strong on your own. When we have a personal relationship with Jesus, He gives us strength for each day. (Ephesians 6:10) As an additional help, His church is meant to support one another. As you face your struggles today, would you walk in humility and share your journey with a trustworthy Jesus-follower? As we allow others into our trials, we give them the gift of seeing the Lord work in His great strength along with us. Paul boasted of His weakness that Christ would be made great. We can join in this gift with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Colossians 1:9b-13 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

…We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, so that you may have great endurance and patience, joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light. He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.

Prayer Journal
Dearest Heavenly Father, boldly we approach the throne room of grace. Not by any merit or achievement, but only by the work of Jesus Christ on our behalf. Thank You for hearing our prayers. Thank You for making a way for us to speak with You directly. You are present with us at all times, whether we are aware or not. Help me, Oh Lord, to live and breathe a life of prayerful dependence on You. May I never lose sight of my deep, abiding need for You. My weaknesses, whether on display or hidden away, show me my inadequacies, but You Lord are strong in all my shortcomings. Lord, I believe You when You say You give good gifts to You children. I believe You know all things, even before I speak. I believe You are gracious. Help me in my unbelief. You know the deepest desires of my heart. You know my greatest needs and my hardest struggles. In Your mercy, hear my desperate cry for help, and be my Rock, my Anchor, my unfailing Refuge. Guide me in paths of righteousness for the sake of Your great Name. Help me to walk in Your faithfulness, ever mindful of my need for You, casting my care upon You at all times.

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Alive Day 6 Adopted

September 20, 2021 by Rebecca Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

John 1:12-13
Ephesians 1:3-10
Titus 1:1-3
Romans 8:14-17
Hosea 1:10-11

Alive, Day 6

For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. (Romans 8:14-17)

Father, You know I love you.
You also know the level of overwhelmed I feel right now, Lord.
I know You’ve been faithful to preserve me before, and I know You will continue.

But, Abba?
No matter how hard I try and pray and organize and squeeze in time, there is just not enough. I’m empty. I can’t keep this up. I can’t do everyone’s job. I keep praying, throwing myself on You, but the hours of work aren’t disappearing and my time narrows. How do I manage all this AND be un-burdened?

Daughter, come to Me. (Matthew 11:28-30)

Yes, I know. My coming to You has been pretty lacking. My quiet time has been, well, lack luster. I feel so far from You, Lord. I can’t muster up anything.

I died for this.
For your feelings of alone. For your sense of being abandoned. For your inability to follow Me on your own power. I died so those lies could be defeated, holding no weight.

What other lies did You die to defeat, Jesus?
I really need some anchors for my flailing feet right now. My marriage, friendships, kids, grieving places, failing areas, the places I’m hurting, the places I’ve hurt others… I keep running rickshaw over all of them. I hate that I’m doing it, but I just can’t seem to stop.

I died for you.
Full stop, my heart. Lord, I know this…but, do I?

I died for you to be mine, my Own, my Beloved One.
I died so you would never need to cling to fear, and could instead run from it, filled to overflowing by the fullness of truth and grace found only in relationship with Me.
(Colossians 2:9-10, John 1:14)

Only in Me. (John 14:6-7)
No other Father will love you like this. (John 10:30, John 15:15-16)
Never will I disown. Never will I forget you. I cannot, for I am perfectly faithful.
I Am here. (Isaiah 49:15-16, 2 Timothy 2:13)

All the riches of eternity are ours to share because you are Mine and I am yours. (Ephesians 1:3-4)
That’s adoption.

And when you don’t feel close, when the mountains loom larger than life,
when the walls are closing in, and you feel crushed beneath it all,
remember adoption has hemmed you in on all sides behind and before.
(2 Corinthians 4:8-10, Psalm 139:5)

Once you are Mine, you cannot escape My hand. (John 10:28-29)
I am your shelter, your shield, your very great reward. (Genesis 15:1)
The boundary lines have fallen in pleasant places for you, (Psalm 16:5-6)
and though others abandon you, I will never forsake you. (Psalm 27:9-10)

You’re adopted.

You are my enough, Yahweh. (Psalm 121)
Who am I to call into question the lavish love of a God who sacrificed Himself for me when I hated Him, loathed Him, spurred Him? (Romans 5:8)

God, who has the highest right to be offended and every right
to disown all of us as hell-bent rebels, chose us.
Never will He UNchoose us. He cannot.

“To all who received Him, He gave them the right to be His children, to those who believe in His Name.” (John 1:11-12, emphasis mine)

Sisters, with all urgency, we must not miss this!
Only those who respond to His warm welcome of adoption are finalized as His own.
Only then are the spiritual “papers” signed and His Spirit comes to dwell within us as His down-payment to prove His promise that He will one day complete the good work He has begun in us by welcoming us Home. (Philippians 1:6, Romans 8:15-16, John 14:16-17)

He has paid the price of our adoption by spilling His own blood in humble sacrifice, the response is ours to give, accepted only by faith in Him. (1 Peter 1:18-19, Hebrews 11:6)

He is willing to become ours, will we become His?

The God who crafted each freckle on your cheek, each pivot of your naval, and every fleck of color in your eye, has already chosen to offer adoption since before time began. (Titus 1:2-3)

This God, who simply could not let us drown in the demise of our deathly, sin-loving ways without offering His perfect love to us, is holding out the adoption papers. (John 1:12-13) He desires us to understand that to be adopted by Him is far more than belonging, it’s to embraced by love on purpose.

His adoption is a love story lived out in every thread of our lives, woven behind and before, above and beneath, as we explore again and again, how magnificent it is to be known and loved, chosen, and adored.

This is adoption.
What will you do with this grand love?

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Enough Day 9 Perfect Prophet: Digging Deeper

April 8, 2021 by Melodye Reeves Leave a Comment

Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Perfect Prophet!

The Questions

1) What had happened that led to the discussion taking place in verse 14?

2) Given how they explained the events that had occurred, what do we learn in verses 19-21 about these two men walking along the road?

3) Who was the stranger, and what did His response in verses 25-26 reveal about Himself?

Luke 24:13-26

13 Now that same day two of them were on their way to a village called Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 Together they were discussing everything that had taken place. 15 And while they were discussing and arguing, Jesus himself came near and began to walk along with them. 16 But they were prevented from recognizing him. 17 Then he asked them, “What is this dispute that you’re having with each other as you are walking?” And they stopped walking and looked discouraged. 18 The one named Cleopas answered him, “Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who doesn’t know the things that happened there in these days?” 19 “What things?” he asked them. So they said to him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet powerful in action and speech before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him. 21 But we were hoping that he was the one who was about to redeem Israel. Besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women from our group astounded us. They arrived early at the tomb, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came and reported that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see him.” 25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Wasn’t it necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and enter into his glory?”

Original Intent

1) What had happened that led to the discussion taking place in verse 14?
The passage of Scripture we are digging deeper into begins with the word “now” in the CSB (Christian Standard Bible). The original Greek words καί (kai) and ἰδού (idou) translate into “and behold.” The translators chose “now” to indicate the transition to a new scene, but also had a desire to keep the urgency of the moment. (netbible.org) We know from the verse that “now” is the “same day” in which the tomb of Jesus had been found to be vacated. (Luke 24:1-3) These disciples of Jesus, not part of “the Twelve,” had heard about the empty tomb. Although the CSB uses the word “arguing”, the term indicates only that this was an emotional dialogue between the two. Whether the men were actually debating we don’t know, but it was most certainly an intense conversation about the events of the past few days. (verse 15) And why wouldn’t it be?! The events described in Luke 23 are dramatic and difficult to understand. These disciples were attempting to process together as they walked along. I imagine a present-day scene in which two eyewitnesses are walking away from a horrific car accident, in which they overhear there were no major injuries or fatalities. They begin to talk with each other about what they saw and heard. Each one gets more and more animated as they process their reactions out loud. This was the scene on the road to Emmaus that day.

2) Given how they explained the events that had occurred, what do we learn in verses 19-21 about these two men walking along the road?
We are told only one of the names of the men walking along. We know that neither were one of Jesus’ original disciples because we read in verse 33 how they joined the “eleven” later. After Jesus joins them, He opens by asking them a question that references their conversation. Based on His words, we can discern that Jesus had walked silently with them for a while, simply listening while they walked along. It was evident they were saddened by what had happened. (verse 17) Shocked that the stranger did not seem to know what was going on, they began to explain the current events. Their explanation to Jesus demonstrated some important things these men had come to believe about Jesus. They knew His name and where He was from. They said He was a prophet who was mighty in how He acted and spoke. They shared with the stranger that Jesus had been crucified by the religious leaders. They remembered He had promised to redeem Israel and they had hoped it was true. Now, because it was the third day, they were uncertain and confused. Possibly they had heard the prophet say something significant would happen by the third day. It is unclear whether these men were fully convinced about the Christ of whom they were speaking. What is clear is Luke’s priority by including this scene in his Gospel narrative. “The importance of the affirmation of the two disciples here in Luke 24:19 must not in any way be underestimated. It is integral to Luke’s theology and purpose.” (Walter Liefeld, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary on Luke)

3) Who was the stranger, and what did His response in verses 25-26 reveal about Himself?
What a shocking response! The men walking along thought they had been approached by a clueless visitor. (verse 18) How could anyone be so uninformed as it appeared this man seemed? Then He begins rebuking them! (verse 25) The Bible tells us these men were unable to recognize Jesus. (verse 16) Somehow, Jesus’ appearance was altered. It is difficult to know what this means, although there is no indication He was frightening or odd to them. All we are able to discern is that they did not immediately recognize who He was at this point. Still, Jesus’ response and demeanor apparently drew them to Him instead of becoming frustrated at Him. He spoke as one who knew them and knew more of the story. They did not shrink back from His critique. Instead they listened intently to His lengthy message and explanation. Later in verses 31-32 it is revealed that their hearts were stirred as “He interpreted for them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” (verse 27)

Everyday Application

1) What had happened that led to the discussion taking place in verse 14?
What a nightmare the previous days had been. These had been agonizing moments for everyone who followed closely to Jesus. Luke 22-23 provides many details. What eyewitnesses saw and heard was incomprehensible. Even though Jesus had previously spoken of the events as prophetic descriptions, it is obvious His hearers just did not get it. His closest friends even missed it. Before we are too hard on them, I must confess my own tendency to be confused when things do not seem to line up. Instead of trusting what I know to be true about God, I often doubt. Instead of rehearsing God’s promises, I often linger far too long in my own thinking. I look around and cannot see how it is possible for God to work things out for my good. There are times when nothing points to victory. It is easy to let the bad things we experience become our sole point of focus. How foolish of us! Instead, the psalmist reminds us to pause and preach the goodness of God to our souls. (Psalm 103)

2) Given how they explained the events that had occurred, what do we learn in verses 19-21 about these two men walking along the road?
I love the fact that these two men were not famous people. The disciples walking along the road that day following Passover were ordinary followers of Jesus who seem to be unlikely candidates for His after-resurrection appearance. Yet, there they were, talking to the Messiah Himself. They had no idea it was Him, yet they spoke with courage and confidence about what they had seen. They even boldly confessed that the religious leaders were the ones who had crucified Jesus. Can you imagine the scene, friend? They sincerely wanted to believe the best. They said as much, “But we were hoping that He was the one who was about to redeem Israel.” (verse 21) When we face disappointment, it is easy to be discouraged and lose hope, but our Lord invites us to pray and trust. Commentator David Guzik says, “Jesus wanted to know from them what He wants to know from us today.” He then asks the reader, “can we believe without seeing with our own eyes?”(Guzik, Enduring Word) Sometimes we fall at the feet of Jesus like the father mentioned in Mark 9:23-24 and must confess, “we believe, Lord. Help our unbelief!”
Sister, He is here. He is present. Oh, for grace to trust Him more!

3) Who was the stranger, and what did His response in verses 25-26 reveal about Himself?
As he does so often, gospel-writer Luke painted the scene in such dramatic fashion I feel like I am right there with them! Two men were walking along discussing Jesus’ death as well as the confusing message they had heard of His resurrection. Without realizing it, there was Jesus! Some Bible teachers have offered this scene as a parallel to Jesus’ presence with His often-non-perceptive disciples in our modern age. Luke’s implication was that they were ‘being prevented’ from recognizing Jesus. Apparently, Jesus appeared like the real man He was, but they could not identify Him. The key to us recognizing Jesus as exactly Who He claims, is to keep digging into the Scriptures that teach us what He looks like in real life scenes. Perhaps you’re familiar with the letters WWJD, prompting believers to ask, “What Would Jesus Do?” However, the better question to ask ourselves as we seek Jesus in the Scripture would be, “Is this who the real Jesus is?” If the answer is clarified in our souls through the Spirit, we can proceed in faith and confidence. We can know that The Christ is among us, teaching us, leading us, inspiring us, saving us! Who He reveals Himself to be in His Word will never contradict other Scriptures about Himself. He encourages us to keep seeking that we find Him! (Matthew 7:7) “Open my eyes, that I may see glimpses of truth Thou hast for me; Place in my hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp and set me free. Silently now I wait for Thee. Ready, my God, Thy will to see. Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine! (Open my Eyes by Clara Scott)

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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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This is Enough Week Two!
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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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Fervent Day 10 Seek And Save

February 26, 2021 by Sarah Afan Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

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

Fervent, Day 10

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Who will you pray for?

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