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Whole Day 13 The Hope Of Wholeness

July 6, 2022 by Marietta Taylor Leave a Comment

Whole Day 13 The Hope Of Wholeness

Marietta Taylor

July 6, 2022

Believe,Blessed,Broken,Cross,Daughter,Forgiven,Freedom,Righteousness,Sacrifice

Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Corinthians 5:1-7
Revelation 22
Psalm 34
Luke 11:33-36
Psalm 19:7-14

Hope.
Trusting in, waiting for, and looking for.


Those who are broken hope for wholeness.
And aren’t we all broken in some way, big or small?

In seeking wholeness, we easily find ourselves looking for healing from wrong sources.
The Bible talks about our misplaced gazes so we can recognize them and reject them.

We look to idols such as
money (Luke 16:13),
popularity (Galatians 1:10),
politics (Matthew 22:21),
and possessions (Luke 12:16-21).

We try to heal ourselves through things like
willpower (Romans 7:19-20),
sex (Hebrews 13:4),
ambition (1 Corinthians 8:2),
and a host of others (Colossians 3:5).

Do any of these actually heal our brokenness?
Absolutely not. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

We look everywhere but the one true place to fix our eyes and be made Whole.

Only one place exists where our hope for wholeness can be perfectly fulfilled. 

The apostle John described it like this,
“Then he [an angel] showed me the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the city’s main street. The tree of life was on each side of the river, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations, and there will no longer be any curse.” (Revelation 22:1-3)

Of this place where Wholeness knows no end, Jesus said to His disciples,
“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me.In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?  If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also. You know the way to where I am going.” (John 14:1-4)

Where was Jesus going?
Do we know the way to where He went?
Absolutely!

He was going back to His Father, Our Father God, in heaven.

Heaven, where we will be…
wholly united with God.
wholly worshiping Him.
wholly free from fears, tears, and suffering.
wholly unbroken.
(Isaiah 25:8-9)

This is the place we long for as we suffer many things in our “earthly tents”.
2 Corinthians 5:2
says, “Indeed, we groan in this tent, desiring to put on our heavenly dwelling.” We groan because here we are broken and not whole.

Yet, we are not without hope for Jesus is our Living Hope.
(1 Peter 1:3)

Through His sacrifice on the cross we are able to enter Heaven, despite the load of brokenness and sin we carry. His blood paid the price for our sin, cleansing us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

Accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior is the key to turning over our brokenness and allowing Him to usher us into wholeness.
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates.” (Revelation 22:14) Our dirty robes of sin and death are washed clean by the blood of Jesus, “Though your sins are scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are crimson red, they will be like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)

We live today with our brokenness while focused on the guarantee of wholeness in Heaven. But how do we live today, while longing for eternity? Scripture gives us direction, if we’re paying attention.

Truthfully, I’m not always paying close enough attention. It’s easy to get wrapped up in your own brokenness and the sharp edges of those around you. Add in the broken world we live in and we become even more distracted from Scripture’s clear commands that light our paths. (Psalm 119:105) But the Bible is our lighthouse, our beacon, our “you are here” map with the star planted squarely on heaven as our destination.

Psalm 19:7-14 tells us these things about the Word of God, the Bible:

  • The perfect Word of God revives our souls
  • The reliable Word of God makes us wise
  • The “rightness” of the Word of God should cause us to rejoice
  • The pure Word of God enlightens us
  • The fear of the Lord (as we read the Word of God) is cleansing and proves eternal
  • The rules of the Lord (found in the Word of God) are true and righteous
  • The Word of God is worth desiring more than anything on earth
  • The Word of God should cause us to read, study, memorize, apply it to our lives and share it with others

This is what we desire so deeply at Gracefully Truthful. We want every one of those statements to be true for everyone’s life. We take this verse to heart as we study alongside you, “If, therefore, your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, it will be entirely illuminated, as when a lamp shines its light on you.” (Luke 11:36)

We want the Word of God to shine so brightly in and through you that people are drawn to it and gain their promise of wholeness through faith in Christ. We want it for ourselves, for each person in our ministry, each of you reading this today, and for every person we encounter.

God came to save all (2 Peter 3:9) and He invited us to be part of that effort. (Mark 16:15-16) What a privilege that He would make us co-laborers with Him in His redeeming work. (1 Corinthians 3:9) We cannot neglect this incredible opportunity!

Bless and praise Him always.
Boast in Him, not ourselves.
Proclaim His greatness, not ours.
Seek Him when we need rescuing.
Have reverential awe of Him.
See that He is good.
See that He is Provider.
Keep our tongue from evil and deceit. (Psalm 34:1-13)

“Turn away from evil and do what is good; seek peace and pursue it.” (Psalm 34:14)

Do all these things, not alone, but by the power of the Holy Spirit living within us.
This is how we live broken with an eye on wholeness.
We boldly share this Hope with others so the nations, each incredibly broken on earth, can be healed by the leaves of the tree of life in Heaven.

I want us all to rejoice on that day. So, shine forth your light from your beautiful, broken lantern and give His light to the world!

Tags :
broken,eternity,hope,Sin,whole
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If we have a loved one or know someone living with a disability, illness like cancer, or suffering of any kind, we can take heart knowing this is only temporary for those who trust Jesus as their Savior. My own mother has dementia, and it is heart-breaking knowing she was once a vibrant woman who loved to sing. But I take comfort knowing that one day, she will become whole again at the resurrection with a new spiritual body.
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Posted in: Believe, Blessed, Broken, Cross, Daughter, Forgiven, Freedom, Righteousness, Sacrifice Tagged: broken, eternity, hope, Sin, whole

Whole Day 12 Whole Story Messengers: Digging Deeper

July 5, 2022 by Rebecca Adams Leave a Comment

Whole Day 12 Whole Story Messengers: Digging Deeper

Rebecca Adams

July 5, 2022

Digging Deeper,Fellowship,Forgiven,Grace,Redemption,Relationship,Unity

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Whole Story Messengers"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 18:21-35

21 Then Peter approached him and asked, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? As many as seven times?”

22 “I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven.

23 “For this reason, the kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle accounts, one who owed ten thousand talents was brought before him. 25 Since he did not have the money to pay it back, his master commanded that he, his wife, his children, and everything he had be sold to pay the debt.

26 “At this, the servant fell facedown before him and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 Then the master of that servant had compassion, released him, and forgave him the loan.

28 “That servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him, started choking him, and said, ‘Pay what you owe!’

29 “At this, his fellow servant fell down and began begging him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ 30 But he wasn’t willing. Instead, he went and threw him into prison until he could pay what was owed. 31 When the other servants saw what had taken place, they were deeply distressed and went and reported to their master everything that had happened. 32 Then, after he had summoned him, his master said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And because he was angry, his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he could pay everything that was owed. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to you unless every one of you forgives his brother or sister from your heart.”
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Who is considered a “brother” in this passage? Is it referring to Christians, the person next to you, or a biological brother? (verse 21)

The Book of Matthew, and the other Gospel books of Mark, Luke, and John, closely follow Jesus’ active ministry years from beginning to end. Jesus expends a lot of energy throughout His ministry emphasizing the importance of repentance and recognition of Him as Lord and Savior in order to be reconciled to God.

Jesus describes one of the marks of a genuine, reconciled relationship with God as being how lovingly we engage in relationships with others. Though Scripture has much to say about loving and reaching out to those who don’t know God, these verses in Matthew 18 reference those already in Christ’s kingdom (Christians).

Chapter 18 begins with Jesus’ disciples asking, “[W]ho is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”. (verse 1) This information provides us the contextual setting for Christ’s words in verses 21-35 which describe another aspect of what it looks like to be “greatest” in His kingdom. In fact, the whole of chapter 18 paints a picture of who is “greatest” according to God.

As Jesus addressed the heart-posture of His followers, He spoke of attributes like childlike humility and tender care for individuals within Jesus’ flock, the Church. These characteristics reflect God’s unending forgiveness toward other believers as God has covered the believer’s sins with the blood of Jesus. It is this combination of forgiveness and patient endurance Jesus calls Christians to live out among each other in order to remain reconciled to one another.

This love distinguishes His disciples from the world (John 13:35) and demonstrates to the world God’s offering of forgiveness for those who repent and follow Him.

The Everyday Application

1) Who is considered a “brother” in this passage? Is it referring to Christians, the person next to you, or a biological brother? (verse 21)

Undoubtedly, we’ve all experienced hurt from others in life. Some hurts are small while others are so painful we would be well-served to navigate them with Christian counseling. When preparing to live overseas as missionaries, it’s often said the hardest people to love are those within God’s church. Hmmm, say that again?! The church is supposed to be the safest, easiest place to love others!

In the context of self-sacrificing, generous, forgiving love, everyone will experience God’s love in action, which overflows into living peaceably. God teaches us how to love one another in His Word. God promises His Spirit is actively working in us to complete His work in us. (Philippians 1:6) God promises to use our perseverance in trial to lead us into deeper maturity as His sons and daughters. (James 1:4)

When a Christian repents of sinning against God and is reconciled to Him through forgiveness and the blood of Christ, that person is not immediately made perfect and neither am I.

Some of my own past thoughts and habits are not yet realized as to sin to me; I have more growing to finish. Or, if they are, self-control of them has not yet been worked out to the point of eliminating that sin.

What has God most used to convict and free me from my sin over the years? The perseverance and patience of my Christian brothers and sisters. Their grace towards me and readiness to forgive me has played a crucial role. Authentic, loving believers who listen well and exhibit gentleness when I confess my sin spurs me on to follow Jesus more closely. While God’s church may, at times, be quite unbecoming, God is at work bringing us to completion through continued repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation. May this love call the lost to Jesus!

The Original Intent

2) Are believers ever permitted to stop forgiving someone or put them in their place? (verse 22)

The Enduring Word commentary notes the traditional “holy” response from Jewish Pharisees was to forgive an offender three times. Knowing Jesus is gracious and compassionate, Peter extended that number to an extraordinary “seven times”. Jesus’ response, however, revealed His endless heart of divine love as He instructed Peter to forgive an offender more times than he could count by saying “seventy times seven”. (verse 22)

Prior to this conversation, Jesus outlined explicit teaching for His gentle, loving approach to correcting and restoring a brother or sister who has sinned against another believer. Of greater importance even than the crucially important loving correction within the Church, Jesus focused on the vast forgiveness of God that ought to be reflected by His people.

In verses 23-27, Jesus described a servant who owed the king ten-thousand talents. A commentary from the Working Preacher explains this would equal about 150 years’ worth of income. A nearly incomprehensible amount! The first servant had incurred a debt that was impossible to repay. Lavishly, the king did not provide any ultimatums to earn forgiveness, rather, the king was compassionately moved by the servant’s imploring and freely cancelled the debt. The king took the financial hit himself, wiping clean the record of debt just as Christ does for us as the substitutionary atonement offered between us and the King of the World.

Christ took the hit of death and separation from the Father for our sin. Then, He made the offer of a cleanly wiped slate to all who trust Him as their personal Lord and Savior. Tragically, the servant left the king’s presence and demonstrated a total lack of mercy toward another servant who had incurred a lesser debt. His selfish greed reflected his lack of genuine sorrow or understanding of the grand forgiveness bestowed on him.

The Everyday Application

2) Are believers ever permitted to stop forgiving someone or put them in their place? (verse 22)

My oldest child persistently uses unkind words toward his siblings and parents for attention. This child also happens to have a processing disability, including complex emotions. We take hours of time to converse again and again about how words hurt people. On occasion, he connects that if he wants something (a toy or reconnection) he can hug me with an apology of mumbled and jumbled words. At times, the apology is forced through a rehearsal. Frequently, perhaps within the hour, he will use hurtful words again.

Does he actually understand and mean his apology? Do I continue forgiving him and encourage my other children to do so as well? How weary we feel at bedtime!

This example might seem simple to forgive as you consider he was born with a disability, but are we really much different in our own deficits of understanding the ways of the Lord? Doesn’t a Christian spend their lives learning the depths of what Christ means for us to live out His joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control? (Galatians 5:22-26)

We often respond based on a level of understanding that makes sense to us. Jesus prods us ever further to love like Him. R.C. Sproul wrote a helpful article noting that Scripture never commands us to forgive one who is unrepentant, but we do have the freedom to still offer forgiveness just as Jesus asked God to forgive those who nailed him on the cross. Scripture DOES command us to rebuke one another with the readiness to forgive and reconcile for even the same repeated offense. (Luke 17:3-4)

We lack the ability to fix a fellow sinner who is, perhaps, wearing us down with their offenses, but we also have the never-ending call to be ready with reconciliation in the strength of the Lord.

The Original Intent

3) Must believers forgive from the heart if the other person is not repentant? (verse 35)

As previously noted, the verses prior to this passage discuss a plan of correction when one believer has sinned against another. This discussion prompts Peter to ask his question of forgiveness. As we read the dialogue, Jesus’ response centers around His disciples loving one another. He is not explicit in this parable on the part of whether each servant was truly repentant. Instead, He focuses on the one in position to forgive or withhold forgiveness.

Earlier in Matthew, Jesus taught His disciples how to pray by modeling what has now become well-known as the Lord’s prayer. (Matthew 6:9-14) When stepping back to scan the whole text, it is interesting that Christ pauses to reiterate forgiveness before shifting to the topic of fasting. The Lord’s prayer ties our request for personal forgiveness to our willingness to forgive others. (Matthew 6:12)

Christ re-emphasizes forgiveness again in the verses following His model prayer. (Matthew 6:14-15) When studying an overview of Bible verses on forgiveness, I do not find direction or allowance to withhold forgiveness from one another until someone repents, but I do see plenty of calls for repentance before the LORD GOD Himself and for Christians to live peaceably with one another as far as they are able. (Romans 12:18) 

As I chew through these hard teachings of God’s love displayed through forgiveness, I see hope for the struggling and pained in this parable. In the end, the King returns to settle grievances and dole out justice. May we not find joy in another’s suffering of judgment, but comfort in the Lord’s righteousness and coming justice! (Romans 12:19)

The Everyday Application

3) Must believers forgive from the heart if the other person is not repentant? (verse 35)

Several years ago a devastating story was reported of a pastor who went to the gym and returned to find his home a crime scene and his wife murdered. Days later, the pastor publicly claimed he’d forgiven the murderer. This response perplexed me. Why and how could he say these things?

Surely the Bible doesn’t call him to forgive these strangers who had shown no sign of repentance. The Enduring Word Bible Commentary provides helpful insights.

First, there is a distinction between forgiveness, which is one-sided, and reconciliation, which requires two parties to participate in both repentance and forgiveness.

Secondly, we are one sinner striving in relation with another sinner. As such, true forgiveness is only possible as an overflow from our relationship with the Lord. Only He, the divine God who perfectly loves and forgives, is capable of cultivating His forgiveness in us. (Luke 7:47)

This is a different relationship than a sinner being fully forgiven by a holy God. We are not in a position of righteousness, but rather one who also needs the covering of Jesus’ forgiveness through His sacrificial blood. God is holy; He is the One most grieved by evil, even our smallest sins. Graciously, the LORD is also the most ready to forgive when a broken heart is burdened by their offense against the righteous LORD and harmed others. The LORD is also just; He will one day carry out complete justice.

This pastor, in his deep grief, knew that in order to live without bitterness, his heart must be always ready to forgive. (Ephesians 4:31-32) He had long leaned into the Spirit of God who had faithfully taught him to forgive. This man took his own sin seriously and he confidently trusted that His King would one day make all things right. (Psalm 94)

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church,forgiveness,redemption,restoration,unity,whole
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Journey Study

The continuum of reconciliation is ongoing. It requires us to understand the past and properly assess the situation in front of us. This step of obedience will lay a foundation of empathy and trust, paving the way for us to make connections with the messiness of this world. Our message is full of hope because of Jesus, and our world needs all the hope it can get. Reconciliation requires us to find a commonality with the person next to us and use that as a connection point before we launch into the heart of the matter.
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Posted in: Digging Deeper, Fellowship, Forgiven, Grace, Redemption, Relationship, Unity Tagged: church, forgiveness, redemption, restoration, unity, whole

Whole Day 11 Whole Story Messengers

July 4, 2022 by Guest Writer Leave a Comment

Whole Day 11 Whole Story Messengers

Guest Writer

July 4, 2022

Forgiven,God,Grace,Hope,Jesus,Love,Obedience

Read His Words Before Ours!

2 Corinthians 5:16-21
Matthew 18:21-35
Mark 2:1-12
Micah 7:18-19

It was a warm, sunny day in Mali, West Africa. 

I’d jumped at the chance to lead a missions work team to the local artisan market to shop for souvenirs before their departure. 

We headed to one of my favorite sections with wooden carvings and other cultural gems. I was immediately greeted in French by a shopkeeper. When my team decided on their purchases, the shopkeeper quoted a ridiculous tourist price, his response curt and full of animosity. He made it known, in no uncertain terms, that he would never sell anything to the French, who had taken advantage of his country, for a fair price. 

I was taken aback. He’d clearly assumed my nationality based on hurts from his past and the color of my skin. So, I switched from French to his heart language of Bambara. 

“Sir, I think you have it wrong. I am not French. I am American and have lived here for 18 years. My parents & grandparents have lived in your country for many years as well. We love your people and your country. I am sorry for how the French treated your people. It was not right.” 

Surprised, his demeanor and tone began to soften. I reassured him we shared a common hope for his people, and we were supporting his community through building schools, medical clinics, and literacy programs. After discussing the beautiful people in his country, which I considered home, we agreed on a fair price and off we went with our carved wooden treasures. 

As I look back on that moment, I am reminded that reconciliation isn’t just a one-time event that is wrapped up in a tidy bow. The continuum of reconciliation is ongoing. It requires us to understand the past and properly assess the situation in front of us. This step of obedience will lay a foundation of empathy and trust, paving the way for us to make connections with the messiness of this world. 

Our message is full of hope because of Jesus, and our world needs all the hope it can get. Reconciliation requires us to find a commonality with the person next to us and use that as a connection point before we launch into the heart of the matter. 

Just as with my shopkeeper friend, it can often involve some uncomfortable moments where emotions run high. I wasn’t able to fix the hurt in his heart from the French people, but I was able to remind him there are people who DO care and want to help. For all of us, this conversation can serve as a helpful reminder that jumping to conclusions can lead to judgment. Instead of judgment, reconciliation involves communication and asking questions.  

Why do we engage in this messy work of reconciliation?

2 Corinthians 5:18-21 urges,
“Everything is from God, who has reconciled Himself to us through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us.

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making His appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, ‘Be reconciled to God.’ He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” 

Because the blood of Jesus has reconciled our separation from God and secured a right relationship for us with the Father, we are now tasked with sharing this message with the world. 

Notice Scripture doesn’t say, “If you want, you can be part of the ministry of reconciliation.” 
No, Scripture states, “He gave us this ministry.” 
God’s commission implies action on our part. (Matthew 18:21-35)

If we truly want to embrace the way of Jesus,
then we are called to step into the lifelong work of reconciliation. 

Often, we think of reconciliation as a single, turning-point moment, and while it can certainly be that, I’d challenge us to see small opportunities to pursue reconciliation in everyday situations. They are like stepping stones, leading people to know Jesus and the forgiveness and hope He offers. (Mark 2:1-12) Each stepping stone is key in building trust as we encounter the world. 

When we love people who are different from us, we are offering them the chance to be seen by a God who loves them. 

When we offer our kindness in the grocery store to a Muslim woman who is wearing her hijab and speaking another language, we are reflecting the kindness and grace Jesus has shown us. 

When we build a friendship with our coworker and demonstrate that we can listen without jumping to a rash conclusion, we model the way Jesus listened and truly cared. 

These seemingly mundane moments walk people closer to reconciliation with a God who loves them and desperately wants them to know Him.  

Questions for reflection…*What assumptions have you made about people? How might you stop yourself from making those same assumptions in the future?

*How can you engage with someone who is different from you, to show them you are listening? 

*How can you reflect the message of hope in the messy parts of your day? 

 

Tags :
Communication,embrace,heart,kindness,Messenger,questions,reconciliation,story,whole
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Undoubtedly, we’ve all experienced hurt from others in life. Some hurts are small while others are so painful we would be well-served to navigate them with Christian counseling. When preparing to live overseas as missionaries, it’s often said the hardest people to love are those within God’s church. Hmmm, say that again?! The church is supposed to be the safest, easiest place to love others!
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Prayer is central to our ministry as believers in Jesus as we carry eachother’s burdens and intercede for one another. Our team is honored to share the work of praying alongside you!

  • prayer@gracefullytruthful.com
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June 20 - July 8, 2022 - Journey Theme #109

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Authentically living out a life of worship to the God who rescued us from darkness requires accountability and intentionality. Join a GT POD and take the next step in your faith journey!

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Posted in: Forgiven, God, Grace, Hope, Jesus, Love, Obedience Tagged: Communication, embrace, heart, kindness, Messenger, questions, reconciliation, story, whole

The GT Weekend! ~ Whole Week 2

July 2, 2022 by Katelyn Palmer Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend! ~ Whole Week 2

Katelyn Palmer

July 2, 2022

Broken,Character,Christ,Community,GT Weekend,Hope,Humility,Jesus,Scripture,Truth,Unity

Rest your soul through reflective journaling,
praying Scripture,
and worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

This Week's Journeys

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Friday's DD

Pray His Words Back To Him!

Psalm 103:1-6

“My soul, bless the LORD, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. My soul, bless the LORD, and do not forget all his benefits. He forgives all your iniquity; he heals all your diseases. He redeems your life from the Pit; he crowns you with Faithful love and compassion. He satisfies you with good things; your youth is renewed like the eagle.”
Read More Of His Words

Prayer Journal Entry

Yahweh, You have told us we are not of this world (John 15:19) and neither is Your Kingdom of this world (John 18:36), yet we are to remain here, shining as lights in the darkness until Your return. (Philippians 2:15)

Please keep my thoughts centered on Your Kingdom, Lord, especially when the darkness seems overwhelming. Use me to reflect Your light so others may be drawn to You and a little more darkness is squeezed out of the broken places. Guide my quiet time with You, still my mind and heart so I may hear Your whispers, God.

Yahweh, you are the Shepherd (Psalm 23), the Teacher (Psalm 25:5), and the Lord of Armies (Psalm 46:7). You quench the thirst of my soul like a glass of ice water in the desert (John 4:14). I ache to be close to You, to feel Your love and warmth in my soul. Equip me to reflect this love to Your creation and renew my strength to push forward each morning against the rulers of this world in Your power. (Ephesians 6:12)

I pray for opportunities in this coming week to lift up someone who is low in spirit and point them back to You, Father. I move as You command; in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE 
As Christ-followers, we must hold to truth when it seems hatred is around every corner and division on every billboard. Scripture reminds that our fight is not temporal but spiritual. (Ephesians 6:12)

Of course, we battle our flesh daily, but a spiritual enemy uses our physical world to attack our spiritual livelihood. The enemy’s tactics have remained the same since time began: lying, deception, misinformation, distortion, and misinterpretations of God’s truth. 

How do we fight against that? First, we educate ourselves on the enemy’s battle plans, like deception through social media or the division rising up around us. (1 Peter 5:8) We must study Scripture to understand and identify truth, praying for guidance and wisdom. We can stay informed on world events through multiple sources and strain our responses through the safeguard of Scripture. Second, we engage. We must start a dialogue with those inside and outside our circle with open minds and soft hearts about the brokenness of our world with a willingness to take action. Third, we seek community. God designed us to seek support from our brothers and sisters of all backgrounds. God did not promise us a life free of storms;
He promised to be present with us through them. (Isaiah 43:2)
JOURNAL TWO
It’s easy to acknowledge that we live in a damaged world and that humanity is flawed, but what happens when the finger is pointed at us?

The most effective way to attack oppression, hatred, and evil, is by looking inwardly first. Zechariah reminds us to have compassionate hearts for others (Zechariah 7:9-10), and Jesus taught us to love one another as ourselves. (Matthew 22:36-39) Isaiah calls for us to repent of our sin, be cleansed, and learn what it looks like to do right in order to stand against injustice. (Isaiah 1:17) 

All of these Scriptures appeal to Christ’s Church, that’s us! Imagine if the whole of believers around the globe actively lived out these verses in our everyday relationships. What peace and pushing back of oppression would result! Conquering hate and bringing unity to our communities must start at home. We must also pray fervently for leadership in our churches and our world. (1Timothy 2:1-4) Where we have the privilege to elect government officials, do so by searching the Scriptures and using your vote to elect righteous leadership. Have conversations, not debates, about what righteous leadership looks like that protects people, lifts oppression, and promotes justice. (Jeremiah 22:2-3, Proverbs 31:4-5; 8-9, Matthew 20:26-28).

It is our duty as Christ-followers to lead and pray with zealous love as God has commanded us to in order to reflect His light in the darkest places.
JOURNAL THREE
Have you ever heard the saying “practice what you preach?” Better yet, have you ever met anyone who could do it? I can think of one person who practiced everything He preached, and the world was quite literally saved in the process. Jesus.

He experienced sorrow, oppression, discrimination, and hatred, as well as taught about it in the synagogues, in boats, in fields and in city centers. Jesus illustrated how to suffer silently with purpose (Mark 15:3-5), but also how to boldly call out sin. (Matthew 21:12-13) He showed us how to lift up the lowly (Luke 8:43-48) and stand firm against the enemy, both spiritual and worldly. (Matthew 4:1-11; Matthew 23:1-7) More than all of that, Jesus showed us how to bring our brokenness to God in humble submission. (Mark 14:33-36)

In His submission, Jesus was renewed in His mission for God’s glory, for it is in tribulation where we develop endurance; endurance produces proven character, which produces hope. (Romans 5:1-11)

I challenge each of us as we face adversity in the next minute or the next week to rejoice at the opportunity God has allowed to further shape us into the image of His Son that we might proclaim Him all the more! (Romans 8:29)
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Posted in: Broken, Character, Christ, Community, GT Weekend, Hope, Humility, Jesus, Scripture, Truth, Unity Tagged: Beautiful, character, Christ-followers, compassion, engage, heart, leadership, righteous, seek, whole

Whole Day 10 Bringing The Broken

July 1, 2022 by Marietta Taylor Leave a Comment

Whole Day 10 Bringing The Broken

Marietta Taylor

July 1, 2022

Called,Faith,Healing,Holy Spirit,Sacrifice

Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 53
Psalm 103:1-5
Luke 8:43-48
Romans 5:1-11
Psalm 34:15-22

God is calling us to stand up and stand out. 

But not just for ourselves. We are called to let our “light shine before others,” leading them to healing, to wholeness. (Matthew 5:14-16) Who better to speak for the broken than us?

We have been, and are often still, broken.
We have been broken-heartened, broken in spirit, and left with the broken promises of man. But we also know One who is “faithful in all His words and gracious in all His actions.” (Psalm 145:13) It is to Him we lead others. 

We’ve frequently needed to speak 

with broken words 

about broken places 

created by broken systems. 

But we also know the One who “offered himself without blemish to God” on our behalf to “cleanse our consciences from dead works so that we can serve the living God[.]” (Hebrews 9:14) Because of His sacrifice, we can speak of our brokenness while being made whole. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Who better to tell a hurting, dying, and broken world about a baby born in a broken kind of way to a family many considered broken for none had ever heard of a virgin birth! (Luke 1:26-38) Even Joseph wasn’t sure about Mary’s character. (Matthew 1:18-20) How could a baby born in a feeding trough be anything special? (Luke 2:4-7) 

Yet this little family changed the world. This baby, Jesus, grew up to heal and minister to people broken physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and socially. He was the One who would give His life as a broken body on a broken tree for all broken people through the rest of time, so they would no longer be broken, but whole and free. (Isaiah 53:5)

How could we not answer the call of the One who was just like us, yet higher than us (John 1:14), Who gave all for us to save all of us? (2 Peter 3:9) 

He calls to each of us,
“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:18-20) 

We know that as disciples, we are made free. (Isaiah 61:1-3)

This message comes through us, but it is not just for us. Just like He was for all, the message we bring is for all because He is interested in saving us all. 

“He himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.” (1 John 2:2)

So we stand up and we share how our faith stands out. (1 John 5:4) It’s not because we are great, but because the One within us is great. (Romans 8:11) He causes us to continually reach for Him Who is greater than any brokenness in us. (Psalm 34:18)

He is the Great Physician who doesn’t say, “Heal thyself,” but “Be healed.” It brings to mind the woman with the blood issue. (Luke 8:43-48) Bleeding for twelve years with no relief in sight, she reached out and touched the hem of Jesus’ garment and was instantly made whole. She was set free from the brokenness that had bound her for too long. 

So let us, through every story, help broken people discover how to be free, to be whole by reaching out and touching Him, Jesus, the only One who can make us whole. 

“So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.” (John 8:36)

“Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works[.]” (Hebrews 10:23-24)

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Why does the Gospel of Mark matter to us in the 21st century? Mark wrote for the Gentile, the non-Jew, which unlike the early church, now encompasses most of us reading this today. By focusing on how Jesus lived His life as a servant, though He was worthy of all honor and prestige, we, as His followers, glean how to be a servant in our own everyday lives. As Christ didn’t use His status as God as a reason to sidestep the humility of humanity, neither do we have any reason whatsoever to not lavishly love and generously serve all people.
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Posted in: Called, Faith, Healing, Holy Spirit, Sacrifice Tagged: broken, calling, disciples, Greater, hurting, Made Free, Stand Up, The One, whole

Whole Day 9 Identifying The Oppression: Digging Deeper

June 30, 2022 by Shannon Vicker Leave a Comment

Whole Day 9 Identifying The Oppression: Digging Deeper

Shannon Vicker

June 30, 2022

Deep,God,Humility,Justice,Love,Righteousness,Scripture,Shepherd

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Identifying The Oppression"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Jeremiah 22:3-5

3 This is what the Lord says: Administer justice and righteousness. Rescue the victim of robbery from his oppressor. Don’t exploit or brutalize the resident alien, the fatherless, or the widow. Don’t shed innocent blood in this place. 4 For if you conscientiously carry out this word, then kings sitting on David’s throne will enter through the gates of this palace riding on chariots and horses—they, their officers, and their people. 5 But if you do not obey these words, then I swear by myself—this is the Lord’s declaration—that this house will become a ruin.’”
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Who is Jeremiah addressing in these verses as he relays the Lord’s message?

Context matters significantly when studying Scripture and it keeps us “in bounds” for making follow-in right application to our lives. Studying a whole passage by considering its surroundings keeps us tied tightly to Scripture, allowing truth to shape our understanding instead of our own biases. Asking questions like who, what, why, and when helps broaden and deepen our understanding of any passage.

In order to know who Jeremiah is addressing in this passage, we must look backwards just a couple of sentences to Jeremiah 22:1-2 where we read of God sending Jeremiah to speak to the king of Judah. This king would have been a descendant of King David and sat on David’s same throne. Jeremiah was a prophet, speaking as God’s mouthpiece to God’s people; in this instance his message was directed to the reigning king of Judah.

The message also extended beyond the king of Judah to the Israelites under his rule as they were directives on what it looked like to “be” God’s people. These words were spoken to the king so he would model God’s justice and all of Judah would also walk in the Lord’s ways.

The Everyday Application

1) Who is Jeremiah addressing in these verses as he relays the Lord’s message?

Jeremiah’s message to Judah’s king on how to live in a way that reflected God’s righteousness and justice is ancient to us in the 21st century. Still, its meaning and significant implications are just as relevant to God’s people today as they were in ages past. The Word of the Lord is always relevant, enduring for eternity! (1 Peter 1:25)

God’s message through Jeremiah carries meaning for believers today where they live out being Christ’s Body in every culture in every nation and city around the world. Everywhere oppression and injustice exist, Jeremiah’s words still carry the authority of the Lord God. We are not exempt simply because we live in 2022.

How will we live out the rest of today differently because of Jeremiah’s relevant message? How will we shift the direction of our lives tomorrow? Not sure? Commit to reading just these brief verses every morning and praying for the Lord to convict and shape you as you take in His living and active words. (Hebrews 4:12)

The Original Intent

2) What does verse 3 mean?

Jeremiah began by telling the king he must administer justice and righteousness; the burden of wisely leading and shepherding God’s people fell to Judah’s king. This administration aligned not only with God’s heart, but also mirrored how King David had led God’s people. (2 Samuel 8:15)

Judah’s kings had drifted far from the pattern of righteous justice modeled by King David, and Jeremiah’s message was a clarion call to return to the ways of the Lord which He had manifested in David’s kingship. Jeremiah then instructs all Israelites to actively come to the aid of the vulnerable. In specifically calling out resident aliens, fatherless, and widows, the Lord was shining a spotlight on the weakest, neediest group of people of Judah. Israelites knew exactly how they were to treat resident aliens as God had addressed this issue centuries prior during the time of Moses in Exodus 22:21-22. 

By including this group of people in His message, the Lord emphasized how far Judah had strayed from His instructions and was calling them back to what they already knew. He reminded them to carry out righteous justice with the essential component of humility as Israel herself had once lived as resident aliens in Egypt.

Next, the Lord reminds Israel to protect the fatherless and widows, another group of often overlooked and neglected people which God had also addressed in Deuteronomy 14:29 during Moses’ leadership. God had commanded Israelites to diligently care for and give special attention to the widow and orphan.

These weren’t new commands, but they were instructions Israel had long ago disregarded and set aside. God’s deep compassion is revealed by his firm call to the king and his subjects of their duty to care for the vulnerable, ensuring that all were protected and given care.

The Everyday Application

2) What does verse 3 mean?

Just as Jeremiah’s message to administer righteous justice is relevant to us today as Christ-followers, so also are the carefully selected recipients of this protective care. Jeremiah specifically called out the weak and vulnerable in Judah, and we must consider who these groups of people are within our own cultures and cities. Here is where we are to begin our work of administering righteous justice.

It should not come as a surprise to us that these same groups are among the most vulnerable in our modern time as well. Single moms, orphans, and immigrants are among the neediest and vulnerable of our world and should be the first ones the church humbly runs toward to protect and love. Regardless of our location on the globe, I’m confident we each know someone who fits one of these categories. Our call is to refuse to exploit them or ignore reality when they are exploited or overlooked. We must not puff ourselves up and think less of them because of society’s label.

Christ calls us, just as He did to Judah’s king, to love and care for those who cannot care for themselves, for in so doing we are loving and caring for Christ. (Matthew 25:35-40) 

All over the world, people are displaced from their homes, children grow up without parents, and widows struggle in many cultures to provide for themselves. Our call toward each of these is to extend justice, act righteously, and love them with the humility of Christ. (Micah 6:8, James 1:27) When we actively live out this kind of love, we are reflecting Christ’s humble, generous sacrifice when He gave His life for us.

Living with justice for the oppressed is one way we live out of the overflow of Christ’s love for us.

The Original Intent

3) What house will come to ruin in verse 5?

Jeremiah’s message was a warning of God’s coming judgment against Judah’s king and the Israelites if they chose, again, to disobey God’s command and reject His ways of justice. They would be found in ruin. Sin’s rule would continue oppressing them while they continued oppressing the weak and vulnerable, even if it was simply by ignoring that a problem existed. Sin’s gravitational pull would continue increasing until eventually they would lose everything.

This was not a quiet, casual command that was really more of an optional activity, this was a matter of life and death.

Jeremiah continued to describe their ruin in verses 6-9. If they chose to ignore the Lord’s command, Judah (and Jerusalem) would soon lie in ruins. A direct result of their choice to place something else, anything else, before the Lord would be their fall. Judah, and therefore Jerusalem, would cease to be an amazing nation and city and would be turned over to an enemy.

Graciously, God, through Jeremiah, not only provided the Israelites a choice, but He also provided a clear call to return. Life and death were in their hands, and their choice carried significant, wide-sweeping consequences.

The Everyday Application

3) What house will come to ruin in verse 5?

Just as Judah was unable to prosper if they did not heed the Lord’s call we will never prosper as the Church if we do not heed His same call to leave our sinful patterns and embrace His ways of living righteously. The Global Church is the hands and feet of God, intended to actively show love to those often seen as the least lovable, most-likely outcast, and exceptionally vulnerable. When we do not choose to take on His mission in our everyday lives as believers, our lives end up in ruin, wasted and ineffective for the Kingdom. We allow sin and conflict to gradually take the place of love in our lives and it poisons everything. (James 1:14-15)

We can never live up to our calling in Christ if we allow sin and disobedience to fester instead of humbly pouring out the love Christ has demonstrated to us. (Romans 5:8)

If I am honest with myself, I can think of people I interact with daily who fall into these categories of unlovable, outcast, and vulnerable. I must ask myself if I am heeding the call of the Lord toward each of these individuals. I challenge each of us to think carefully about those we interact with regularly, and those around us who need to be seen and loved by us; are we pouring out the same love Christ has lavished on us? (1 John 3:1)

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Journey Study

The snarls of a sinister enemy snaked through the goodness of Eden, deviously plotting the downfall of the Almighty who had cast him from His glorious presence. How the enemy loved himself. How he loathed the Almighty.

Humanity would pay the price of the enemy’s sickening self-love by carrying his pride in their hearts, grooming it, making it their own, then calling it righteousness by justifying their selfish pride to the Almighty. Perfectly mimicking the enemy’s craft which had earned him ejection from The Presence.
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Posted in: Deep, God, Humility, Justice, Love, Righteousness, Scripture, Shepherd Tagged: compassion, Enduring, eternity, God's People, King David, Oppression, questions, whole

Whole Day 6 Oppression’s Source

June 27, 2022 by Guest Writer 2 Comments

Whole Day 6 Oppression’s Source

Guest Writer

June 27, 2022

Faith,Follow,God,Grace,Holy Spirit,Hope,Journey,Prayer,Strength,Struggle,Suffering,Truth

Read His Words Before Ours!

John 10:10-13
Ephesians 6:10-20
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Psalm 44:3-4

In our family, we regularly discuss politics, local news, and current events. However, when a conversation surrounding values took an emotional turn, we knew something deeper was stirring up; our children were seeking a biblical understanding about a belief we strongly held. Feelings of guilt and failure, on my part as mother, overcame me. 

My children couldn’t possibly be the ones struggling with biblical foundations and truths. How could this happen?

After much careful consideration, prayer, and wise counsel, we decided we would not run from hard truths or leave our kids alone to interpret their questions. Instead, we would study and engage with them. In months to follow, when the Holy Spirit led, we attempted to address a multitude of questions about Biblical concepts. 

As we peeled away the layers, I soon realized my children, like many others, needed abundantly more spiritual guidance to help navigate the topics significantly impacting and shaping their faith journeys.

In an article by Christianity Today, a study found that out of 500 youth group graduates, over 70 percent reported having serious doubts about faith. These students’ opportunities to express and explore their doubts were correlated with greater faith maturity. In other words, it’s not doubt that’s toxic to faith, it’s silence.  

I realized God was working on our family’s behalf, bringing attention to areas within our life that were out of alignment with Him. My family messiness was no different than others, which highlighted a message of its own: as believers, we’re not given immunity from assaults of the enemy. 

In fact, Jesus promised we “will have suffering in this world” (John 16:33) and described our enemy as “a thief [who] comes to steal and kill and destroy.” (John 10:10) 

In my family’s journey, I understood the enemy is a liar, and I was not going to feel pinned down by doubt, blame, insecurity, comparisons, fear, or relational discord. My family prayed, and God revealed we needed to make some adjustments. Our initial steps were refocusing our priorities (putting God first), being intentional with our time, having patience with our children in learning the word of God, and seeking community.

Furthermore, the Spirit revealed a deeper truth to me during this tumultuous time.
The struggles we were facing needed to happen.
God didn’t want me to spend all my time trying to fix every problem of my children or of this world; He wanted to show me how to fully lean on Him and demonstrate this dependence in every area of my life. 

Through this adversity, God wanted to fill me with His strength. In 2 Corinthians, preacher Paul uses the language of siege warfare to talk about engaging in spiritual battle.

“For although we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh, since the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds.” 
(2 Corinthians 10:3-4)

As believers, we are not left defenseless. Satan wants to disrupt God’s place in our lives b y displacing God’s authority with deceptive, manipulative evil schemes. This truth should remind us we cannot defeat Satan in our own strength and neither can we fight spiritual battles without God’s protection and weapons. (Psalm 44:3-4)

In Ephesians, Paul talks about the spiritual weaponry available to Christians, often called “the full armor of God.” (Ephesians 6:10-20) Paul emphasized the reality that our warfare is against more than the natural temptations of flesh. There are powers in the unseen world against which we are powerless, except through the aid of Christ.

Spiritual armor prepares us to face any and all spiritual battles we encounter. These battles are not fought against “flesh and blood” enemies, but against the “cosmic powers of this darkness[.]” (Ephesians 6:12) Satan’s strategy is clever; he uses technology, popular culture, consumerism, misinformation, and distorted views about biblical truths to wage war against us constantly. 

But we’re not falling for it. The real enemy, the real source of oppression in our world, is the devil, not people, places, or things. The spotlight of God’s truth will effectively expose every single scheme of the enemy.

By God, we have all been given weapons to fight the unseen. For me, I needed to take this truth seriously in my parenting. 

We’re called to follow God, Who is “the way, the truth, and life.” (John 14:6) 

Follow God, Who has come so we “may have life and have it in abundance.” (John 10:10)

Follow God, Who brings true peace and freedom from oppression as His death and resurrection “conquered [the powers of] the world.” (John 16:33)

As we follow Him, His grace is sufficient, and we can have hope and victory in any spiritual battle that comes our way.  

Lord, following You is hard. Sometimes it feels our brokenness is cliché, but I’m so grateful we serve a God who cares. A God who knows our battles, and equips and sustains us through them.

Help us to push away from culture, familiarity, and likeness, instead embracing Your Word and Your love. May we find strength in Your infinite and absolute goodness, and when the battle is fierce, remind us the true source of oppression is the devil himself.  May we not be afraid to stand firm, as parents and leaders of faith, by putting on the full armor of God. Amen.

*Written by Keshia Jackson

Tags :
guilt,Oppression,patience,protection,Refocus,The Enemy,victory,whole
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True Christ-followers have recognized the oppression in our own souls by Sin and sought freedom from the Only One powerful enough to provide our forgiveness. Full of grace and truth, this merciful God delivers His own Spirit inside the heart of all who have truly surrendered to Him. By this power of God Himself inside us, He actively empowers, leads, and equips us to accomplish God’s mission of building His kingdom and pressing back against evil in everyday life.
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Posted in: Faith, Follow, God, Grace, Holy Spirit, Hope, Journey, Prayer, Strength, Struggle, Suffering, Truth Tagged: guilt, Oppression, patience, protection, Refocus, The Enemy, victory, whole

The GT Weekend! ~ Whole Week 1

June 25, 2022 by Carol Graft Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend! ~ Whole Week 1

Carol Graft

June 25, 2022

Christ,church,Faith,Forgiven,Freedom,Grace,GT Weekend,Healing

Rest your soul through reflective journaling,
praying Scripture,
and worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

This Week's Journeys

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Friday's DD

Pray His Words Back To Him!

1 Peter 5:6-11

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you. Be sober minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world. The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while. To him be dominion forever. Amen.
Read More Of His Words

Prayer Journal Entry

Lord, I confess it’s difficult to be humble. Arrogance and self-love are always sneaking around my heart and it’s easy to get caught in the trap of false humility. Help me to become more disciplined in surrendering to You my anxiousness. Help me to lean steadfastly on You and the surety of Your unchanging Word every day, even every moment. I don’t want to let my guard down and give in to the cares of the world or the deceptive traps of the scheming enemy.

Lead me away from the temptation to flee my troubles without facing them and turn my heart toward worship. Make me aware of Your mercies and Your movement in my life as I surrender to You, waiting in trust for You. I know you hear me, see me, and guard me; teach me to rest here in these truths as I praise You!

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE
How often have you wished you could just run away and hide? 

There have been many moments like that for me. It sounds so easy and freeing to hide from the difficulties and stresses of everyday life. How wonderful to be able to hide from situations where I’ve messed up and don’t want to call more attention to myself. Running away and hiding might seem like a lovely thing to do if it would actually solve our problems, but it won’t.

Hiding, as Adam and Eve attempted to do, merely postpones the consequences.

From what have you wished you could hide? What part of your past do you wish was deleted and forgotten?

Have you ever brought these to the Lord? How do you imagine He would respond? Does Scripture support your answer?

Mandie reminded us on Monday that, when we attempt to hide, we end up focusing on the wrong things. Truth? We are never alone, and the Lord God is for us. 

No matter how broken, lost or anxious we feel, Jesus is constantly present with us. Christ came precisely for the hurting, the wounded, the lost, the broken, the sinner.

He isn’t afraid of our emotions, sadness, anger, or our questions. He isn’t shocked by the situations we find ourselves in, instead He endured the suffering of the cross to bring us redemptive healing.

Reflect on what it might be like for Jesus to take your surrender and make you whole! What would you give Him?
JOURNAL TWO
Our sister in Pakistan brought such insight from her experiences and urgently reminds us of the suffering Jesus promised would come to those who follow Him. Knowing the darkness of oppression exists is one thing, but seeing the face of the persecuted, hearing her story, and knowing she is paying a high price for following Jesus is entirely different.

There is a cost for every follower of Jesus, but not all look the same. What challenges have you faced for holding steadfast to Christ and choosing Him over the call of the world? In what way can you fervently intercede for others facing persecution for choosing Christ?

Oppression against Christianity takes many forms and is found all over the world. Though it may look different in your part of the world, it still exists. Oh, that those for whom following Jesus carries little to no physical threat would share Jesus as bravely as those brothers and sisters who endure significant oppression. 

Remember, we are all one Body in Jesus, highly persecuted or not. We must each continue sharing Christ together.

Keeping our hearts steadfast on Jesus, our eyes and minds in His word, communing in prayer and conversation with Jesus keeps us hopeful that one day oppression will cease and Christ’s kingdom will come. 

Selah. Let it be so.

JOURNAL THREE
What an encouraging and transparent Journey Study Melis shared with us this week! 

It is never easy to confess our sins and make known our areas of weakness, but in doing so, Melis reminded us we are not alone in our struggles.

When was the last time you confessed a sin to another brother or sister in Jesus? Are you participating in a community of believers where this is common? What was challenging to you personally about the discipline practices Melis described?

Training for following Jesus is so important and dramatically increases our focus on the Lord. Which spiritual disciplines have been particularly effective or challenging for you as you seek to follow the Lord?

Not sure what they look like? Take a peek at our Journey Theme: Training.

The Lord God never intended us to live the Christian life alone, which is why He designed us to hunger for iron-sharpening-iron friendships and community that press us into knowing Him more deeply.

Consider choosing a spiritual discipline that Melis listed and put it into practice in the coming week. Set up reminders on your phone, or better yet, invite a friend to join you! Whether you take a Sabbath rest, pick up a new journal, or set aside time to fast, the intentionality we invest into our relationship with the Lord always pays off!

May we each commit to doing whatever it takes to nourish and cultivate our relationship with God and keep our focus on Him as He shapes us to be more like Himself!
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Whole Day 1 The Broken & The Cure

June 20, 2022 by Guest Writer Leave a Comment

Whole Day 1 The Broken & The Cure

Guest Writer

June 20, 2022

Broken,Christ,Clothed,Faith,Forgiven,Freedom,Future,Healing,Heart,Identity

Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 3
1 Corinthians 15:45-49
Mark 5:21-43
John 8:1-11
Acts 9:1-16

I sat on the floor of my closet, squeezed between an overflowing laundry hamper and a stack of neatly stored shoes. Tears streamed down my face. Maybe if I couldn’t see the brokenness, it wouldn’t be real? With the lights off and the door closed, I hoped to find an escape from the wave of emotions threatening to take me under. I was broken, in need of mending. 

What makes you want to run and hide, blinded by unbidden tears? While it’s likely different for each of us, brokenness is something we all experience. Sitting in the dark doesn’t make it go away, because it knows how to burrow inside of us.

Sickness, disease, family feuds, a broken marriage, a wandering child, addiction, death, war, hate. It’s all here in our world. In the muck of life, amid the hard and the heavy, who is suitable to hold our tears?

When God created the world, He made it perfect and whole. Humanity revealed its weakness when the first Adam leaned into the Great Deceiver’s carefully crafted deception. (Genesis 3:1-7) The moment Adam and Eve chose themselves over God, the world became twisted, wraithlike, shadowed. Broken. 

Before we get too consumed by righteous indignation at Adam and Eve, how often do we still fall for the lie God is withholding something good from us? 

Similar to our beeline to our closets, the first Adam ran and hid. (Genesis 3:8) Maybe he, too, hoped the brokenness wouldn’t catch up to him? In His love and goodness, God didn’t leave Adam hiding under the inadequate covering he created. (Genesis 3:9-21) God sought him out and provided a suitable replacement. 

God hasn’t left us in our brokenness, either. He’s provided a covering for us, as well. Jesus, referred to as the second Adam, would enter our brokenness and live out the perfect life sinful humanity could not. 

“So it is written: The first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” (1 Corinthians 15:45)

In His final days, he was betrayed, abandoned by those who claimed to love Him, mocked, beaten, and eventually crucified. (John 19) 

He lived the life we couldn’t live… 

and died the death we deserved…

and made a way back to the Father we could never have forged. 

Over His head on the cross hung the words “King of the Jews”. (John 19:19) While this placard was tacked up in mockery, it proclaimed a haunting truth: the Jews’ long-awaited King hung on a cross, dying in front of them, at their demand. 

God’s refusal to withhold anything good from His children, even Himself, was displayed that day, hoisted high on a bloody cross for all to see. Yet, they missed it. How often, amid our brokenness, do we miss the goodness of God so clearly in front of us? 

It doesn’t matter who we are, our status in life, where we live, our education level, or what we’ve done, our greatest need is to know the One who made a way out of brokenness and into wholeness with Him. 

When Jesus walked the earth, time and again He brought wholeness from that which was broken. When he delivered two demon-possessed men, he demonstrated authority over darkness and evil. (Matthew 8:28-34) When he healed Jairus’ daughter, He revealed His power over sickness and death. (Mark 5:21-43)

Jesus touched those whom others refused to touch, and He permitted the untouchables to touch Him. (Mark 5:25-34) He welcomed sinners, withheld condemnation, and forgave sins. (John 8:1-11) He redeemed a chief sinner into a chief messenger of the Gospel (Acts 9:1-29), showing us Jesus can change even a once-murderous heart and use it for great good. 

When life hurts, when the world is unfair, when we fail, when evil is rising, 

we have a place to run – the cross. 

We have a place to hide – Jesus. 

He is the One who willingly holds our tears. (Psalm 56:8)

He turns closet floors into prayer rooms, hiding places into healing spaces.  

Our Savior understands our weakness, our brokenness. He knows what it’s like to be human. 

“For we do not have a high priest [Jesus] who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.”
(Hebrews 4:15-16) 

Through His death and resurrection, He has made a way to restore our brokenness into wholeness.  

*Written by Mandie Maass of Brave Girls Gather

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Whole Day 2
Digging Deeper

Subtle lies tell us enough of the truth to make us curious, but we can become too lazy to seek the whole truth. Sin begins to take root in our hearts when curiosity turns to doubt followed by wrong choices. God has given us His word that is sufficient instruction for our lives. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) He has also provided for us everything we need to enjoy life to its fullest. (1 Timothy 6:17) God has not left out anything.
Dig Deeper!

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Posted in: Broken, Christ, Clothed, Faith, Forgiven, Freedom, Future, Healing, Heart, Identity Tagged: broken, cure, hope, Jesus, whole
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