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Another Day 10 Holy Submission: Digging Deeper

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Another Day 10 Holy Submission: Digging Deeper

Rachel Jones

March 17, 2023

Christ,church,Discipleship,Faith,Song,Submission

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 "Holy Submission"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Ephesians 5:15-20

Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise—16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17 So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 And don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless living, but be filled by the Spirit: 19 speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) How are we intended to make the most of our time? (verse 16)

In Ephesians 5:15-16, Paul cautioned believers to “Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise—- making the most of the time, because the days are evil.” Paul wanted believers to seize the day and make the most of the opportunities God had given them, using their time for God’s glory.

More than just spending time wisely, Paul spoke of “a definite season of opportunity that Christians must redeem” according to David Guzik. Paul knew God desires us to be purposeful with our lives by paying special attention to how we spend each day.

The Lord desires all parts of our life to be lived out in surrender to Him, which means making wise choices according to His Word that honor Him. (Proverbs 2:1-5) Our culture and the world we live in are ruled by evil (1 John 5:19) and there are snares everywhere! If the Christ-follower is not diligent in prayer, they will quickly become trapped in the pull of sin. (1 Peter 5:8)

We need to understand God’s will by regularly reading His Word and then walk out His plans (James 1:23-24). His Word safeguards us from becoming distracted or derailed by sinful pleasures that will drag our lives into chaos and sidetrack us from fulfilling our destiny in God. (John 8:34) John Piper suggests “the Christian life is a vigilant life, defensively guarding itself from the subtleties of the evil days and offensively redeeming the time to strike for love and righteousness again and again.”

We can make the most of our time by pursuing God’s will, which is found through careful study of God’s Word, then walking it out in our lives.

The Everyday Application

1) How are we intended to make the most of our time? (verse 16)

One of my kids does not like to have too much free time on her hands. She is fine to lounge around for a few days of summer vacation, but then she needs a plan of action or she feels like she is wasting her life. Making a checklist of things to do, even if those things include watching tv or playing video games, it provides structure and purpose to her time and she can better enjoy her vacation. Her strategy is much like the one Paul promoted when he told the Ephesians to make “the most of the time, because the days are evil.” (verse 16).

Time is one of the most valuable gifts we possess, and most of us frequently squander it on unworthy endeavors. We scroll through social media pages, only to realize later we’ve spent an hour viewing dance trends, pranks, and clever pet videos.

Sometimes the things that drain our time are not so benign and are actually evil pursuits that bring us harm and separate us from God. (Galatians 5:19-21) We must realize that the time we are given is a gift, and God wants us to do everything for His glory with all the resources He has given. (1 Corinthians 10:31) He created us to do good works, which He carefully laid out for us with love! (Ephesians 2:10)

This doesn’t mean we can’t pursue interests we enjoy or take time out to rest; these are important too! (Mark 6:31) But we are commanded to be mindful of how we spend our time, making sure we use what the Lord has given for His glory, not our own, so we can do well in the work laid out for us by God. (Colossians 1:10)

The Original Intent

2) What does it mean to speak to one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs? (verse 19)

Paul admonished the Ephesians to “be filled by the Spirit: speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:18-19). The Greek word for speaking, laleo, means “speaking with yourselves, which refers to believers as a community . . . it simply means to use the voice to make a sound and in this context the sound is a song.” (Preceptaustin.org).

When we are filled with the Spirit, as Paul advocated, the joy of His presence bubbles out of us in singing. (Psalm 16:11) Of course, to sing His word to another requires us to first know it deeply for ourselves. (Colossians 3:16) As author R. Kent Hughes explains, “Spirit-filled people overflow in song!” John Eadie notes that the people of Paul’s day would have sung Psalms from the Bible and other songs of praise to God, and spiritual songs, or odes, similar to those of Hannah (1 Samuel 2:1-10), Mary (Luke 1:46-56) and Zachariah (Luke 1:67-79).

Paul knew that when Holy Spirit-filled believers in Jesus gathered together, worship would burst forth from their mouths and their hearts. He understood that Christians need the unity and boost of faith that comes from rejoicing together.

Corporate worship not only glorifies the Lord, but it also encourages and edifies His people as they lift their voices together to sing His praises. As we bless God, we are in turn blessed by His presence and the encouragement of being with God’s people.

Paul tells us in Colossians 3:16 we can use songs, hymns, and spiritual songs to admonish, or advise, one another. Paul taught that corporate worship was an integral part of the Christian life, providing a way for believers to thank and praise God while exhorting and encouraging one another.

The Everyday Application

2) What does it mean to speak to one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs? (verse 19)

I love to watch old movies, particularly musicals, but my husband doesn’t share my appreciation of the genre. He finds it irksome that every plot point requires choreography and a catchy song. Musicals require some suspension of disbelief, which annoys him as much as it delights me. I can’t help thinking of Paul’s exhortation in Ephesians 5:19 in terms of a movie musical when Paul tells Christians to speak to one another in “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord.”

Paul did not mean their dialogue between one another needed to be sung, but that their collective thanks and praise to God should pour out in corporate singing to the Lord and the way they encouraged one another should flow from Scripture’s words. John Piper explains “There are reasons for this corporate dimension to worship. Being together and singing to each other, and not just alone, intensifies our emotions for God, communicates our witness to God, and unifies our corporate life around God.” (Romans 15:6)

When believers are together, their love for God and thankfulness for His love and goodness should well up inside and pour out onto each other. (Psalm 149:1) Their shared praise and adoration of God encourages and edifies each worshipper, strengthening their faith and producing hope and joy in their hearts. As author David Mathis explains, “Our own awe is accentuated, our own adoration increased, our own joy doubled when we worship Jesus together.”

Make it a point to worship together with other saints, magnifying the Lord with your lifted voices and encouraging each other with your corporate devotion to God.

The Original Intent

3) How can Christians submit to one another in the fear of Christ? (verse 21)

In Ephesians 5:21, Paul exhorted Christ’s followers to submit to one another in the fear of Christ. Paul encouraged Christians to develop and display an attitude of humility, “a willingness to be responsive and to yield to one another out of love.” (Lawrence Richards) We can submit to our brothers and sisters in Christ by not insisting on our way or by having the last word.

We should prefer others over ourselves (Philippians 2:3) and make their well-being a priority (Philippians 2:4), even over our own. We should treat others the way we want to be treated. (Matthew 7:12), especially those who have also surrendered to Christ as their Lord. (Galatians 6:10)

We can follow Jesus’ example of humility and service by giving up what we think we deserve in order to benefit others. We humbly submit to our brothers and sisters in Christ in the fear, or respect, of Jesus as our Ruling Lord. Because we love Jesus, we follow His example of service and obedience. His submission to God included His obedience unto death on the cross for the sins of the world, a punishment He didn’t deserve. (Philippians 2:8)

Not only did Jesus make a way for us to come to the Father through His humbling sacrifice, He also showed us how to submit our own will and way to the authority of God our Father. If Jesus, being God, did not give Him reason to stop choosing humility, there is nothing preventing us from humbling ourselves by submitting ourselves to other Christ-followers.

The Everyday Application

3) How can Christians submit to one another in the fear of Christ? (verse 21)

I have a brother in Christ who exemplifies what it means to submit to one another in the fear of Christ. (Ephesians 5:21) He served as a pastor at one time in his life, but now he works in maintenance and janitorial services at his church. He labors diligently on his own list of tasks to be done, but he never fails to ask the staff at his church if they need anything or if he can do something additional for them.

Even if he is done with his shift or just about to clock out, he offers his assistance and makes sure he is not needed before leaving the building. He also volunteers at his church, leading Bible studies and volunteering in the hospitality ministry. Time and again he prefers others above himself out of His love and respect for Christ. (Galatians 5:13) My friend is not in it to win a spotlight, but to point to his Savior.

John Piper explains, “That kind of humility and readiness to serve rather than be served, to honor rather than be honored, is a fruit of the Spirit. And when we are filled with the Spirit, we will be submissive to each other in this way.”

In a world that is increasingly self-centered and self-promoting, my friend’s submission to his Christian brothers and sisters is as refreshing as it is counter-cultural. He doesn’t set up a camera to film his good deeds and then post them online with a request to like or subscribe. He just lets the love of God fill him up and then pours out that love onto others. (John 4:14) He is a good example for each of us to follow if we want to submit to one another in the fear of Christ. How can you start today?!

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family,humility,Jesus,Submission,worship
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Another Day 10
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Submission is evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit within us. Through faith in Christ, we receive His righteousness as our own and keep His commandments through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Submission denies us the power and privilege we want, instead choosing to stand under the Lord’s authority, wisdom, and power.
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Philemon Day 5 For Glory

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Philemon Day 5 For Glory

Sara Cissell

February 17, 2023

Broken,Faith,Fullness,Holy Spirit,Journey

Read His Words Before Ours!

Philemon 6-7
Psalm 92:1-4
1 Kings 17:1-16

In 1 Kings 17, the prophet Elijah is sent to a widow’s home during a multi-year drought. He asks her for bread. Her reply captures her desperation: 

“As the Lord your God lives, I don’t have anything baked–only a handful of flour in the jar and a bit of oil in the jug. Just now, I am gathering a couple of sticks in order to go prepare it for myself and my son so we can eat it and die.” (1 Kings 17:12)

Elijah urged the woman to bring him bread, declaring the flour and oil wouldn’t run out until it rained again. 

Day after day, her jars never remained empty.
The Lord persistently filled the vessels.
Neither the flour jar nor oil jug wrought their own provision;
the Lord was their miraculous provider.

Why bring this Old Testament story into the midst of a Journey Study about an early church pastor? Philemon’s New Testament challenge, and perhaps your own circumstances, share similar threads with this long-ago widow, her lack, and her faith. 

Daily, the widow who fed Elijah removed “that last bit” of oil and flour from their containers and experienced afresh the Lord’s provision. Philemon, as a believer who carried the Holy Spirit inside him, had the opportunity to do the same, look at his lack and experience the Lord’s Presence. 

Paul prayed over Philemon, “I pray that your participation in the faith may become effective through knowing every good thing that is in us for the glory of Christ.” (Philemon 6)

Paul’s prayer summons Philemon to become an active participant in walking out His surrender to the Lord while reminding him that effective faith is possible only through Christ. 

As Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 15:10, his work on behalf of the kingdom was effective only through “the grace of God that was with me.” The widow’s vessels were lacking, and as we look inside, or around us, we may come to much the same conclusion: lack. Philemon was already demonstrating faith, but the becoming effective of faith required a deeper knowing, a real-life, ongoing experiencing, of every good thing already set out for him through Christ.

Did God know, since the beginning of time, He would continuously satisfy the widow’s lack with His infinite supply? Abundantly, yes.

He knew the same for Philemon when He sent Christ to satisfy the debt Philemon owed for his sin. Just as surely as the Lord God knew He would give enough to the widow, He knew He would one day deposit His own Spirit of Holiness inside Philemon to lead and guide him into knowing Himself deeply.

Sister, take a breath with me, He offers the same for us.

How do we know more of the Almighty?
By reading His Word, empowered by the breathing of the Spirit of God in us.

Psalm 92 focuses on praising the Lord for what He has done and who He is.
The psalmist testifies of an experiential walking with and knowing of the Lord God.

“For You have made me rejoice, Lord,
by what You have done;
I will shout for joy
because of the works of Your hands.”
Psalm 92:4

“You have lifted up my horn […] I have been anointed with the finest oil.”
Psalm 92:10

“The Lord is just;
He is my rock…”
Psalm 92:15

In keeping our eyes focused on “the glory of Christ” (verse 6), our growth will be cultivated by Him and defined by His character, enabling us to fulfill the Lord’s purposes, effectively living out our faith in the everyday. 

As we practice tuning the ears of our hearts to know His voice through His Word, we will be drawn deeper into worship, which naturally leads to a life fully surrendered to the Love of Christ. Working like an ever-deepening spiral, the more we know Him, the more we will worshipfully surrender, the more our faith grows, and by the Spirit’s work, our effectiveness for the Lord increases exponentially.

This surrendered life resulting in effective faith, deeply refreshes the hearts of our “fellow ones”, brothers and sisters in Jesus. Joy floods and encouragement abounds from this rich well of surrendered following of the Lord Jesus.

“For I have great joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.”
Philemon 1:7

Paul observed the impact of Philemon’s life on those around him, and documented it in the pages of Scripture. May we live worthy of similar description by those in our spheres of influence! 

The widow in 1 Kings 17 obeyed the Word of the Lord, offering up her lack to the God of infinite Supply.

Her act of faith-filled worship brought refreshment physically and spiritually while ensuring her survival and increasing her faith.

Paul prodded Philemon and, by extension, us, to do the same.

Suppose we chose to lift our lack to the Supplier in faith, listening attentively to learn His voice in ever more intimate ways through His Word, and allow Him to make our offering effective to not only His kingdom, but usher in refreshment to the Church?! 

Dear sisters, I pray our hearts are captivated by the glorious Gospel:
Having conquered sin through His death and resurrection,
Christ has sent His Spirit to live within us.

May we recognize that on our own, we are ordinary earthen vessels (2 Corinthians 4:7), as incapable of sustaining life as the widow’s hollow jars. Like Philemon, may our faith become effective as we embrace the Spirit’s leadership, surrendering every part of us to be used for His glory.

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Philemon refreshed the saints through his acts of kindness, which should encourage all who claim to love Jesus to follow Philemon’s example. We never know when a simple act of kindness will refresh those who were directly impacted as well as those who have witnessed the kindness.
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The GT Weekend! ~ Sketched X Week 3

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The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Many of us know the hard edges of pain, injustice, and sorrow we felt would surely swallow us whole, or worse, bit by bit. Joseph’s story, the longest recorded single narrative in Genesis, is fraught with many opportunities to sink into the waves of sorrow, bitterness, and injustice. But God’s love was, and always will be, the greatest game changer of every story. In His lavish love, He strengthened Joseph’s faith in the midst of suffering and, rather than allow him to be swallowed by grief and despair, slowly taught Joseph to trust the Almighty Sovereign God. We each have this same choice. Every day. Every moment. Inside of each second of mundane or pain, God has provided the opportunity to lean into Him with authentic honesty or pull back. When we lean in, He increases our faith, strengthens our souls, sustains us, and gives His courage and peace. When we pull back, we soon find ourselves running blind through a minefield of bitterness, anger, depression, and despair. In the end, we lose everything. Take time to identity the opportunities the Lord is giving you recently. Where do you find your heart turning?

2) Joseph wasn’t really looking for redemption. He certainly wasn’t expecting to see the familiar faces of his brothers amidst the sea of faces that day as they came to Egypt, bowing to him, to purchase grain. Redemption and restoration within his family relationships may have surprised Joseph, but it didn’t surprise the Lord. He had seen this day from long before Joseph’s brothers had plotted to murder him. The Lord knew redemption was coming when Joseph unjustly sat in prison. More so, the Lord knew all the internal wrestling, heart ache, and grieving hot tears Joseph would cry in the years between being sold into slavery and the day he would embrace his brothers with glad tears. God never once abandoned Joseph; not one of His promises was broken. The Lord proved faithful at every single point, and eventually, Joseph saw with his physical eyes what the Lord had taught him to see with his spiritual eyes: redemption. The Lord loves us far too much to simply give us what we think we want in the physical realm without first teaching us what we really need in the spiritual realm: God Himself. Wherever you are in your own journey, high hope or struggling to lift your head, be encouraged that the God of redemption sees you, and He knows your redemption story inside and out. Trust Him!

3) Every injustice. Every broken place. Every wound that has relentlessly damaged bodies and relationships. Every single tear that has stained our cheeks. Healed, made whole, and redeemed one day. Joseph experienced only a small sliver of the full redemption the Lord had planned for His people during his life. Joseph’s family experienced partial redemption and the nation of Israel was blessed temporarily with safe harbor and sustaining food for a season. Eventually, though, Israel became enslaved for 400 years and suffered significantly in many ways even into modern times. Still, their homecoming is sure and certain, and so is ours. Whatever good we experience and whatever redemption we receive in this life is merely a hint of the good restoration still to come for those who have trusted Christ completely for their salvation. When we choose to adjust our lens to see our struggles with the perspective of Home on the horizon, even hardship becomes more bearable. Practice turning over your perspective to the Lord this weekend. Ask Him to fix your gaze on the eternity to come! To help you anchor in this truth, marinate your soul in truths of Scripture like Revelation 21 and 22 and Psalm 27.

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 John 13:7 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward you will understand.”

Prayer Journal
Lord Jesus, like Peter at the Last Supper, like Joseph in prison, like Israel wandering the desert, like Abraham leaving his homeland to follow Your lead, Your words speak truth to our reality, “What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward you will understand.” (John 13:7) When You sat with Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3), when You commissioned Joshua to “be strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:9), when You came to Isaiah in a vision (Isaiah 6), they had no way of knowing what You were doing in their timeline or how it would echo through the ages. But You did; You knew all along. You never cease to be faithful, steadfast, and true.

Teach us to trust You with our stories. Teach us to honestly bring You every piece of our painful suffering, surrendering it fully to You, and waiting with great, expectant Hope for Your sure and certain coming redemption. What You are doing now in our lives, we cannot comprehend the wide spectrum You have planned, but teach us to live by faith and not by sight. May our hearts choose praise, worship, and adoration now, whatever our circumstances look like. Here is my life, Lord God, make Your redemption known in its storyline!

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Sketched X Day 7 Without A Voice: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Without A Voice!

The Questions

1) The Israelites had been slaves in Egypt for many years, why did it take so long for God to hear and respond to their cries for help? (verses 7-8)

2) Why would God give land to the Israelites that belonged to others? (verse 8)

3) Why would God choose Moses, for even he asks the Lord, “Who am I that I should go”? (verse 11)

Exodus 3:7-12

Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people in Egypt, and have heard them crying out because of their oppressors. I know about their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and to bring them from that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the territory of the Canaanites, Hethites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 9 So because the Israelites’ cry for help has come to me, and I have also seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them, 10 therefore, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh so that you may lead my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”
11 But Moses asked God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
12 He answered, “I will certainly be with you, and this will be the sign to you that I am the one who sent you: when you bring the people out of Egypt, you will all worship God at this mountain.”

Original Intent

1) The Israelites had been slaves in Egypt for many years, why did it take so long for God to hear and respond to their cries for help? (verses 7-8)
The easy answer to why God was so long in bringing rescue is that we can’t understand God’s timing. His scope is significantly broader than our own and His love infinitely outshines our own. However, if we step back and study Israel’s history a bit we can make some educated guesses to help answer this particular “why” of waiting. Let’s first remember it was God who brought the Israelites to Egypt in the first place, even before they were “Israelites”.  Joseph’s own struggles and injustices led him on a winding road that gave him a position of power benefitting his family and built a new nation. (Genesis 39-45) Secondly, the Israelites needed time, several generations, to grow into a nation and a people. Their numbers grew mightily during those years in Egypt; even Pharaoh was increasingly concerned by their multiplication. Lastly, God was raising up Moses as His instrument to lead His people out of Egypt and into a land of their own. Moses needed to grow, learn, make mistakes and become the man God would use to lead His people to freedom. How tragic it would have been for Israel to be so comfortable in the shadow of another nation that they never lived out the purposes God had for them! It really wasn’t that God didn’t hear Israel’s cry, rather, He was working “behind the scenes” to align each piece and person in preparation for freedom. His long-game purpose for His people was to move in such a mighty way that no one could miss how only He, the Great I Am, freed His people from the grip of slavery. These events were a pre-cursor for another miraculous set of events in the life of Jesus when, by His suffering, He offered freedom from sin’s slavery for us all!

2) Why would God give land to the Israelites that belonged to others? (verse 8)
All good stories have a beginning, and Israel’s begins long before their great exodus out of slavery in Egypt, before Joseph, before his father Jacob, and before his father Isaac. To discover the first time God spoke of Israel’s land, we go back to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-2.   God called Abraham (then known as Abram) to leave his home and travel to “the land that I will show you”. This land became known as the Promised Land referencing God’s covenant vow to give it to Abraham’s descendants. It extended from the wilderness to the Euphrates River and from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. (Exodus 23:31) However, by the time Israel was finally ready to take the land hundreds of years after Abraham, it was inhabited by pagan nations like Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. Keep in mind this land was part of God’s provision for His chosen people, the Israelites. It was the Lord’s land and it had been promised to Israel centuries prior. It was important Israel take ownership to fulfill the promise God had made to Abraham. Psalm 24:1 tells us “The earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the Lord”. He has rights to everything and everyone; He can give and take away from whomever He chooses. 
3) Why would God choose Moses, for even he asks the Lord, “Who am I that I should go”? (verse 11)
Because Moses knew he couldn’t accomplish this impossible task on his own, he quickly admitted his shortcomings and reservations about being “the guy” of God’s choosing. He had made some big mistakes in his life, but God, as only He can, used Moses in spite of those sinful choices to shape him into a man who was open and willing to be obedient to God. Moses recognized God’s voice in the burning bush, went to investigate, and listened to what God had to say. Moses knew this monumental task of freeing Israel was far beyond anything he could do or even wanted to do. For these reasons, and probably more, he pushed back on God. In fact, in Exodus 4:13 Moses said in essence, “You’ve got the wrong guy God, send someone else.” (my paraphrase) God’s response was one of anger for Moses disobedience and disrespect to the Sovereign God, still God provided an antidote to Moses’ insecurities in the form of Moses’ brother, Aaron. Ultimately, Moses acted obediently and depended on God for the enormous mission ahead of him.

Everyday Application

1) The Israelites had been slaves in Egypt for many years, why did it take so long for God to hear and respond to their cries for help? (verses 7-8)
Don’t lose hope! If you’ve been crying to God for seemingly forever, don’t give up and assume He isn’t listening; this is a lie! God hears and is working, despite our impatience. I tend to stop praying about “it” and attempt to “help” God by pushing ahead with my solution. You’d think I’d learn to trust Him; alas, I haven’t. In the past months, I’ve intentionally worked to be still, listen and wait, but honestly, there are more days when I decide to push ahead with my plans. News flash! This doesn’t work! When we run ahead of God, we slow down His provision. God cannot be rushed. Perhaps even more frustrating than personally waiting on God is watching a loved one wait for Him. Recently, I was talking with my oldest, who desperately longs for a husband. As a parent, it’s hard not to give a solution and instead point them to Jesus! I know God is working in the waiting, but as her mom, I desperately want to fix her pain. I must remember the best I can do is lead her to seek Jesus and His comfort. Psalms 73-74 are written by a guy who clearly understood the struggle between the pain of waiting and the desire to honor God. “But as for me, my feet almost slipped; my steps nearly went astray. For I envied the arrogant; I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” (Psalm 73:2-3) He follows on with confident faith in verses 25-26, “Who do I have in heaven but you? And I desire nothing on earth but You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, my portion forever.” As we wait on the Lord, lets determine to move closer to God and dig into His word. Psalms is strong encouragement, filled with honest cries, hope, and healing.

2) Why would God give land to the Israelites that belonged to others? (verse 8)
When we remember God’s sovereign authority over every aspect of creation, including us, our perspective either shifts in alignment with truth or we press back against it, wanting to cling to a false sense of control and ownership. We all need the reminder to hold loosely to what the Lord has given for our use, even our relationships are a gift from Him. Our homes, churches, ministries, careers, and every material good is given to us by a graciously benevolent God; we are His stewards of these grace gifts and we never know when He will ask us to give something up for Him and His purposes. Job 1:21 says, “The LORD gives and the LORD takes away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.” I speak from a place of experience when I say that when we are faithful to God and His call on our lives, He will indeed ask us to give away or give up jobs, careers and even ministries. This ask has never made sense to me at the time, but after I’ve faithfully obeyed, God provides the understanding, insight and provision for the next step in my journey. It’s only in practicing full surrender of everything and everyone in our lives that we can fully embrace the abundant purposes of the Lord for us.

3) Why would God choose Moses, for even he asks the Lord, “Who am I that I should go”? (verse 11)
Because God is the Almighty God, and He has a tendency to use the most unlikely people in the most unlikely ways to further His kingdom, all of us have been given purposes that far-extend our human ability and reasoning. I could share many stories of times I’ve asked God the exact question or a similar one that Moses posed, “Are you sure about this God? I’m kind of a mess, in case you didn’t notice.” We can’t accomplish His mission in our power, but God can finish His work in us and through us by His Spirit! Jesus Himself said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) When it comes to accomplishing God’s mission for us, we must take Him at His word and remember the Lord’s word, “Not by strength,
Just like with Moses, God is looking for our willingness and trust, He’s got all the details already figured out. It’s okay to ask questions, God can handle them. It’s okay to feel nervous and uncertain about your abilities because they are required for us to lean in and trust in God over ourselves.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Without A Voice!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Sketched X Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

Champion Day 7 Behind The Scenes God: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

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

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Behind The Scenes God!

The Questions

1) How do you pursue God’s will when you are feeling weak or discouraged? (verse 18)

2) How can this Scripture help us navigate a chaotic culture like Esther’s?

3) Why is it so important to resist revenge? (verse 15)

I Thessalonians 5:14-18

And we exhort you, brothers and sisters: warn those who are idle, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all. Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Original Intent

1) How do you pursue God’s will when you are feeling weak or discouraged? (verse 18)
The apostle Paul exhorted the believers in Thessalonica to help one another in their daily lives as new Christians with their eye on the coming return of Jesus. Paul was very concerned for these new believers. He and Silas fled Thessalonica because of intense persecution, and he worried about those left behind as they faced hardship. Paul sent Timothy to check on them and received good word about the faithfulness of the new believers, so he wrote to encourage and spur them on to new growth and deeper maturity. Persecution was rampant, but Jesus was worth it and he urged them to stay the course of following Christ. Hope was coming! The new believers were both Jews and Gentiles, and Paul suspicioned that false teachers were likely to come in attempting to sway them from solid truth. Paul knew the believers would need each other in order to mature, so he taught them to be on the lookout for those in need of encouragement or a reminder to work hard and do good towards each other. Paul taught God’s will is to “Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything […]”. (verses 16-18) God’s will is unity between believers and between His people and Himself. When we cast our focus and affection on the Lord, choosing to worship Him in prayer, we are sowing unity. Paul knew if they pursued worship together, they would continue growing together as a community of believers with one central focus: God. To pursue God, they would need help and encouragement from their brothers and sisters in Christ. In the case of Esther, her story was woven with community as her cousin, Mordecai, and all the Jews prayed to the Lord together bringing unity and glorifying God.  

2) How can this Scripture help us navigate a chaotic culture like Esther’s?
The Thessalonians had much to contend against between the time Paul led them to believe in Jesus and the time Paul sent Timothy back to check on them a few months later. They dealt with ongoing, intense persecution that caused Paul and Silas to flee Thessalonica. Some of their members died, and they were dealing with grief and the confusion about what would happen to their departed friends when Jesus returned. They also wondered what would happen to those alive at the 2nd coming. Some members were being lazy and living off of the generosity of wealthier Christians, while some were struggling with forsaking all of their pagan ways. The church in Thessalonica was dealing with struggles particular to their time and culture, but the intensity of need and the desire for answers is relatable for each generation. Esther stood at a crossroads for her people as they faced extermination. She interceded for them with bravery and humility, but for every step she took, it was the Lord God leading her. We don’t face the same challenges Esther or the Thessalonians did, but our culture screams just as loud to abandon our faith, choose self over intercession, and apathy over zeal for the Lord. The Thessalonians were eager for Paul’s presence, but his letter was welcome instruction on how they should proceed in his absence. Paul wanted them to keep rejoicing, keep praying, and keep thanking God for everything. This would help them focus on God and grow in their faith despite the tumult of the times.

3) Why is it so important to resist revenge? (verse 15)
Paul may have instructed the new Christians in Thessalonica to resist revenge because they were being intensely persecuted by the Greeks in their culture. Their natural, human instinct would be to get even with those harming them, but Paul counseled them that Christianity does not work that way. Even in the Old Testament, God commanded that the faithful “do not take revenge, or bear a grudge against members of your community, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 19:18) Not only were they to resist revenge, but they were to pursue the good of everyone, even their persecutors. Paul was intent on emphasizing God’s character as their Champion to the new Christ-followers; He gives generously of Himself to His enemies by sacrificing Himself in their place. Since Paul himself had zealously persecuted Christians before his conversion, his admonition held particular significance. We are not to take revenge on others, for God Himself did not take revenge on us, instead He sacrificed for us. Mordecai particularly could have taken revenge on his arch-enemy, Haman, at any time, but he showed restraint, waiting on the Lord, trusting His ways over his own. We are to do the same.

Everyday Application

1) How do you pursue God’s will when you are feeling weak or discouraged? (verse 18)
The exhortation in these verses is important every day, but especially on those down days when we just can’t go it alone. If the command to worship through prayer brought an entire city together to beseech the Lord on behalf of the Jews, its benefits to us in our everyday struggles are immense! Prayer and worship prove effective not because of our flowery words, but because it is the Lord who hears and acts on our behalf through our faith. There is one Champion, and it is the Lord God. Paul’s writing reminds us we need to lean on our brothers and sisters in Christ who can pray on our behalf just as Mordecai and the Jews did for Esther. We should reach out for help, encouragement, accountability, and prayer from the community around us. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 reads, “Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up.” We are also reminded that prayer and praise change our perspective. If we are called to rejoice always, there is always something to rejoice over. If we pray constantly, we are communicating with God about our daily needs. Giving thanks even in the midst of hard times helps us recognize all the blessings we have that are often taken for granted.

2) How can this Scripture help us navigate a chaotic culture like Esther’s?
It is easy to get bogged down by our never-ending to-do lists and our constant busyness. We don’t always have time to take a shower or eat a full meal, let alone pray constantly or lend a hand to a friend in need. These verses call us to be both intentional and singular in our focus on God. Esther’s need was desperate, pressing, and urging, and though our challenges aren’t the same, we can relate to her sense of desperation and urgency. Consider how we respond in our urgent need moments, or even the long-term needs we’ve been agonizing over for months or years. Are we seeing these as opportunities to turn to the Lord in prayers of faith? The more we cultivate our relationship with the Lord, the more natural it becomes to “pray always” as if breathing. God calls us to invest in our fellow Christians who may need an encouraging word or some extra patience as they face a struggle. He calls us to always pursue what is good for one another, which flies in the face of our culture’s “me first” mentality. While it can be challenging, it is one of the best ways we can represent Christ to our neighbors. John 13:35 tells us, “By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” We are challenged to make careful choices about where we spend our time and energy, purposing to help our friends in need, to seek support when we need it, and keep our focus on God alone.

3) Why is it so important to resist revenge? (verse 15)
Paul implores us to be patient with everyone, which includes our enemies. Why is this so necessary? In a way, revenge seems like a great way to ensure that justice, at least our version of it, is served. If someone is doing evil, they deserve to get some pay back. God says, “Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for God’s wrath, because it is written, Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19) God wants us to focus on forgiveness and doing good toward others, not on how we can make someone pay for their sins. We cannot champion our own stories by exacting our own revenge. James writes that, “human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent […].” (James 1:20-21) The only one worthy to judge or bring retribution is the Lord God! Romans 12:21 tells us we are able to conquer evil with good. It is vital to resist revenge because by doing so we are taking the first step to overcoming evil with good; only in this can we surrender to the True Champion. In this way, we get our enemy’s attention and turn their focus to the goodness of God instead of our own vengeance. In this way, we practice being like Jesus and trust the results to Him, just as Esther modeled!

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

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

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

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Champion Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

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

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

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

Study Tools

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

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

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

Memorize It!

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

The GT Weekend! ~ Worship X Week 3

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The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Know what’s good about tomorrow? It’s a new day! A clean slate. It’s even better when you know your new day comes with new mercies from God. On Monday we took a deep dive into Psalm 103 and a dip into Deuteronomy. We learned how to use Psalm 103 as a tool for pausing and focusing on the Lord’s benefits of compassion, faithful love, patience, forgiveness and renewal to name a few. Pause now and write out a prayer to the Lord for each of His benefits He brings to mind. Choose one to focus on and journal how you see it manifested in your life over this weekend. The Lord is so good to us, but how easily we forget He is constantly at work and we are reaping the benefits! We must never forget the goodness in our lives is from the Lord. Write a list of the good things you’ve recognized in your life during this Worship Journey. Praise the Lord for each of them individually. Explore Worship Nine for more on authentic adoration and “real life” worship.

2) “Is it really just noise? Or is it praises to the Lord?” Our Wednesday Journey Study answers this question. We took a walk through several Psalms, which show us how all creation responds to God’s works, which includes us as we praise God for justice and victory. Our praise, however, isn’t just intended for our words, but with instruments and songs. Our praise should be continual, in our words and in our actions. Let everything in us praise Him! Watch this worship video, https://youtu.be/2phNjrdWE28 paying close attention to the words plucked straight from Scripture. When you are done, journal how it makes you feel about praise and worship. How can you raise the level of your own worship to the Lord?

3)  On Friday, Carol wrapped up the study for us by digging deep into the third verse of Great is Thy Faithfulness. From this highly beloved hymn, we uncovered that we’ve received pardon for our sin through Jesus, our Prince of Peace. He grants us not just peace, but enduring peace. We have the presence of God with us! After all, the Holy Spirit lives in us! It is He who guides us and provides strength and hope. Our God is indeed faithful! No matter our life circumstances, we have nothing to fear. God is always right there with us, sustaining and guiding us. Read through some of the Journeys from Fruitful and journal how you see the fruitfulness of God’s faithfulness in your life. Select one of those journeys and commit to praying thanks for the next week for that aspect of His faithfulness in your life. If you want a real challenge, pray through each one!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Isaiah 40:28-29 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth. He never becomes faint or weary; there is no limit to his understanding. He gives strength to the faint and strengthens the powerless.

Prayer Journal
O Lord, My Lord, You are the most excellent God. Lord, as I have read through this Journey, I have been convicted. I do not praise You enough. Everything good in me and everything I have is because of You. There are so many things I take for granted that I should be praising You for every day. Just like Your mercies are new every morning, so my praise should be new and lifted up to You every morning. Lord praise is due You. Let me ever praise You and appreciate all Your benefits because You are worthy.

Worship Through Community

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

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

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

The GT Weekend! ~ Worship X Week 2

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The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Be still. Patience. Wait. How good are you at these? I love Sarah’s examples of David as she told of his quest for rest, and all the reasons he couldn’t find it. I recently attended a conference where I served on staff. With all the preparation and full days, it definitely didn’t speak “rest”.  While it was an incredible conference, and I was blessed to serve, the “hurry” takes a toll. We spend ourselves on good things, even “God-focused things”, and find at its end we still need rest. “Life”, with all its deadlines and busy happenings, continue its demands with earnest! More than likely, we aren’t running for our lives as David was, but we can still run ourselves to exhaustion. Perhaps we are keeping ourselves so busy we don’t hear the Lord above the din of our own lives. Be still. Patience. Wait. What would we need to move in our daily rhythms to begin excelling at these disciplines? The never ending “to do lists”, our jobs, places of service, and our families are all very good things, but the Lord never called us to burn out on these. He did call us to be still. Suppose we decide together to model our rhythms after the example of Joshua at the Tent of Meeting.  He entered the tent with the express purpose of meeting God. As he encountered Gods’ presence, he didn’t want to leave. Even when Moses left, Joshua stayed. May it be so in our lives!

2) God is faithful! Christine kept this message before us in her Journey Study this week. How often we forget this! In the midst of trying circumstances, maybe even our current one, we fail to remember God’s faithfulness! We need to practice recalling God’s ways and His character. He is our very present help in times of trouble; Christine and Mandy reminded me of this truth as they pointed to His Word! We can toil, worry, and fret but it doesn’t help anything, and only escalates our anxiety. We can take God at His word! Recording His specific provision in our lives through journaling can help us look back and see God’s faithfulness. We can see God as provider, as our refuge, and our strength. If you’ve prayer journaled for a while, take a few minutes this weekend to read backwards and praise the Lord for His faithfulness to you! If you haven’t kept a journal before, take this as your invitation to start! He is our Hope and we can praise Him, even as we walk through struggles. When we see Him faithfully providing for us, and giving us His peace, even in unsteady waters, we can tell others of His greatness! When we worship the Lord for making a way through the pain or holding us while in the middle of it, we are glorifying Him!

3) On Day 10 of our Journey Theme, Bethany reminded us to keep on trusting the Lord because we know He is faithful. This hit as a timely reminder for me as my husband is currently unemployed, which is something we’ve never experienced in our marriage. It’s daunting indeed, and the longer we go without employment, I confess that, bit by bit, the supernatural peace I experienced before being unemployed seems to slip away. As our financial cushion is chipped away for all the usual expenses, so my faith also appears to be chipping away. I am not a new believer, Sisters. I have watched others walk through these same challenges and other hard things. It’s not easy to admit my faith waivers. I thank the Lord we have provisions for a time, but the lack of open doors pushes back against my faith. Still, this I know to be true: 1) God has never left us, even in challenging seasons. 2) His peace has not completely left; I am still comforted by Him. Since these are true, I can say, “Great is His faithfulness to provide all that we need. The physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs are all under His care. Great is His faithfulness as He holds us and walks with us in this season.”

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 Psalm 71:23-24 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to You because You have redeemed me.
Therefore, my tongue will proclaim Your righteousness all day long,
for those who intend to harm me will be disgraced and confounded.

Prayer Journal
Dear Lord, in all things, may my lips praise You. In the mundane of my day, in the struggle of loss, in the fear of uncertainty, in every circumstance let me be known for praising You. For You alone are worthy of my praise. All the time. Even when the path seems rocky and clouds are pressing in, let me shout for joy. You are faithful and just to preserve me, faithful and just to sustain me, faithful and just to provide for me. Let me be so happy and peaceful in simply looking upon You and Your good heart that I truly confound the naysayers around me and the plain evidence of my circumstances. Lord God, I want You and only You. Let all who see my life and hear my words, whether they trust You personally or not, to become convinced of Your faithfulness because of my worship. You alone have redeemed me and called me by name. I am Yours.

Worship Through Community

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

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

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

The GT Weekend! ~ Worship X Week 1

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The GT Weekend!

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

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) The idea of praising God in the midst of challenge or pain sounds impossible at first glance. But this reveals the humanity of our perspective and the depth (or shallowness) of our faith. On Monday, Lesley pointed to David’s decision to praise the Lord despite the prolonged difficulties he faced. She also challenged us to consider the justice of God as He acts on our behalf to protect and defend His people. It’s easy for us to view our pain or unjust treatment and determine God to be unfair and unjust because He has not resolved our pain on our timetable. This reveals how small our box is that holds our faith and our beliefs about God and His character. David’s songs stand out as often declaring the character of God, reminding himself of God’s promises, even in the mire of trials. Challenge yourself to keep a list on your phone over the next few days of God’s promises. Every time you read one in Scripture or remember one, write it down. Return to this list often and proclaim praise to the God who never fails!

2) The majority of our everyday moments are lived out in the tangible and experienced by our physical senses. Pause for 30 seconds and close your eyes; begin listing out the most recent experiences you’ve encountered with your senses. What were the last images you saw, items you tasted, sounds your heard, sensations you felt, and scents you’ve smelled. Reflect on your list, allowing yourself to relive those moments. Now ask yourself how many of those were connected to relating to God. We tend to relegate our experiences of God to the confines of the church building or spiritual retreats, but the Lord crafted each moment of our everyday to be pregnant with opportunities of knowing Him more fully. Creation testifies of His glory. His mercies are new every morning, waiting to be unwrapped in our days. He is in regular pursuit of our hearts. Ask the Lord to open your eyes and see Him in real, everyday life!

3) Name the things that have changed in your life in the last 24 hours. Maybe it was your plans. Maybe it was the nuances of an interaction you had with a friend. Perhaps you received new information. Unread emails, laundry to fold, meals to plan, change is constantly around us. Now name the things that have never once changed in the course of your entire life. You may be able to name some things that haven’t changed much, or perhaps people you’ve come to rely on fully over time. But, to assign an “always” statement to someone or something’s unchangeability isn’t very accurate. The Lord does not increase His love for us over time, and neither does it decrease. His justice and goodness does not ebb and flow depending on political standing or cultural trends. He is ceaselessly full of all that embodies His character. Never once has He changed. Ever. Which means He is endlessly trustworthy. What was true of Him at the dawn of time will be true of Him in the ages to come. None is more faithful and true than the Lord God. Given this reality, what are you holding back from entrusting to His care? Plans for your future? Relationship struggles? Finances? Fear? Wounds? Sister, there is none more able to love you, and none more worthy of your total surrender than the Lord Jesus Christ. Give it all over to the Unfailing One and worship Him for His faithfulness!

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 John 15:4-5 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.

Prayer Journal
None is steadfast like You, O Lord! Your goodness never ceases, yet how easily I become “bored” with praising You because I forget Your benefits. I neglect to remember the constancy of your nearness and the immediacy of Your accessible Presence. Shift the focus of my heart to see with eyes of faith. Teach me to trust the good love of Your heart that has never abandoned me. Teach me to pause here, to rest in it, and then live it out in worship that speaks of Your glory!

Worship Through Community

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

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

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Eden Day 13 Exiled For Good

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 2
Genesis 3
Romans 6:16-23
Galatians 3:10-14

Eden, Day 13

“The grasses sang together,
the dew’s drops harmonized,
and the whir of insect wings melodically magnified the rhythmic sway
of undiluted, adoring praise to the Maker.”

Eve’s melodic words flowed quickly as she remembered. “We were blissfully free, although we didn’t understand this exquisite gift of Presence we so innocently enjoyed. Our feet danced to the cadence of the lilting music with every movement. Oh how I loved to talk with the wiggling worms and listen to the trees laugh in the breeze!”

Eve laughed, and the rich hues of deep mirth beckoned to all who heard, “Everything held abundant life, or was upheld by it.”

She shook her head at the still-unfathomable mystery.
“Every being was sustained by the Indescribable wonder of the Maker Himself.
His beauty was reflected in every pool of shimmering water, every star’s arching song over the curve of the earth,
and every baying creature’s unique sound.
As the sun-warmed grass welcomed our dancing feet,
even our work felt like playful delight as we cared for the earth and the animals.
Adam and I…”, Eve sighed longingly as she remembered Great-Grandfather. “How perfectly we fit together, not just bodies and hands, but purpose and . . . ” she stumbled for a word and landed on, “… joy. How wondrous it was to join, with him, in creation’s worship of Yahweh.”

Eve never tired of telling the wonder of that delight before…

I wiggled in spite of myself, thinking of what was to come. I’d heard my great-grandmother tell her tale a hundred times, and though I loved it more with every re-telling, the familiar ending always sent my heart plummeting.

Would the Maker cast me out as well?
Did He know the way I pouted behind my mother’s back and how I kicked my little brother?
Could I hide from Yahweh better than Great-Grandmother?

“Tell us about the two trees!” Kenan’s excited voice rose above the murmur of the children encircling Eve’s dusky fire. I elbowed him, preferring to linger on Eden’s perfection. I wanted nothing to do with the two trees and all they meant. Couldn’t Kenan understand how they tarnished him, too?

Still, Great-Grandmother’s voice rang out like crystal waters and I was immersed again as she spoke of the wide clearing of lush green grasses carpeting the warm earth at the base of the two trees. “Life and Death were set before us every day in the Garden, my children. Every day, we had the choice to eat of the Tree of Life and live forever with Yahweh in bliss; Abba never forbade it.” (Genesis 2:8-9, 15-17)

“But you didn’t choose Life! You chose DEATH.” Kenan clamored again; I couldn’t help but kick him in the shin. Why did he press so? He scowled at me, rubbing his bruise, and Eve pretended not to notice.

“You’re right, Kenan,” Eve continued, her free-falling tears belying her lilting smile. “We did choose death. That day, when Adam and I walked through the Garden, I felt a slippery snake sneak up beside me.

“Through his questions, I suddenly saw the two trees differently. I asked myself, ‘Had Yahweh been holding out on us? Would we experience greater goodness if we disobeyed Him? What if He wasn’t wholly as good as He’d led us to believe?’” (Genesis 3:1-6)

“But He was wholly good, wasn’t He?” I was surprised to hear my own quiet voice, and to taste salt on my lips from tears matching Great-Grandmother Eve’s. Her gaze caught mine with tenderness, and she nodded, sensing I had suddenly grasped something new and rich.

“Yes. The Maker’s intent was only always, and still is yet, wholly good. Even as Adam and I ate the forbidden fruit and chose rebellion over the supreme goodness of knowing Yahweh and walking with Him, even then He was good.” She leaned forward and wiped my tears with her crooked fingers, and in a whisper that sounded like dew drops, “He Still Is.” 

It was then, in the ending I loathed, that sobs shook my small frame.

Not in sorrow, but in worship.

Yahweh’s goodness banished Adam and Eve from the Garden.

What if, lost and condemned in their sin, they had then eaten from the Tree of Life and lived forever, separated from God?! What loathsome punishment! What horror; a literal hell on earth.

Instead, He banished them because He was good. Even tucked inside His curse was hidden Hope, for one day the Serpent Crusher would come to win Victory over his Death. (Genesis 3:15)

No, I was no better than Great-Grandmother Eve.
Again and again, I enacted my slavery to sin and earned death. (Romans 6:16-23)
And yet, even as my life pointed unswervingly to death, Yahweh was wholly good.

He’d given me a body to move in and air to breathe and food to eat and the beauty of the afternoon sun’s slant and the joy of friendship.

Yes, sin’s curse held us captive, but Yahweh held our victory, and our hope.

One day, the Serpent Crusher would walk among us and die for us and rise again, breaking the curse and restoring us to His Presence, now and for eternity. (Galatians 3:10-14)

“But now, since you have been set free from sin and have become enslaved to God, you have your fruit, which results in sanctification–and the outcome is eternal life!” (Romans 6:22)

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