Read His Words Before Ours!
1 Corinthians 12:12-31
Romans 12:3-8
Ephesians 4:11-16  

Three years ago, I got snowed in…in Texas.

That’s right. Snowed in. In Texas.

Part of the reason I was snowed in was because Texas just doesn’t know how to handle snow, so the runways at the airport weren’t prepped for the icy snow. Plus, there weren’t enough snow plows to cover the entire city. So, after spending an amazing few days with one of my dearest friends, we headed to the airport in Dallas, and there I was stuck.

After a couple of hours of frantic phone calls, many texts, and a Facebook post, I was connected with a friend’s parents, who welcomed me into their home to stay as long as I needed.

From the moment I met Melanie and Craig, I was amazed at the joy that exuded from both of them. Have you ever had that moment where you look at someone and you just know that they must love Jesus because they really look a lot like Him? That is how I would describe this incredible couple.
They took me out to lunch with their youngest daughter, paid for my meal, and before we went to their home, they stopped at Target and asked me if I needed anything… anything at all. I didn’t. But they asked.

Generosity was an extension of their daily lives.

One day turned into two which turned into three, and every single day I found myself more enamored with this family. They opened their kitchen to me, bought my meals when we went out, and continuously asked if I had everything I needed. We spent evenings around their table playing games or on the couch snuggled in blankets, and spent our days visiting and touring a very cold and snowy Dallas.

Hospitality seemed to come naturally for them.

On the fourth day, Melanie and Craig drove me to the airport, where they prayed over me and, once again, asked if I had everything I needed. Craig pulled out his wallet and tried to give me some money. It was in that moment that I realized that they not only had welcomed me into their home, they had cared for me as if I were their own daughter.

Action quickly followed their faith.

Melanie and Craig ministered to my heart in a way that I had never experienced. I had spent my life surrounded by people with a gift in ministering to others, but I have never known it in the way I did that week.

As we’re journeying into Repurposed, we are discovering the beauty that comes from Christ’s vision of the body of Christ working together as one body, each of us using our gifts to impact the Kingdom and bring glory and honor to Him. Each of us possess different gifts because if we all had the same purpose, other areas would be lacking.

Speaking specifically to those called to minister to others by showing hospitality, giving generously, proving their faith with actions, and extending mercy and compassion to others…
Your spiritual gifts are important.
They are needed.

What makes these gifts so incredible is that they are needed by both the body of Christ, and people who still need Jesus.

When the word “minister” is used as a verb, it means: “to attend to the needs of someone”. Spiritual needs, physical needs, emotional needs… people with these giftings are able to meet so many of these needs.

Sometimes, those of us who have spiritual giftings that allow us to minister to others, we can feel small, or like our gifts aren’t as noticed because we only impact one person or a smaller group of people at a time.
The Lord wants to snuff out those thoughts completely!
As you read before beginning (and if you didn’t, pause and go back to read the references at the top!)
“…the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable…”

Indispensable!

And while you may not feel like your role in the body is “weak”, you may feel like it is “small” or perhaps “unnoticed” or even “unnecessary”.

But you… you are in INDISPENSABLE.
You are NEEDED.
You are an important part of the body of Christ.

Go, and continue using your incredible giftings to bring glory and honor to His KINGDOM!
​Let your gifts be repurposed for *much* in His Kingdom!

This Bible Study is property of Gracefully Truthful where it was first published. For more studies like this one, check out GracefullyTruthful.com!

Read His Words Before Ours!
Matthew 22:36-40
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Romans 12:1-2
Psalm 51:1-13  

Five years ago I heard a statement for the first time that completely revolutionized the way I thought of my faith.

“God told us to do two things. Love Him and love others.
If we are doing those two things, then we are living in His will.”

Sometimes I hear something that just sticks with me. No matter how hard I try, I can’t get that phrase out of my head, which leaves me pondering and wondering for days, sometimes weeks, what it actually means. Everything in me wanted to find something completely wrong with the statement I had heard. But like dominoes, the revelation of the truth behind those words kept falling.

If we love God with everything in us, then we will want to spend time reading His love story to us.

If we love God with all that we have, then we will want to spend time in prayer, talking with Him and listening to Him, because people spend time with those they love.

If we love God passionately and boldly, then we will fall more in love with who He is, and the more we love Him, the more we won’t be able to hold that love inside.

If we love God, then we will want to serve Him and we will want to do that by doing what His word tells us to do… loving others.

If we love God, then we will begin to look more and more like Him, because we always begin to resemble the people we spend the most time with.

I mean, clearly I could go on all day.

If we really are living out and doing exactly what Jesus tells us are the two most important commandments, then everything else He tells us to do will fall into place… because, by living out these commandments, we are allowing transformation.

When our minds are transformed, then our actions will follow suit.

We are told to “Love God and love your neighbor”, or “Love God and love others”.
But what exactly is Love?
Love is patient. It is kind. It doesn’t envy or boast. It isn’t arrogant and it isn’t rude or self seeking and it isn’t irritable or resentful.

Ladies. I suck at love.

But, if we are called to love God and others, that means practicing what love is every single day.

That won’t happen just by actions. I’m not going to wake up one day and all of a sudden never have an impatient bone in my body again. I’m human! You’re human. We are probably going to forget to show love in the next ten seconds.

But, the more we spend time with God in prayer and His word, the more we will become like Him.
Love, by definition, changes us.
It’s simply the nature of love.
By spending intentional time with Love Himself, everything about us will be remade, starting with our hearts and minds, which overflows into our actions.

So maybe in ten seconds I’ll forget to show some love, but in ten days, I’ll do a little bit better. I won’t snap so quickly.  And in ten years, I pray my mind has transformed even more, where maybe some days, I don’t snap at all.

I’m confident that Love will continue to remake me, not because of my effort,
but because I’m submitting to the law of Love Himself.

Love God, Love others, and Jesus will remake me in the process!

My dad always says, “If you are what you were, then you’re not.”
Meaning, if we are today, who we were when we first chose to give our lives to Christ, then maybe, just maybe, we aren’t actually living for Him.

Maybe we don’t actually love Him with everything we have.
Maybe we aren’t allowing Him to renew our minds and make us more like Him!


For some reason, the entire time I typed this, the old song, “Sanctuary” played in my head. A sanctuary is a place of refuge and safety, which is what I believe we become when we are people who passionately love God and love others. Let’s keep falling more and more in love with the King, and as a result, I know we will continue to be remade as He shapes us to look more like His own love.
​
Oh Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary
Pure and holy, tried and true
With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living
Sanctuary for You

This Bible Study first appeared on GracefullyTruthful.com and is property to Gracefully Truthful. Check out the website for more studies like this one! 

Read His Words Before Ours!
Romans 4:13-25
Romans 5:15-21
Romans 7:13-25  

I slowly lifted the teacup to my lips and breathed in the cooling peppermint before sipping the tea. She sat across from me at the table with her own peppermint tea steaming in front of her. Her dusty blue shawl wrapped around her shoulders to keep away the cool air slipping in from the window behind us. And I waited. Surely she would begin again soon. After another sip of her tea, she took a deep breath and began.

“Many months passed for the beautiful woman with the brown hair. As time went on, she heard the Voice speaking to her, and each time, it was a little louder and little more clear. The Voice told her she was loved and adored, and made for greatness. As she grew familiar with the Voice, she became more and more aware of the emptiness that lingered inside. The light she had seen glowed brighter. Her routine became standing on the shore, watching the light grow nearer, while listening to the comforting Voice. Sometimes she spoke back, but most of the time, she just listened.

“The light continued to grow closer, until one day, a little boat appeared. On that boat was a man, and with him, a woman holding a lantern. They invited the brunette woman to come with them, for they wanted to take her to another Kingdom.

‘But, this is home. This is all I’ve ever known. I’m comfortable here. I’m loved here.’

‘But you are empty, aren’t you? We are inviting you, as ambassadors for the Voice, to come away and be filled! The Voice is the Maker, the creator of everything. He created us and He created you. He loves you and doesn’t want you to feel empty anymore. Come with us, please. We will take you to Kingdom of Light.’

“The woman on the boat held out her hand to the brunette woman who took it, and stepped into the boat. She sat, as the man grabbed the oars and began to row. The small waves caused the boat to rise and fall as they began to float away. And the beautiful, brown-haired woman didn’t look back once. She was going to be filled. She was going to the Kingdom of Light.

“As the Kingdom of Light came into sight, the woman could see hundreds of people gathered on the beach. Some waved white flags while some danced and jumped up and down. The stillness of the sea was overtaken by the sound of trumpets, cheers, and song. It wasn’t until she stepped out of the boat that she realized this great commotion was for her!

“Over all of the shouts, and above all of the music she heard Him yet again, the Voice. ‘I love you, my daughter. I am so pleased with you. Have hope. Have faith. Believe, and be set free.’

“‘Oh, I believe!’ She cried. ‘I believe! Make me new, make me clean, fill me until I cannot be filled anymore!’

“Just then, the Ruler of the Kingdom of Light approached her, He was Life. He gave life. He gave hope. He was the Voice.”

With that, she stopped, the lady’s gaze catching mine.

“Well, my child? What do you think?” She asked. My eyes told what my lips did not, and she knew I was confused.

“Oh dear, can you not see that the Kingdom of Light is where you stand now? You, love, were once a citizen of the Kingdom of Sin. You spent your days trying to become someone, trying to fill yourself up, but never finding satisfaction. And when you chose hope and faith, you chose to become a citizen of the Kingdom of Light. That beautiful brown-haired woman is you.”
--
Once again, this story isn’t true but simply metaphorical.

Just as the Kingdom of Death resulted because of Adam, the Kingdom of Light resulted because of Christ, the Ruler of Life. The curse of Adam caused death, while the gift of Christ brought life! As you read the other day, the law was given so we would know sin. Anytime we fall short of the law, we sin. As people sin more and more, the beauty is truly revealed in God’s grace, as it abounds more and more. There is no room for legalism in this Kingdom.

While many are unaware when their citizenship lies with the Kingdom of Death, those who call the Kingdom of Light home, know it full-well, as they made the decision to call it home. The uniqueness of the Kingdom of Light is that the law hasn’t vanished. There is still law. But first there is faith. We read in Romans 4 that Abraham was accepted by God, first because he had faith, and through that he followed the law. Faith in the Ruler of Life is what brings the light, but because of that faith, citizens of this Kingdom long to follow the law. They still fall short, but faith in the Ruler fills those gaps. He accepts us first because of our faith, and through that, we learn to follow the law.

Religion is not something that members of this Kingdom follow to become filled. They don’t need to climb a certain number of steps and bow a certain number of times. There is freedom in that they can worship the Ruler with faith, knowing that they will be filled!

The Kingdom of Light is a Kingdom of freedom.
​
Maybe you’re learning that while you call the Kingdom of Light home, you still get stuck in the habits of your old home. You find yourself tracking the number of times you go to church, or you turn to money or sensuality to fill you, instead of Christ. Remember that with this new citizenship comes change. You will no longer be the same person, the old is gone! Do not allow yourself to fall into old habits and old beliefs. You are a new creation. You are a citizen of the Kingdom of Light.

This Bible Study first appeared on Gracefully Truthful and is property of Gracefully Truthful. For more studies like this one, check out the website! ​

Read His Words Before Ours!
Romans 5:12-21
Romans 7:7-12
Romans 2:12-24  

She closed her eyes and rocked back and forth, the floor creaking every time. Her faded yellow blanket was draped over her legs, so only the tips of her brown shoes could be seen. I sat at her feet and watched her intently, determined to predict what she was going to share. She was quiet while I studied her gray hair pulled into a bun and her soft, wrinkled hands folded on her lap. Her face was emotionless, but peaceful.

Then she stopped and looked down at me.

“My sweet child, you’ve heard many stories in your lifetime. Fairy tales about princesses and dragons with handsome princes from far away kingdoms; you’ve known that these stories are just that…stories. But, dear child, I must tell you a true story, it may seem distant and perhaps strange, but one where you are one of the characters.

“There were two Kingdoms with two rulers and a beautiful woman, who had long brown hair that curled towards the ends. She had big blue eyes that held a world of curiosity, and she wore a simple brown dress that hung loosely over her shoulders. She lived in a kingdom that was ruled by a master. It was a kingdom that seemed lovely on the outside. There were elegant churches with steeples so high, the tips couldn’t be seen. There were beautiful white beaches with crystal-clear oceans, where people would watch the tide from the grassy bluffs off the shore. The master, however, was evil. He had purposefully made his Kingdom into a land where people would find beauty and joy in the things they did, the places they went to, and the people they lived with. No one found joy in the Maker.

“Despite their happiness, the citizens here were still empty and hollow. Every morning, some of the citizens would rise, walk towards the large cathedral on the hill, and silently climb the steps leading to its entrance. After they entered, they would bow to the front of the building ten times, then turn and walk back down the steps to return to their homes. They had fulfilled their duties for the day. Others would indulge in food and wine day in and day out, trying to fill themselves up, but never satisfying the void inside. Still, others would wake to trudge towards one of the glass buildings, and sit to work. For hours and hours they would be busy, and when they received their pay, their pockets were full, but the emptiness remained.

“The beautiful woman had partaken in all of those practices. She had bowed in the cathedral, filled herself on delectable food and wine, and she’d worked until she couldn’t any more. Yet she found herself in the same predicament as every other citizen in this Kingdom. She was empty, sad, hurt, and confused.

“One night, she found herself walking along the shoreline, staring into the distance, when she saw a light shining through the stillness. Then she heard a Voice, ‘Come.’
She quickly looked around, trying to find its source.

"But she was alone.

"She shook her head, believing she mustn’t have heard anything at all.
Finding that light again, she studied it, her head tilting as she began to think of what could be out there. Again she heard the Voice, ‘Come to me.’”

The elderly lady stopped speaking to look at me, a smile spread across her lips as she saw the confusion masked on my face. This was unlike any story she’d told before.

“My dear one, I think you know that the beautiful brunette woman, was you.”
--
While the story the woman is sharing isn’t exactly true, it is completely metaphorical of the images we find dancing across the pages of the book of Romans. Romans paints for us the picture of two Kingdoms. A Kingdom of Death, ruled by a master Paul calls Mr. Death, and a Kingdom of Light, that is governed by the King of Life.

The Kingdom of Death was born through a man called Adam. When Adam first sinned, there came a curse that brought death. While this Kingdom came through Adam, the master is Satan.

Every person is bound up in one of these Kingdoms, and many are completely unaware that their home is actually found in the Kingdom of Death. Here reigns the law and people believe that by following rules, they are doing “enough”, not knowing that they really can never do “enough”. They can bow in worship all day, spend weeks fasting, but that will never be enough. There is no faith, just cold, hard law that can never be fulfilled. Emptiness, death, and loneliness win.

Romans 2 and 7 tell us that the law was created so people would know right from wrong. If there were no law, there would be nothing that defines “sin”, which means breaking the law.

The Kingdom of Death is filled with people consumed in legalism, or sensuality, or people consumed with their work. The citizens of the Kingdom of Death will constantly break the law (sin), even though some will try not to… for that is the impossible task. The citizens of this Kingdom are slaves to their sin. They are empty and sin-filled people, and they still don’t know that.

Maybe you are seeing for the first time that you might just be a citizen in the Kingdom of Death. Maybe you’re trapped by your sin, only pretending that you have it all together. You’re always falling short with an empty void inside. You try to fill that void with companions, religious traditions, or wealth. But you never quite have enough to be satisfied.

The Kingdom of Death dooms its citizens to eternal death.
And there’s only one way out.

Join us tomorrow as we turn the page to read the rest of the story!

This Bible Study first appeared on Gracefully Truthful and is property of Gracefully Truthful. For more studies like this one, check out the website!