Read His Words Before Ours! Romans 3:23-28 Romans 10:9-10 Acts 4:12 Ephesians 1:7 Romans 5:1 What does Salvation mean? The very first thing I always think of when I hear “salvation”, is the scene from Guys and Dollswhen the Salvation Army band marches through the streets to “convert” people. It’s probably the image “salvation” has for many people: high-nosed, goody-goodies parading around trying to get people to hop on the bandwagon. Sometimes they try scaring the hell into people, or by making life with Jesus sound like having a genie in a bottle with never-ending wishes. “Just say The Sinner’s Prayer!”, they chant. But Salvation is SO. MUCH. MORE. To summarize the entire Bible: God created the earth and everything in it, declaring it perfect until sin. The horrible cancer of sin kept multiplying, infecting everything once it entered the world. What is sin exactly? The Ten Commandments are God’s standard of righteousness; anything deviating from that standard of perfection, is sin. Ever lied? That makes you a sinner. Ever lusted? Sinner. Ever stolen? Even a pen from work? Not a “mistaker”…a ”sinner”. Though there are ten, you only have to break one of them to be a complete sinner. But, here’s the amazing news! Jesus! Being fully God and fully human (more about that in another Journey!), Jesus was the only 100% sinless person to ever walk this earth. Ever. He lived out the perfect life for us because we can’t! Along with the Ten Commandments, we can look at Jesus’ life and see just how dirty we are. (Kinda’ like when you think your teeth are white, but then you hold up a piece of actual white paper next to them and you realize they are actually a lovely shade of brown.) We can never actually be with God because of our disease. His holiness cannot be stained with a drop of our sin. So here we are, looking nasty and sinful – like a face covered in oozing zits. In order to be with God, we need more than a facelift and some spa treatments, we need a transplant. Jesus gives us His own flawless face! We are still us underneath, but His righteousness is now ours and Sin is no longer our master. His righteousness cleans us from the inside out, so we, on the inside, actually start to look more and more like the face of Christ – perfect, and smooth and completely whitehead-free (we call that sanctification). Now, that’s a pretty interesting way to look at salvation. But it’s true! Salvation is Jesus, taking our nasty sins and saying, “Trade me your sins for my perfection so you can be with God.” That trade was made possible when Jesus – the perfect God-man – died on the cross (a sinner’s death). Salvation becomes our own when we recognize that we are indeed horrible, brown-teethed, acne-faced sinners who need Jesus. When we say yes to His exchange, we are given Salvation! Salvation is a one-and-done deliverance from sin and its eternal consequences, granting us access to a relationship with our Creator. Salvation happens at a single point, when we surrender our hearts to Christ, but its benefits reach into all eternity! What exactly is Justification? Justification is “the act of making someone right with God”. Remember how we are yucky, sin-filled people so full of gunk that we can’t actually be with God? That makes it literally, physically impossible for us to be with God unless we are made completely clean, which is impossible! No matter how many times you volunteer at the homeless shelter, how often you travel overseas on a mission trip, how many Bibles you hand out, how many church services you attend, how emotion-filled prayers you say, how passionately you raise your hands, how many children you adopt, how modest you dress, or even how many sermons you preach, you cannot be “justified” on your own before a Holy God! WE NEED JESUS. We need Jesus to make us “right with God.” Is there any other way to achieve Salvation and Justification? All of this leads to one very hard question: Is there any other way to be with God besides Jesus? Can we be justified by any other means? Don’t all “religious roads” lead to eternity with God? The Bible says no. The world is filled with many good people. I’ve watched just as many videos of humans saving puppies and helping little ladies cross the street as the next guy. But for all of the good humanity does, there will always be sin. We are infected with this disease and we simply do not have the ability to heal ourselves. We can never ever DO enough good to earn our way to heaven. “But how can a loving God send so many people to hell?” Guys, He isn’t sending anyone anywhere. We deserve to go to hell. Here’s the truth…. When we choose to sin, we choose separation from God. We Choose Hell. It’s God who chose to save us! He offers to rescue us! A loving God is SAVING His precious children from hell! But we can only be saved if we choose to be saved; if we accept the free gift of salvation and allow Jesus to justify us before the righteous God. Yes, hallelujah, Jesus is the ONLY WAY to be saved! Friends, some of you have already experienced redemption and claimed salvation and some of you haven’t. Some of you believe that Jesus is God’s Son, and you’ll tell people you go to church or are part of a small group. BUT you have never actually claimed the salvation that God is giving you. You have never admitted that you are a terrible sinner who NEEDS Jesus. If you are ready to admit that you need salvation, then tell Him! Tell God right now! If you still have some questions, please feel free to email us!We want to pray with you! This Bible Study first appeared on GracefullyTruthful.com and is property of Gracefully Truthful. For more studies like this one, check out the website!
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Read His Words Before Ours! Psalm 27:1-14 Proverbs 3:5-6 Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 There are moments distinctly marked because they shape and direct who you become. Then there are moments, hidden and minuscule, that they can almost be forgotten, but they create your path just as much as those grand moments. When I was a young teenager reading about millions of Chinese people who didn’t know Christ, a marker went up in my heart and my mind. It shifted the direction of my heart. Another defining moment was when I surrendered to the call to missions when I was 18. The revival was special, and I can still remember the sweet hymns of praise we sang that night, because the call is what defined me. The Lord’s tender voice told me that England wouldn’t be home forever. There was another marker, another shift of my heart. But the minuscule moments come quietly and sometimes they are longer than a moment. Sometimes they are several months or several years. Working as a parlor maid for four years never felt grand or special, but I can see now that it shaped me and helped me learn how to serve with an understanding of hospitality. Attending missionary school was supposed to be a grand moment, but it turned into months of little lessons before something grand happened. I wasn’t allowed to become a missionary in China. I can hear his voice still, “Miss Aylward, we have no doubt the Lord has called you to serve, but it wasn’t to China, you’ll never be able to learn the language.” That moment gave me determination, fanning the fire in my belly. I knew I was called to China. I am quite the sight right now, a young English woman traveling on a mule through Chinese mountains. If I had been told two years ago that this is where I would be, I would have guffawed. Yet, here I am. I should arrive in Yangchen in just a few hours, where I will meet Mrs. Lawson, the missionary I will study under. Together we will share the gospel with all who will listen in this small Chinese village. I’ve waited twelve years for this moment! Many times I knew what it must have felt like to be an Israelite waiting in the desert those 40 years. Or even how Sarah and Abraham felt, waiting on the Lord’s promise of abundant generations when they had no children of their own. I had the Lord’s promise. I had His calling. I had His great love and my small faith. That was all. In waiting, the Lord grew my patience. He knew I’d need it for this journey to China, as it has taken many more weeks than I’d planned. In waiting, the Lord grew my knowledge. While the China Inland Missionary Center told me I wasn’t good enough or a fast enough learner, God placed me as a parlor maid in a home with a marvelous library where I could read as many books as I wanted. In waiting, the Lord grew my patience. It hasn’t been easy, and many days I wondered if this day would ever come, or if the Lord even spoke to me at all. But here I am. I waited on the Lord. Jesus Himself waited nearly 30 years before His work began. He may have felt ready, but God knew others weren’t. I supposed while God was working on my heart, He was also working in the souls of the Chinese people I will meet soon. I think I see it! That must be the village up ahead! I wish I understood more of what that man was saying, but he must be showing me where Mrs. Lawson is. Just over that little hill? This is it. I am here! And this – this is another marker. A defining moment. My first glimpse of my new home! -- Gladys Aylward lived from 1902 to 1970. At the age of 18, she was called to be a missionary to a place she had been drawn to for years…China. However, Gladys didn’t move to China until she was around 30. She heard of Jennie Lawson, a missionary in her 70’s, and found a way to get there. Gladys spent months saving money for a train ticket from England to China and eventually reached hundreds of people for Jesus! She opened an inn with Mrs. Lawson, and together they shared the gospel in story-like form every night. These travelers would share the stories with their friends, which spread the gospel all around! One of Gladys’ most known legacies is walking across China with over one hundred orphans that she cared for while Japan invaded China and offered a reward for Gladys – dead or alive. After 27 days in treacherous conditions, Gladys and the children boarded one of the last trains to freedom. Upon arrival, she was incredibly ill and fell into a coma for several weeks. She eventually moved back to England for a few years, but knew that she was needed in China and served there for the last ten years of her life. Gladys’ life was marked with incredible faith and heroism, but it didn’t come suddenly. Don’t miss the first part of her life. The waiting part. Gladys waited twelve years before she coming to China! I can only imagine the frustration, antsiness, anticipation, and longing that occurred while she waited on the Lord. Waiting can be so difficult. Waiting for test results, waiting on a heart to change, waiting for answered prayers, waiting for the next payday, waiting on the end of an incredibly difficult season… waiting on the Lord. But take heart, dear sister, and press on. The Lord fulfilled His calling to Gladys, and we know from her life, and countless examples in the Bible, that His timing is perfect. She needed to be in China exactly when she was. She was there “for such a time as this”. And you are waiting where you are, “for such a time as this.” Let this season of waiting be a marker in your life by drawing closer to the Lord and letting Him grow you during this season. Curious about Gladys Aylward? click here. This Bible Study is property of Gracefully Truthful, where it was first published. 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Read His Words Before Ours! Luke 21:1-4 Mark 12:41-44 Matthew 6:25-34 His name was Tony. He had a long gray beard and wore tattered clothes and a backpack. I can’t tell you the first time I met him, but I know that he became a part of our story when my mom asked him to meet her at McDonalds so she could buy him a meal. After that, his name became a common word in our house. “Tony this..” and “Tony that…” And then, Tony came to church with us. My dad brought Tony a tie and some clothes before we showed him to the bathroom of our tiny church to give him time to change and freshen up. The mixture of the Las Vegas heat, his thick beard, and wearing all of his belongings on his back made for a man with a distinct smell, and not necessarily a pleasant one. Tony walked into the bathroom and didn’t emerge for a long time. It may have been 15 minutes, but that is a long time for a little mind. When Tony opened that bathroom door, he still looked like himself, just a cleaner version that smelled a little nicer, too. But Tony was so proud. He walked taller, he held his head higher, and he was excited and honored to go to church with us. That day, Tony gave all that he could to the Lord. The only thing he could give was his appearance and his best effort to freshen up. He cleaned himself and clothed himself because he was going to meet with God, and he was going to bring God his very best. Tony reminds me of the widow in the 21st chapter of Luke. Imagine this… There, Jesus sat across from the offering box in the temple, His legs crossed before Him while He watched offerings being placed into the box. One woman came forward with a bag bulging and jingling as she walked. She looked around to see who was watching before dumping the contents of the bag into the box. Her eyes gleamed as she thought, “The Lord will be so proud of me for giving so much!” Another woman approached the box, not haughty as the one before her, although she also brought an offering that equaled quite a large sum. She was excited to give, and didn’t do so out of obligation or pride, but she gave knowing that she still had money left over to purchase food from the market for her family’s dinner that night. Then a third woman came, as Jesus continued to watch. She approached the offering box without a bag in her hand, but her fist clenched tightly. Jesus knew her, because He knows us all, and He knew that she was a widow, among the poorest of people. This woman had no husband to provide for her. She was vulnerable. She was alone. He continued to watch as she drew her arm up and dipped her hand into the box, silently releasing what she had held her in hand. Two copper coins. Combined, they didn’t even equal one penny. And that was it. That is all she gave. But she gave all she had. And Jesus saw. Jesus saw the widow’s heart. He saw her courage. He saw her trust and her faith. He saw her longing to bring her Lord a gift, even if that gift seemed like nothing in comparison to the others around her. The widow gave everything. Tony, he had nothing, yet he still found something to give, and when he did, he gave everything. Jesus sees the things we often don’t see. From the outside, it might not have appeared like Tony gave anything. He still wasn’t dressed in the nicest of clothes. His beard was still scraggly and there was still dirt under his fingernails. If I didn’t know Tony, I never would have seen his gift. But Jesus saw. Because He sees every little thing. Giving everything we have doesn’t always mean giving money. It did for the widow, but for Tony it was giving his absolute best to his appearance as he went to worship God. It means giving when it’s scary by laying down our pride and trusting that God is going to provide, He is going to care for us, He is going to see, and He is going to love us no matter what. Sometimes it means giving up your comfort and everything you’ve ever known to live on the mission field (Like this family!), and sometimes it means giving the last $20 in your bank account to someone even though you aren’t sure why, and sometimes it means giving a homeless man your nicest tie and a delicious meal, when you can’t even afford to take out your own family. Give boldly, friends. Give with faith, friends. Give with everything you have. And Jesus will see. This Bible Study first appeared on GracefullyTruthful.com and is property of Gracefully Truthful. For more studies like this, check out the website!
Read His Words Before Ours! Mark 10:13-16 James 1:27-2:9 Mark 9:36-37 The image of Jesus with children surrounding Him is pictured on the cover of children’s Bibles and displayed in Sunday School rooms all over the country. You’re probably imagining a specific version of this picture as you read. I am, too. Jesus is in His white gown with a red sash, a light brown beard and sandals drawn on His feet. One child sits on His lap while His other arm is spread wide, welcoming the other children around Him. This image has almost become a cliche. “Let the little children come to me…” I can imagine this scene so well, because I’ve been imagining it for over 20 years. But, listen with me to hear Jesus’ tone. Don’t read these words in the lofty “Jesus” voice we tend to give Him. Read it as if your kids are about to run on stage during church and when you go to grab them by their squirmy little arm, the pastor says, “No, no, no! Let them come up here. It’s no big deal!” Then reread it again. This time, read it like they’re about to run into their daddy’s office where he’s working and after you call out, “Kids, don’t go in there!” you hear, “Babe, it’s fine. They can come in!” Reread it for a third time, this time remembering how you felt as a child. Imagine running next door to say hello to your elderly neighbor. Your mama shouts, “Come home and stop bothering Mr. Al!” But Mr. Al responds with a hearty, “Let her come over! I have some lemon cookies to share!” See, when Jesus said, “Let the children come to me”, He wanted His disciples and the parents to know that He not only didn’t mind the children coming, He wanted them to come! He wanted them to hear Him and learn about His Father. He wanted them to climb up on His lap as He continued doing His Father’s work. He wanted to bless them with gifts and precious memories. These children were desperately wanted. All children are desperately wanted by our Jesus! But friends, not all children know just how wanted they are by the Savior. Maybe they know their parents want them, but they don’t know Jesus does. Or maybe they feel unwanted by so many, not realizing that Someone does want them to know Him and love Him and know they are loved by Him. These children are everywhere. They sit next to your daughter in class. They play on your son’s baseball team. They stand in front of you at the grocery store. They go to church with you. They walk miles to and from school every day in the heat of the African sun. They care for their younger siblings while their parents farm in fields. They ride on boats across treacherous waters to find safety. They are used to fight in wars. They are used for addictions and to cater to disgusting desires. They are sold and exploited. They are brought to America with their families. They are mutilated and married off to men as old as their fathers. They cover their entire bodies, and they wear nothing at all. They eat until their bellies can’t fit anymore, and they eat mud cakes to quiet their aching tummies. They sing songs loudly and learn chants, and they are sworn and scared into silence. They come from wealthy families, and they come from the poorest of the poor. These children live in America and they live in New Zealand and every country in between. These children are everywhere. And Jesus wants them. Jesus took the children before Him into His arms, and blessed them. He gave them favor and protection. He took them into His arms, those same arms that would be spread out on a cross with nails driven into them, and He held these precious children. Because He wanted them. Jesus wants you. But Jesus also wants you to want these children. He wants you to love them and serve them and bless them. The Bible says over and over again to love and care for the orphan and the widow… the weak, the poor, the vulnerable, and the lowest in the caste system. Start praying about what wanting these children means for you. It can mean deciding to work with children in foster care. It can mean sponsoring a child overseas. Maybe it means teaching Sunday School or even volunteering in your kids’ classrooms. It could mean a mission trip. It could even mean stepping outside of your political stance or your immediate emotions to give in capacities you never imagined giving. But I believe, with all of my heart, that Jesus wants us to look at the children in our lives and say, “Hey! It’s ok! Come over and sit with me. I want you.” And then teach them about the One who wants them more than He wanted His own life. This Bible Study is property of Gracefully Truthful, where it was first published. For more studies like this one, visit GracefullyTruthful.com!
Read His Words Before Ours! Luke 5:17-26 Matthew 9:2-8 Isaiah 35 This is a story about a man named Rick. Rick was born to a German immigrant daddy and a seventeen-year-old mama. Throughout his childhood, he captivated hearts with his white hair and darling glasses. His big brother was eleven months older and quite the trouble-maker. His sister directly below him, was a quiet spirit who didn’t speak until she was three. He had four other siblings besides those two, all younger than he. His dad was a painter by trade who had studied under incredible painters in Germany before coming to America. Because of his dad’s hard work, Rick and all four of his brothers, learned how to work with their hands. A few of them became great painters whose work can still be seen in famous hotels. One became an incredible chef. Several of them learned mechanics and would restore vintage cars. These five brothers found themselves in trouble throughout the years. There is no doubt the Emergency Room staff knew this family by name. Broken bones, allergic reactions, accidents, blood, and guts… you name it and Rick or one of his siblings had it. Near tragic incidents seemed to strike Rick’s family over and over again. But none became so tragic or visibly life-altering as the one when Rick was just 19. While working on his vintage truck, Rick headed out to pick up some parts at the auto store, just six blocks away. In an instant he found himself sprawled out on the road. He’d been in accidents before, but this one was different. For nine months, the hospital was his home, and when he finally left, he was permanently wheelchair bound. He was paralyzed. A quadriplegic. My Uncle Rick has been in a wheelchair my entire life. I grew up riding on its battery and helping him put a fork in his special device to eat. I grew up learning by listening to his instructions rather than watching his example. Many childhood memories revolve around my sweet uncle, who was a psychologist by the time I was born, and had his own practice with toys that I played with when I visited. For as long as I can remember, I longed for a miracle for him. In Sunday School, I learned about the miraculous wonders Jesus performed and I prayed, oh how hard I prayed, for a miracle for my uncle. My little heart couldn’t fathom the idea of never running or walking again. I could literally picture Uncle Rick getting out of his chair and walking. I had so much faith! And if my faith felt so great in my heart, imagine then how immense the faith was of these incredible friends in the Bible. You see, these friends had heard that Jesus was coming to town. He was a miracle-worker! They’d heard the stories of blind men seeing, lame men walking, and incredibly ill people becoming instantly well. These men longed for a miracle for their friend as much as I’ve longed for a miracle for my Uncle Rick. They had seen their friend’s bed sores from laying one position too long, helped care for him, and dress him. They’d watched him struggle to accomplish simple daily tasks. They wanted a miracle for him! So, with an almost tangible excitement, they heaved and hoed and lifted their friend onto his mat, carrying him to the house where Jesus was. Anticipation was high, but their faith was even higher. They knew that Jesus could heal their friend. They arrived at a house so full, that people were flooding out the doors and onto the street. Some were nearly crawling over others just to catch Jesus’s words. These friends had to get their paralyzed friend to Jesus. So they did the only logical thing they could do… they climbed to the roof. (Ok, I’m not sure how logical it actually was… but hey! They got the job done!) Because once they reached the roof, and “logically” tore it apart, they lowered their friend down. Because that totally makes sense. But I want to pause here for just a second. I’m joking about these men using logic… but the truth is, when our faith is so radical that we believe the impossible is 100% possible, there isn’t really room for logic! Jesus never operated out of logic and these friends weren’t either. They were operating out of faith. Unpause. *ahem* Play. These men slowly lowered their friend through the roof, catching the attention of everyone in the house, and one very irritated homeowner. And there he landed, right before Jesus’s feet. Jesus wasn’t surprised. He knew these friends were coming. He knew they wouldn’t be able to get in to see Him. He knew they would need to display their faith in some crazy, unconventional way. Jesus forgave this man for his sins, healing his heart, and then healing his body by commanding him to get up and walk. This paralyzed man, who’d been made whole, had the faith to actually stand up and walk. This man’s healing, both spiritual and physical, was the result of outrageous, radical, faith that wasn’t defined by borders and edges of “realistic”. Here’s the thing, there was something that my little mind didn’t understand when I was praying for a miracle for my uncle… I didn’t understand that the miracle had already happened. It happened when he decided to give his life to Christ. Even further, it happened 2,000 years ago, when Jesus died on a cross, covering my sins, your sins, and the sins of my Uncle Rick. Because of an outrageous, radical act of love, and my uncle’s own act of outrageous, radical faith, He had received his great miracle. He was forgiven. Sometimes, miracles happen in ways we would never expect. They happen when we step beyond our borders and into an incredible faith. 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! Luke 23:32-49 Matthew 27:45-50 Psalm 31:5 How do I even begin talking about the death of Jesus? If we only focus on the joy of His resurrection, we miss the pain Jesus endured and the magnitude of His suffering. We have to talk about His death, we have to talk about His final words, because, if we just try to wrap our minds around everything that Jesus went through in His final hours, only then will we be able to try to comprehend how mighty and vast His love is for us. When we begin to understand His love, we can then understand the Gospel. “Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit.” Father Jesus has referred to God the Father throughout His entire life. The only story we have of Jesus during His youth, He says, “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” Later, He instructed His disciples to pray, “Our Father in heaven.” Jesus made it clear who His Father is. In this very moment, when Jesus is in more pain than you and I could ever imagine, when He literally has to use every ounce of energy just to breathe, He calls out to His Father. His Daddy. I have an amazing relationship with my earthly daddy. He has demonstrated the love God has for me my entire life. The only way I can even begin to try and understand Jesus calling out to His daddy is by remembering a time when I called out to mine. I’m sure there were many times I called for him when I fell down or stubbed my toe as a little girl. However, when I was 17, I found myself in a pain that was deeper than I’d ever experienced before or since. I was wounded and hurt with battle marks that covered my heart. I sat on my parents’ bed and they watched me crumble as the hurt and burden became more than I could bear alone. And there, my daddy saw my pain, he heard my hurt, and he held me. When I imagine Jesus’ relationship with His Daddy, I can hear the desperation and the hurt in His voice when He calls out, “Father”. Even further, just moments before, Jesus called out, “My God, My God! Why have You forsaken me?” God had to separate Himself from Jesus because Jesus carried sin’s consequences for the entire world on His shoulders and God literally cannot be a part of sin. Yet, Jesus still called out to His Father. Into The definition of “into” is “expressing movement or action with the result that something or someone becomes enclosed or surrounded by something else.” His life was ending, He knew just as He had taught and lived, that the only safe place for an eternal soul is when we are not claiming our life for ourselves, but rather entrusting it to the Author of Life. Out of His control, and into the Eternal Keeper’s. Your God. Elohim. The beginning and the end. The Author of Life, the One with whom Jesus and the Holy Spirit shared the godhead. The Father, with Whom Jesus shared community and oneness, but had now been severed. Hands God’s hands. His great and mighty hands. The hands I pictured as a little girl when I blissfully sang, “He’s got the whole world in His hands.” Now, I picture hands that are worn with age and hard work, but hands that are gentle and can mold the most delicate piece of art. Wise hands. Hands that have been intricately weaving His redemptive love into the cloth of history. I Jesus. The Son of God and a young man who grew up with an earthly mama and daddy who passionately loved Him. A young man who had never felt shame, guilt, or the weight of sin until this moment. Almighty Jesus. Commit “To pledge or bind”. In His last moments, Jesus handed over His life in full commitment to the Father, not for the first time, but as a continuation of what He had already pledged from the beginning. My His. Jesus’s. Just as He calls us to surrender of ourselves, giving our all to Christ, so led us by His example. Giving up His own will, His own volition, to save us. Spirit In this sense of the word, it means Jesus’ physical spirit, His breath. He set aside His rights as God to be wrapped in human flesh, and now, as His body dies, He relinquishes Himself fully, knowing that there is much, much more than physical life. Jesus, covered in so many wounds and drenched in so much blood that He doesn’t even look human, is hanging on the cross grasping for each breath. As He breathes in, He lifts His head and with everything in Him, just loud enough for those around Him to hear, “Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit.” In this moment that seemed the most hopeless, Jesus speaks hope. He is binding His spirit to His Father, trusting His spirit to be surrounded by the mighty hands of God by doing what He has done His entire life: quoting scripture. That’s right, even in this moment, Jesus is quoting a Psalm. Psalm 31:5 “Into Your hands I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.” In these last moments, Jesus is speaking truth. Jesus is reminding us that His Father is faithful. He is a redeemer! And in this moment, as Jesus draws His final breath…. WE. ARE. REDEEMED. Jesus is DECLARING THE GOSPEL even in His last few heartbeats. Without His death, there is no Gospel. Without His redemption, there is no Gospel. Without His love, there is no Gospel. Without His victory, there is no Gospel. These last words before His death, remind us of the redemption coming, displaying His love, and pointing to His victory. “Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit.” This Bible Study first appeared on GracefullyTruthful.com and is property of Gracefully Truthful. For more studies like this one, check out the website!
Read His Words Before Ours! John 21:1-14 Romans 12:1-2 Colossians 3:23-24 “I am here to work hard for His Kingdom,” she said, as sunbeams seeped through the porch roof and onto her face. I stopped and let her simple, yet powerful, words resonate in my soul. I looked around at my surroundings, the simple church with the tin roof sat in the distance, and mountains surrounded the little house we were staying in. I could hear the cooks speaking in their mother tongue through the screen door and the smell of the cooking cabbage wafted out towards us. “I am here to work hard for His Kingdom.” I thought of the many times that I haven’t worked hard for his Kingdom, times I only gave 50% and only tried enough to make me look good. Here was a woman, just recently married, who had given up everything in the United States to move to Kenya with her husband. They came with one broad goal: to teach Africans about Jesus. And they committed to doing so, even when it was incredibly hard. I watched her fight through sickness and exhaustion to bring the Good News to anyone she could. She and her husband had been given the gift of teaching, so they taught. One day, we loaded up in an old Range Rover to venture on a journey that was over an hour away. We drove up a steep mountain, through some rough terrain, and picked up a few women who were carrying water to their homes before stopping at a hut to let me out to meet a family that I was told to visit with and pray for. She and her husband continued on the road to a little church where over 30 women were waiting for them. When my visit ended, two hours later, I was taken to the church, where I watched her teach these women about Jesus. The women listened intently, several shushing and rocking babies as they learned. She spoke first, then the translator would speak, and this lasted for over four hours. Yet, she didn’t stop. I truly believe that if this woman’s feet started bleeding while she spoke, she would continue to speak and share Jesus’ love. She would work hard for His Kingdom, even when it was incredibly difficult. I would venture to say that standing in front of those thirty women for over six hours, wasn’t necessarily fun. Her voice was probably tired by the time she got done speaking, and her legs were probably sore from hours of standing and pacing the stage. But the Lord had given her the gift of teaching. And so she taught. Even when it wasn’t fun. Even when it was incredibly difficult. I don’t remember if there were any women who came to know the Lord when she was done. But I am sure that there have been times that she hasn’t gotten to see immediate results from her hard work. But she has always persisted. Even when she could’ve been discouraged. Jesus called her to it. And He will carry her through it. In John 21:11, we read about Jesus providing fish for his disciples after they spent the entire night trying to catch fish. Imagine this: You are exhausted. You just stayed up the entire night casting out a net and pulling it back in, just trying to catch some fish. Your arms ache from the constant motion of throwing and pulling the net through the water. Your eyes are starting to feel a bit sandy and dry while they fight the soreness that comes with being open for too long. The sun begins to rise in the distance, and you can see the steam coming off the lake, while the sun reflects onto the waters. The sight is beautiful and seems to give you just enough energy to start heading towards shore. When, suddenly, you see a man in the distance waving his arms and yelling, “Did you catch anything?” A slight frustration sets in, as you look around at your very empty boat, and your stomach rumbles a reply before you can. You muster up enough energy to yell back, “No!” He waves and yells back, “Throw the nets on the right side of the boat! You’ll find some!” You look at your friends, with a slight look of exasperation, but figure that you might as well try. With a heave and a ho, you toss the net to the right of the boat and begin to pull it back in, simply to prove to this man that his idea is pretty worthless. But to your surprise, the net doesn’t just pull back in! It is heavy with fish! You and all of your friends run to the edge of the boat and begin bringing in the net full of fish, pulling with all of your might. The exhaustion is gone and adrenaline has set in. It is in that very moment you realize… that man on the shore… that’s Jesus! Sometimes we don’t work hard for His Kingdom. Sometimes, we only give 50%. We know we are called to do something, and we begin trying hard, but we get tired and weary. Our eyes begin to feel a little dry and we start to lose focus. But I am here to tell you… if Jesus calls you to something, He will give you the strength to pull you through! Jesus called His disciples to cast their nets onto the other side. And when they did, He gave them and their nets the strength to pull all the way through. Working hard for His Kingdom by living out the gifts He has given us, isn’t always going to be easy or fun. Sometimes, we aren’t even going to feel passionate about it. But we are called to work hard for Him… no matter how we feel, no matter the results we are or are not seeing, no matter the discouragement. If we do that, He WILL give us the strength to pull through and complete the task he has given us. This Bible Study first appeared on Gracefully Truthful and is property to Gracefully Truthful. For more studies like this one, check out the website!
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!
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Kendra LeeAnneFrom Bible studies to blogs, articles to musings of the heart, Kendra's writings are unbarred and raw - exactly how she speaks. Categories
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