Crosswalk Church Crosswalk Church is a Seventh-day Adventist, Jesus-centered community growing and learning together. https://crosswalkvillage.com Mon, 13 Apr 2026 01:00:00 +0000 Mon, 13 Apr 2026 01:00:00 +0000 hourly 1 3600 SnapPages.com This Is True: WK5 - MON https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/11/this-is-true-wk5-mon Mon, 11 May 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/11/this-is-true-wk5-mon
When Hearing Alone Is Not Enough
Acts 15:6
 
The early church gathered because the issue before them was too important — and too complex — for individual discernment. The text simply says, “So the apostles and elders met to consider this question.” It is a remarkably humble line. These were apostles. Men who walked with Jesus. Leaders filled with the Spirit. And yet they did not trust themselves alone. They trusted one another.
 
We often imagine spiritual maturity as independence — the ability to know, decide, and discern without needing anyone to speak into our lives. But Scripture paints a very different picture. Spiritual maturity is marked not by autonomy, but by belonging. Not by certainty, but by humility. Not by isolation, but by conversation.
 
Listening alone can only take us so far, because we hear through our experiences, our wounds, our desires, and our assumptions. And while God speaks personally to each of us, He rarely speaks only to us. He places us in a community so that our listening can be corrected, expanded, sharpened, and matured.
 
Acts 15 begins with this holy admission:
“We don’t see the whole picture. Let’s listen together.”
 
This is not weakness. It is wisdom. God does some of His clearest speaking when His people gather, slow down, open their hearts, and make space for one another.
 
  1. When have you realized that hearing God alone was not enough — that you needed others to help interpret what you sensed?
  2. Why do you think the apostles trusted community over their own individual authority?
  3. Where in your life might God be inviting you into deeper shared discernment?

By Timothy Gillespie

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]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/11/this-is-true-wk5-mon#comments 0 This Is True: WK 4 - GROUP GUIDE https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/09/this-is-true-wk-4-group-guide Sat, 09 May 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/09/this-is-true-wk-4-group-guide
When Truth Becomes a Weapon: Recovering Humility in a Culture of Certainty

INTRODUCTION: The following is a guide to help facilitate discussion between you and the person you’re studying with or with your Connect Group. Feel free to add, subtract, or change questions to fit the conversation, and pray for the Spirit to lead in all things.

OPEN:  Share a moment when you were absolutely convinced you were right about something… and later discovered you were wrong.
What did it feel like to confront your own certainty?
 
Follow-up: Think of a time when you witnessed “truth” being used in a harsh or harmful way. What impact did it have?

SCRIPTURE READING (Read Aloud)
  • John 8:1–11 — Jesus and the woman caught in adultery
  • 1 Corinthians 8:1–3 — “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up”
  • 1 Corinthians 13:9–12 — “We know in part…”
  • James 1:19–20 — “Slow to speak, slow to anger…”
 
Listen for themes of humility, self-awareness, love, and the way Jesus holds truth.

CONTEXT & SETUP (Read Aloud)
We live in a culture obsessed with certainty, quick to judge, and eager to defend its own correctness. Truth has become something people use to win arguments, prove superiority, or protect their identity.
 
But Christian truth is not a weapon. It is a way of being — humble, gentle, compassionate, Christlike. Jesus never separated truth from love, and He never used truth to crush, shame, or dominate. Instead, He told the truth in ways that healed, restored, and liberated.
 
The danger for Christians is to claim correct beliefs while embodying the wrong spirit. Scripture teaches that we “know in part,” and that only humility makes us trustworthy witnesses of the truth.
 
This week’s teaching invited us to recover humility as a core Christian posture — not as weakness, but as wisdom.

HEAD: Explore the Text
  1. In John 8, what stands out to you most about the difference between how the Pharisees hold truth and how Jesus holds truth?

  1. Jesus does not deny the law — yet He refuses to use it as a weapon. What does this tell us about Christian truth?

  1. Paul says “knowledge puffs up.” How can knowledge (even correct knowledge) become prideful or harmful?

  1. Why do you think humility is so essential to Christian discernment?

  1. How does “seeing in part” (1 Cor. 13:12) shape the way we hold truth?**

  1. How does James 1:19 challenge the way many Christians engage online or in heated conversations?

HEART: Personal Reflection
  1. Where in your life are you most tempted to equate “being right” with “being faithful”?

  1. Can you think of a time when your certainty caused harm — to yourself or to someone else? What might humility have changed in that moment?**

  1.  How does it feel to admit “I might be wrong” or “I don’t know everything”? Does it feel like weakness? Freedom? Fear? Relief?**

  1. What fears tend to make you defensive or rigid in your beliefs? Fear of being misunderstood? Fear of losing control? Fear of losing respect?**

  1. Where in your life is Jesus inviting you to hold truth with gentleness instead of certainty?

HANDS: Practice This Week
Practice: “The Humility Pause”
 
This week, choose one conversation or moment of potential tension and practice a simple pause before responding. In that pause, ask yourself:
  • “Am I trying to win, or am I trying to love?”
  • “Am I speaking from fear, or from faithfulness?”
  • “Am I listening to understand, or listening to react?”
 
Then respond — or choose silence — out of humility instead of instinct.
 
Encourage group members to share their experience next week.

FINISH WELL: Bring It Home
  1. What is one belief, conversation, or relationship where you need to hold truth more humbly this week?

  1. Who has modeled Christlike humility for you?

  1. How might their example guide you now?**

  1. What would change if you truly believed that humility is not the opposite of truth, but the way truth becomes beautiful?

CLOSING PRAYER
Jesus, the gentle and humble Truth,
teach us to hold what we know with grace.
Where we are rigid, soften us.
Where we are fearful, calm us.
Where we are prideful, humble us.
Where we are wounded, heal us.

Make us people whose truth looks like Your truth —
gentle, wise, patient, and full of love.
Amen.

Pastor Timothy Gillespie

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

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DAILY-STUDY-This-Is-True.pdf

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May 11, 2026
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May 11, 2026
RETURNING | Romans 8:1-2
May 10, 2026
Galatians 5:22-23 | No Law Against These Things
May 9, 2026
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Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/09/this-is-true-wk-4-group-guide#comments 0 This Is True: WK4 - FRI https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/08/this-is-true-wk4-fri Fri, 08 May 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/08/this-is-true-wk4-fri
Open Hands in a Closed-Fist World
John 8:10–11

The story in John 8 ends quietly. The stones fall. The accusers walk away. The woman stands alone before Christ — vulnerable, exposed, waiting for judgment that doesn’t come. Jesus looks at her with the gentlest question: “Where are they?” And then, with breathtaking mercy: “Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Truth and grace meet in the same breath. Jesus does not deny her sin, nor does He allow sin to define her. He tells the truth with such tenderness that it frees rather than wounds. His hands are empty — no stones, no accusations, no desire to punish. His truth is always delivered with open hands.

In a world of clenched fists — fists full of certainties, opinions, outrage, and self-protection — Jesus invites us to open ours. To loosen our grip on harmful forms of truth-telling. To release the pride that keeps us from listening. To unclench the fear that pushes us toward rigidity. To drop whatever stones we still hold.

This is what it means to embody truth in the way of Christ. Not as conquerors, but as healers. Not as the self-assured, but as the self-giving. Not as those who need to be right, but as those who long to be like Jesus.

Truth held with open hands becomes a gift. Truth held with humility becomes beautiful. Truth held with love becomes transformative.

  1. What “stone” is Jesus asking you to release so you can hold truth with open hands?
  2. How might someone experience Jesus through your gentleness this week?
  3. What would it look like to let Christ’s mercy shape your truth-telling?

By Timothy Gillespie

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

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May 11, 2026
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May 8, 2026
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May 7, 2026
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May 11, 2026
RETURNING | Romans 8:1-2
May 10, 2026
Galatians 5:22-23 | No Law Against These Things
May 9, 2026
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Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/08/this-is-true-wk4-fri#comments 0 This Is True: WK4 - THU https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/07/this-is-true-wk4-thu Thu, 07 May 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/07/this-is-true-wk4-thu
The Gentle Mind of Christ
Philippians 2:5

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”
Paul’s invitation is not a call to adopt new ideas but to inhabit a new posture. The mind of Christ is not marked by arrogance or certainty, but by self-giving humility. Christ releases status. Christ relinquishes privilege. Christ refuses to operate from superiority. Christ moves toward others — even those who misunderstand, resist, or reject Him.

To have the mind of Christ is to begin every conversation with curiosity, every disagreement with gentleness, and every truth claim with love. Jesus never used truth to win; He used truth to heal. His authority was not rooted in intellectual dominance but in His unwavering alignment with the Father’s heart.

Humility is not insecurity. It is strength under submission. It is courage wrapped in compassion. It is conviction married to kindness. The mind of Christ is bold enough to speak truth and tender enough to hold the person hearing it.

Imagine if our churches embraced this mind. Imagine if our online presence reflected Christ’s gentleness. Imagine if our families approached disagreements not as battles to win but as opportunities to practice love. The world would encounter a truth that feels less like a weapon and more like an embrace.

  1. What part of the “mind of Christ” do you find most challenging to embody?
  2. How might humility actually deepen — rather than weaken — your convictions?
  3. Where is Jesus calling you to imitate His way of holding truth this week?

By Timothy Gillespie

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

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May 11, 2026
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May 8, 2026
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May 7, 2026
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May 11, 2026
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May 8, 2026
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May 7, 2026
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Acts 15:6-11 | Challenging God
May 11, 2026
RETURNING | Romans 8:1-2
May 10, 2026
Galatians 5:22-23 | No Law Against These Things
May 9, 2026
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Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/07/this-is-true-wk4-thu#comments 0 This Is True: WK4 - WED https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/06/this-is-true-wk4-wed Wed, 06 May 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/06/this-is-true-wk4-wed
Seeing Through a Dim Mirror
1 Corinthians 13:12

Paul’s words about seeing “through a glass dimly” are both humbling and liberating. They remind us that no matter how much we study, pray, or engage with Scripture, our understanding is always partial. This is not a flaw in the Christian life but an essential part of it. God is infinite; we are not. Our knowing is always dependent, contingent, and incomplete.

This realization can either frustrate us or free us. It frustrates us when we approach truth as something to possess, control, or master. But it frees us when we remember that faith is not built on our ability to grasp everything — it’s built on our willingness to trust the One who holds everything. There is great peace in admitting, “I don’t see the whole picture, but God is faithful.” That posture is not intellectual laziness; it is spiritual maturity.

Seeing dimly teaches us gentleness with others and with ourselves. It softens our instincts to judge quickly or cling rigidly to our perspectives. It invites us into curiosity instead of condemnation. It reminds us that God is patient with our slow learning, our unfolding understanding, and our stumbling attempts to follow Him. Paul’s metaphor encourages us to be patient with ourselves too — trusting that clarity will come, not from our striving, but from God’s steady guidance.

  1. Where in your life do you feel the tension of “seeing dimly”?
  2. How can this truth lead you toward gentleness rather than frustration?
  3. What might God be teaching you through the parts you cannot yet see clearly?

By Timothy Gillespie

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

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May 11, 2026
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May 8, 2026
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May 7, 2026
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May 11, 2026
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May 8, 2026
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May 7, 2026
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The Abide Daily Podcast

Acts 15:6-11 | Challenging God
May 11, 2026
RETURNING | Romans 8:1-2
May 10, 2026
Galatians 5:22-23 | No Law Against These Things
May 9, 2026
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Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/06/this-is-true-wk4-wed#comments 0 This Is True: WK4 - TUE https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/05/this-is-true-wk4-tue Tue, 05 May 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/05/this-is-true-wk4-tue
The Stones We Hold
John 8:7

There is a quiet but sobering truth in the story of the woman caught in adultery: everyone in that moment is holding something. The Pharisees hold stones — symbols of certainty, judgment, and justified anger. The woman holds shame. The crowd holds curiosity, maybe even fear. But Jesus holds none of these. He bends down into the dust, the posture of someone utterly unthreatened by either sin or self-righteousness.

The stones in the hands of the accusers reveal how truth can become destructive when it is severed from humility. By all accounts, they are correct about the law. They are confident, prepared, and eager to enforce what they believe is righteous. But Jesus exposes something deeper: their application of truth is devoid of self-awareness. “Let the one who is without sin cast the first stone,” He says — a sentence so simple and so devastating that it dissolves the entire project of weaponized truth in a single breath.

We all hold stones at times — harsh interpretations, rigid expectations, unspoken judgments, quiet condemnations. Sometimes our stones are theological, sometimes relational, sometimes internal. The invitation of Jesus is not to deny truth, but to approach it with such humility that our hands slowly open and the stones fall. Truth is never meant to be held as a weapon; it is meant to be lived as a reflection of the One who is gentle and humble in heart.

  1. What “stones” — judgments, assumptions, rigid views — are you holding today?
  2. How does Jesus invite you to hold truth more gently?
  3. Who might be blessed by your decision to release a stone?

By Timothy Gillespie

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

GROUP-GUIDE_-THIS-IS-TRUE.pdf
DAILY-STUDY-This-Is-True.pdf

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This Is True - WK5 - MON
May 11, 2026
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May 8, 2026
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May 7, 2026
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This Is True Kids - W5, Monday
May 11, 2026
This Is True Kids - W4, Friday
May 8, 2026
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The Abide Daily Podcast

Acts 15:6-11 | Challenging God
May 11, 2026
RETURNING | Romans 8:1-2
May 10, 2026
Galatians 5:22-23 | No Law Against These Things
May 9, 2026
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Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/05/this-is-true-wk4-tue#comments 0 This Is True: WK4 - MON https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/04/this-is-true-wk4-mon Mon, 04 May 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/04/this-is-true-wk4-mon
The Burden of Being Right
1 Corinthians 8:1–3

There is a particular weight that comes with believing you must always be right. Most of us learn this weight early in life — perhaps from our families, faith communities, or cultural expectations. The need to be right can feel like a kind of righteousness, a moral high ground we must occupy at all costs. But Paul warns us that knowledge, even when it’s accurate, can inflate us to the point we become unrecognizable. The burden of rightness often hides a deeper fear — that if our certainty cracks, everything else might crumble with it.

Paul’s simple phrase, “knowledge puffs up,” is not a condemnation of truth-seeking but an invitation to notice what happens when truth stops being a gift and becomes a weapon. When certainty is used to shield us from vulnerability, we use truth to position ourselves over others instead of beside them. We stop listening. We stop seeing. We stop loving. In the end, we stop growing.

The irony is that the more tightly we grip certainty, the more fragile we become. Humility, on the other hand, does not fear being wrong because it is anchored not in perfection but in love — a love strong enough to hold our questions, mistakes, and incomplete understanding. When Paul says that “whoever loves God is known by God,” he shifts the focus from what we know to Who knows us. Truth becomes relational, not positional. Being known by God is the beginning of humility, and humility is the beginning of wisdom.

  1. When in your life have you felt the burden of needing to be right?
  2. How has certainty sometimes protected you from vulnerability?
  3. What would it feel like to rest in being known by God rather than being right?

By Timothy Gillespie

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

GROUP-GUIDE_-THIS-IS-TRUE.pdf
DAILY-STUDY-This-Is-True.pdf

Daily Study Podcast

This Is True - WK5 - MON
May 11, 2026
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May 8, 2026
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May 7, 2026
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May 11, 2026
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May 8, 2026
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May 7, 2026
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The Abide Daily Podcast

Acts 15:6-11 | Challenging God
May 11, 2026
RETURNING | Romans 8:1-2
May 10, 2026
Galatians 5:22-23 | No Law Against These Things
May 9, 2026
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Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/04/this-is-true-wk4-mon#comments 0 This Is True: WK 3 - GROUP GUIDE https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/02/this-is-true-wk-3-group-guide Sat, 02 May 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/02/this-is-true-wk-3-group-guide
The Truth We Tell: How Story Shapes Seeing

INTRODUCTION: The following is a guide to help facilitate discussion between you and the person you’re studying with or with your Connect Group. Feel free to add, subtract, or change questions to fit the conversation, and pray for the Spirit to lead in all things.

OPEN:  Think of a story from your childhood, family, or past that has shaped you in some way — it could be funny, serious, or meaningful. Why does that story still live in your memory? What about it formed you?
 
Follow-up:  Share a time when someone’s story impacted your faith or worldview more than an argument ever could.

SCRIPTURE READING
  • John 20:11–18 (Mary Magdalene’s testimony)
  • Luke 24:13–35 (The Emmaus story)
  • Acts 4:18–20 (“We cannot help speaking…”)
  • Revelation 12:11 (“They overcame by the… word of their testimony.”)
 
Listen for themes of story, seeing, and witness.

CONTEXT & SETUP (Read Aloud)
We live in a culture that is skeptical of institutions, distrustful of authority, and suspicious of truth claims. Yet people still crave something real, something lived, something authentic. That is why story — testimony — continues to be one of the most powerful ways truth is revealed.
 
This week, we explored how Christian truth is not just something we argue or explain, but something we bear witness to. God forms us into a storytelling people: people whose lives tell the truth about Jesus.
 
Testimony is not “my truth.”
It is my witness to the Truth — Christ at work in my life.
 
In a world full of curated identities and algorithmic narratives, Christians embody a different reality:
truth that has become flesh in us.

HEAD: Explore the Text
  1. What stands out to you in Mary Magdalene’s simple testimony, “I have seen the Lord”? Why is that more powerful than an argument?
  2. In Luke 24, why do you think the disciples failed to recognize Jesus until after He re-told the story? How does story shape what we are able to see?
  3. Acts 4:20 shows Peter and John refusing to be silent. What gave their testimony such authority? 
  4. Revelation 12:11 describes testimony as part of overcoming evil. How can a story be spiritually powerful?
  5. Discuss this statement from the sermon: “We don’t see with our eyes; we see with our stories.” What does this mean in practical terms?

HEART: Personal Reflection
  1. What story have you believed about yourself that God is beginning to rewrite?
  2. Do you ever feel nervous or unqualified to share your testimony? What holds you back?
  3. Consider a moment when God revealed Himself to you — even in a small way. How did that moment change your sense of truth?
  4. How have other people’s stories strengthened your faith? What did you receive from their honesty?
  5. Where in your life do you sense Jesus inviting you to “see differently” by trusting a new story?

HANDS: Practice This Week
Testimony Practice: “The 3-Minute Story”  

Invite group members to do this at home and share next week:
  1. Write a simple 3-minute testimony following this pattern:
  • Before: What was your situation, mindset, or struggle?
  • Encounter: Where did Jesus meet you?
  • After: How did your story shift — even a little?
  1. Share it with:
  • a friend,
  • a family member,
  • or someone who needs encouragement this week.
 
This is NOT about sharing a “big” or dramatic story.
This is about truth-telling, humility, and authenticity.

FINISH WELL: Bring It Home
  1. What story do you sense Jesus asking you to share right now — and with whom?
  2. What part of your life needs to be re-narrated by the gospel — your identity, your fears, your relationships, or your sense of purpose?
  3. How can you become a more attentive listener to the stories of others?

CLOSING PRAYER (Leader or Participant Reads)
Jesus, our True Story,
You meet us on the road,
You open our eyes,
You rewrite our lives in Your love.
 
Make us a people who tell the truth with our lives.
Give us the courage to speak honestly,
the humility to listen well,
and the imagination to see the world through Your resurrection.
 
Shape our stories into testimonies of grace.
Amen.

Pastor Timothy Gillespie

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

GROUP-GUIDE_-THIS-IS-TRUE.pdf
DAILY-STUDY-This-Is-True.pdf

Daily Study Podcast

This Is True - WK5 - MON
May 11, 2026
This Is True - WK4 - FRI
May 8, 2026
This Is True - WK4 - THU
May 7, 2026
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CRSWLK Kids Daily Devotional

This Is True Kids - W5, Monday
May 11, 2026
This Is True Kids - W4, Friday
May 8, 2026
This Is True Kids - W4, Thursday
May 7, 2026
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The Abide Daily Podcast

Acts 15:6-11 | Challenging God
May 11, 2026
RETURNING | Romans 8:1-2
May 10, 2026
Galatians 5:22-23 | No Law Against These Things
May 9, 2026
View More

Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/02/this-is-true-wk-3-group-guide#comments 0 This Is True: WK3 - FRI https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/01/this-is-true-wk3-fri Fri, 01 May 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/01/this-is-true-wk3-fri
The Story God Is Still Writing
Philippians 1:6
 
“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.”
 
One of the quiet fears many Christians carry is that their story is not “good enough” to tell. It feels incomplete, unresolved, or too ordinary. But Scripture teaches us that testimony is not the celebration of finished lives — it is the celebration of a faithful God in the midst of unfinished people.
 
Paul reassures the Philippians that God is the One writing the story. Their transformation is not their burden to manage; it is God’s work to complete. Testimony, then, is not a victory speech at the end of a journey. It is the willingness to say:
 
“Here is what God has begun.
Here is where grace is moving.
Here is what I am learning to trust.”
 
Your story, even now, is mid-sentence. And this is good news. It means God is not done. It means hope is still unfolding. It means your next chapter may reveal something about Christ you cannot yet imagine.
 
The world needs testimonies of unfinished people following a faithful God. This is how others find courage — not through perfect stories, but through stories that are still being redeemed.
 
You are not waiting for a story to tell.
You are living one right now.

  1. What part of your “unfinished story” do you sense God shaping right now?
  2. How does believing God is still writing your story give you hope or courage?
  3. Who could you bless by sharing a small piece of your ongoing journey?

By Timothy Gillespie

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

GROUP-GUIDE_-THIS-IS-TRUE.pdf
DAILY-STUDY-This-Is-True.pdf

Daily Study Podcast

This Is True - WK5 - MON
May 11, 2026
This Is True - WK4 - FRI
May 8, 2026
This Is True - WK4 - THU
May 7, 2026
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CRSWLK Kids Daily Devotional

This Is True Kids - W5, Monday
May 11, 2026
This Is True Kids - W4, Friday
May 8, 2026
This Is True Kids - W4, Thursday
May 7, 2026
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The Abide Daily Podcast

Acts 15:6-11 | Challenging God
May 11, 2026
RETURNING | Romans 8:1-2
May 10, 2026
Galatians 5:22-23 | No Law Against These Things
May 9, 2026
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]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/05/01/this-is-true-wk3-fri#comments 0 This Is True: WK3 - THU https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/30/this-is-true-wk3-thu Thu, 30 Apr 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/30/this-is-true-wk3-thu
The Courage to Tell the Truth About Yourself
Scripture: Psalm 51:6
 
“Surely You desire truth in the inward being.”
 
Testimony is not only about telling the truth about God; it is also about telling the truth about ourselves. One reason stories are powerful is because they are honest. Another reason they are difficult is because they are honest.
 
We often fear our weaknesses becoming visible. We fear being misunderstood, judged, exposed, or dismissed. But the power of testimony lies not in presenting a perfected narrative but in revealing the places where God is working, healing, forgiving, and transforming.
 
David’s prayer in Psalm 51 is a testimony of profound honesty. He tells the truth about his failure — not to condemn himself, but to encounter the mercy that only rises to meet what is revealed. God desires truth in the inward being because inward truth is the soil where grace takes root.
 
Your testimony carries weight not because you are impressive, but because God is present. When you speak honestly about where Christ met you — in fear, in loss, in anger, in pride, in shame — others see that God meets people where they actually are, not where they pretend to be.
 
People are not transformed by our false strengths.
They are transformed by God’s real presence within our real stories.
 
Honesty becomes the doorway to freedom — for you, and for those who hear you.

  1. What difficult part of your story might God be inviting you to speak truthfully about?
  2. How does honesty—rather than perfection—make your testimony more powerful?
  3. Where do you need to invite God’s mercy into your story today?

By Timothy Gillespie

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

GROUP-GUIDE_-THIS-IS-TRUE.pdf
DAILY-STUDY-This-Is-True.pdf

Daily Study Podcast

This Is True - WK5 - MON
May 11, 2026
This Is True - WK4 - FRI
May 8, 2026
This Is True - WK4 - THU
May 7, 2026
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CRSWLK Kids Daily Devotional

This Is True Kids - W5, Monday
May 11, 2026
This Is True Kids - W4, Friday
May 8, 2026
This Is True Kids - W4, Thursday
May 7, 2026
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The Abide Daily Podcast

Acts 15:6-11 | Challenging God
May 11, 2026
RETURNING | Romans 8:1-2
May 10, 2026
Galatians 5:22-23 | No Law Against These Things
May 9, 2026
View More

Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/30/this-is-true-wk3-thu#comments 0 This Is True: WK3 - WED https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/29/this-is-true-wk3-wed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/29/this-is-true-wk3-wed
Your Life Is a Testimony Being Written
Acts 4:19–20
 
Peter and John stand before authorities who hold religious power, legal power, and social power. Everything in the moment suggests silence. Yet their response is simple and courageous:
 
“We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
 
They do not offer a theological treatise. They do not propose a philosophical defense. They testify. They speak out of lived experience — not speculation, not theory, but encounter. Their story carries authority because the risen Christ shaped it.
 
Your testimony does not need to be dramatic. It does not need to be complete. It does not need to be eloquent. It needs only to be true — true to your encounter with Jesus, true to the ways He has met you, true to the transformation unfolding within you. A testimony is not a performance; it is an act of gratitude. A witness doesn’t have to explain everything — only to be honest about what they have seen.
 
Even now, the Spirit is writing your story in real time. Some parts are clear. Others remain unresolved. Some contain joy, others sorrow, others confusion. But every chapter that includes God will become a testimony of faithfulness. Every place where grace interrupts your life becomes a place where truth is revealed.
 
You are not just telling a story.
You are becoming one.
 
  1. What part of your story are you most grateful Jesus stepped into?
  2. What part of your story feels “unfinished” and needs trust rather than control?
  3. Who in your life needs to hear even a small piece of what God has done for you?

By Timothy Gillespie

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

GROUP-GUIDE_-THIS-IS-TRUE.pdf
DAILY-STUDY-This-Is-True.pdf

Daily Study Podcast

This Is True - WK5 - MON
May 11, 2026
This Is True - WK4 - FRI
May 8, 2026
This Is True - WK4 - THU
May 7, 2026
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CRSWLK Kids Daily Devotional

This Is True Kids - W5, Monday
May 11, 2026
This Is True Kids - W4, Friday
May 8, 2026
This Is True Kids - W4, Thursday
May 7, 2026
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The Abide Daily Podcast

Acts 15:6-11 | Challenging God
May 11, 2026
RETURNING | Romans 8:1-2
May 10, 2026
Galatians 5:22-23 | No Law Against These Things
May 9, 2026
View More

Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/29/this-is-true-wk3-wed#comments 0 This Is True: WK3 - TUE https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/28/this-is-true-wk3-tue Tue, 28 Apr 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/28/this-is-true-wk3-tue
The Stories We Trust Shape the World We See
Luke 24:30–31
 
The Emmaus disciples walked beside Jesus, talked with Jesus, listened to Jesus — and yet they could not see Him. Their grief, disappointment, and shattered expectations formed a story that made recognition impossible. We often assume truth is blocked by ignorance, but Scripture shows it is often blocked by the stories we trust.
 
Before Jesus opens their eyes, He opens the Scriptures. He re-narrates their understanding of God, Israel, the Messiah, and suffering. Only then do they see. Their story had to change before their vision could.
 
This is deeply human. We interpret reality through the narratives we carry. If your story is “Nothing can change,” hope will seem naïve. If your story is “I am alone,” God’s presence will seem unlikely. If your story is “I must protect myself,” love will seem dangerous.
 
Jesus does not dismiss our stories; He transforms them. He invites us into the larger narrative of redemption, where pain is not final, expectations are not ultimate, and death does not get the last word. Testimony always begins here — in the moment when God gently unravels the old story that blinded us and replaces it with one in which He is Lord.
 
Once the disciples’ story changed, the world made sense again. Their eyes opened. Their hearts burned. They ran back to Jerusalem with a message that carried resurrection in every breath.
 
Truth becomes visible when we trust the story Jesus tells.
 
  1. What story shapes how you currently see God or yourself?
  2. How might Jesus be rewriting that story even now?
  3. What would it take for you to trust His story more than your own?

By Timothy Gillespie

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

GROUP-GUIDE_-THIS-IS-TRUE.pdf
DAILY-STUDY-This-Is-True.pdf

Daily Study Podcast

This Is True - WK5 - MON
May 11, 2026
This Is True - WK4 - FRI
May 8, 2026
This Is True - WK4 - THU
May 7, 2026
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CRSWLK Kids Daily Devotional

This Is True Kids - W5, Monday
May 11, 2026
This Is True Kids - W4, Friday
May 8, 2026
This Is True Kids - W4, Thursday
May 7, 2026
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The Abide Daily Podcast

Acts 15:6-11 | Challenging God
May 11, 2026
RETURNING | Romans 8:1-2
May 10, 2026
Galatians 5:22-23 | No Law Against These Things
May 9, 2026
View More

Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/28/this-is-true-wk3-tue#comments 0 This Is True: WK3 - MON https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/27/this-is-true-wk3-mon Mon, 27 Apr 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/27/this-is-true-wk3-mon
When Truth Speaks Your Name
John 20:14–16
 
Mary Magdalene stands in the garden, heart broken, vision blurred by tears, surrounded by uncertainty. The world as she knew it has shattered. She stands at the tomb looking for information, trying to make sense of what she sees. But truth does not come to her as clarity or explanation. Instead, it comes as a voice. A person. Someone who speaks her name.
 
“Mary.”
 
And her world rearranges itself.
 
Truth, in Scripture, is always more personal than conceptual. It is always God revealing Himself before God explaining Himself. Mary recognizes Jesus not because she solved the mystery of the resurrection, but because He called her by name. Truth does not begin in certainty; it begins in encounter. Your story with God is not a product of your insight — it is a response to His initiative.
 
Sometimes we search desperately for answers when what we really need is presence. Sometimes truth feels distant until Jesus speaks directly into the landscape of our life. There is no testimony without this moment — the moment when the Truth reveals Himself to you, not in general terms, but in the language of your life, your wounds, your questions, your desires.
 
We often ask, “How do I explain my faith?” Mary reminds us the real testimony is: “He found me. He knows me. He called my name.” This is not merely a story we tell. It is the story that tells us who we are.
 
  1. When in your life has God “spoken your name”?
  2. How did that moment shape what you believe to be true?
  3. What part of your life needs to hear His voice again?

By Timothy Gillespie

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

GROUP-GUIDE_-THIS-IS-TRUE.pdf
DAILY-STUDY-This-Is-True.pdf

Daily Study Podcast

This Is True - WK5 - MON
May 11, 2026
This Is True - WK4 - FRI
May 8, 2026
This Is True - WK4 - THU
May 7, 2026
View More

CRSWLK Kids Daily Devotional

This Is True Kids - W5, Monday
May 11, 2026
This Is True Kids - W4, Friday
May 8, 2026
This Is True Kids - W4, Thursday
May 7, 2026
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The Abide Daily Podcast

Acts 15:6-11 | Challenging God
May 11, 2026
RETURNING | Romans 8:1-2
May 10, 2026
Galatians 5:22-23 | No Law Against These Things
May 9, 2026
View More

Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/27/this-is-true-wk3-mon#comments 0 This Is True: WK 2 - GROUP GUIDE https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/25/this-is-true-wk-2-group-guide Sat, 25 Apr 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/25/this-is-true-wk-2-group-guide
Algorithms of Belief: How Attention Economics Shapes Truth

INTRODUCTION:  The following is a guide to help facilitate discussion between you and the person you’re studying with or with your Connect Group. Feel free to add, subtract, or change questions to fit the conversation, and pray for the Spirit to lead in all things.

OPEN:  Share an example of a time when the internet surprised you by “knowing” something about you. Was it a recommendation, an ad, a video, an article? How did it make you feel — intrigued, amused, unsettled, seen, creeped out?

Follow-up:  In one sentence, describe how the internet is shaping truth in our world today.

SCRIPTURE READING
  • Romans 12:1–2 (“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”)
  • Luke 8:18 (“Consider carefully how you listen.”)
  • Proverbs 4:23 (“Above all else, guard your heart…”)
  • John 8:31–32 (“Then you will know the truth…”)

Invite participants to listen for themes of attention, formation, and discernment.

CONTEXT & SETUP (Read Aloud)
We live in a world where our attention is more valuable than our data.
The internet constantly studies us — our loves, fears, and habits — and shapes what we see, what we trust, and what feels plausible. Algorithms have become one of the most powerful discipleship systems in human history.

But Christians believe our minds are formed not by accident but by intention. Not by algorithms but by Christ. Not by emotional reaction but by the renewing work of the Spirit.

This week’s teaching invited us to understand:
  • How algorithms shape belief
  • Why attention matters spiritually
  • How Christian community and Scripture counter-form us
  • How to practice wise digital discernment

Truth in the digital age requires humility, intentionality, and a community that helps us see what we cannot see alone.

HEAD: Explore the Text
Read Romans 12:2 again. What stands out to you in the phrase “renewing of your mind”? How does this speak to digital discipleship?

Jesus says “Consider carefully how you listen” (Luke 8:18). Why does how we hear matter as much as what we hear?

In Scripture, the mind (nous) includes desire, imagination, perception, and attention. How does this differ from our culture’s view of “mind” as mostly rational thinking?

Algorithms are optimized for engagement, not truth. What impact does this have on how Christians discern what is real or trustworthy?

Have you ever realized that your online environment shaped your beliefs without you noticing? What helped you become aware of it?

How do echo chambers and confirmation bias show up in your own life? Where are you most vulnerable to hearing only one kind of perspective?

HEART: Personal Reflection
In what ways has your online consumption impacted your emotional or spiritual life? (Examples: stress, fear, anger, division, comparison)

What content tends to disciple you the most — not what you want to disciple you, but what actually does?

Where do you sense the Holy Spirit nudging you toward healthier patterns of attention?

Have you ever felt ashamed, overwhelmed, or confused about what’s true online? How did Jesus meet you in that space — or how might He want to?**

What would it look like to let Jesus shape your imagination before the internet does?

HANDS: Practice This Week
Forming a digital rule of life.  Choose one of the following (or create your own):

A) Scripture Before Screens:  Each morning, read a psalm or gospel passage before unlocking your phone.

B) The 24-Hour Digital Sabbath:  Choose one day with no news, no scrolling, no social feeds.

C) Digital Examen. At the end of each day, ask: What shaped my attention today?
  • What formed my imagination?
  • What stirred fear?
  • What stirred love?  

D) Community Discernment:  Invite someone to speak honestly into one digital habit that may be shaping you.

Encourage group members to check in next week.

FINISH WELL: Bring It Home
What is one digital habit or pattern you feel Jesus inviting you to surrender, reframe, or heal?

Where do you feel the need for a “renewed mind”—in your thought life, emotional life, or digital life?

What step will you take this week to let Christ — not your feed — be the loudest voice in your life?

CLOSING PRAYER (Leader or Participant Reads)
Jesus, our Teacher and our Truth,
Renew our minds and reshape our attention.
Break every false formation, calm every fear,
and guide us into wisdom.
Teach us to hear Your voice above all others,
and form us into a people who love truth
because we love You.
Amen.

Pastor Timothy Gillespie

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

GROUP-GUIDE_-THIS-IS-TRUE.pdf
DAILY-STUDY-This-Is-True.pdf

Daily Study Podcast

This Is True - WK5 - MON
May 11, 2026
This Is True - WK4 - FRI
May 8, 2026
This Is True - WK4 - THU
May 7, 2026
View More

CRSWLK Kids Daily Devotional

This Is True Kids - W5, Monday
May 11, 2026
This Is True Kids - W4, Friday
May 8, 2026
This Is True Kids - W4, Thursday
May 7, 2026
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The Abide Daily Podcast

Acts 15:6-11 | Challenging God
May 11, 2026
RETURNING | Romans 8:1-2
May 10, 2026
Galatians 5:22-23 | No Law Against These Things
May 9, 2026
View More

Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/25/this-is-true-wk-2-group-guide#comments 0 This Is True: WK2 - FRI https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/24/this-is-true-wk2-fri Fri, 24 Apr 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/24/this-is-true-wk2-fri
Freedom in a Fragmented World
John 8:31–32
 
“If you abide in my word… you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
 
Jesus does not say we will be set free by:
  • more information
  • clearer arguments
  • political victories
  • perfect certainty
  • winning debates
 
He says freedom comes from abiding — from staying, dwelling, remaining in His word.
 
To abide is to refuse spiritual hurry.
To abide is to resist fragmentation.
To abide is to live from a center deeper than your notifications.
To abide is to anchor your identity not in headlines or algorithms but in the voice of Truth Himself.
 
The Greek word for “know” here is gnōsis — experiential, relational knowing. Jesus is saying:
 
“Live in Me, and you will discover the truth that frees you.”
 
This is not individualistic freedom.
It is not the freedom to believe whatever feels right.
It is not the freedom of self-invention.
 
It is the freedom of seeing reality as God sees it:
  • yourself as beloved
  • others as image-bearers
  • the world as redeemable
  • Christ as Lord
 
When you live in Jesus’ truth, you are no longer a passive consumer of digital meaning.
You are a participant in God’s reality.
 
Nothing fragments you. Nothing manipulates you. Nothing steals your peace. Because truth is no longer an argument. It is a relationship.
 
  1. What does “abiding” look like for you in practical terms?
  2. Where do you sense Jesus inviting you into deeper freedom?
  3. What fragmented places in your life need His wholeness this week?

By Timothy Gillespie

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

GROUP-GUIDE_-THIS-IS-TRUE.pdf
DAILY-STUDY-This-Is-True.pdf

Daily Study Podcast

This Is True - WK5 - MON
May 11, 2026
This Is True - WK4 - FRI
May 8, 2026
This Is True - WK4 - THU
May 7, 2026
View More

CRSWLK Kids Daily Devotional

This Is True Kids - W5, Monday
May 11, 2026
This Is True Kids - W4, Friday
May 8, 2026
This Is True Kids - W4, Thursday
May 7, 2026
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The Abide Daily Podcast

Acts 15:6-11 | Challenging God
May 11, 2026
RETURNING | Romans 8:1-2
May 10, 2026
Galatians 5:22-23 | No Law Against These Things
May 9, 2026
View More

Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/24/this-is-true-wk2-fri#comments 0 This Is True: WK2 - THU https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/23/this-is-true-wk2-thu Thu, 23 Apr 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/23/this-is-true-wk2-thu
The Illusion of Knowing
1 Corinthians 8:1–3
 
“Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.”
 
In a world flooded with information, we often mistake familiarity for understanding.
 
Scrolling through Christian posts does not make us spiritually wise. Consuming theological content does not necessarily make us Christlike. Being informed does not equal being formed.
 
Paul warns that “knowledge puffs up.” The Greek word here is phusioi — meaning inflated, swollen, distended. It’s an image of intellectual pride without spiritual substance.
 
We live in an age where we can Google anything but understand almost nothing. Information is abundant; wisdom is scarce.
 
The internet often produces:
  • instant opinions without reflection
  • certainty without humility
  • confidence without community
  • assumptions without discernment
 
Paul’s corrective is profound:
 
“If anyone imagines he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.”
 
True Christian knowing is rooted in love, not ego.
 
This means:
  • Knowledge must lead to humility, not superiority.
  • Knowledge must grow compassion, not division.
  • Knowledge should deepen dependence on Christ, not increase self-reliance.
  • Knowledge is not about being right; it is about becoming righteous.
 
The illusion of knowing is one of the enemy’s greatest tools today. If the internet can make you feel knowledgeable without being transformed, you will never pursue deeper formation.
 
Jesus doesn’t just want to teach you truth. He wants to make you true — the kind of person whose life bears witness to Him.
 
  1. Where have you mistaken information for wisdom?
  2. How might pride masquerade as “knowledge” in your life?
  3. What practice this week could cultivate humility instead of certainty?

By Timothy Gillespie

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

GROUP-GUIDE_-THIS-IS-TRUE.pdf
DAILY-STUDY-This-Is-True.pdf

Daily Study Podcast

This Is True - WK5 - MON
May 11, 2026
This Is True - WK4 - FRI
May 8, 2026
This Is True - WK4 - THU
May 7, 2026
View More

CRSWLK Kids Daily Devotional

This Is True Kids - W5, Monday
May 11, 2026
This Is True Kids - W4, Friday
May 8, 2026
This Is True Kids - W4, Thursday
May 7, 2026
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The Abide Daily Podcast

Acts 15:6-11 | Challenging God
May 11, 2026
RETURNING | Romans 8:1-2
May 10, 2026
Galatians 5:22-23 | No Law Against These Things
May 9, 2026
View More

Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/23/this-is-true-wk2-thu#comments 0 This Is True: WK2 - WED https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/22/this-is-true-wk2-wed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/22/this-is-true-wk2-wed
The Soul Becomes What It Beholds
2 Corinthians 3:18
 
“We all… beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed.”
 
Gregory of Nyssa wrote in the 4th century:
“The soul becomes what it beholds.”
 
Modern neuroscience agrees. What you repeatedly expose your mind to literally reshapes your neural pathways. Attention becomes architecture.
 
This is why repetition is the mother of formation. The things you behold — the images, words, stories, voices, emotions — slowly sculpt your inner world.
 
Consider how often your devices ask for your gaze:
  • “Watch this next…”
  • “Read this next…”
  • “Don’t miss…”
  • “Stay updated…”
 
Digital environments are designed to be sticky — not because you need the content, but because your attention is profitable.
 
But Scripture invites you into a different kind of beholding:
  • “Fix your eyes on Jesus.”
  • “Set your mind on things above.”
  • “Meditate on these things.”
  • “Your Word is my delight.”
 
The promise in 2 Corinthians 3:18 is stunning: You become more like Christ simply by beholding Christ.
 
Not by trying harder. Not by perfect discipline. But by turning your gaze toward Him again and again.
 
The question is never if you are being formed. The question is into what.
 
If you behold fear, you internalize fear.
If you behold outrage, you become outraged.
If you behold envy, you become restless.
But if you behold Christ, you become like Him.
 
Attention is worship. Beholding is transformation.
 
  1. What do you “behold” most consistently in your week?
  2. How does your digital consumption shape your vision of God, yourself, and the world?
  3. What is one practical way you can “behold Christ” more intentionally this week?

By Timothy Gillespie

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

GROUP-GUIDE_-THIS-IS-TRUE.pdf
DAILY-STUDY-This-Is-True.pdf

Daily Study Podcast

This Is True - WK5 - MON
May 11, 2026
This Is True - WK4 - FRI
May 8, 2026
This Is True - WK4 - THU
May 7, 2026
View More

CRSWLK Kids Daily Devotional

This Is True Kids - W5, Monday
May 11, 2026
This Is True Kids - W4, Friday
May 8, 2026
This Is True Kids - W4, Thursday
May 7, 2026
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The Abide Daily Podcast

Acts 15:6-11 | Challenging God
May 11, 2026
RETURNING | Romans 8:1-2
May 10, 2026
Galatians 5:22-23 | No Law Against These Things
May 9, 2026
View More

Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/22/this-is-true-wk2-wed#comments 0 This Is True: WK2 - TUE https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/21/this-is-true-wk2-tue Tue, 21 Apr 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/21/this-is-true-wk2-tue
Be Careful How You Hear
Luke 8:18
 
“Therefore consider carefully how you listen.”
 
Jesus didn’t say, “Be careful what you listen to,” though that matters.
He said, “Be careful how.”
 
We tend to assume hearing is passive — that whatever enters our ears simply becomes information. But Jesus teaches that spiritual hearing is selective, interpretive, shaped by desire, story, wounds, loves, and fears.
 
In cognitive psychology, this is called attentional bias — we notice what confirms our assumptions, ignore what challenges them, and interpret everything through our internal lens.
 
The internet amplifies this tendency through algorithmic filtering, constantly feeding us what resonates with our existing preferences. Over time, we hear more of some things and less of others, not because we chose it, but because an algorithm did.
 
But Jesus calls us into discerned listening — a posture that:
  • slows down our reactions
  • questions our assumptions
  • tests our feelings
  • seeks wisdom over validation
  • listens prayerfully, not reactively
 
“How you hear” shapes what you believe.
 
A simple example:
If you hear Scripture defensively, you read it to protect your ego.
If you hear Scripture humbly, you read it to be transformed.
 
If you hear correction as an attack, you shut down.
If you hear correction as love, you grow.
 
If you hear disagreement as a threat, you become rigid.
If you hear disagreement as an invitation, you become wise.
 
Jesus wants to recalibrate not just what you hear, but how your soul receives reality.
 
Algorithms discipline us into quick hearing.
Jesus disciples us into deep hearing.

  1. How do you tend to “hear” — reactively, defensively, curiously, prayerfully?
  2. What internal filters (fear, pride, past experiences) most affect how you hear truth?
  3. Ask Jesus: “Teach me how to hear with Your heart.” What comes to mind?

By Timothy Gillespie

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

GROUP-GUIDE_-THIS-IS-TRUE.pdf
DAILY-STUDY-This-Is-True.pdf

Daily Study Podcast

This Is True - WK5 - MON
May 11, 2026
This Is True - WK4 - FRI
May 8, 2026
This Is True - WK4 - THU
May 7, 2026
View More

CRSWLK Kids Daily Devotional

This Is True Kids - W5, Monday
May 11, 2026
This Is True Kids - W4, Friday
May 8, 2026
This Is True Kids - W4, Thursday
May 7, 2026
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The Abide Daily Podcast

Acts 15:6-11 | Challenging God
May 11, 2026
RETURNING | Romans 8:1-2
May 10, 2026
Galatians 5:22-23 | No Law Against These Things
May 9, 2026
View More

Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/21/this-is-true-wk2-tue#comments 0 This Is True: WK2 - MON https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/20/this-is-true-wk2-mon Mon, 20 Apr 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/20/this-is-true-wk2-mon
The Battle for Attention
Proverbs 4:23
 
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
 
If this proverb were written today, it might read:
“Above all else, guard your attention.”
 
In Hebrew thought, the heart (lev) was the seat of desire, imagination, and decision. It included what we today call “the mind.” Everything a person loved, feared, valued, and believed was rooted in the heart.
 
In the digital age, the heart’s doorway is attention. Every app, platform, notification, headline, and ping is competing for one thing — your sustained focus. Not because they want to inform you, but because they want to shape you. What you repeatedly attend to becomes your internal world.
 
Sociologist Shoshana Zuboff says we live in an era of “behavioral futures markets,” where our attention is bought and sold to predict what we will do next. Your attention shapes your habits. Your habits shape your loves. And your loves shape your life.
 
This is why wisdom literature emphasizes attentiveness:
  • “Incline your ear to wisdom.”
  • “Fix your gaze directly before you.”
  • “Bind these words to your heart.”
 
Attention is not just cognitive; it is deeply spiritual. When your attention is constantly fractured, your spirit feels fractured. You sense it in your anxiety, your restlessness, your mental clutter, your distractibility in prayer. Not because you lack willpower, but because your attention is being pulled apart.
 
The attention economy forms us without our consent — unless we consciously re-anchor our attention in Christ.
 
To “guard your heart” today might mean:
  • silencing notifications
  • resisting the urge to check everything
  • slowing your scroll
  • practicing Scripture before screens
  • noticing what draws you toward fear or outrage
 
The world disciples your attention toward chaos.
Jesus disciples your attention toward peace.
 
The battle for truth begins with the battle for attention.
 
  1. What captures your attention most easily? What does that reveal about your desires?
  2. How does your digital environment affect your emotional and spiritual life?
  3. What practice could help you “guard your heart” this week?

By Timothy Gillespie

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May 11, 2026
RETURNING | Romans 8:1-2
May 10, 2026
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May 9, 2026
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]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/20/this-is-true-wk2-mon#comments 0 This Is True: WK 1 - GROUP GUIDE https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/18/this-is-true-wk-1-group-guide Sat, 18 Apr 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/18/this-is-true-wk-1-group-guide
The Crisis of Knowing: Why Truth Feels Fractured

INTRODUCTION: The following is a guide to help facilitate discussion between you and the person you’re studying with or with your Connect Group. Feel free to add, subtract, or change questions to fit the conversation, and pray for the Spirit to lead in all things.

OPEN:  Think of a time when you were absolutely certain something was true — and later discovered you were wrong. How did that realization feel? What did it teach you about knowing, certainty, or humility?

Follow-up: In one sentence, how would you describe the “truth climate” of our world today?

SCRIPTURE READING
Read together:  John 18:33–38, 1 Corinthians 13:9–12, John 14:6

Listen for the tension between certainty and revelation, information and encounter, data and relationship.

CONTEXT & SETUP (Read Aloud)
We live in a time where access to information has never been easier — yet finding truth has never felt harder. The internet overwhelms us with content, algorithms shape our attention, and culture swings between wanting absolute certainty and trusting nothing at all. Pilate’s ancient question — “What is truth?” — has become the modern cry of a confused world.

This week’s teaching reminds us that Christian truth is not just a concept, a doctrine, or a set of right answers. Truth is a Person — Jesus Christ. And knowing Him forms how we see everything else. We are not asked to become certain people. We are invited to become formed people — humble, attentive, and anchored in Christ.

HEAD: Explore the Text
  1. When you hear Pilate ask, “What is truth?”, how do you hear that question? Curious? Cynical? Exhausted? Defensive? Something else? Why?
  2. Read John 14:6 again. What does it mean that truth is not just something Jesus teaches, but something Jesus is? How does this reframe our approach to Christian belief?
  3. The sermon introduced the Greek word aletheia (“unveiled,” “revealed”). How does this reshape the idea that we “discover” truth versus truth being “revealed” to us?
  4. Modernism says truth is provable. Postmodernism says truth is perspectival. Metamodernism says truth is held in tension. Which cultural worldview has shaped you the most? Why?
  5. How has the internet changed how you know things? Does your feed shape your worldview? Your sense of truth? Your emotions?
  6. Paul says we “see through a glass dimly.” How do you personally relate to the idea that Christians only “know in part”?
  7. What helps you discern truth more deeply — Scripture? Community? Prayer? Silence? Conversations? Practices? Something else?
  8. Where does Christian humility sit in conversations about “being right”? Why do you think humility is essential to Christian epistemology?

HEART: Personal Reflection
  1. Where do you experience “epistemic anxiety” — the fear of being wrong, misled, or uninformed? How does that fear affect your spiritual life?
  2. Have you ever felt pressure to “pick a side” in something before you had time to think, pray, or discern? What was that like?**
  3. Can you recall a time when Jesus revealed truth to you not through information, but through relationship or experience?
  4. Where might Jesus be inviting you to slow down, listen, or let go of a need for certainty?

HANDS: Practice This Week
Spiritual Practice: Curating Attention
  • Choose one of the following practices for the next 7 days:
  • Scripture Before Screens: Don’t look at your phone until you’ve read Scripture.
  • Digital Sabbath: One full day with no social media or news.
  • Listening Prayer: 5 minutes of silence asking Jesus, “Reveal truth to me.”
  • Communal Discernment: Ask a trusted friend: “Where do you see blind spots in me?”

Invite the group to check in next week about their experience.

FINISH WELL: Bring It Home
  1. What is one place in your life where you want truth to be “unveiled” — for God to make something clearer to you?
  2. Who are the people in your life that help you see more clearly? How can you invite them into your discernment this week?**
  3. What will be your one intentional step toward becoming a more truthful, humble, Christ-formed person?

CLOSING PRAYER (Leader or Participant Reads)
Jesus, our Truth,
Unveil what we cannot see.
Reveal what we do not understand.
Heal our blind spots, calm our anxieties,
and lead us into deeper humility and love.
Form us into a people who know You,
follow You, and reflect You to the world.
Amen.

Pastor Timothy Gillespie

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Acts 15:6-11 | Challenging God
May 11, 2026
RETURNING | Romans 8:1-2
May 10, 2026
Galatians 5:22-23 | No Law Against These Things
May 9, 2026
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]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/18/this-is-true-wk-1-group-guide#comments 0 This Is True: WK1 - FRI https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/17/this-is-true-wk1-fri Fri, 17 Apr 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/17/this-is-true-wk1-fri
Embodied Truth & Epistemic Humility
Micah 6:8; John 8:31–32

Truth in Scripture is never just something to believe. It is always something to become.
Jesus says, “If you hold to my teaching… then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Notice the order:
  1. Follow Me.
  2. Live My way.
  3. Then you’ll understand.
 
Christian knowing flows from Christian living.
The Hebrew prophets understood this long before Jesus spoke it. Micah famously declared:
“Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with God.”

Justice.
Mercy.
Humility.
This is truth embodied.
 
In Hebrew thought, “truth” (emet) implies stability, faithfulness, reliability. Truth is something you walk in, not something you win with.
This is why truth cannot be separated from virtues like humility, compassion, and justice. If our truth does not make us more like Christ, it is not Christian truth.
You know someone is walking in truth not when they win arguments, but when:
  • their presence feels safe
  • their humility is evident
  • their attention is loving
  • their words build life
  • their actions reflect Jesus

Truth is not merely a belief system; it is a formation system.
In a culture fractured by misinformation, tribal identity, and suspicion, Christians witness to Jesus by becoming:
  • calm in chaos
  • humble in conflict
  • curious in confusion
  • loving in disagreement
  • faithful amid uncertainty

This is the embodied truth that sets us free — and draws the world to Christ.

  1. Who in your life embodies truth in a way that feels safe, humble, and Christlike?
  2. Where is Jesus inviting you to walk more humbly this week?
  3. What small act of embodied truth could you practice today?

By Timothy Gillespie

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May 11, 2026
RETURNING | Romans 8:1-2
May 10, 2026
Galatians 5:22-23 | No Law Against These Things
May 9, 2026
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Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/17/this-is-true-wk1-fri#comments 0 This Is True: WK1 - THU https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/16/this-is-true-wk1-thu Thu, 16 Apr 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/16/this-is-true-wk1-thu
Deconstructing Certainty, Reconstructing Trust
1 Corinthians 8:1–3; 1 Corinthians 13:12
 
Certainty feels safe. Uncertainty feels scary. So we spend much of our lives clinging to what we can control: information, arguments, opinions, positions, labels.
 
But Paul says something radical:
“Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.”
 
Knowledge alone creates spiritual inflation. Only love creates spiritual formation.
 
Paul also teaches that our knowing is always partial, always incomplete, always “through a glass dimly.” That is not a failure — it’s a feature of Christian faith.
 
Faith does not begin with certainty.
Faith begins with trust.
 
Certainty says: “I must be right.”
Trust says: “God will guide me.”
 
Certainty says: “I must defend the truth.”
Trust says: “Truth Himself is defending me.”
 
Certainty is about control.
Trust is about relationship.

In a world obsessed with winning arguments, Christians are called to something deeper:
Epistemic humility — a way of knowing shaped by love, formed in community, and grounded in Christ.

When something shakes your certainty — a crisis, a question, a doubt — it is not the end of your faith. It might be the beginning of real faith. Often, God loosens our grip on certainty so He can strengthen our grip on Him.

Deconstruction becomes holy when it leads to reconstruction in Christ.
Uncertainty becomes sacred when it leads to deeper dependence.
Doubt becomes a doorway when it invites us into trust.

What if the very places you feel least certain are the places Jesus is calling you to follow Him more intimately?
 
  1. Where in your life are you clinging to certainty instead of trusting Jesus?
  2. How does it feel to acknowledge that your knowledge is partial?
  3. What would trusting God — not outcomes — look like this week?

By Timothy Gillespie

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May 11, 2026
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May 11, 2026
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May 8, 2026
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RETURNING | Romans 8:1-2
May 10, 2026
Galatians 5:22-23 | No Law Against These Things
May 9, 2026
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Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/16/this-is-true-wk1-thu#comments 0 This Is True: WK1 - WED https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/15/this-is-true-wk1-wed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/15/this-is-true-wk1-wed
Stories Shape Seeing
Psalm 119:105; Luke 24:13–35

When Jesus rose from the dead, He didn’t appear to the disciples with a lecture, a doctrinal outline, or a bullet-point list. He met two discouraged travelers and did something deeply epistemological.
 
He re-narrated their story.
 
He told them the Scriptures again — but this time as the story that pointed to Him. And only after the story was reinterpreted could they recognize Him.
 
This is a profound truth:
 
**We see what our story trains us to see.
 
We notice what our worldview teaches us to notice.
We recognize what our narrative prepares us to recognize.**
 
This is why two people can read the same Bible passage and walk away with opposite conclusions. It’s why two people can experience the same event and interpret it differently. It’s why culture wars aren’t really about events — they’re about stories.
 
Every person lives inside a “master narrative” that shapes:
  • what we fear
  • what we trust
  • what we value
  • what we assume
  • what we hope
  • what we think is possible
 
The Scriptures are not merely a set of theological claims. They are the true story of the world — the story that forms us to recognize Jesus. Psalm 119 says God’s Word is “a lamp to my feet.” Lamps do not change the terrain. They change how we see it. Scripture functions this way too.
 
Too often, Christians treat the Bible as a database of answers. But Jesus treats it as a formative story — one that reshapes our imagination, heals our vision, and restores our ability to see truth.
When truth feels fragmented, we anchor ourselves not in better arguments but in a better story.

A story of:
  • creation
  • covenant
  • incarnation
  • crucifixion
  • resurrection
  • new creation

 This is the story that makes sense of our own experience.

  1. What story has shaped the way you see the world — your family story, cultural story, political story, or God’s story?
  2. How has Scripture re-narrated your life in the past?
  3. Where do you need Jesus to walk with you and “open the Scriptures” again?

By Timothy Gillespie

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May 11, 2026
RETURNING | Romans 8:1-2
May 10, 2026
Galatians 5:22-23 | No Law Against These Things
May 9, 2026
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Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/15/this-is-true-wk1-wed#comments 0 This Is True: WK1 - TUE https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/14/this-is-true-wk1-tue Tue, 14 Apr 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/14/this-is-true-wk1-tue
How We Know What We Know
Proverbs 18:17; James 1:19

One of the most important spiritual disciplines in our age is slowing down long enough to ask:
“How did I come to believe what I believe?”
 
We often assume our beliefs are the product of intelligence or logic — when in reality, they are shaped by:
  • the family we grew up in
  • the community that formed us
  • the sources we trust
  • our emotional history
  • the stories we love
  • the fears we carry
  • the people we hope to please
 
Epistemology: the study of how we know what we know — is not abstract. It’s personal.
 
The internet has flattened the world so completely that we rarely pause to examine how our knowing is being shaped. Algorithms subtly curate our attention. Search engines learn our fears, preferences, and patterns. Our feeds increasingly show us what confirms our assumptions, not what challenges them.
 
This is why Proverbs warns us:
“The first to speak seems right, until another comes and questions him.”
 
In other words:
Slow down.
Listen longer.
Ask better questions.
Seek wisdom before reacting.
 
James echoes this beautifully:
“Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.”
 
Anger accelerates our “knowing.”
Love slows it down.
Humility opens us.
Fear closes us.
 
The Christian way of knowing requires epistemic humility — a willingness to acknowledge we see only in part (1 Cor. 13:12). This humility is not weakness. It’s wisdom.
 
When we remember that our knowledge is partial, shaped, influenced, and often distorted, we become more like Christ:
  • patient
  • thoughtful
  • curious
  • compassionate
 
You don’t have to distrust everything. You just have to distrust your impulse to rush.
 To know as Christ knows, we adopt His posture:  Slow. Present. Listening. Discerning. Compassionate. This is how Christians remain faithful in a fragmented information age.
 
  1. Who or what shapes how you know things right now?
  2. Where do you feel pressure to react quickly rather than discern slowly?
  3. How would your week change if you practiced James 1:19 literally?

By Timothy Gillespie

Download PDF Versions of our Series Guides

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May 11, 2026
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May 11, 2026
RETURNING | Romans 8:1-2
May 10, 2026
Galatians 5:22-23 | No Law Against These Things
May 9, 2026
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Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/14/this-is-true-wk1-tue#comments 0 This Is True: WK1 - MON https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/13/this-is-true-wk1-mon Mon, 13 Apr 2026 01:00:00 +0000 https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/13/this-is-true-wk1-mon
Truth as Revelation, Not Certainty
John 14:6; John 18:37–38

The question “What is truth?” isn’t new. Pilate’s voice echoes through time, weary and suspicious, shaped by power struggles and political pressure. His question sounds like modern people scrolling endlessly, skeptical of everything and trusting nothing.
 
When Jesus responds, He doesn’t give an explanation.
He gives Himself.
 
“I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
 
The Greek word Jesus uses here, aletheia, means “unveiled” or “revealed.” Truth is not primarily a fact we discover. It’s a Person who reveals Himself. This is a deeply Christian idea: truth is relational, not merely conceptual.
 
The modern world taught us to equate truth with certainty.
The postmodern world taught us to equate truth with perspective.
But Jesus teaches us that truth is an encounter.
 
Not a proposition.
Not a platform.
Not a political stance.
A relationship.
 
Think about Peter in Matthew 16. Jesus asks, “Who do you say I am?” Peter answers, “You are the Christ,” and Jesus tells him:
 
“Flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven.”
 
Truth is revealed, not merely deduced. This doesn’t mean Christians lack confidence.
It means our confidence comes from our connection to Christ—not our mastery of ideas.
 
In an age of constant noise and infinite content, Christians hold a deeper conviction:
Truth is something (and Someone) you receive, not something you conquer. This turns our spiritual journey from a quest for perfect certainty into a posture of open-handed receptivity:
 
“Lord, unveil what I cannot see.”
“Reveal what I cannot understand.”
“Show me truth in Your timing.”
 
To know Jesus is to become more humble, not more rigid.
To follow the Truth is to become more loving, not more argumentative.
To belong to Christ is to let Him be the One who reveals what is real.
 
The deepest truth is not what you know —
but who knows you.
 
  1. Where have you confused Christian faith with the need to feel certain?
  2. How does seeing truth as revelation rather than achievement change your relationship with Jesus?
  3. What part of your life needs the prayer, “Lord, unveil what I cannot see”?

By Timothy Gillespie

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May 11, 2026
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May 8, 2026
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May 11, 2026
RETURNING | Romans 8:1-2
May 10, 2026
Galatians 5:22-23 | No Law Against These Things
May 9, 2026
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Thank You for Supporting the Ministry of Crosswalk

]]> https://crosswalkvillage.com/blog/2026/04/13/this-is-true-wk1-mon#comments 0