Our True Identity..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 Our True Identity

Dr. Charles Stanley

Ephesians 1:3-8

When I hear a believer announce, “I’m just a sinner,” I feel like saying, “That’s what you used to be.” A lot of folks cling to a view of themselves as a patched-up, slightly-better-than-before version of their old self. The Bible contradicts that opinion: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away, behold, new things have come” (2 Cor. 5:17). In fact, according to Scripture, we’re dramatically different once we are complete in Christ.

The question is whether people will trust in what they feel or believe what God says about them. His Word calls us saints (Rom. 1:7), disciples (Matt. 28:19), and fellow heirs with Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:17). If your opinion is that you are “just a sinner,” then you cannot fully experience and enjoy your identity in Christ.

Believing what God says about our new self is a choice. Satan certainly conspires to convince believers that God’s Word doesn’t apply to them. He knows that people held captive by spiritual poverty back away from opportunities to share the gospel and serve the Lord’s kingdom. It’s much easier to spiritually bankrupt someone who already thinks of him- or herself as “just a sinner” than it is to conquer a disciple who knows God is his loving Father.

Our true identity is defined not by our past actions but by the Savior’s. Jesus purchased our lives with His blood and brought us into relationship with God the Father, who adopted us as beloved children. We have every reason to hold our heads high, stand firm, and courageously proclaim the gospel.

When You Don’t Understand God’s Timing..... ALICIA BRUXVOORT

 When You Don’t Understand God’s Timing

ALICIA BRUXVOORT

“God has given them a desire to know the future. He does everything just right and on time, but people can never completely understand what he is doing.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NCV)

We were curled up on the couch on a long-ago December day when my daughter announced her secret Christmas wish.

“I just want our baby to be here on Christmas morning,” 5-year-old Hannah confided. She exhaled a wistful sigh, then patted my belly.

Hannah had been rehearsing all things “big sister” for months. She’d practiced burping her teddy bears, swaddling her baby dolls, singing lullabies to the dog and tiptoeing past the crib. And as the baby beneath my heart grew, Hannah’s anticipation did too.

“You’re going to be a great big sister,” I said with a smile, “but it’s not time yet.” I waggled eight fingers in the air to remind my little girl of the weeks that remained until my due date.

Suddenly Hannah’s shoulders drooped. “But, Mommy! I want to be a big sister now.” Her eyes clouded with tears and her sighs turned to sobs. For a child whose life is measured in moments rather than days, the delay felt agonizing.

“Waiting hurts,” she murmured as she buried her head in my lap.

I could have lifted Hannah’s chin and tried to explain all the logical reasons for the wait. I could have offered a science lesson on human development or a lecture on the value of patience.

But instead of trying to expound on things beyond my kindergartener’s understanding, I simply reminded her that we can trust God with the timing of our baby’s arrival. Then I wrapped my arms around my daughter and held her as she cried.

It’s been over a decade since my daughter climbed onto my lap with a stream of troubled tears and an ill-timed Christmas wish. But this morning, when I scan the pages of my prayer journal, I feel the ache of waiting too.

My journal holds candid conversations with God about unfulfilled promises and unanswered prayers. And as I sit with my hopes and hurts today, I feel a surge of indignation. I’ll admit: It’s easy to feel offended in the midst of delay.

But I’m learning that when God’s timing doesn’t match my pining, I need to focus on what I know rather than what I feel. So, I turn to Ecclesiastes 3:11 and read the words of King Solomon:

“God has given [us] a desire to know the future. He does everything just right and on time, but people can never completely understand what he is doing.”

This verse helps me filter my frustration through God’s unchanging truth. It reminds me that my delays aren’t a sign of God’s indifference, but an expression of His wisdom. I’ll never fully understand the complexities of God’s eternal plan while I’m bound to the dust of earth. But I can place my hope in God’s integrity even when I can’t comprehend His itinerary.

When my hope is tied to God’s trustworthiness instead of His timing, it changes my attitude in the waiting.

I am prone to recall His faithfulness instead of questioning His fairness. (Psalm 77:11)

I am able to respect His wisdom instead of disputing His ways.

I am inclined to celebrate His majesty instead of second-guessing His motives.

But, best of all, when I place the crux of my faith on the trustworthiness of God’s character, I discover an unexpected gift in the grit of delay.

The same God who is orchestrating plans too marvelous for my mind to grasp is within my reach right now. His ways may be higher than the heavens, (Isaiah 55:9) but His presence is as near as my next breath. He is with me in the aching and anticipating. He comforts me with His Spirit and strengthens me with His love. Even when it hurts. Especially when it hurts.

Dear Jesus, I know Your timing is perfect, but my faith is not. Help me to trust You more. I want to experience Your nearness in my waiting and Your comfort in my aching. Help me to recognize Your presence today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Psalm 131:1-3, “O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forevermore.” (ESV) 

Found by Those Not Seeking (Psalm 14:2)..... By Jennifer Waddle

 Found by Those Not Seeking (Psalm 14:2)

By Jennifer Waddle

“The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.” - Psalm 14:2

As a little girl who was unusually tenderhearted toward the things of God, I grew up naively thinking that all people were just as sensitive to Him as I was. For a long time, I believed, deep down, that every person on earth was seeking evidence of God’s presence and longing to know the Savior.

Yet, as I grew up and witnessed much of the world reject the God who made them, I’ve had to come to terms with fact that some have no desire to seek God or turn to Him for salvation. Honestly, the little girl in me is crushed at the thought!

As Psalm 14:2 says, “The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.”

At first glance, this verse might seem depressing, as it indicates a world that lacks understanding and has no desire to seek the Lord. But I’d like to encourage us to view it as a verse of great hope. The Lord cares so much about His creation, He continues to look for those who might seek Him. He loves mankind so deeply, He searches the earth for any who are faithful to Him. He’s not too busy or preoccupied to set His gaze upon us. He’s not too holy or distant that He doesn’t search for willing hearts.

Romans 10:20 drives this point home even further, as Paul recounts Isaiah’s words: “I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.”

When God’s people, Israel, rejected the Gospel, the Lord turned His hand of salvation to the Gentiles. Those who were not seeking Him, found Him. Those who were not asking for Him, were made aware of Him. Brothers and sisters, I don’t know about you, but this gives me great hope. Even today, God can make Himself known to people who aren’t even asking for Him!

John 1:5 says that although “the light shines in the darkness, the darkness has not understood it.” As sad as this fact is, we can hold fast to 2 Peter 3:9 that reminds us it is God’s will that none should perish. We can pray with boldness for God to make Himself known to a lost and dying world. And, we can cling to our child-like faith that believes, deep down, that somehow, God will be found by those not even seeking.

Let’s pray, together, that a non-seeking world will recognize their desperate need for a Savior; that those not seeking will find what is needed most—repentance and salvation in Christ alone.

Gracious God, thank You for making Yourself manifest to us. We pray, today, for those who are walking in darkness—not seeking You or looking to You for salvation. We ask that You shine the light of Your Son so brightly, they will not be able to ignore it. We pray that You will knock loudly on every heart, even those who have hardened themselves against You. Thank You for continuing to move through a lost and dying world. We know You will pursue every heart until the very moment of Christ’s return. It is in His name we pray. Amen.

The Year of Hidden Blessings..... by Katherine Britton

 The Year of Hidden Blessings

by Katherine Britton

"For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal."  - Job 5:18

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. - James 1:17

I'm evaluating all that happened last year. I always appreciate the post-holiday lull that allows for more quiet reflection, even if I don't go crazy on the New Year's resolutions. I need that time to stop going, going, going, and just take a look at what God has done.

In summing up this year, I'm calling it the year of hidden blessings. I nearly burned my house down in February, ended up the smushed middle car in a five-car highway accident in May, nervously watch the school system where my husband works make staff cuts, and more. I feel lucky to have survived the year, and I don't mean that as an exaggeration. Mentally, I know that I'm dependent on God's sustaining grace every year. This year, though, I practically had my nose rubbed in the fact. All the close calls made me face "what could have happened" and respond with thankfulness that it didn't. But the crazy thing is, the Lord didn't just deliver me through all these instances unscathed. He used my own stupidity to bring about good things. In other words, I experienced a whole lot of divine grace this year.

In what has become known as "The Fire" (that's capitalized), half our cabinets burned, our refrigerator and stove were effectively destroyed, and various portions of drywall got pulled down by a fire department focused on safety precautions. But in the aftermath of The Fire, we found out insurance would pay for much of the remodel. So we went to work installing a much more functional - and beautiful - kitchen. For me, this was an object lesson in how God rescues his people. I'm a results-oriented person, so I often struggle with being "good enough" for God, with "earning" favor by being a good little Christian. But Christ provides us with the gift of life despite our best efforts to fumble it. As I looked around my soot-stained kitchen, knowing that my actions had caused the destruction and that someone else would finance the essential repairs… believe me, that's humbling.

I could go on about the other life scenarios we lived through this year, but you get the idea. In any case, each circumstance began with heartache and a "what do we do now" cry. Each ended with God making his provision known in funny, little ways. Sometimes the situation was made better materially; sometimes relationally; sometimes spiritually. Now, I look back on each of those minor catastrophes and see that God was at work. He truly does work for the good of those who love him.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Everyday mercies surround us. After this year, I'm convinced that God uses every circumstance to bless us. That doesn't mean we will never suffer or that we will always come out on top. Instead, it means that he will use our circumstances to bring us closer to himself. That's the greatest gift we can ask for.

A Prayer for False Teachers to Repent .....By: Emily Rose Massey

A Prayer for False Teachers to Repent
By: Emily Rose Massey

“And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,  and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:24-26, NIV).

In America (and perhaps even around the world, thanks to television and social media), the Gospel of Jesus Christ has become extremely muddied by false teaching full of false gospels, New Age/occult/pagan practices, lying signs and wonders, and distractions that come from worldly desires that are all leading many to false Christs.

My husband and I were among those who were believing lies from the result of the twisting of Scripture and emotional, mental, and spiritual manipulation from leaders in ministry whom we trusted.

Although God began removing “the scales” from our eyes about five years ago, the road has been humbling, painful, frustrating, and difficult, among many other things. The wounds of deception can run deep and can time to heal.

Renewing our minds with God’s Word has been quite the healing experience (although painful at times to be sure), and we are so thankful for ministries who not only preach truth and exegete scripture so beautifully, they expose the lies of false teachers that seem to be all around us today. 

This shouldn’t catch us by surprise because both Jesus and the Apostle Paul gave us proper warning that this would happen (see Matthew 24:1-5 and 2 Timothy 4:3). The Bible speaks extensively about what we are to do when we see a false teacher twisting scripture; we are to warn others about their dangerous teaching, so more people do not fall prey to their lies and become entangled in deception. 

It is easy to become offended and angry at false teachers, wolves in sheep’s clothing, who deceive others and twist truth, but we must remember that if we begin to expose these teachers without love as our foundation and ultimate motivation, our efforts are fleshly and lack the compassion of the Savior. It must be out of love that we plead to these false teachers that they turn from their wicked ways and come to embrace truth.

Just like we would for any sinner, we must pray that false teachers would genuinely repent of their many atrocious false teachings that have often occurred for many years. We can be firm and strong in our rebuke, yet gentle and kind too. 

The Apostle Paul tells us the heart posture we must have towards false teachers in 2 Timothy 2:24-26:

“And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,  and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will (NIV).

If we are going to test all things and warn others of wolves in sheep’s clothing when we see their continual twisting of scripture, we better be doing those things while on our knees in prayer and ask God to help us be gentle (yet firm) and filled with hope that even the vilest of false teachers would come to their senses and repent being used by the devil. Their soul is in danger, and we should be broken, not hard-hearted over the reality of their eternal destination if they do not repent.

Father,

We ask you to soften our hearts towards false teachers who twist your Word and lead others astray. Help us guard our hearts from offense, bitterness, unforgiveness, apathy, self-righteousness, and anger, especially if we have been wounded by these wolves.

Please help us to find the balance between strong boldness in your truth as we expose the lies of these false teachers and warn others, yet all the while, we ensure that every word we speak is rooted and grounded in love for their souls and the souls of their followers.

We pray that those who are being tools of Satan to sow deception, would come to their sense, flee from the evil one, and stand firmly upon your Holy Word. May you grant them repentance, Lord. We trust and believe that nothing is too hard for You.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Setting Goals for Fruitful Living..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 Setting Goals for Fruitful Living

Dr. Charles Stanley

2 Samuel 7:18-22

In the 70s, I experienced a turning point in my walk with Christ. It started with 2 Samuel 7, which inspired me to follow in King David’s footsteps. He spent time alone with God, offering praise and thanksgiving. He would also listen as the Lord revealed truth and offered insight about the future. Because of what he learned, David was able to set goals and stay aligned with them.

Desiring that kind of solitude, I spent several days alone in a camper at Georgia’s Stone Mountain. Most of the time, I was silent, listening intently for God’s voice. I asked Him to speak to me regarding my future, and He answered. Using a journal, I recorded the goals He inspired. The things He communicated so impacted my choices and so greatly blessed me that I continued the discipline every couple of months.

Let’s discuss how to establish aims in this manner. First, come before the throne of Almighty God with a repentant heart, praise, and thanksgiving. Then, ask Him for direction in areas such as spiritual life, career, and family. In silence, wait patiently and attentively—as you read and meditate upon God’s Word, He will speak. Most often, His guidance is experienced as a prodding or conviction in the heart. When that happens, be sure to write down what you’re “hearing” so you can review it later.

In order to stay on the path God intends for our lives, we should plan times to stop, ask, and listen for guidance. The world throws confusing messages at us all day long, and we need to check our course frequently. These conversations with the Lord are vital for a thriving life of godly impact.