Rejoice in Hope..... Craig Denison

 Rejoice in Hope

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview:

This week we’re going to take a look at seven principles found in Romans 12 that describe the marks of a true Christian. The intent of studying this passage is not to condemn or lead you to comparison. Instead, let Paul’s teaching fill you with a deep, transformative longing to wholeheartedly pursue the life God intends for you. Ask God to help you see yourself as he sees you, to see the grace he’s placed upon your life by the blood of Jesus so that you might walk more fully in the power and anointing of the Spirit. Open your heart to God, and let him do a mighty work in you. He is near to you, ready to mold and shape you into a disciple filled with and fueled by his incredible love. May you discover God’s grace and perspective this week as you examine your life in light of this powerful passage of Scripture.

Scripture:“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Romans 12:12

Devotional:

We are not promised a life without struggle here on earth. In fact, the Bible makes clear that the world will hate us for our love of Jesus. John 15:18-19 says, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” Jesus even promises us in John 16:33, “In the world you will have tribulation.” Except John, each disciple was martyred for his faith in Christ, and John was exiled to the prison island of Patmos for preaching that Jesus is God. We live in an imperfect world wrought with the destruction sin and separation from God has caused. You and I will face trials here as followers of Jesus.

In light of Jesus’ promise of problems here on earth, it’s interesting that Paul would write in Romans 12:12, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Paul knew all too well the trials we as believers can face in the world, but he wasn’t about to let them affect his ability to “rejoice in hope.” Along with promising us tribulation, Scripture speaks of the perspective we as believers are to have in light of our restored relationship with God. Hebrews 13:14 says, “For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.” Scripture is clear that this world is not your home. Jesus commands us in Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” The Bible doesn’t tell us that trials won’t hurt here. Being disliked by others or the loss of a loved one, a job, or finances will not feel good. But you can “rejoice in hope” and “be patient in tribulation” with the knowledge that the trials you suffer here will one day end. Earthly success and possessions are not the goal because “the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:17). And you are promised an eternity with your heavenly Father where “death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

So in light of the hope we have in God, how can we be obedient to his word in Romans 12:12? How can we consistently “rejoice in hope” and “be patient in tribulation” when everything seems to be crashing down around us? Only by being obedient to the last exhortation in Romans 12:12: “Be constant in prayer.” James 5:13-15 says, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up.” There is power in praying to God. Just as God has answered his children in the past, he will answer you. If you need his peace, pray and ask him for it. If you need to be reminded of what matters, pray and ask for revelation from the Holy Spirit. Humble yourself before your brothers and sisters in Christ and ask for their prayer. “Be constant in prayer,” always conversing with your heavenly Father.

God knows what it is to suffer. He knows what it is to go through trial and tribulation. Through every problem, Jesus exemplified what it is to “rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation,” and“be constant in prayer.” Spend time with Jesus today in prayer. Allow the Spirit to mold and shape you into his likeness. May his love lay an unshakable foundation for you to remain hopeful and patient in every trial and tribulation that comes your way. Jesus says, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). In this is our hope: Jesus overcame the world, and so will we.Spend time with the One who has overcome every trial you are going through. Receive his guidance and direction today as you pray.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s promise of tribulation and the hope you have in Christ Jesus.

“In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

“And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:17

2. Reflect on any trials or tribulations you are going through. Where do you need hope, patience, and constancy in the midst of trial?

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Romans 12:12

3. Now ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen you in the midst of your trials. Place your hope in your God who walks with you through this life. He is near to you.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” Ephesians 6:10-13

You have a real enemy fighting to steal, kill, and destroy you. But “he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). You can overcome by the blood of Jesus. In the Spirit you have a constant source of hope, joy, and power. When you feel the enemy fighting against you, clothe yourself in the armor of God. Stand against him in the authority of Jesus. Rise up, take hold of the temptations and condemnation your enemy brings against you, and throw them at the foot of the cross where Jesus crushed the power of the enemy in your life once and for all.

Extended Reading: John 16

What It Means to Have the Eyes of Our Hearts Opened..... By Jennifer Waddle

 What It Means to Have the Eyes of Our Hearts Opened

By Jennifer Waddle

“…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which He has called you…” - Ephesians 1:16-18 ESV

Not only was mankind created with physical eyes, to see the beauty of creation around them, they were formed with spiritual eyes, able to understand the deeper things of God. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for mankind to sink into a pit of spiritual blindness because of sin and rebellion.

When Adam and Eve had perfect union with the Lord, He had already opened the eyes of their hearts to know Him and fellowship with Him. The day the serpent came, he deceived Eve by claiming her “eyes would be opened” and she would be like God.

But the serpent said to the woman,“You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 1:4 ESV)

Of course, it was the lie of all lies, and the moment she ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, her physical eyes were opened to her own sin and shame. At the same time, her spiritual eyes were darkened.

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. - (Genesis 3:5-7 ESV)

To have the eyes of our hearts opened means that we are given wisdom and revelation pertaining to the riches of the glorious inheritance we have in Christ. (Ephesians 1:18) It means that we understand the hope and assurance of our salvation. And it means that we are able to partake in the greatness of God’s immeasurable power, by the working of His Spirit in us. (Ephesians 1:19-20)

Without the opening of our spiritual eyes, we walk in carnal blindness, unable to comprehend the good news of the Gospel and what it means for our eternal salvation.

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4)

Spiritual blindness leaves us spiritually discerned, unaccepting of the holy things of God.

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14)

So, as we pray for God’s guidance in our everyday lives, let’s not forget to ask Him to keep our spiritual eyes open—the eyes of our hearts towards Him. For in Him we live and move and have our being.

The Power of Trusting the Lord with All Your Heart..... By Debbie McDaniel

 The Power of Trusting the Lord with All Your Heart

By Debbie McDaniel

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

If the future feels uncertain right now, and worry keeps occupying too much room in your heart, in your mind, remember this: God is already in all of our tomorrows. He knows our way, and He has a plan. And we can be assured it's always the best one for us.

God never asks us to figure it all out on our own. He just asks us to trust Him, to recognize His leadership and Sovereignty in our lives. And He promises to make our pathways straight.

- "Trust (be confident in, be bold, be secure)

- in the Lord with all your heart (seat of emotions, inclinations, mind, soul),

- and do not lean (trust, support)

- on your own understanding (discernment).

- In all your ways acknowledge Him (know, recognize),

- and He will make your paths straight (pleasing, right, smooth)." Proverbs 3:5-6

We may not always see what's ahead, but He does.

There’s great power in trusting Him. For it clears the way for our security to be based solely on Him, not on our circumstances, or other people, not on ourselves, or our own ways of thinking.

He is faithful to lead us and He sees the big picture. He brings clarity and light through foggy times. He knows what’s around the other side of the bend where we can’t fully see. His timing is perfect even when we start to feel like we’ve been forgotten. No matter how we feel or what our current situation may be, we can be confident that God’s Presence will go before us, paving out pathways, guiding and guarding our steps.

Keep choosing trust. Let go of worry, hold on to Him.

Peace.

Intersecting Faith & Life: What do you need to trust God with today? Ask Him to help you guard and protect your heart from worry or trying to figure out everything on our own. Pray for His Spirit to fill you afresh and give you wisdom to hold on to His Truth.

Further Reading:
2 Corinthians 5:7
Psalm 32:8
James 1:5

A Prayer for Loved Ones Far from God..... By Debbie McDaniel

 A Prayer for Loved Ones Far from God

By Debbie McDaniel

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. - John 15:7

As believers, we know where true hope is found. We’re incredibly grateful for the love and forgiveness of Christ. We’ve been set free; redeemed for His purposes.

And yet, as most all of us know so very well, not everyone shares our desire to walk close and stay connected to God. Which often leaves us with an ache deep inside. The truth is: many are lost. Still wandering, searching, or drifting farther away from God.

God reminds us again and again that prayer is powerful. Praying God’s Word over those we love is speaking His truth over their lives as it builds our own faith.

A Prayer for Friends and Loved Ones Who Are Far from God:

Dear God,

We’re thankful that you know our hearts, you hear our prayers, and you care about all that concerns us. Thank you that you understand these burdens we carry and how we want, more than anything, to see our loved ones come to you. Help us to remember that you love them more than we ever could. And that you desire to extend your great love and forgiveness to the deepest part of their soul. We are forever grateful for your healing power, for your gift of mercy, and your message of hope.

Thank you Lord that nothing is too difficult for you. Thank you that your power is unlimited, and you came to set the captives free. Thank you that you wait, arms open, for the prodigal to return, that you look for his arrival to lavishly celebrate that he’s come home.

We praise you for you are Redeemer and Rescuer, Savior and Lord. We know and believe that there’s no pit so deep that your love can’t reach us still. We understand that your mercies are new every morning, and your faithfulness is great.

Dear God, we ask that you would stop every plan of the enemy over those we love as we bring them before you right now. We pray that you demolish his schemes and that your plans for good, for a future and hope, would prevail. Please open up blind eyes that they might see your truth. We believe in you to rescue those walking in darkness, and to heal the deep wounds of all who have been hurt. We pray for the miraculous intervention of your Spirit to draw them to yourself, to work strongly on behalf of our loved ones who are lost and wandering.

For you came with good news, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for captives and release for the prisoners. Though we deserved penalty for our wrong, you stood in our place and took the blows on our behalf.  You chose to die so that we can live forever, and we could be free.

Lord, forgive our unbelief. Please forgive the times we’ve doubted that you could ever change a distant heart. Forgive our hard-heartedness, our weariness, or forgetfulness to pray continually. And thank you God, that you never give up on us. Remind us again of how you’ve changed our own hearts; how your miracle of life and hope has sprung up deep within our souls.

We love you Lord; we need you today and every day. We thank you that you hear our prayers and believe that you are at work even now. Powerfully. Faithfully. And miraculously. Doing what only You can do.

Thank you again for the most wonderful gift of our Savior, God with us. Thank you for your great goodness and love.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

Come as You Are This Easter..... Rick Warren

 Come as You Are This Easter

Rick Warren

“He will send down help from heaven to save me because of his love” (Psalm 57:3a TLB).

There’s a myth that says you’ve got to clean up your act before you can come to God: “I’ve got to get it all together. There are a few things I’ve got to get right in my life first, and then I’ll come to God.”

It’s like brushing your teeth before going to the dentist to have your teeth cleaned or washing the dishes before you put them in the dishwasher or picking up the house before the maid gets there! Why do we do this?

The truth is, God doesn’t expect us to clean up our act before we approach him. The death and Resurrection of Jesus is God’s statement on that. Jesus spread out his arms and said, “I love you this much. Now, just come as you are.”

In Psalm 57:3, the Bible says, “He will send down help from heaven to save me because of his love” (TLB). That’s what Jesus did on Easter. And that’s why we can bring our messes and failures to God.

There are people you know who think God will never love them because they’ve made such a mess of their lives. But you know God wants them to come as they are. Help them hear the Good News from Jesus. Invite them to come to church with you this Easter. It’s such a simple thing to do, but it can make a difference that will last for eternity.

Talk It Over

• What messes from your past do you have a hard time believing that God can forgive?
• Who do you need to invite to Easter service so that he or she can hear the Good News of God’s love and grace?
• Why do you think people feel like they have to clean up their lives or their appearance before they even walk through the doors of a church?