David A Model of Servanthood..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 David A Model of Servanthood

Dr. Charles Stanley

2 Samuel 8:1-16

David served God in many capacities--from simple shepherd boy to heroic ruler. Looking at the various stages of his life, we can see clearly how his godly devotion allowed the Lord to use him mightily.

Shepherd: David was anointed king long before commanding anything other than sheep (1 Sam. 16:1-13). Protecting the sheep was a job he took seriously, even killing a lion and a bear to do so. During those days, he learned to be strong and brave, and to take care of creatures weaker than himself. An early life of obedience to his human father taught him the humility he would later need in order to depend on God.

Psalmist: David's writings reveal his hunger for God. He is open about issues like fear, depression, defeat, loneliness, and sorrow. By describing valley experiences and communing with the Father in the night watches, David provided us with intimate glimpses of the God he knew so well.

Commander: Starting with David's encounter with Bathsheba, the king's life was plagued by heartache, pain, suffering, and conflict. David had sinned greatly, but God forgave him and continued to use him. He ruled Israel for 40 years, and his people called Jerusalem the "City of David." His restoration teaches us about the consequences of sin and the limitlessness of God's grace.

King David served God's purpose when he lived, and continues to do so hundreds of years later--every follower of Christ has been blessed by David's obedience, service, and literary skill. He is a great example of what God can accomplish through us if we yield our life to Him.

Living Honestly..... Craig Denison

 Living Honestly

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview:

Honesty is more than the words we say. It’s a posture of the heart. We weren’t made to try and be something we’re not. God never asks us to keep up appearances. He longs for us to have the courage to be vulnerable. He longs for us to be so founded in his unconditional love that we live honestly. May you experience new levels of peace and joy this week as we discover God’s heart for honesty.

Scripture:

“If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.” James 1:26

Devotional:    

There is no substitute for the peace and joy of living honestly. When you find courage from the unconditional love of your heavenly Father to truly be yourself, you alleviate yourself of the pressure and stress of keeping up appearances. And when you’re free from keeping up appearances you have time and energy to devote to that which is real—that which is eternal.

James 1:26 says, “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.” Did you know you were capable of deceiving your own heart? James makes an incredibly strong statement here. How could my religion be worthless if I simply tell a small lie here or there? How could a little deception in my heart make my religion null and void?

This verse illustrates just how important our hearts are to God. 1 Samuel 16:7 says, “For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” Your religion is only as valuable as it is true. The parts of you that are outward, e.g.,your words, actions, and appearance, are only as valuable as they are a true reflection of your heart.

James is speaking here to those who think that what they say and do defines them. He’s speaking to those who believe their value and identity are wrapped up in their good works. But God flips our worldly paradigm on its head. He values actions done from the heart. He values appearances that are a reflection of the beauty in our hearts. He values words that come from a place of deep honesty and vulnerability. He values religion that is the fruit of his Spirit loving, leading, and filling our spirits.

As we close out this week on honesty, take time to truly assess whether you’re deceiving your own heart. Are you looking to that which is outward to define you? Do you see yourself related to what you do, or are your actions the result of who you are in Christ? May your time be filled with the loving-kindness of your heavenly Father and clear revelation from the Holy Spirit.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on what Scripture says about living honestly.

“If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.” James 1:26

“For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

2. Are you looking to that which is outward to define you? Do you see yourself related to what you do, or are your actions the result of who you are in Christ?

3. Take time to receive revelation of how God sees you. Let him show you how deeply he values who you already are. Let him reveal his grace and loving-kindness to you. Take time to rest in a fresh revelation of his love and grace.

To live honestly is to value what God values. Only in consistently encountering God’s value of the heart can we begin to live out of who we are rather than working to become who we feel we should be. Only in seeing ourselves as God does will we value the wonderful identity we have as his sons and daughters. May your life be forever changed as you value honesty above appearance. May you find freedom and rest in the unchanging affections of your heavenly Father.

Extended Reading: James 1

You Are Worth Celebrating..... LYSA TERKEURST

 You Are Worth Celebrating

LYSA TERKEURST

“Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:30 (ESV) 

Do you ever find yourself feeling like you don’t measure up because of what you’ve been through? Me too.

I was a young mom when I first read Proverbs 31, which describes a woman of noble character. I thought the Proverbs 31 woman was overwhelmingly perfect.

Through many other seasons and hard realities I’ve walked through, I’ve found myself not just intimidated by Proverbs 31 but sometimes even defeated by this woman whose entire life seems full of praises.

That’s why my heart feels especially tender toward those of you who would rather skip over this passage of Scripture. I know what it’s like to have these words sit heavy on your heart with a resounding declaration of “I’m not enough.”

But what if I told you the heart behind Proverbs 31:10-31 is one of celebration and not condemnation?

The first thing I want us to take note of is that this isn’t just a chapter about a wife of noble character, despite how your Bible labels verses 10-31. It’s a chapter about a woman of valor. A courageous woman. A woman of strength and dignity.

And the fact that you are reading this devotion, seeking God and pursuing healing for the painful circumstances you’ve walked through, is evidence that you are a woman of valor, courage, strength and dignity. So Proverbs 31 is for you and me.

In Jewish culture, these verses are read out loud on the Sabbath as a celebration over the women. This in no way condemns what they aren’t, but rather celebrates how they, in their own unique expressions, live out the virtues detailed in this chapter. These aren’t words meant to tell a woman she is supposed to be more. They are a celebration of who she is.

Isn’t that the way it should be?

Courageous women celebrating each other – and those they love celebrating them. All under the banner of honoring God, serving out of love and smiling at the future. I also love how Proverbs 31:30 reminds us of what is truly worth celebrating: “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”

Notice it’s not a woman with a spotless house who is to be praised. It’s not the mom who never skips pages when reading books to her perfectly behaved children. Honestly, it’s not even just for a woman who is married and has children.

It’s a woman who fears the Lord who is to be praised. This isn’t an “I’m afraid of God” kind of fear. This type of fear is referring to having a heart completely in awe of God. It describes a woman who honors God by seeking Him in everything she does and trusting Him wholeheartedly with her life. She has a heart of reverence that overflows into a life of spiritual maturity and wisdom.

And let’s not forget to look at today’s verses within the context of why God gave us this book of the Bible. The very first chapter of Proverbs tells us it exists so we can gain wisdom, instruction, understanding, insight, knowledge, discretion and guidance. (vv. 1-7) Proverbs 2:1-5 goes on to remind us that as we receive and apply God’s commands, we will be able to understand how to find the knowledge of the Lord.

Wisdom is both a gift from God and a process of learning. I know this passage of Scripture can easily trip us up. But what if we take God at His Word and choose to believe these words hold good and pleasant things for us? What if we challenge ourselves to look at Proverbs 31 closely, seeing what part of it is a gift to us and what verses we need to learn from? What if we speak these words over ourselves and the other women in our lives as a form of celebration instead of condemnation, realizing that our stories don’t disqualify us?

God tucked these words into His Word for all eternity, dear friend. And that tells me they are needed and meant for our good. Let’s ask Him to help us learn from them today.

Father God, I confess at times I look at the Proverbs 31 woman and feel like I will never be enough. But I realize the purpose isn’t to shame me for all I think I’m not. Her example is there to remind me to look to You and live for You in all I do. Help me receive these words from You as a gift. And show me how to live them out according to the unique way You purposefully designed me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Proverbs 31:25, “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.” (NIV)

Faith Needed in the Storm.... By: Betsy St. Amant Haddox

 Faith Needed in the Storm

By: Betsy St. Amant Haddox

And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?” And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. - Matthew 8:26-28 (ESV)

One thing I often forget when reading the Bible is that the chapter and section breaks weren’t originally there. It’s common for people to consider those various breaks a “stopping point” when reading the Word and come back to it later as if the next section is a completely different story. But many treasures can be mined when we consider larger portions before and after these breaks and apply proper context.

One such example is found in Matthew 8. Verses 23-27 of this chapter are titled in many translations as “Jesus calms a storm”. Verse 28 picks up in a “new” story, with the title “Jesus Heals Two Men with Demons.” But when you read these verses as one continuous account, you might realize something crucial.

When Jesus got into the boat with the disciples, he was coming off interacting with a large crowd, where a lot of healings took place, along with the interaction with the scribe who hesitated in wanting to follow Christ.

Jesus was tired. It’d been a long day. So, when he got in the boat, he went to sleep.

Queue storm.

Now, Matthew uses a word for storm here that far surpasses a meek summer rain shower. Commentaries go so far as to say that even a “furious storm” isn’t a true depiction. The Greek translation comes to “megas seismos” which can be literally translated to “megas – exceedingly great, high, large, loud, mighty, strong” and “seismos – earthquake”.

That was not a good time to be in a boat. Understandably, the disciples were, shall we say, concerned. And yet, Jesus asked why they were afraid! He proceeded to rebuke the storm, calm the lake, and remind the disciples of their lack of faith.

This is where most people stop reading and call it a day. But read one verse further, and you realize that Jesus and the disciples were approaching the country of Gadarenes (vs 28) where two demon-possessed men met them as they docked the boat. Men so fierce, no one could walk past them. Men possessed by not just one or two demons, but an entire legion of them.

It’s not a reach to consider that this incredibly violent storm that “came out of nowhere” on this lake was connected to the spiritual conditions they were about to discover on Gadarenes.

Now, we see how these two stories and section breaks connect and provide additional application regarding spiritual warfare and spiritual fortitude. Jesus called the disciples “you of little faith”. He knew what they were coming up against. He knew why the storm had come. And He also knew there was nothing to worry about.

Just as he calmed the storm on the lake, He calmed the storm in these men. He didn’t even have to cast the demons out—His very presence stirred them up to where the demons requested permission to enter a nearby herd of pigs instead. They knew they had no rights in the presence of the Son of God. Jesus granted their request, and they left the men. They were free. Healed, finally in their right mind, and a breathing testimony to the glory of God.

Sometimes, like the disciples, we need what we learned during the violent storm for what’s coming on the other side. There are lessons to be learned, faith to be stretched, and miracles to witness. We need faith in the storm, but we also need it afterward. That’s where there is always the biggest potential for revival, victory and healing.

As frightening as they can be, the storms have purpose. So fear not. The One who controls the wind and waves and has the power to cast out entire legions of demons is the One who died for you, knows the hairs on your head, and considers you of far greater worth than sparrows. Have faith! This storm will pass—and there is much to take with you to the other side.

Human Logic vs. Spiritual Wisdom: How God Changes Our Hearts..... by Kelly-Jayne McGlynn

 Human Logic vs. Spiritual Wisdom: How God Changes Our Hearts

by Kelly-Jayne McGlynn

Proverbs 3:5-6 says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Ah, my own understanding… How I love thee. So limited, and yet seemingly so inviting to lean on as I attempt to take charge of my own repentance.

When I was in college, I double-majored in English and Philosophy. Every paper I wrote--and there were a lot of them--would end in a clear conclusion neatly supported by every line of the rest of my argument. I could always back up my opinion in class. I even used to do Logic homework problems for fun. The truth is, I love my brain.

What God has been teaching me recently, though, is that when it comes to matters of my heart, I cannot rely on my own brain… even if my brain is telling me the truth.

Even when our ‘own understanding’ is based on Scripture, and the step-by-step process of repentance is clear in our minds—it is still the hand of God that we must rely on transform our hearts. In all our ways we must submit to him, because he will be the one to make our paths straight!

Last week, I was on the phone with one of my Moms-in-the-Faith. You know, the type of woman in your life who knows how to ask you just the right question. I was expressing frustration to her about a situation with my friend, who is a new follower of Christ. As her sister, I had been trying to get her to fully understand an aspect of her life in which in order to please God, she would have to give something up. I was frustrated because to me, it seemed so simple.

The scriptures about it were right there. As I would have done in Philosophy class, I had stated Premise 1, then Premise 2, which led to the Conclusion. Boom. Why wasn’t she getting it?

But my Spiritual Mom reminded me, “Kelly-Jayne…sometimes it isn’t that easy. If [last year] someone had tried to get you to fully believe in God’s love and protection for you that same way, would that have been helpful? Would that have really convinced you?” She, of course, was right.

You see, two years ago, my apartment was broken into in the middle of the night. It was very difficult for me to trust in God’s protection following that. Nearly impossible, really. At that time, when I would read scriptures about God’s protection, they just felt hollow and untrue. If anyone shared one with me, I typically just became angry instead of encouraged. It took months and months of prayer, experience, and God changing my heart for me to actually believe in that truth.

Even if someone had blatantly stated “Read Psalm 91:9-10. Premise 1: The Lord is your refuge. Premise 2: The Bible says that if the Lord is our refuge, no harm will overtake us. Conclusion: God protected you that night from harm--whether or not you think so,” that would not have been helpful to my heart. At all. Instead, what really changed my heart was sitting at God’s feet, hearing his voice through the scriptures.

Jesus reminds us of this in John 5:39: “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!” (NLT). Jacob physically wrestled with God. David struggled in prayer. He begged God to create in him a pure heart, instead of trying to logically think his way there. These men submitted their ways to God—which was really an invitation to see him face-to-face. And God blessed them for it.

Sometimes we want a quick fix with Devotionals. We want to Google a scripture, write it on a post-it, and magically have our hearts renewed. We want a change of heart, and in our fast-paced society, we want it now.

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely believe that there is power in the word of God. But if we rely on our own brains to make ourselves accept the truth found in Scriptures, we miss out on the chance to truly meet with God!

God invites us to rest on his power, not our own. Even when our understanding is based on truth, God calls us to lean on his understanding, to walk with him, to sit as his feet. Today, as you read his powerful word, seek God through his scriptures and not just solutions. Hear his voice speaking to your heart.

Intersecting Faith and Life: I encourage you to listen to this song, a cover of “Nothing I Hold Onto” by United Pursuit, as you meditate on the ways you desire God to change your heart. What area of your life is God calling you to surrender to his understanding over your own? What mountain is God asking you to climb, and how can you do so with your hands wide open, as the song mentions? Hear God’s voice today over your own human logic.

A Prayer for Greater Confidence in God..... By Meg Bucher

 A Prayer for Greater Confidence in God

By Meg Bucher

“Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am pleased.’” - Luke 3:21-22 ESV

Soft, thick flakes of snow accumulated and illuminated the dark hours of the morning.

“It’s a marshmallow day!” my youngest daughter exclaimed as she bounded down the stairs.

Online school, cancellations and quarantines hadn’t dulled her wonder and excitement for a day to play in the snow. I had overheard her praying for a “marshmallow day” the night before. My husband and I watched the weather and anticipated a snow day, but her surprised joy overflowed onto me as her smile lit up the room that morning.

The sky lit up the day Jesus was baptized, a day foretold in Scripture alongside so many prophesies fulfilled by Christ’s early life, death and resurrection. John, who had simply come to prepare the way for Jesus, baptized Him as the dove hovered over Christ’s heavenly head and God spoke He was pleased.

“Luke mentions the baptism of Jesus almost in passing,” the New Bible Commentary explains, “He wants his readers to note that Jesus was praying at the time and above all that he received a divine revelation.” Prayer is powerful, and often overlooked. Daily, we rush about, powering through difficulty and hardship without laying it at the feet of our Savior. We don’t ask for help, or glance up to say thank you. We fail to get quiet enough to listen for and hear His encouraging and guiding voice of wisdom, comfort and direction.

My daughter bounded down the stairs in full confidence God heard and answered her request for a marshmallow day, even though we all watched the weather and knew it was coming. Faith like a child allows us to experience the confident wonder of walking in the hope and joy of Christ. Confidence is defined as full trust; belief in the powers, trustworthiness, or reliability of a person or thing. When we give God our confidence, he overjoys us. He is there, in difficulty and lack, plenty and celebration. Let’s pray for confidence rooted in Him, so we can run through life with abundant hope and joy in Christ.

Father,

Abba, Yahweh! Creator of life and designer of our purpose, we praise You for the breath we have to live today. You made this day, and we will rejoice and be glad in it! Help us to see the scene of Christ’s baptism with new eyes today, Father. Allow Your wisdom to seep down into our souls and guide our steps. The sky opened, a dove came down and You spoke! Yet, Luke wanted us to realize the importance of Jesus’ time in prayer beforehand.

Prayer prepares us, encourages us, and guides us. Father, thank You for making a way for us to come to You in prayer through Jesus! We confess our failure to remember to pray and seek new inspiration and wisdom even in familiar Scriptures. We seek to obediently take every thought captive as You admonish us to do in Your Word. Give us Holy Spirit power and strength to live our lives in constant prayer, and within the love of Christ.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.