The Service of Motherhood..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 The Service of Motherhood

Dr. Charles Stanley

Philippians 2:1-11

Children are a blessing from the Lord (Ps. 127:3-5). Motherhood is a great honor and privilege, yet it is also synonymous with servanthood. Every day women are called upon to selflessly meet the needs of their families. Whether they are awake at night nursing a baby, spending their time and money on less-than-grateful teenagers, or preparing meals, moms continuously put others before themselves.

Sometimes this constant serving can be exhausting and even discouraging—particularly for a first-time mother. But you can take real encouragement from Jesus. One of the best examples of gracious servanthood is found in John 13:3-16. By kneeling to wash His disciples’ feet, the Lord showed that the key to true leadership is humility. And it is humility that leads to eternal reward.

Unless you are willing to stoop down and get your hands dirty, you will miss the real riches of motherhood. By dying to your own desires and pouring your life into someone else, you become like Christ and create a godly legacy that will carry on for generations to come. What greater blessing could one hope for? Of course, the motivation for serving others is not to reap benefits, but when we follow God’s plan for our life, that’s what happens.

In giving us children, God places us in a position of both leadership and service. He calls us to give up our lives for someone else’s sake—to abandon our own desires and put our child’s interests first. Yet, according to His perfect design, it is through this selflessness that we can become truly fulfilled.

The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and Valuable Pearl ..... Craig Denison

 The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and Valuable Pearl

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview:

Jesus loved to use stories to illustrate profound, life-transforming concepts. He loved to use real and genuine settings, characters, and ideas that apply to all of us to reveal God’s heart of pursuit and love. This week we’re going to spend time allowing the parables of Jesus to speak directly to our situations, mindsets, and core beliefs about who God is. Open your heart and mind to be transformed by the powerful and captivating stories of Jesus.

Scripture:“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Matthew 13:44

Devotional:

If you could only have one thing in life, what would it be? Take an honest look at your heart for a minute today. What do you love most? What would you give up everything else for?

Would you believe that your heavenly Father’s answer to those questions is you? That the Creator of the universe loves you most? Would you believe he would give up everything to have relationship with you? I heard a life-changing sermon from Pastor Robert Morris of Gateway Church in which he proved, by looking at Genesis 2, that God’s greatest desire is relationship with us. After God creates Adam in his own image, God says, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him” (Genesis 2:18). God brings every created animal before Adam to see if he deems any of them suitable as a helper, and Genesis 2:20 says, “But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.” Then without consulting Adam, God puts him to sleep and forms a woman out of his rib. Seeing the woman upon waking, Adam says, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man” (Genesis 2:23). How did God know Adam would want a woman as his helper? How did God know she would be the desire of his heart? God knew Adam most longed for a bride because Adam was made in God’s image, and God’s greatest desire is for relationship with us, whom the Bible calls his Bride.

Let the truth of God’s heart sink in for a minute. Out of everything else God has created or could have created, he most desires relationship with you. And he so longed for you to know him fully that he sent Jesus to die to make restored relationship possible. God calls us to himself daily with his love. He stands at the door of our heart and knocks, beckoning us with his loving-kindness to simply come and know him.

Once we truly grasp the depth of God’s desire for us, the only true response is to give up everything for him. He laid the foundation for our commitment to him with the greatest single act of love, and he simply waits, beckoning us to respond, living our lives with him as our highest priority. And he doesn’t do so selfishly, but because the absolute best way for us to live our lives is in total commitment to him.

In Matthew 13:44-46, Jesus tells a parable explaining this response to God’s unending love. He says, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” The kingdom of God is the greatest treasure, the pearl of greatest value. Relationship with him is worth our entire lives. Pursuing him with all our heart is the absolute greatest ambition we could have. Paul described this pursuit in Philippians 3:8 when he said, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.”

So again, reflect on your own heart. What do you value above all else? God’s not angry with you if it truly isn’t him. You see, the truth is that our pursuit of God will only ever match our revelation of his goodness.God knows that if he isn’t truly the greatest desire of your heart, it’s because you don’t fully know how good he is. If you had the full revelation of his love for you, living totally for him wouldn’t even be a choice. So great is the worth of knowing Jesus that as you see him, you will naturally give up everything to know him more.

So, today as you enter into prayer, know the first step in growing in your pursuit of God is acknowledging the posture of your own heart. How strongly do you desire deeper relationship with him? How much would you give up to know him? What do you seek fulfillment in during your free time?

The second step is receiving a fresh revelation of his incredible love for you.Spend time simply encountering his heart. Meditate on the truth that he desires relationship with you above all else. He so greatly enjoys you that he pursues you with all of his focus and energy.

Last, respond to a revelation of his love with your own love. Worship him, adore him, and live for him with your life. You will encounter him in anything you do as worship. He will pour out his presence, favor, and blessing in any area you live out of love for him. Colossians 1:13-14 says, “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” And Luke 12:31 promises us, “Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.”

Pursue a deeper relationship with your heavenly Father today through prayer. As you live for him and seek his kingdom first, you’ll discover all he has longed to add to your life.           

Guided Prayer:

1. Reflect on your own life. How strongly do you desire deeper relationship with him? How much would you give up to know him? What do you seek fulfillment in during your free time?

“The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.” Psalm 14:2

2. Meditate on the depth of God’s love for you. Receive a fresh revelation of how greatly he enjoys you. Think about the story in Genesis of how God’s greatest desire was relationship with his Bride.

“Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” Hebrews 12:2-3

“O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the crannies of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.” Song of Solomon 2:14

3. Respond to God’s love with your own. Spend time simply adoring him. Spend time in solitude sitting with him, encountering his heart, and giving him your own. He paid the highest price for you just to be able have a relationship with him. So take time and be the reward of his sacrifice.

“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

May we answer the call to live for love with our lives today. May we live in response to this benediction found in Hebrews 12:28:

“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.”

Extended Reading: Philippians 3

3 Specific Things That Point to the End Times..... by Jennifer Waddle

 3 Specific Things That Point to the End Times

by Jennifer Waddle

Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things that are written in it; for the time is near. Revelation 1:3

Books, movies, and speculations have been made about the end times, to the point that people have become almost calloused toward the thought. Sadly, the phrase “zombie apocalypse” has become more of a popular idea than the second coming of Jesus Christ.

For Christians, the “end of all things” ushers in the return of Jesus and the culmination of our faith. But even Christians grow complacent in the waiting. We get caught up in everyday life and forget about the much awaited day when every eye will see and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. (Philippians 2:9-11)

How can we be sure the end is near? What are the signs that Jesus’ return is right around the corner? Here are 3 specific things that point to the end times.

1. Growing corruption

Today’s culture has fulfilled every description in 2 Timothy 3:1-5. Daily, we hear about greed, deceit, and horrific crimes being committed by people who are unloving and unholy. Despising what is good, people have decided to live their lives based on the inclinations of their own hearts. Unfortunately, the Bible warns that our hearts are deceptive and full of wickedness.(Jeremiah 17:9)

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

As corruption continues to grow. we can remain steadfast, looking to the Author and Perfecter of our faith—Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 12:2)

2. Increased war

Battle and strife between people groups has been an issue since the beginning of creation. However, in the last days, wars and rumors of wars will only increase. From this basic timeline of wars across the centuries, we can see that world peace simply isn’t a reality.

As Jesus said in Matthew 24:6-7, there will continue to be wars and rumors of wars. Nation will rise against nation before His return. There really is only one true source of peace—Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

3. A rise in deceivers

Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.” Matthew 24:4

In this century alone, more than half-a-dozen men have claimed to be the Christ. Deceiving the weak and vulnerable, they are fulfilling what Jesus warned about in Matthew 24. Christians must be on guard against this kind of deception.

For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. Matthew 24:24 ESV

We must know what the Bible says in order to guard our own hearts from being deceived. No matter what sign or wonder is performed, nothing will compare to the glorious coming of the Savior. In the end, there will be no “guess-work” as to whether or not Jesus is who He says He is.

Instead of relying on books and movies to inform us of the end times, let’s rely on the only source of true wisdom—the living word of God.

“Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” Revelation 22:7