Recognize Your Vulnerability..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 Recognize Your Vulnerability

Dr. Charles Stanley

1 Corinthians 10:12-13

Some Christians see a fellow believer fall into sin but fail to acknowledge that they, too, could stumble. That's dangerous. Satan has them right where he wants them: deceived by a false sense of confidence. Three enemies are constantly at work trying to bring us down: the Devil, his world system, and our own treacherous flesh.

Even though believers have a righteous standing before God, we must each, like Paul, acknowledge an internal problem: "sin which dwells in me" (Rom. 7:20). Satan takes full advantage of this weakness, luring us with fleshly and worldly temptations. He stokes our pride so we'll be blinded to our own vulnerability to stumbling.

Christians need to be continually on guard. Since ignorance--of the nature of sin, the strategies of the Enemy, and our own areas of weakness--sets us up for failure, we cannot afford to be careless in our thinking. Anytime you find yourself excusing, redefining, or rationalizing sin, you've lost your sensitivity to the Lord. God's Word must always fill our minds and direct our steps.

If you've drifted from the Lord, turn back to Him by acknowledging your sin and accepting full responsibility for it. Repentance simply means changing your mind and going in a different direction--toward God instead of away from Him.

The next step is harder. Respond with gratitude for the Lord's chastisement. Every time believers fall into sin, God lovingly works to bring them back into a fellowship with Him. His discipline may be painful, but it's always good because it brings us to our senses and reconnects us with our Father.

Abiding in the Heartbeat of God..... Craig Denison

 Abiding in the Heartbeat of God

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview: 

The absolute, most important single act of the children of God is making space to encounter our heavenly Father in the secret place. Abiding in God is the foundation on which every other aspect of the Christian life finds success. It establishes roots which enable us to receive all that we need to bear the fruit of the Spirit. It guides us to constant refreshment and revival in God’s presence, thereby supplying and sustaining the abundant life God intends for us. My prayer is that you would be marked by wonderful, satisfying, and fulfilling encounters with the presence of God as we look at John 15:1-17 this week. Make room in your heart and mind to rest in the love of your heavenly Father as we look at the different ways we are to abide in true vine of God.

Scripture:“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” John 15:7-8

Devotional:    

Jesus makes us an almost unbelievable promise in John 15:7-8. Scripture says, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” Jesus promises that if we abide in him and allow his words to abide in us, then we can ask anything we desire of God and it will happen. Clearly this is a vital passage for us to understand today. I believe that the Lord has fresh revelation in store for us if we will take him at his word and allow him to transform our understanding of what it is to petition our heavenly Father. So, let’s open our hearts and minds and allow the Holy Spirit to come and do a work in us today as we place our trust in Jesus’ word.

I have spent a large part of my Christian life praying without understanding how to pray. I used to view prayer as time for me to ask God for what I thought would be good and then wait to see if my circumstances lined up with my prayer. Then only through my circumstances would I know if God’s answer to my prayer was yes or no. Then I read John 15:7-8. Jesus clearly teaches a very different model of prayer than I had been experiencing.

Jesus’ model for prayer is abiding in his presence, abiding in his words, and then asking God for our heart’s desires. God desires that we would be so in tune with his heartbeat and so saturated with his word that our desires would be transformed into his desires. His plan is to fill us with the knowledge of his perfect will for our lives in the secret place so that we can pray and live wholeheartedly with full expectation that our heavenly Father will bring to fruition the desires he has placed within us.

Does this model of prayer line up with your life? Is your prayer life marked by abiding in him and his word first? Have you discovered the heartbeat of your heavenly Father? Do you feel as if you know how he feels about situations going on in your life? Are you so saturated with his word that it is transforming your actions, beliefs, emotions, and prayers?

Scripture says in Jeremiah 33:3, “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” And Deuteronomy 4:29 says, “But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.” God longs for you to search out his heartbeat. He longs to reveal to you how he feels about you and every aspect of your life. He longs to transform your desires into his that you might desire and ask him for what is really best for you.

Asking God for something is meant to be as simple as abiding in his presence and word and praying in line with the desires he’s birthed in you. Discover today the wealth of desires he longs to share with you. Ask him to show you how he feels and thinks. Saturate yourself in his word. Allow the teachings of Jesus to transform your perspectives. And ask your heavenly Father to bring to fruition the desires he’s placed within you. May your desires be one with God’s today as you spend time abiding in the true vine of Jesus.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on Jesus’ process of prayer. Reflect on each phrase. Allow the words of Jesus to transform the way you view spending time with God and prayer.

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” John 15:7-8

2. Spend time abiding in the presence and word of Jesus. Ask him to reveal how he feels about situations in your life where you need his help. Ask him to show you how he feels about anything you are curious about! Spending time with God is meant to consist of conversation, questions, and response. Seek and rest in his heart and word today.

“But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Deuteronomy 4:29

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” Jeremiah 33:3

3. After discovering the heartbeat of God and the teachings of Jesus, ask God for your heart’s desire in confidence! Petition your heavenly Father to bring to fruition the desires he is planting within you. Pray in line with the Spirit and Truth. Take joy in your heavenly Father’s desire to answer your prayer.

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” Colossians 4:2

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Matthew 6:5-8

The Lord loves to answer the prayers of his children. He longs to give you every good and perfect gift. Trust in his goodness. Have faith that he will respond to your prayers in more magnificent ways than you could ever imagine. He is our loving Father, and he loves to bless us. Rest in his presence and word today, and allow him to mold and shape you into the image of Jesus.

Extended Reading: Matthew 6

Recognizing False Teaching in Church..... By Betsy St. Amant Haddox

 Recognizing False Teaching in Church

By Betsy St. Amant Haddox

"For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths," - 2 Timothy 4:3-4.

Unfortunately, there are plenty of teachers and preachers eager to give the people what they want to hear—and usually, they end up making a large sum of money off it. From feel-good prosperity preachers, to teachers who deny the literal existence of eternity, to religious leaders of the popular earn-your-way-to-heaven efforts; false prophets are everywhere. False teaching has been around since the serpent led Eve to believe a lie in the Garden of Eden.

The Bible warns us not to be bitter about this, but to be wise and discerning. 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21, "Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good."

Being able to detect false teaching is important for believers, but sometimes it’s difficult to know in the moment when we’re confronted by it.

False teachers will lead their congregation to believe that God wants them to be happy and wealthy. Some teachers even take it further, and declare that if a Christian isn’t financially rich, or isn’t emotionally and relationally prosperous, they just “aren’t praying hard enough” or “need to increase their faith”. This type of teaching is dangerous and inaccurate. The Bible clearly states otherwise about the expectations of what this world has to offer.

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."

Another red flag to look out for is how a particular teaching looks at sin. False teachers don’t like to offend anyone, so they gloss over sin in order to keep their fans happy. They often do this by stating a particular controversial sin such as homosexuality, fornication, adultery, gluttony or greed isn’t a sin after all, so there’s no need to worry or change.

The Bible teaches that sin is a real issue—and a big one. It’s what separates us from God. It’s what condemns us to hell. Without the intercession of Christ, we would have never been able to get to Heaven or to a right relationship with God. This is the message of the Gospel.

Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

These are a few things to keep in mind as we encounter teaching.

God Will Make a Way Where There Seems to Be No Way..... By Debbie McDaniel

 God Will Make a Way Where There Seems to Be No Way

By Debbie McDaniel

“…I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19

He will make a way where there seems to be no way. In the toughest of situations, this seems to be God’s specialty. And aren’t you thankful?

God has it all figured out. So we don’t have to worry.

He’s working on our behalf even when we can’t see it all. He has a plan and purpose in whatever we walk through. He can cut a clear pathway through anything.

And in seemingly hopeless situations where we can’t see any way out, God’s power has the opportunity to shine the greatest. It’s in those times when we come to the end of ourselves, where we know we can’t depend on our own abilities, on anything we have, or anyone we know, but instead are reminded that we are totally and completely reliant on Him - it’s those times that are the most powerful of all.

He can make a way through the wilderness and cause streams to rise up, bringing refreshing even in the desert times.

He can split the sea, move mountains, or any barrier before us, and allow us to walk through on dry ground.

He can conquer any giant, and bring victory to His children.

He can close the mouths of lions, providing safety.

He can open prison doors, setting us free.

He can protect us from the flames of adversity.

He can carry us through any storm.

He’s the God of miracles. He never changes. For He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever.

And He fights for you today.

Peace.

Intersecting Faith & Life: God is always working on your behalf, even behind the scenes where you can’t fully see. In that place where you see no way out, in that struggle where you see no solution, in that problem where you have no answer, lay it before Him. Every worry. Every care. Be reminded that He is with you today, He knows your way, and has a plan. Trust Him.

Further Reading:  
Proverbs 3:5-6
Isaiah 43:16-21
Exodus 14:13-31

A Prayer for Revival in Our Country..... By: Chelsey DeMatteis

 A Prayer for Revival in Our Country

By: Chelsey DeMatteis

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.” - Matthew 5:13

When I look around, I see the rotten fruit of a nation that’s removed the Lord from all of society. People have chosen comfort over boldness and passivity over truth. Fear over faith, and pleasing man over pleasing God.

We as believers are at a pivotal point when it comes to our hunger for the Lord. We have turned from godly desires in order to be embraced by the world. Choosing to be loved by the world has come at the cost of losing our saltiness. “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.”

We know full well that we cannot claim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and while we dance with the devil. There is no such thing as entertaining darkness behind a closed door - the Lord sees it all. It’s time for us to stop wanting popularity in the world and start living on fire for the truth. We can no longer turn a blind eye to the way culture has fought to remove the Lord from everything, and not only remove Him, but usher in the darkness.

We must start leading in truth and loving in truth. It is time to get ourselves girded up in God’s Word for our own walk. Then through this pursuit of our hearts, we can begin pouring into the next generation. We can teach them who God is, we can help them to understand what He commands and why. We must teach them why God the Father sent Christ to the cross for a relationship with us. What an honor it is to know we can be the ones who get to lead a generation to know these truths and live them boldly.

It's time to surrender what we wish things looked like and start being the hands and feet of Jesus to the world around us. This will create a change, this will create the ripple effect that comes from the Great Commission, this is how we live out being the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

Pray with me...

Lord, lead and guide us as we walk boldly for you in this world. Cover us with your mercy and grace as we step out in faith to combat the messages that have tried to delude you. Create in us pure hearts that want to honor you above all.

Let us, as bold believers of Christ and Your Kingdom, lead in truth, love in truth, and uphold the truth. Let the men of God in this nation rise up to train up younger men to know what You command of them. We pray you would show them what it means to be men who honor You with their whole lives, and who desire to lead and protect those entrusted to them.

Let the women of God rise up to teach the younger women to love You and Your word. To be women who want to obey You and honor You; to be women of the Word and not women of this world.

In Jesus’s name, Amen.