When a Nation Turns Its Back on God

Dr. Charles Stanley

2 Chronicles 33

Hezekiah was a god-fearing king who brought about reformation among the Israelites. His son Manasseh, however, was an evil ruler. He had watched his father walk with God and live according to Scripture. Yet he chose to ignore the Lord.

Manasseh worshipped false gods, even to the point of sacrificing his sons by fire in order to praise Molech. He practiced much evil—including witchcraft and sorcery— and led Israel astray, thereby provoking God to anger. The king, along with the people, paid a high price for his rebellion.

This story illustrates the Lord’s intolerance of a nation’s disregard toward Him. Now consider our country. We, too, are a nation that pushes God aside—one that has turned away from the only true God and embraced idols. Perhaps these aren’t statues of stone, but we worship money, sports ability, fame, and reputation, to name a few.

The United States of America was founded on biblical principles with the intent to guarantee freedom of worship. But over time, we have removed the Lord from many aspects of public life. Prayer in schools, for instance, was deemed unconstitutional. What was once a “nation under God” has turned into a country that tolerates a growing number of sins and yet belittles absolute truth.

If a nation turns its back on the Lord, His judgment is inevitable unless the people repent and make Him Lord once again. As believers, our responsibility is to pray that God would draw the heart of our country back to Himself—and to help the gospel and truth spread through our land.

Abiding in God’s Friendship..... Craig Denison

 Abiding in God’s Friendship

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:“You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” John 15:14-15

Devotional:    

Do you know that God calls you his friend? John 15:14-15 says, “You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” As a believer you have gained friendship with a God who exemplifies perfect, unconditional love. You have gained relationship with your Creator whose greatest desire is simply to spend time with you. Allow the love of your heavenly Father to sink in for a minute. Allow the Spirit to reveal to you God’s motives today as we look at what it means for us to abide in the friendship of God.

John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” Jesus committed the greatest act of love this world has ever known in laying down his life. And he did so willingly out of his desire for relationship with us. God desired friendship with you to the level that he would send his only Son to die in order to restore what sin had destroyed.

The questions before you today are: are you experiencing the fruits of friendship with Jesus? Are you receiving the satisfaction that comes from abiding in relationship with God? The Holy Spirit’s desire today is to lead you into a greater depth of friendship with your Creator, the one who laid down his own life for your sake. What he asks of you today is to make time to invest in your friendship with him as you would any other relationship. He asks that you would value relationship with him to the level that you would commit time and energy to it. Just as marriage cannot be fruitful or enjoyable without investment from both parties, we must invest in our friendship with God to receive all that relationship with him is designed to bring us.

John 15:14 makes it clear that true friendship with God is following his commands. Jesus has revealed the pathway to abundant life. And he’s led us to that path by laying down his own life that we might have the Holy Spirit working within us. To be friends with Jesus is to choose to lay down our own lives in response to his loving sacrifice. To walk in friendship with God is to choose humility over pride and follow the path set before us in Jesus. We are no longer servants unaware of the plans and will of our master, but friends who have heard, seen, and experienced the truth.

Will you choose friendship with God over the world today? Will you choose to follow the will of the God who laid down his life for yours? Will you walk down the pathway of life today, or will you choose to go your own way? True friendship with God is fully available to you today if you will follow the life-giving commandments of Jesus and make space and time to invest in your relationship with him. Nothing will bring you greater satisfaction than living out of the abundance of friendship with Jesus. Revelation 3:20 says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” Open the door of your heart to the God of love today and spend time fellowshipping with him.           

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on your status as a friend of God. Allow Scripture to change your perspective on how God views you and how you should view God.

“You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” John 15:14-15

2. Reflect on your own life. What relationships do you invest in over your relationship with God? Who have you made the highest priority? In what ways are you not following the commands of Jesus?

“If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” John 14:23

3. Repent of any way in which you have valued other relationships over God. Confess any ways in which you have not been following the commands of Jesus and receive the forgiveness of God. Spend time investing in your friendship now. Open the door of your heart and let God come in. Talk with him. Listen to him. Tell him how you feel. Spend time with him as you would another friend. Nothing could be more important than experiencing the abundance of friendship with God available to you in Christ.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20

“God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:9

“I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them.” Hosea 11:4

The only day we are promised is today. Don’t wait to invest in your relationship with God. Don’t set it aside while you take care of what seems to be more pressing. Loving God is always first priority. Spending time with him is always the most important thing. Choose to be a follower of Jesus who values his commands over any other. Choose his way over your own or the world’s. Walk today with the fruit of friendship with God as your source and guide. If you do, you will experience favor and grace on even the most mundane tasks set before you. You will experience a foundation of love on which you have the grace to follow God wholeheartedly and love others purely and fully. Value friendship with God above all else and experience the abundant life available to you.

Extended Reading: 1 John 1-2

Is There More to the Christian Life?...... KRISTI GAULTIERE

 Is There More to the Christian Life?

KRISTI GAULTIERE

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4 (ESV)

A few years ago, my husband Bill and I set out on a hike to a waterfall with great anticipation and enthusiasm.

But after a couple of hours in the heat, running out of water, getting wet shoes from crossing a creek several times, navigating through fallen tree branches and climbing over huge boulders, I wanted to quit.

Bill is a “Run the ball to the goal and don’t let anything stop you!” kind of guy. But thankfully, he agreed to turn back.

One year later, we did this hike with another couple, and at that same spot, my friend stepped back and said, “Oh my, I can’t get over these boulders! How about we head back to the car?”

Recently, we tried the hike for a third time. When we got to the wall of boulders, I wanted to quit — for the third time! We just stood there on the trail. Was there really a waterfall? Maybe it dried up?

Just then, a hiker approached. I called out, “Did you make it to the waterfall? How much further is it? Is it worth it?”

He told us the waterfall was amazing, and it was just ahead! He was the trail guide we needed to press on.

I’m so glad we did! The spray and sound of water cascading off the cliff was delightful. God’s grace refreshed my soul as each drop of cool water descended and splashed into the clear blue pool at the bottom.

Our journey with Jesus is like that. Eventually, we get tired, lost or discouraged. We can’t feel God’s love anymore. We hit a Wall, and our feelings cry out to turn back to what’s familiar and easier. But there’s a waterfall of grace just ahead!

In my late 30s, I collapsed at the Wall with compassion fatigue from caring for so many hurting people in my ministry. Unable to shake my doubts and discouragements, I lost trust that God really was good and loving.

Have you ever felt like you can’t keep going? Or lost hope that there really is more for you in the Christian life? In this past year of pandemic and social unrest, I’ve talked with many people who feel like they’re at a Wall in their faith journey.

In Psalm 23, this Wall is called the valley of the shadow of death. (v. 4) Here, the shepherd’s blessings are a thing of the past. (vv. 1-3) The cheerful green pastures have gone brown. The still waters have dried up. Frost has wilted our flowers. What was once fruitful in our service to God now looks barren. What had been working in our Bible study and in prayer now seems to fail us.

To get through the Wall, we need to try some new spiritual practices, such as quietly meditating on Scripture, being emotionally honest about our faith questions and distress with a friend, praying psalms of lament to receive God’s empathy and cultivating longing for God.

Psalm 23:4 reveals the secret to making it past the Wall: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (ESV).

In the shepherding analogy throughout the six verses of Psalm 23, the rod and staff are symbols of God’s protection and guidance. Shepherds would use these tools to fend off wild animals that threatened the sheep and guide them back onto right paths. No matter what we go through, God’s presence, guidance and protection as our Good Shepherd are what ultimately get us past the Wall and to the waterfall of grace.

When we look to Jesus as our trail guide on the journey of the soul, He helps us resist the temptation to turn back. Our Good Shepherd wants to lead us through the dark valley to bless us with a spiritual feast, fresh anointing and an overflowing cup. (v. 5)

There is a waterfall of grace ahead! In this place of abundance, we come to know God’s goodness and mercy have been pursuing us all the days of our lives. (Psalm 23:6)

Dear Lord, strengthen me not to give up at the Wall or in any trial. Help me to know that You are with me, You love me and You love others through me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
John 10:4, “When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” (NIV)

Trusting God with Our Whole Heart (Proverbs 3:5-6)..... By: Anne Peterson

 Trusting God with Our Whole Heart (Proverbs 3:5-6)

By: Anne Peterson

Today's Bible Verse: 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

What a crazy time we’re living in. We collectively struggle with trust.

You hear one thing on the news and change the channel and hear something completely different. So, what are we to do? Where can we turn?

Our verses in Proverbs clearly tell us that we can trust the Lord. And we can trust him with our whole heart. God tells us not to lean on our own understanding, but rather to acknowledge God in all our ways. But, I have to confess, I lean heavily at times on my own understanding. And when I do, I’m soon frustrated, wondering why things don’t seem to work out.

We are all works in progress. I have not arrived. I will still make mistakes and I’ll even blow it royally at times. But I’m so thankful that when I mess up, God invites me to come to him. And I can put my mistakes in his large, capable hands.

Growing up, I struggled with perfectionism. There are times I still wrestle with it. In my family of origin, only perfection was seen. So, I learned pretty early in life whatever I did needed to be perfect. Our dad reinforced this by only seeing what was perfect. Sadly, after a while I watched my brother get so discouraged he stopped trying altogether.

Little did I know that when I went out on my own, that I’d be bringing my baggage with me. Perfectionism was neatly packed in one of my suitcases.

And years later, when I found myself in a counselor’s office, I could finally fess up to this struggle. Do you want to know what helped me the most? It was learning I no longer needed to strive for acceptance. God has already accepted me. He did it when I accepted his Son, Jesus. The only truly perfect one. And Jesus shed his perfect blood for me on the cross when he died. And that blood satisfied the heart of God.

I still blow it sometimes, but God sees me through the blood Jesus shed, and I am forgiven. There is nothing I can do which will lessen God’s love for me and there’s nothing I can do that will make God love me more. Those words bring freedom.

God looks at those who accept Jesus as their Savior and God is pleased. Trusting in the finished work of Calvary takes faith and, we are told without in scripture without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).

As new believers we knew God would answer our prayers. God could do anything. But somewhere along the way, we began believing lies from the enemy. Lies like:

God is tired of answering your prayers.

God doesn’t care about you.

God is disappointed in you.

I’m so glad we can drench ourselves in the Word of God and the lies become obvious.

- God doesn’t grow weary (Isaiah 40:28).

- God encourages us to cast our cares on him because he cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).

- God does not get disappointed in us because when we do blow it, he removes our transgressions from us (Psalm 102:12).

I’m so glad God gave us his Word so we can meditate on what’s true and denounce the lies. When we are immersed in God’s Word we can love God wholeheartedly. Is there something stopping you from trusting God with your whole heart?

God loves you totally. And you can trust him with your whole heart. Listen to this song, Half of my Heart, by Nathan Peterson. May it bless you as it blesses me.

Let God Carry You

When you can’t take another step,
then let God carry you.
Not only can he lift you up,
He carries burdens, too.

- Anne Peterson

Faith Like a Little Child..... by Debbie Holloway

 Faith Like a Little Child

by Debbie Holloway

"Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all" (Mark 10:15).

Most of the times I have heard this quote from Jesus used, it has been a reminder to have simple faith. Christians tend get caught up in theological squabbles, and when it gets intense usually someone will chime in at some point with a reminder that the bottom line is to have childlike faith.

And while obviously divisiveness is to be avoided among brethren, sometimes I think we forget what children are actually like when we use the phrase “childlike” to describe desired attitudes or attributes. As someone who been around children my whole life, I’ve recently had some thoughts on relating this verse to the truth about how (most) children behave.

1. Children require relationship.

If a child is told to do something with no context or established relationship, it is very likely said child will simply be scared, angry, or will even fight. Each one of us is on the journey to build a relationship with God through Christ, but we are each at a different step in the journey. To expect someone without a relationship with God to “have childlike faith” with what they’re struggling in would be a silly as expecting to convince a stranger’s child to do something they did not want to do. Children know less than adults, naturally, but children will very rarely follow you instructions unless they know your face.

2. Children never stop asking questions.

Unfortunately, being told to have faith like a child is often a response given to a hard question. Kind of a wet blanket, huh? But it’s so misguided, because children naturally ask a million questions a minute! Now obviously as they grow older they learn tact (and often learn from endless shushings to ask fewer questions), but innately, children are open to learning and want to learn. They want to know the stories behind traditions, the logic behind chores, and they want to rip the mystery off why we do things the way we’ve always done them. If we are to “be like a little child,” we must never lose our drive to ask questions.

3. You must earn the trust of children.

When I was a very young child, a man in my church body used to make a habit of teasing and tickling the children in the congregation. Most children liked him and didn’t mind his antics, but I was an incredibly sensitive toddler – one who rarely felt at home away from my mother’s arms. I needed my personal space, and very much resented the intrusions of this (admittedly, very well-intentioned) parishioner. At one point when he accosted me, I am told by my family that I calmly ordered him to “never touch me again.” He had not earned my trust with his particular brand of playfulness, and therefore I was not OK with him being inside my bubble. (*disclaimer: don’t worry, I grew out of this sensitivity. This poor man did not remain my arch-nemesis!)

This phenomenon can be seen every Sunday morning when children are dropped off in the nursery and crying fits ensue. Is it because they are bad kids? Of course not! It’s because they have itty bitty reasoning capabilities, and all they know instinctively is that they’ve been dumped into the arms of someone who has not earned their trust.

And yet so often we, as adult Christians, are asked to put our trust in the hands of pastors, teachers, or specific caricatures of God before they have actually earned our trust. If we raise a concern with how a pastor leads a congregation, or with how someone in position of leadership interprets the Bible, we are far too often shushed and told to just trust, follow, and believe.

But if we are to be like little children in God’s Kingdom, surely we ought to place our trust where trust is earned! We should be telling each other to look for fruits of the spirit, look for love and truth, and follow those roads. If someone feels discomfort, pain, or abuse from a source of authority, telling them, “you must have childlike faith,” is quite a faulty comparison.

Intersecting Faith and Life: How does the metaphor of God as “father” and us as “children” help us learn how to think of him, and interact with each other? What does accepting the Kingdom of God “like a little child” look like to you?

Further Reading
>Luke 18:17

A Prayer for God's Strength When You Feel Under Attack..... By Debbie McDaniel

 A Prayer for God's Strength When You Feel Under Attack

By Debbie McDaniel

"No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their vindication is from Me," declares the LORD.” Isaiah 54:17

Some days get hard. Attacks get hurled our way that we didn’t even see coming. The enemy loves to stir up strife and division, he does his best to heap on insults and kicks us while we’re down. But be assured, whenever you are afflicted, attacked, ridiculed, or abused, God takes notice. He rises up strong on you behalf. For you are His precious child. As believers, we can know, God Himself has the final say over our lives. Not the accuser. 

His Word reminds us that no weapon or cruel accusation is able to stand over us for long. It will fall away, for His Power rises above all. He brings light straight to darkness, and what is hidden in the dark, He brings out into the light. We are His children and He can’t help but to come to our rescue and defense.

Sometimes it may seem too long in coming. We start to feel forgotten, betrayed, rejected, and afraid. We wonder why we’ve been left on our own.  Maybe some have stirred up lies against you. Maybe the enemy seems to be breathing down your back, hot on your trail, trying hard to bring you down. Maybe the obstacles seem too hard to hurdle anymore. And you feel like giving up.

Know that He is close, He sees your pain and is aware of every attack. And He is building greatness and deep perseverance from within. Shake it off my friend. Every last bitter, cruel word and fiery dart. Take it to the One who sets you free from the strongholds of darkness, from sin and shame. Leave it at the feet of the One who covers you with His favor and blessing so that your strength is renewed day by day.

Listen to His whisper today down deep in your soul. He is with you. You are greatly loved. Be still, He fights for you today.

Dear God,

We thank you for the Power of your Word and your Presence over our lives. We thank you that no weapon formed against us will prosper, for greater are You who is in us, than he who is in the world. We pray that you will cast down every threat and accusation, every abusive word and cruel attack hurled our way. We praise you that nothing is impossible with you, that You are loving and gracious, full of mercy and might. We trust in you alone, to rise up strong on our behalf. Thank you that you are our Defender and Strong Tower, our Refuge and our Strength. Thank you that you fight for us today, and in our weakness, you make us strong.

In the Powerful Name of Jesus,

Amen.