God’s Compass for the Heart and Mind..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 God’s Compass for the Heart and Mind

Dr. Charles Stanley

Proverbs 3:7-12

Yesterday we discussed the importance of depending on the Word of God as our compass throughout life. Following the Lord’s directions will change behavior and challenge our thinking, attitudes, and desires. He leads us to think differently about ourselves, our values, and and even the difficulties facing us.

We naturally want to determine our own course in life. It seems like the only logical way to get where we want to go. But being wise in our own eyes is pride. To combat this tendency, the Lord instructs us to fear Him and turn away from evil (v. 7). This “fear” is not a horrified dread of the Father, but an attitude of respect that motivates us to obey Him for both our good and His glory.

We naturally want to keep our money for ourselves. A desire for a better lifestyle or fear of not having enough leads us to hang onto everything we get. But our compass directs us to honor God by giving Him the first part of all we have, trusting Him to provide for our needs (vv. 9-10).

We naturally hate God’s discipline. His painful reproofs seem to prove that He doesn’t care about us. But our heavenly Father says His discipline is the evidence that confirms His love and delight in us as His children (vv. 11-12).

Sometimes in our desire to follow the Lord, we focus on obedient actions—doing what He says—but miss His directions concerning our attitudes and thought patterns. To stay on God’s path for our lives, we must make course corrections not only in our behavior but also in our hearts and minds.

God is Worthy of Devotion..... Craig Denison

 God is Worthy of Devotion

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview: 

It’s vital to the Christian life that we as sons and daughters of the most high God allow our affections to be stirred by the loving, powerful nature of our heavenly Father. Too often we feel that God is distant or separated from us. Too often we allow misconceptions or lies to place a rift between us and experiencing God. It’s in reminding ourselves of God’s character that lies are broken and a pathway is laid for us to encounter his tangible love. Open your heart and mind and receive fresh revelation of the goodness of God this week. Allow your affections to be stirred and your heart to be filled with desire to seek the face of your heavenly Father.

Scripture:“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” - >Isaiah 6:3

Devotional:

Throughout Scripture we see a powerful principle exemplified: when God is seen for who he truly is, the natural response of the seer is full and absolute devotion. When God reveals his glory, love, power, holiness, and splendor, the seer responds with absolute commitment and worship. I believe that God would reveal himself to us today in simple but mighty ways. I believe that he longs for us to see him as he truly is, and that his chief desire is our devotion. May we see God face-to-face today and be forever changed by a fresh revelation of this God who would give up everything for relationship with us.

Isaiah 6 exemplifies both a vision of God and a response of devotion. Isaiah has an open vision of the majesty of God in heaven. He sees God on his throne and hears angels declaring his holiness and splendor by saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:3). And in response to this vision Isaiah 6:8 says, “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘Here I am! Send me.’” Isaiah responds to seeing God with full devotion.

God doesn’t ask for your devotion the way man does. He doesn’t offer you ultimatums or transactionally based benefits if you will love him. Devotion to him is meant to be the natural response of seeing God for who he is, because he is inherently worthy of every bit of devotion we can bring to him. He is worthy of our allegiance because he is the King of Kings. He is worthy of our obedience because his will is both knowable and perfect. He is worthy of our worship because he is the almighty God to whom all creation offers ceaseless praise. And he is worthy of our heart because he is the God of

Too often we mistake God’s mercy and grace as opportunities to go our own way and come back to him as we please or when we need something. Too often we treat his love as an opiate for our problems rather than the foundation on which we devote our lives in humble submission to him. God is patient. He is kind. He will never force or manipulate us into loving him. But his patience, kindness, and gentleness do not change the fact that he is King of kings, Lord of lords, and Creator of all, and that he is worthy and deserving of our ceaseless devotion.

Run to meet your God in the secret place today. Look upon his face and see him for both the loving and majestic God he is. He longs to reveal his nature to you. He longs for you to search out the depths of him and be awed by his wonder and mystery. Spend time in prayer meeting with your loving heavenly Father and responding to his nature with your love, worship, and devotion.           

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the majesty, holiness, and love of God. Allow Scripture and the Holy Spirit to guide you into a direct encounter with the living God. Ask God to reveal his nearness, holiness and love to you in a fresh way.

“In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said:

‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!’

And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: ‘Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!’

Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: ‘Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.’” - >Isaiah 6:1-7

“I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.” - Isaiah 44:6

2. Spend time giving him thanks for who he is. Worship him through thanksgiving.

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” - Psalm 107:1

“Through [Jesus] then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.” - >Hebrews 13:15

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre. For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. How great are your works, O Lord! Your thoughts are very deep!” - Psalm 92:1-5

3. Now offer God your total devotion in response to who he is. Commit to following his leadership and living your life in total obedience to him through the help of the Holy Spirit.

“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” - >Philippians 3:8

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” - Deuteronomy 6:5

May your life be an example of a believer in love with God. May you offer God all the love, obedience, and devotion you can. All God desires is your heart. He longs to have all of you. He is completely relationship focused and completely lovesick for you. 2 Chronicles 16:9 says, “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” God will help you live your life in commitment to him if you allow him to. Receive the strength of the Lord and respond to his love with your devotion today.

Extended Reading: Isaiah 44

A Life In Balance..... CHRIS HODGES

A Life In Balance
CHRIS HODGES

“Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.” Ecclesiastes 4:6 (NIV) 

I’m guessing you can relate because most of us push ourselves well beyond our limits these days. Our margins — the space between ourselves and our limits — have grown smaller and smaller. Often our bodies send us signals to slow down, rest and recover in order to restore healthy balance to our lives. But we tend to keep ignoring those signals and pushing through until a health crisis, panic attack or severe depression forces us to slow down.

Which explains why God’s Word says, “Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind” (Ecclesiastes 4:6). Because we have two hands, we feel pressured to keep both filled at all times. We assume if we can do something, then we have to do it — but that’s not true! Not everything doable is sustainable. Just because we can doesn’t mean we should.

More and more health experts agree it’s better to know your limits, uphold your boundaries and create margin in your life. Recent studies reveal that our stress, anxiety and depression often result directly from our life imbalance, echoing the truth in Scripture. Dr. Stephen Ilardi, a clinical psychologist and depression researcher, sums up this lifestyle problem in his book, The Depression Cure: “We were never designed for the sedentary, indoor, socially isolated, fast-food laden, sleep-deprived, frenzied pace of modern life.”

Now please understand I’m not trying to negate or minimize people suffering from depression for reasons beyond their control. Our genes and biology can contribute to our depression, though they still shouldn’t control the outcome of our lives. And there are real neuro-chemical changes that can happen when you become depressed that can make it even harder to get out of the dark cave of distress and despair.

But our imbalanced lives may hurt us more than we realize.

If we want to restore balance in our lives and improve our physical, emotional and spiritual health, then we need to make some changes in our choices, habits and routines. Most recent research on depression concludes that if our schedules overwhelm us and rarely include rest, then we’re more likely to experience depression. Similarly, if we never put down our phone or get away from the computer and experience the beauty of God’s creation outdoors, then we’re more likely to feel depressed. Without a social life and daily human connection to others, people are more likely to be depressed (though it’s true that most people have been deprived of socialization because of the pandemic).

Restoring balance and overcoming the depression caused by my imbalanced lifestyle has often been challenging. But I’ve learned to stop trying to do everything and instead consider what God has called me to do. I’ve stopped saying yes to everything and looked for ways to strengthen boundaries around my priorities. If it’s not a clear yes, then it’s likely a clear no. I’ve created margins of time between appointments and eliminated commitments that drain too much out of me for what they involve. I’ve focused on making my greatest contribution to the people and priorities I cherish most.

You can make the same kinds of choices. They’re hard at first, but they’re more than worth it. Knowing that your life is short and that you have a finite amount of time and resources, focus on God and His priorities for your life. Consider what you can let go and what you can hold loosely. Let yourself enjoy the tranquility of one handful.

Dear Lord, I want to focus on You and find balance in my life. Help me to stop chasing the wind and to start spending more time in Your presence. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (NIV)

One of the Saddest Verses in Scripture (1 Kings 11:4) ..... by Aaron Armstrong

 One of the Saddest Verses in Scripture (1 Kings 11:4)

by Aaron Armstrong

“When Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away to follow other gods. He was not wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord his God, as his father David had been. - 1 Kings 11:4

There are so many, I know. Heartbreaking stories in the Bible, moments where you read them and you can barely hold it together. Recently, as I was reading through 1-2 Kings, I came across this verse in 1 Kings and felt the gravity of it.

Solomon was the wisest man to ever live, given the gift of great wisdom so he could rule wisely. And wisely he did. During his life, Israel knew unprecedented peace and prosperity, respect and admiration. But it would not last. Solomon turned away to follow other gods. He had the wisdom to rule, but his wisdom was overcome by his passions. He had hundreds of wives, whom he loved deeply. He cherished them. He clung to them (see 11:2). They captured his heart, and before he offered a sacrifice to a false god, he was already enslaved to an idol.

And that’s why this is so sad in so many ways—why it’s so tragic. If anyone would be able to avoid being led astray, it would be Solomon. After all, he was the wisest man ever. People marveled at his proclamations (and still do). There was no one else like him, ever. But even his wisdom could be corrupted. His heart could be drawn away, just as any of ours can. The wisest man in the world is not one whose example we should follow. The wisest man in the world became a fool. The wisest man in the world could not save himself. He needed a savior, too.

And if there’s any good news to be drawn from Solomon’s story, it’s that. Our gifts, whatever they are, are just that—gifts. We may be wise or knowledgeable. We may be compassionate and hospitable. But in the end, our gifts won’t be enough to keep us from stumbling. We need something else—we need Someone else. Not just a wise man, but a man whose wisdom can never be corrupted because he is its source. Not only a great king, but the King of Kings whose kingdom can never be stripped away. A man who cherishes his bride, but whose heart cannot be turned away from his greatest love—his Father. Jesus is the Savior we need. He is the only one who can save.

God Is Not Judge Judy ..... by Kelly Givens

 God Is Not Judge Judy

by Kelly Givens

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” - James 3:17

Last month I found myself in a situation that needed a good dose of wisdom. I had to make a decision and felt unsure what course of action was best, so over those next few days I prayed for wisdom on what I should do. I also looked for verses in the Bible that talk about wisdom, and was surprised by what I found.

When I think of wisdom, usually the first thing that pops in my head is King Solomon and that poor baby. You probably know the story- God had given Solomon an incredible amount of wisdom, so much so that people from all over were coming to him with their questions and disputes. In this recorded case, two prostitutes came before the king, both claiming to be the mother of the same baby boy, both insisting that the other had stolen the infant after the death of the other’s child. This was obviously before DNA testing, so what could be done? Well, Solomon had a sword brought to him and decided to settle things by cutting the baby in half! Now, that doesn’t seem like a very compassionate king! It sounds more like something Judge Judy would do.

Judge Judy doesn't want to hear your sob story. Her Honor gets right to the facts, lays down her decision and moves on to the next case, end of story. I realized I was asking God to be the” Judge Judy” of my life- I would present my problem and “ask for wisdom,” but what I really wanted was for God to give me a definite answer that didn’t leave any lingering questions. Obviously, God is not Judge Judy, and this is not the kind of wisdom he gives. So how should we think of wisdom? Let’s go back to Solomon- who really wasn’t like Judge Judy at all.

While it may have seemed bizarre that Solomon was going to cut a baby in half, the king had wisely discerned that the true mother would care more about the safety of the child than her possession of him. And so it was- the mother cried out for the boy’s life to be spared, and Solomon declared her the rightful parent. In doing this, he spared both the child and the women further pain. But this is more than Solomon just being cunning or smart. There’s compassion to this decision too- an essential part of wisdom.

When Solomon asked God for wisdom, God didn’t just fill his head with the right answer to every problem that would ever come up. No- he filled him with “wisdom” as James describes it- he filled him full of consideration, peacefulness, mercy, goodness, impartiality and sincerity. King Solomon wasn’t wise because he knew the law book forwards and backwards, or because he was particularly clever or a good problem solver. He was wise because his decisions flowed from a heart and mind focused on values that are essential to the Kingdom of God. He didn’t bother punishing the one woman for stealing a baby or stoning both women for being prostitutes (which the law would have demanded). His wisdom was compassionate, merciful, and just: it was true wisdom from above.

Intersecting Faith and Life: What problems in your life are you seeking wisdom in? Approach those problems in light of James 3:17 and trust that God will equip you with the wisdom you need for the challenges you face.

Further Reading:
Psalm 37:30
James 1:5
1 Corinthians 1:19-29

A Prayer for Memorial Day: Remembering Those Who Have Fought for Our Freedom..... By Debbie McDaniel

 A Prayer for Memorial Day: Remembering Those Who Have Fought for Our Freedom

By Debbie McDaniel

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”  John 15:13

Freedom is a gift, it’s a treasure.  And though we all may agree on that truth, it’s often easy to take for granted the greatest gifts that God has given us in our lives.

But those most precious gifts are never free. They came with a price. With sacrifice. They were worth fighting for. And are still worth fighting for today. Many brave men and women were willing to face hard battles in order for us to enjoy that gift of freedom today.

For all those who have protected our nation, for the men and women in uniform, together, we say “Thank You.”

We take time to remember today, and say a prayer of gratefulness for the many who have been willing to pay a great price for our freedom.  May God help us to live so courageously, may we follow the brave examples of those who have gone before us…

Thank you for reminding us that there’s incredible love and sacrifice displayed when one is willing to stand strong and fight for freedom.

This service of love and sacrifice on behalf of all people, points us directly to the greatest love of all, the very gift and sacrifice of Christ.

Our Savior was willing to pay the ultimate price, so that we can live free. Forever.

Dear God,

We thank you for the freedom you have given to us, and for the price that was paid by Christ so that we could live free. We remember today. The cost of it all. The great sacrifice for freedom.

We thank you for the brave men and women who have fought, and continue to fight, so courageously for our nation. We ask for your covering and blessing over them and their families. We pray that you would be gracious and encircle them with your peace. We pray for your great favor and goodness to be evident in their lives.

Please be with all those who wear the uniform, who serve our communities and nation every single day. We ask that you provide your protection, that you would be their guiding force who leads the way, and their rear guard who keeps them safe from behind. We ask that you would draw them to yourself amidst the dangers they face in a dark world, for you are the Truth, you are the Way, you are the Light.

Help them to walk wisely. To stay covered in your armor. Give them godly discernment. Make them constantly aware of what lurks close by. Help them to be men and women of prayer, realizing that this is where their greatest help comes from. Help them to stay united and strong, bold and resolute, determined and unwavering.

Bless their families. Bless those they love. Give them your great favor, this day, and every day.

Thank you that in our nation today, we are free to worship. We are free to pray. We are free to read your Word.  We are free to speak.  We are free to share. For this, we are incredibly grateful. Yet, we understand how quickly these freedoms can be taken away. Give us an increased awareness of the spiritual battle we’re in. Help us to stand strong in you and for your purposes.

Thank you that as believers, we can be assured, you will never leave us, and are with us always, in this life, and the next.

Thank you for your truth that says, who the Son sets free is free indeed! We know that in you alone, true freedom is found.

In Jesus’ Name we pray,

Amen.

May God bless America, and all of those who have sacrificed so greatly for our freedom, and faithfully served our nation!