The Secret of Contentment..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 The Secret of Contentment

Dr. Charles Stanley

Philippians 4:4-13

In today's reading, the apostle Paul says he has learned the secret of experiencing contentment in all circumstances, good or bad. Does it surprise you that he wrote this when he was in prison, unsure of his future?

We're often discontent even when all is going well. Consequently, we wonder how it's possible to be truly content during our most difficult trials, especially when there's no end in sight. So what is genuine contentment? Paul is speaking of a freedom from worry and frustration about everything in life--even unfulfilled desires.

It's usually when we cannot control or change our situation that we feel discontentment. As long as our satisfaction depends on whether certain things actually work out, we'll allow circumstances to cheat us out of peace. I'm not saying there's some spiritual stage where you will never again experience anxiety or frustration. But what matters is how we respond when those feelings grip us.

This is something that the apostle had to learn. Paul endured amazing suffering, from shipwrecks and hunger to unjust imprisonment and beatings (2 Cor. 11:24-30). He had gone through countless situations that were uncertain, extraordinarily painful, and seemingly hopeless. But he finally discovered that contentment could not be dependent upon his circumstances.

How do you respond when circumstances are out of your control? Do you get angry? Do you try to escape? Does despair make you want to give up? Paul chose to give his anxieties to Jesus in exchange for peace that "surpasses all comprehension" (Phil. 4:7). That same peace is available to you!

At the Heart of Faith..... Craig Denison

 At the Heart of Faith

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview:

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Faith is the undercurrent of everything we do as followers of Jesus. Without faith we lose all that Christ died to give us while here on earth. It is by faith we access the peace, joy, guidance, love, and purpose that comes from restored relationship with our heavenly Father. As we seek an increase in faith in response to God’s faithfulness this week, may you experience a greater depth of intimacy with your living, Almighty, and loving heavenly Father.

Scripture:“That your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:5

Devotional:    

As believers living our lives founded on the hope given to us by God, faith is our lifeblood. Without faith we have nothing. Without faith, all sense of purpose, value, and joy in present trials and circumstances scatters as dust in the wind. But with faith we discover a wellspring of life with its origins found in the faithfulness of our Creator God. With faith we experience the effects of promises made to us by our living, loving, active, and trustworthy heavenly Father. With faith the abundant life God desires for us is removed from a shroud of doubt, fear, and hopelessness and becomes our reality. So what’s at the heart of this incredible gift of faith? How do we as children of God access the life-giving fruits of faith?

The Bible defines faith as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Hebrews 11 continues in verses 2-7 saying,

For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Hebrews 11 tells us that faith is simply this: trusting in our God who is completely and altogether faithful. Faith is the natural response to a revelation of God’s faithfulness.

We are to live entirely by faith, or entirely in response to God’s faithfulness. Every action, thought, emotion, word, and perspective is meant to be founded on the faithfulness of our heavenly Father. Abel offered a more acceptable sacrifice because he had a greater revelation and trust of God’s faithfulness. Enoch was saved from earthly death because he pleased God with his faith. Hebrews 11:6 makes it abundantly clear: “Without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” We are to believe in the reality of God and to trust that he will reward us when we seek him. In other words, we are to live our lives entirely out of the revelation of God’s faithfulness. And Romans 4:20-21 says in reference to Abraham, “No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.” We are to be children convinced of the overwhelming ability of God to move and work in our lives.

Where do you lack faith today? What areas of your life have you taken into your own hands? Where are you full of fear, anxiety, depression, or hopelessness today? Know that the path to faith in those areas is paved with fresh revelation of God’s faithfulness. 2 Timothy 2:13 says, “If we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.” Your God will always be faithful to you. You can trust him with any problem you are going through. He longs to work in your favor.

Seek out a greater understanding of your God’s faithfulness and allow your heart to be transformed. Spend time in prayer meditating on the character of your heavenly Father and allowing the Holy Spirit to do a work in your heart on a level that would fill you with the ability and desire to live entirely in faith.           

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on how Scripture defines faith.

“No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.” Romans 4:20-21

“That your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:5

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

2. Reflect on any areas in your own life where you struggle with faith. What areas do you seem to live out in your own strength? What anxiety or fear consistently comes against you?

3. Meditate on the faithfulness of your heavenly Father. Allow God’s faithfulness to wash away any fear or anxiety you struggle with. Allow his amazing character to fill you with hope, joy, and peace.

“If we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13

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

“For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.” Psalm 33:4

“Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.” Psalm 36:5

The Scriptures declaring the faithfulness of God go on and on. All of the earth finds its life as the result of God’s faithfulness to his promises. We live and breathe by the goodness and love of our God. God longs to give you a tangible story of his faithfulness. He longs to work in your life specifically and uniquely. Open up your life to him, ask him for his help, and watch as he works faithfully in your midst. Your God loves you, cares about you, and is for you. May you experience the abundant life only faith can bring you today.

Extended Reading: Hebrews 11

Shattered Beyond Repair..... LYSA TERKEURST

 Shattered Beyond Repair

LYSA TERKEURST

“Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” Isaiah 64:8 (NIV)

Are there any broken places in your heart and life right now?

I know how hard that can be.

And there’s this wonderful Christian story I could tell you. It’s the one about how we can pick up the broken pieces, glue them back together and then let God’s light shine through our cracks. That’s a beautiful story.

But what about those times when things aren’t just broken … but shattered beyond repair? Shattered to the point of dust. At least when things are broken, there’s some hope you can glue the pieces back together.

What if there aren’t even pieces to pick up in front of you?

You can’t glue dust.

It’s hard to hold dust. What was once something so very precious is now reduced to nothing but weightless powder even the slightest wind could carry away. We feel desperately hopeless. Dust begs us to believe the promises of God no longer apply to us. That the reach of God falls just short of where we are. And that the hope of God has been snuffed out by the consuming darkness all around us.

My own life has certainly held seasons of dust. And if we could sit together over coffee, I imagine you would have some kind of shattered dust story to share with me, too. We are alike in that way. We’re united with our tears, even if our circumstances are different.

We’re also united in our desire for God to fix it all. Edit this story so it has a different ending. Repair this heartbreaking reality.

But what if fixing, editing and repairing isn’t at all what God has in mind for us in this shatteWhat if, this time, God desires to make something completely brand-new? Right now. On this side of eternity. No matter how impossible our circumstances may seem.

You see, dust is the exact ingredient God loves to use.

We think the shattering in our lives could not possibly be for any good. But what if shattering is the only way to get dust back to its basic form so something new can be made? We can see dust as a result of an unfair breaking. Or, we can see dust as a crucial ingredient.

Think about a plain piece of ice. If ice stays in a cube, it’s always just a square of ice. But if the ice melts, it can be poured into a beautiful form to reshape it when it’s frozen again. Dust is much the same; it’s the basic ingredient with such great potential for new life.

Of all the things God could have used to make man, He chose dust: “Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7, NIV).

Jesus used the dust of the ground to restore a man’s sight. Jesus said, “‘While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’ After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes” (John 9:5-6, NIV). And after the man washed in the pool of Siloam, he went home seeing.

And, when mixed with water, dust becomes clay. Clay, when placed in the potter’s hands, can be formed into anything the potter dreams!

“Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand” (Isaiah 64:8).

“He said, ‘Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?’ declares the LORD. ‘Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel’” (Jeremiah 18:6, NIV).

Oh, how I love and need the hope God has tucked into these verses.

Dust doesn’t have to signify the end. Dust is often what must be present for the new to begin.

I don’t know what hard realities have left you feeling shattered, friend. But I do know this: We can trust our God. We can trust Him with our dust.

Our greatest disappointments and disillusionments — things that shake us and break us and make us wonder about everything — don’t have to mean all hope is lost. We can place our lives fully in the hands of the Potter. We can dare to believe He is making something glorious out of dust, out of us.

Father, I confess I don’t like this — I don’t like dust. But I’m reminding my soul that dust is one of Your favorite ingredients to use when making something new. And I’m choosing to believe You are working right now to do this very thing in my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Why Assuming the Best Leads to Connection (Genesis 3:8-9)..... By: Rachael Adams

 Why Assuming the Best Leads to Connection (Genesis 3:8-9)

By: Rachael Adams

Today’s Bible Verse: “Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’” - Genesis 3:8-9

“How did you cook the chicken?” my husband asked.

I stopped mid-chew and glanced at his plate to assess the situation. “Why?” I questioned, my mind already tunneling down a dark mine.

He doesn’t like it. So much for making a special trip to the grocery store and trying a new recipe. He doesn’t think I’m a good cook. Or a good mom. Or a good wife. Or a good person at all.

Interrupting my negative thought spiral, he responded, “It’s really good. You should make it more often.”

Well, that sure wasn’t what I thought he was going to say! What wasted mental energy. Unfortunately, this wasn’t a one-time occurrence for me. My mind tends to assume the worst rather than the best. Can you relate? Let’s explore some common examples:

You see a group of friends in a picture on social media. You weren’t invited to the outing. So you assume they don’t like you.

You call someone and they don’t answer. Even worse, they don’t call you back. So you assume they are mad at you.

You didn’t receive the acceptance letter. So you assume you aren’t qualified and don’t have what it takes.

Does this thought process sound familiar? To assume is to accept something as true or certain to happen without proof. In essence, we are coming to a conclusion that is not based on a factual reality; we are just filling in the blanks.

We do this in our relationship with God, with others, and even ourselves. The result when we allow these negative assumptions to continue? We end up discontented and disconnected. Over time, if we continue this behavior, we will end up lonelier and unhappier than we were to begin with. The danger in assumptions is divisiveness. But this the goal of the devil after all, isn't it?

This was certainly the case for Eve. If you’ll remember her story in Genesis 3, she too made dangerous assumptions that, in turn, led to dangerous actions. The devil deceived her to assume God was withholding something good from her, so she ate the forbidden fruit. This action led to her hiding in shame, distancing, and disconnecting from God, assuming the worst about Him.

Isn’t this what we do when we assume as well? We too pull away in an effort to self-protect. While this is our natural tendency, the irony of this reaction is that it makes us even more vulnerable because now we are alone.

But as we keep reading Eve’s story, we witness God pursuing her despite her pushing away. He continued to question her in an effort to communicate and discover her heart: “Where are you? Who told you you were naked? What is it you have done?” He asked, still desiring a relationship with her.

His questioning causes me to consider: What if the solution to disconnection is the pursuit of connection? It may seem obvious, and it certainly isn't easy, but repairing disconnection starts with choosing to stay, rather than pulling away. It starts with pulling each other close.

However, though it is a piece of the puzzle, proximity isn’t the only answer. It takes intentional conversation to understand someone else’s heart and perspective. Clearing up confusion requires being inquisitive and being willing to communicate.

God already knew the answers to the questions He asked Eve because He is omniscient. But He asked anyway. We aren’t all-knowing, so why do we assume things to be true when we don’t know anything for certain? We don’t know unless we ask. Therefore, let’s trade our assumptions for questions.

Let’s start assuming the best rather than the worst. Since God is a good Father, it is safe to assume His plans for us are good. Since we are made in His image, let’s assume people’s intentions are good unless they prove it otherwise. Let’s give each other the benefit of the doubt, as the people in our lives are likely battling their own assumptions too.

Friend, don’t allow negative assumptions to prevent you from forming relationships, and even more so, don’t allow them to destroy the relationships you currently have. Instead, replace them with positive assumptions and questions. When we do, I think we can safely assume connection and contentment will follow as a result.

Beach Lessons..... by Katherine Britton

 Beach Lessons

by Katherine Britton

Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven – for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”  –Luke 7:47, ESV

How do you explain to a child who’s never been to the ocean what waves are like? You might fill a bathtub with water and splash it back and forth. That could teach action of waves – but what about the look? You might take the child to a nearby river with a few rapids, and show them how the foam collects at the bottom of a fall “like on top of a wave.” You might show them a 4x6 inch photograph. You might try to show them what waves sound like with a conch shell. But what about their vast dimensions along the shore? What about their unending nature? What about the undercurrent of a wave going back to sea?

No substitute can convey the scale and true nature of waves continually breaking on the shore. No analogies or to-scale models prepare children for their first trip to the beach. They can’t grasp the greatness until they’ve seen it for themselves.

Have you seen the greatness of God’s forgiveness yet?

No measure of teaching, preaching, and analogizing can make us really grasp what God’s forgiveness means. Even after we reach adulthood, we’re still creatures of experience. It takes a firsthand experience – recognition of how vast our sins really are – before we can appreciate how vast God’s mercy is to cover them.

Jesus gave Simon the Pharisee the example of two men who owed another money – one owed him five hundred days’ wages, one owing him fifty. The moneylender forgives both debts, but, as Simon empathizes, the one forgiven the larger sum has a greater reason to love the one who canceled his debt. But all Simon heard were Jesus’s words. He failed to realize what a vast stretch of sand he stood on, and what a great tide it would take to overtake all of those grains of sand. As a result, it’s the woman Jesus recognizes for her great love of her Savior.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Is it possible that we can extend love and forgiveness if we don’t understand how much Christ has shown us? Take your own “beach trip” and survey the vastness of God’s incredible forgiveness that covers incredible sin.

A Prayer for Dealing with People Who Bring You Down..... By Carrie Lowrance

 A Prayer for Dealing with People Who Bring You Down

By Carrie Lowrance

A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. - 2 Timothy 2:24 (NLT)

We all have people in our lives who try to bring us down. You may have that one parent that tries to bring you down all the time. You could have a boss that is always criticizing you. Maybe you have a friend that is very subtle in tearing you down. It is so easy to get frustrated and angry at people who act like this. It is also easy to take their words to heart, cause them to stop us in our tracks, and never pursue the dream that the Lord has planted in us. As Christians, how should we deal with people like this?

Remember Our Value & Worth

• We must remember that our worth and value is not in those around us.
• Our value and worth are in the Lord.
• We all have value because we have all been blessed with talents and gifts.
• He has created all of us uniquely and we are all valuable to him beyond measure.

We Must Turn The Other Cheek And Keep Moving Ahead

• When people try to bring us down we must let if fall on deaf ears.
• We need to continue to pursue the dreams the Lord has placed in us and the roads on which He is leading us.
• If we are having an off day at work, forgive ourselves for the mistakes we make, and make an effort to enjoy the rest of our day.
• Listen closely to the Lord’s guidance in our hearts on how to specifically handle a situation.

Pray For Those Around Us

The most important thing we can do for these people (other than not lashing back) is to pray for them. Take the time to get to know the people that tear you down. Get inside their lives, thoughts and emotions. Then pray as specifically as you can about their situation. Reach out to them and help them if you can. If there is something they have always dreamed of doing, encourage them to go for it. If it is something you know a lot about, offer to mentor them. If they are suffering from past hurts but don’t know how to get past it, research some good, Christian therapists in your area and pass on the information. If they are struggling with a self-esteem issue, point out all the good characteristics and talents they have. Compliment them at least once a week when/if you see them. You never know what will become of the seeds you plant in love.

Pray for their salvation. It’s hard to know how to pray for someone when it comes to this matter. The best way I know to pray in this way, is to ask the Lord to reveal himself in a way that is unique to the individual. Ask the Lord to open their eyes, heart, mind and soul in a way that they have no doubt that He exists. In a way that would speak specifically to them.

Dear Lord,
 
Please help me when those around me try to bring me down. Allow me to recognize the hurts and issues in their lives and how I can be of help to them. Help me to keep my natural human tendencies in check and not to retaliate back. Quietly remind me where my true worth and value really lie. Give me comfort in knowing that You are leading me on a better path and give me the strength to continue pursuing it. Please clear my heart of any issues that will hinder me from praying for those around me. In Your Name I pray. Amen.