Living by Faith ..... Craig Denison

 Living by 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:“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7

Devotional:

Living by faith is the key that unlocks the door to the fullness of God’s promises. There is no doubt that God will always be faithful to his promises. Scripture is clear in 2 Timothy 2:13 that “if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.” Faithfulness is within God’s nature. But, without faith we will not experience the fullness of what is available to us in God’s promises. God does not force emotion on us. He does not force us to receive the joy and peace that comes through trusting him. He does not force us into the fullness of relationship available to us in faith. And he does not force his purposes on us. Faith is the vehicle by which we experience all that God longs to give us. Specifically, faith is the avenue on which we experience the fullness of God’s promises for intimacy with him, purpose in this life, and freedom from sin.

Hebrews 10:19-22 says, “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” By faith we walk into God’s presence. In faith we believe God desires to be with us. Experiencing the fullness of restored relationship with our heavenly Father requires a heart full of faith and trust that God longs to tangibly be with us, his children. Without faith we will live solely for the pleasures this world has to offer and miss out on all the satisfaction of living this life for and with God above all else. In faith we can experience all the intimacy available to us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Hebrews 11:32-34 says, “And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.” We’ve been sent out by Jesus to make disciples of all nations. We’ve been given a command to bring light into the darkness everywhere we go. You and I have been given a purpose of eternal value and of great importance to our Lord and King. And Hebrews 11 is clear that it is by faith that the works of God are done. When we live by faith we bring the kingdom of God into every dark corner around us. When we live by faith we invite the Holy Spirit to work in and through every situation to draw others to himself. It’s in faith that we find our purpose.

And finally, Ephesians 6:16 says, “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.” It is through faith that we walk in the freedom from sin available to us by the promise of God. As children of God wrapped up in the finished work of Christ,  we have been set free from the bondage of sin. By the power of Jesus’ death on the cross, you and I never have to sin again. But Paul teaches us in Ephesians that it is through faith that we extinguish the flaming darts of the evil one. If we don’t trust God at his word that we who were completely entangled to the schemes of the enemy by sin are now considered the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21), we will not walk in freedom. It is through faith that we renew our mind and experience the wonderful freedom from sin available to us.

We all need a greater measure of intimacy with God, purpose, and freedom from sin. Not one of us has experienced all that is available to us through faith. May you seek out all that God has in store for you if you will take him at his word and trust him in response to his faithfulness. Spend time in prayer receiving all that God longs to give you by faith.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on all that is available to you in the lifestyle of faith.

“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.” Hebrews 11:6

“And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.” > Hebrews 11:32-34

“In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.” Ephesians 6:16

2. Ask God to lead you to a greater measure of faith. Ask him to give you the faith to pursue intimacy with him, his purposes, and freedom from sin. Listen to all that he would say to you in these quiet moments. Let him give you a fresh perspective of what it is to live by faith.

3. Pursue all that is available to you today in the promises of God. What new levels of relationship does God long to lead you to? What new purposes does he have in store for you? What freedom does he long to bring you?

May you be filled with hunger for the deeper things of God today. And may you have the courage and tenacity to seek out everything God has in store for you. If you will pursue him with all your heart in faith you will discover all that your heart has been searching for. He has adventure, excitement, joy, fulfillment, and love for all who live by faith. Today is the day to live in the newness of life Jesus died for you to have.

Extended Reading: 2 Corinthians 5

The Lord Has His Eye on You..... by Lynette Kittle

 The Lord Has His Eye on You

by Lynette Kittle

“The Lord looked down from His sanctuary on high, from heaven He viewed the earth” - Psalms 102:19

Have you ever felt like God is far away, like He isn’t interested in what’s happening on earth and in your life? Has the vastness of the world ever caused you to feel insignificant in the overall big picture of life?

Sill Psalm 33:13 states, “From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind.”

Likewise Psalm 33:14,15 assures of God’s great interest in mankind’s comings and goings describing how, “From His dwelling place He watches all who live on earth. He who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.”

Amazing to realize the God of the Universe is considering everything you do. It’s a concept that may be difficult to grasp.

It’s true, though, and He is taking into consideration all things, too, because, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13).

God is not just viewing mankind’s activities displayed out in the open but He is seeing everything, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Proverbs 15:3 states, “The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.”

Things people think are hidden are fully visible to God.  As Proverbs 5:21 explains, “For your ways are in full view of the Lord, and He examines all your paths.”

Even more than mankind’s actions, 1 Corinthians 4:5 states, “He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart.”

So God is looking past outward deeds into the motives of your heart. Mark 4:22 states, “For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.”

When it comes to what God knows about you, understand it’s a full disclosure.

Psalm 14:2 describes even more of God’s purpose in looking, “The Lord looks down from Heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.”

So if you’re wondering how to truly catch God’s eye, His Word gives the key. It’s by seeking after Him, to understand Him and His ways.

More importantly God is searching so He might make you stronger. 2 Chronicles 16:9 describes how the eyes of the Lord look to and fro through out the earth “to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.”

Where is your heart focused? Are you seeking after God? If so, know God is looking to see how He might uplift, encourage, and support you.

How I Came to Enjoy Raisins ..... by Shawn McEvoy

 How I Came to Enjoy Raisins

by Shawn McEvoy

Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. -- 1 John 2:10

Worst advertising slogan ever: "Two scoops of raisins in Kellogg's Raisin Bran." Blech. But apparently it worked on my mother, who bought the stuff like it was going out of style, while referring to delicious breakfast desserts such as Lucky Charms and Crunchberries as "cardboard." So unfair. So there I sat, choking down my raisin bran, or even oatmeal cookies with raisins in them, always suffering the same horrible fate: the bran or cookie part would be chewed and swallowed before the gooey chewy raisins, leaving me a mouthful of not-nearly-as-tasty goop.

I despised raisins. Thought about writing Kellogg's and telling them that backing off to one scoop would be plenty (nothing like getting to the bottom of the bowl and finding no flakes, only 10 little black things. Ew).

Flash-forward a quarter-century. I'm having a similar issue to the raisin problem with people. Specifically, I'm loathe to admit, some Christian people. No, I haven't been eating them, but sometimes, I do find us hard to swallow. Part of the problem, ironically, is my job! Here at Crosswalk we often receive angry emails from fellow Christians who don't like the movie we reviewed, the way we said something, the ad we ran, or the author we allowed to appear on the site. Criticism's fine, even justified; I just have a hard time when it comes with a "You call yourself Christian?" or a "Have you even read the Bible?" punch to the gut. Sometimes it feels as if we Christians are concerned more with hammering home truth no matter how bluntly, or railing against _(fill in the blank)_ than genuinely loving people and meeting needs. Of course, the obvious irony here is that I then, looking in the mirror, find myself in short supply on genuine love myself. Which is not where Christ wants any of us to be. In fact, in Revelation 12:10, the title "Accuser of the Brethren" is given to our enemy Satan at his judgment. Do I really want to claim that monicker for myself?

So what does this have to do with raisins? Well, recently I discovered I kinda like the shriveled little things! I pack 'em for snacks, and eat them with the kids. I like the nutritional value, the fiber, the chewiness. What's changed? My tastes? No. The raisins? No. Not the packaging, not the flavor, not even my effort (I'm not choking them down because they're good for me, I genuinely like them). I realized that what has changed is my perspective. It didn't happen overnight, but about the time "Craisins" (dried Cranberries) came on the scene, I began enjoying all sorts of dried fruits. And here's what I noticed: I like cranberries, ergo I like dried cranberries. I like apricots, therefore I like dried apricots. I love grapes, so obviously I... hate raisins? That didn't seem to make logical sense. Maybe it was time to give raisins another try. Maybe I shouldn't even think of them as raisins. Maybe I should just think of them as "dried grapes!"

That may sound extremely silly... but it worked! I felt like I had come into the light. The texture was suddenly different. The way I savored them changed... everything. And a fun new world of food possibilities has re-opened to me, simply thanks to a different way of looking at something.

1 John 1:5-7 & 2:7-11 talk about Light, who it comes from, what it helps us do, and what it shows about us when we walk in it. Light is a perspective-changer. It reveals the true nature of hidden or darkened things. It doesn't change them, but it can and does change how they appear, how they are perceived, and the details we notice. Our verse today says, "Whoever loves his brother lives in the light," and I think it also works backwards: "Whoever lives in the light will love his brother." It's not going to be easy for me to see fellow redeemed sinners - especially the angry ones - as Jesus does, but it's clearly possible, and commanded, and in the raisin example it wasn't about my efforts anyway - just turning on a light.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Who's got your goat? Have you ever tried seeing that individual, group, or faceless internet personage in a different light, from a different perspective, or even as God sees them? Have you considered how you might look different to others in a new light? Try filling these blanks in for yourself: "I like ____(x)_____, therefore I like even __________  _____(x)_____."

Further Reading

John 1: 4-11

A Prayer for A Lost Loved One..... By: Emily Rose Massey

 A Prayer for A Lost Loved One

By: Emily Rose Massey

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 8:5, NASB)

My convictions were just too strong to stay silent on that Facebook post. I knew it was a controversial topic, but I didn’t think my own family would turn on me and lash out for my beliefs. As a Christian, there are times where I need to stand up for what is right, and just like countless times before, I was left to stand alone to be ridiculed for my faith in God and His Holy Word. I just didn’t think my own brother would be the one to hurt me the most with his callous words. Often, the wounds cut deeper when it is those closest to us that wield the sword at us. In that moment, instead of finding the comfort and understanding of my family, the harsh reality that my brother was a lost soul began to set in.

When we meet opposition regarding sharing our faith, it is very easy to become offended at those who mock or push-back; perhaps our first instinct is to turn our backs on them or set it in our heart to never discuss the Lord around them ever again.

Instead of bitterness or offense towards those who might not agree with our beliefs, we should have compassion on them because at one time, before Christ saved us, we too were enemies of God and lost. Even if our unsaved friends and family hurt us, these situations should truly drive us to our knees to pray for our lost loved ones.

Romans 8 is a powerful chapter in the book of Romans, and in verse 5 we are reminded of God’s great love for us:

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 8:5, NASB)

God loved us so much that He gave His only Son to die for sinners. Not only should this truth cause us to rejoice in the gift of our own salvation, but it should fill our hearts with so much hope that God’s mercy is available to those whom we love. If we cannot reach them with our words of the truth, we can pray that the Lord may bring someone else who could share the gospel with them. Let us have hope that those who seem unreachable can be reached by God Almighty. No one is too far gone for His arm to rescue!

Father God,

Thank You for loving me so much that You sent Your Son to die for my sins so that I can be in fellowship with You forever. You know how badly I want my friends and family to know You like I do. In fact, You love them more than I do because You created them.

I ask that You would begin to prepare their heart to receive your grace to believe that Jesus is the only way to true forgiveness and eternal life. Draw them to You, I pray.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.