Requirements of Waiting..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 Requirements of Waiting

Dr. Charles Stanley

Psalms 25:3-5

Waiting for God's timing is neither passive nor idle--it takes discipline and commitment. I can think of four basic requirements for successful waiting.

Faith. The Lord's ways and timing are nothing like ours (Isa. 55:8-9). From a human standpoint, He usually does things in a totally different way than we expect. But as we trust Him more, we'll discover that His approach isn't so strange after all. And when we live in harmony with God's will, His timing starts to make sense.

Humility. To wait for the Lord, you must be convinced of your need for Him. Submission to His divine will requires humility--you cannot charge ahead with your own plans and at the same time be fully surrendered to God.

Patience. Are you willing to remain in your current position until you receive clear divine direction? Pausing for clarity from God does not mean that you disengage and allow circumstances to fall apart around you. Waiting upon the Lord is a deliberate decision that requires patience.

Courage. Waiting for God often takes courage, especially when there is pressure to act. If you're not careful, you might stop listening to the Lord and follow other advice. So keep your ear attuned to the voice of Almighty God, and you won t go wrong.

Waiting upon the Lord is one of the wisest, most important decisions we make in life. And contrary to popular assumptions, it is an active endeavor that requires faith, humility, patience, and courage. When you rely upon God and wait for His timing, the various facets of life fall into place.

The Omnipresence of God..... Craig Denison

 The Omnipresence of God

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview:

Living an unveiled lifestyle is the way in which we experience the fullness of what’s available to us in our restored relationship with God. It’s a powerful lifestyle of faith, direct encounters with our heavenly Father, and life transformation. It’s when we live our lives in light of the perfect sacrifice of Jesus that we begin to experience all his death was purposed to bring us. God longs for his children to walk in intimacy with him directly connected to his wellspring of love for us. May you experience a more tangible, loving, and powerful connection with your heavenly Father this week.

Scripture:“Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars.” Psalm 84:3

Devotional:

The presence of our God is everywhere. He moves, lives, breathes, and works all around us. Psalm 84:3 declares the extensiveness of our heavenly Father’s presence in saying, “Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars.” Psalm 84 proclaims that even the birds of the air find their home before the altars of the almighty, living God. Even the birds of the air come before God’s presence as they lay their young in the canopies. The psalm begs the question: if the birds come before their Creator while simply existing here on Earth, how much more available is the presence of our heavenly Father to us, his children? How much farther does his hand reach to us who are now covered by the powerful sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ?

There is nowhere we can run to and escape God’s reach. David writes in Psalm 139:7-12, “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,’ even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.” The God of all comfort, of all mercy, of all forgiveness, and of all love surrounds you right now. And as a child of God, his Spirit now dwells within you.

Prior to Jesus’ death, God’s people did not have constant access to the fullness of his presence. The nature of his holiness and our sin created an insurmountable crevasse between us and him. But through Jesus’ death, we now have access to God’s nearness any time, any place. The veil between God and us has been torn, and we can now live our lives constantly experiencing the manifest presence of our heavenly Father.

Where do you need God’s presence to fill you today? Where do you need comfort, peace, or  patience? Where do you need to be loved, held, liked, or wanted? Your heavenly Father is waiting to run out to meet you as the father did with the prodigal son. He’s waiting to throw you a party where you are his guest of honor. He loves you, likes you, wants you, and now, he has you. There is no better experience in life than connecting directly with your heavenly Father. May you open your heart and experience all that he longs to pour out over you today as you spend time encountering him in prayer.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the omnipresence of God. Renew your mind to the availability of his tangible presence.

“Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars.” - Psalm 84:3

“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,’ even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.” - Psalm 139:7-12

2. Now ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his presence around you. Ask him to show you his face. Ask him how he feels about you and what he wants to do in, around, and through you today. Open your heart and mind to him. Tear down any walls you have built up between you and him.

3. Rest in the glorious presence of your heavenly Father. Take time to allow his presence to go deeper and deeper. Ask him to make you increasingly aware of his goodness and nearness.

“How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise!” - Psalm 84:1-4

We are created for direct connection with our heavenly Father. Experiencing him is meant to be our lifeblood. Walking and talking with him is the absolute most important part of life. From this type of relationship with God comes purpose, ability, grace, and love for others. This connection is what fuels us to live life here fulfilled, satisfied, empowered, and open to the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Fight for your relationship with God above all else. Let nothing come before time spent with your heavenly Father in experiencing his goodness. May you live, breathe, move, and work in the presence of God today.

Extended Reading: Psalm 84

Timeless Truths of Parenting..... BINU SAMUEL

 Timeless Truths of Parenting

BINU SAMUEL

“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NIV)

My firstborn had just received his driver’s permit. Yikes! So there we were, in an empty parking lot. I asked my younger son to buckle up as his big brother was about to take over the wheel. When I turned around, I couldn’t help but laugh. He had every seat belt in the backseat somehow strapped on him. What a perfect image of how I was feeling at that exact moment!

Every stage of raising our children is exciting but scary. I’m no parenting expert, but thankfully, God is, and His Word is filled with timeless truths to help us navigate this parenting journey. Here are three biblical, practical actions we can do every day to make sure we’re parenting our kids God’s way:

#1. Pray. Don’t ever underestimate the power of prayer. It’s the most powerful tool we have. Pray for the present; pray for the future. It’s never too early or too late to start praying for your children’s schools, friendships, spouses, careers and ministries. Yes, I said ministries! Set aside one day a week (or even one meal a week) to fast and pray specifically for your children.

Philippians 4:6 tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (NIV). And every situation means everything! From potty training to driving lessons, if it concerns you, it concerns the heart of our loving heavenly Father.

Let prayer for our children be our go-to and not our last resort.

#2. Protect. Our children need our protection, not just from obvious predators but from themselves. Proverbs 22:15 says, “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child” (KJV). Even the best of kids, left to themselves and to their own curiosity, may do things they normally wouldn’t do. They need our active protection in their lives from dangers they won’t recognize.

We can protect our kids by being authentically present, being involved in what our kids are taking in and being lovingly vigilant in guarding their innocence. God gave us to our kids for a reason!

#3. Teach. Two hours of church a week isn’t much time for our children to learn everything they need to know about God. We must teach our children the Word of God practically through everyday life experiences.

In Deuteronomy Chapter 5, Moses summoned the entire Israelite community. Once gathered together, Moses read aloud the Ten Commandments “in [their] hearing” (Deuteronomy 5:1, NIV). He urged the people not to just obey these commands but to pass them on to the next generation.

“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).

So whether we are in the car, at home eating dinner or saying a quick prayer over them before they head out the door, God wants us to take advantage of every moment we have with our children. They may not always appear to be listening, but we can trust that as we obey God’s command in Deuteronomy 6, He is allowing something to soak into their minds.

We won’t always get it right, and that’s OK. Keep praying, keep protecting, keep teaching and keep trusting God. He is faithful, “… keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments” (Deuteronomy 7:9b, NIV).

Kids will be kids … but parents still need to be parents. So buckle up and enjoy the ride.

Heavenly Father, teach us as we teach the next generation. I pray that Your Word spoken through our mouths will fall on good soil and will reap a harvest of godliness for generations to come. As King Solomon prayed, so we pray: Give us the wisdom that we might lead these great people. (2 Chronicles 1:10) We cannot do this in our own strength. We need You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

When We Get Too Weary (Galatians 6:9)..... By Anne Peterson

 When We Get Too Weary (Galatians 6:9)

By Anne Peterson

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. - Galatians 6:9

Let’s face it, we all get weary. Wiping the sleep out of our eyes, we know that we’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing. A pandemic was one of the worst things some of us have been through. It is scary to see the infection numbers and the rising count of those lost. Even though we know, at least here in America, that following the guidelines is helping. We are doing what is good. But even that can be taxing.

And sometimes, we look around and see others who are not following suit. And inside of us rises similar feelings like that of the prodigal son’s brother. Here he had been the obedient one and yet, when his prodigal brother returned, he saw his father run to him. Put a robe on his back and a ring on his finger (Luke 15: 11-32).

Sometimes it’s hard to do the right thing when everyone is not complying. And sometimes, like Peter who saw John coming and wondered what John’s position would be with Jesus (John 21:20-22). Instead of just doing what we know we should be doing, we start wondering about others.

What do we do when we get weary? When we think we can’t keep going? The answer is to go to the one who never tires or grows weary (Isaiah 40:28).

God tells us that he will strengthen us and help us (Isaiah 41:10).

He tells us when our strength starts waning, he will renew it and we will soar like eagles (Isaiah 40:31).

And when we think we can no longer do what is asked of us, like Paul we can recognize the source of our strength (Philippians 4:13).

We rise and go through the motions, often feeling helpless. But we must remember that God is sovereign. We are not in this alone. God has promised that he would never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6). And God is not a man that he should lie (Numbers 23:19).

We are not alone. So do not grow weary in doing good.

With Me

I told the Lord, “This journey’s long,”
He said, “I know the length.”

I told Him, “But I’m faint and weak.”
He said, “I’ll give you strength.”

No matter what my words—God heard;
He listened patiently.

But what has meant the most is this,
my Father walks with me.

-Anne Peterson

We Never Face Our Battles Alone: A Reminder That God Is with Us..... by Debbie McDaniel

 We Never Face Our Battles Alone: A Reminder That God Is with Us

by Debbie McDaniel

“And the Lord answered, ‘I will be with you..." Judges 6:16

Some days can seem hurried, pressured, and tense. We know God’s truth, we believe His goodness, and yet we still find ourselves struggling, minds racing, before our feet even touch the floor in the morning.

Our focus gets blurred. We start listening to the lies of other voices that do more harm than good. The constant media headlines tell us how dark and broken our world is. Images and reminders all around us shout that we’re “not enough.” The enemy is great at heaping on guilt, condemnation, and fear. The problems we face seem more like giants of impossibility than anything good that God can ever bring from them.

But often, out of His goodness and grace, when we find ourselves right smack in the middle of huge feelings of defeat, God shows up strong.

Many others have been there too. All through the Bible, story after story tells us of those who needed God’s reminders that He was near. With them. Close.

And He never failed, not once.

Gideon found himself feeling weak and afraid. In Judges 6, we find that he and his people were facing great suffering and defeat at the hand of the enemy. He doubted God was even with him. In fact, when an angel showed up, he was threshing his wheat in the pit of a winepress, not up on a hilltop where this was usually done. He was fearful and trying to keep hidden from view of the enemy who’d been raiding their land. The angel spoke straight through to his fear and weakness, "When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior." Judges 6:12

Don’t you love that he called him “mighty warrior” right at the time he felt so discouraged and afraid?

But God sees "mighty" when we see "weak." He sees victory when we see defeat. He gives hope, when we're filled with disappointment.

Gideon questioned, "If God was with us, then why did this happen?"

Sounds familiar...ever been there?

“If God is really here, then why?”

“If God is really good, then when?”

“If God really cares, then how?”

And even with the questions, after His people had turned their backs on Him, God is still gracious, patient, loving, and kind. He sends his messenger to encourage, to remind Gideon and all of the Israelites, that He was surely with them.

Yet while staring straight at an angel, Gideon continued to persist with defeated thoughts, "But I am the weakest, I am the least...how can God save Israel?"

“And the Lord answered, ‘I will be with you..." Judges 6:16

Five powerful words. That can see us through anything we face in this life.

“I will be with you.”

God's presence is real. He gives us strength for every day. The battle can be intense. And some days especially, the enemy seems really strong, and we feel really weary. We can find ourselves wrestling again with the same defeated thoughts that we thought we'd finally laid to rest just the night before. Disappointments come. We struggle with feeling like we haven't measured up, we listen to the lies that we are "less than..."

But God still answers us. Just like He did for Gideon.

He's still with us, no matter how we might feel, or what struggles flood our thoughts. He is filling us with the power and grace of His Spirit, just enough for the day.

For this day.

A reminder for your heart, in whatever you might be facing, "The Lord is with you...mighty warrior."

Peace.

Intersecting Faith & Life: How do you need to be reminded of God’s Presence? Is there an area you’ve been struggling to carry on your own? Just like Gideon, God never asks us to fight the battles we face all be ourselves. He reminds us that He fights for us, and most importantly, that He’s with us. Give Him your struggle again today, lay it down, and trust God to work powerfully on your behalf.

Further Reading:
2 Corinthians 12:9
Joshua 1:9
Deuteronomy 31:6
Psalm 27:1

A Prayer for When You Feel Like a Bad Parent..... By Keneesha Saunders-Liddie

 A Prayer for When You Feel Like a Bad Parent

By Keneesha Saunders-Liddie

Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.  – Deuteronomy 4:9

There is no manual for the children God gives us to raise. There is no one-size-fits-all rulebook. All we can do is our best. My daughter was amazingly low maintenance until she reached 20 months. But now, she is so inquisitive that I have to watch her every move. What has really surprised me, however, is the temper tantrums. They seemed to come out of nowhere. She isn’t two, and yet and she’s saying “no” and throwing things.

My daughter can throw many tantrums in a day. Sometimes, I am so surprised by the anger that bubbles up inside of me. At times I get extremely frustrated and I can’t help but compare my reaction to God, our loving father. Unlike me, he is so patient with us and he truly forgives us whenever we mess up.

When we don’t know what to do as parents, we can turn to the Word of God and see what his relationship with us is like.

God tells us what we should do with the little ones he has entrusted in our care. As we live out our Christian lives in front of our children, let us be mindful that they are watching us. His Word reminds us to be careful and watch ourselves so that we can be a godly example before our children and our grandchildren.

Give yourself grace; you are not God. As you grow in your walk as a parent, realize that God has chosen you, specifically you, for the amazing children he has given to you. He will and is already equipping you for whatever parenting battles you face. As 1 Thessalonians 5:24 tells us, “He who has called you is faithful, he will surely do it.”

Let’s pray:

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the way you love and constantly provide for me. You have blessed me bountifully with the children I truly love. I can never ever love them more than you do, and so I surrender my desire for control into your loving hands. I ask that you would do the work that only you can do in their lives. I thank you for your provision for the family you have blessed me with. I want to relax and be the parent you want me to be. Lord, although I feel like I’m not doing a good job, help me to do my very best. What may work for my child might not work for someone else, so help me to be confident and at peace that you will equip me for the children I have. I want to teach my children about your love and goodness and all about you so they may grow up to love and serve you.

In Jesus Name, Amen.