The Trap of Discouragement..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 The Trap of Discouragement

Dr. Charles Stanley

Habakkuk 1:2

Do you feel stuck in discouragement? If so, you are not alone.

At some point everyone experiences dashed hopes. Disappointment—an emotional response to a failed expectation—is the normal initial reaction. But allowed to linger, it can turn into discouragement, which hovers like a dense cloud. When that’s the case, there is no sense of joy or contentment, no matter what you do.

The circumstances that trigger these emotions may be unavoidable, but the way we respond is a choice. We can either let sadness overwhelm our souls or face the situation with courage and bring it before the One who can help us.

Living in discouragement will divide the mind, making it hard to focus on anything besides our pain. Then as anger becomes habitual, we’ll look for someone to blame—whether God, people around us, or ourself.

Frustration that isn’t handled well may develop into depression, which in turn can estrange us from others—people do not enjoy the company of someone who’s bitter and defeated. This isolation leads to a low self-esteem. Finally, in a fog of discouragement, we can make poor decisions based on crushed emotions instead of truth. Obviously, choosing this self-destructive path is not God’s best for our lives.

Though we’ll all face disappointment from time to time, believers are not to wallow in it. Instead, God wants us to trust Him with everything—even our unmet expectations and deepest sadnesses. Remember, there is divine purpose for everything He allows to touch His children’s lives (Rom. 8:28).

Seeking God through His Creation..... Craig Denison

 Seeking God through His Creation

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview:

Learning to seek the face of God is the foundation for experiencing the amazing life Jesus died to give us. We have available to us through Christ all the wonders, excellencies, and satisfaction we can fathom. God has granted us grace upon grace, mercy upon mercy, affection upon affection, and love upon love. When we pursue him through all the avenues available to us, a door is opened in which we discover all our heavenly Father longs to give us. May you grow in your pursuit of God this week as we study various ways we’ve been given to seek his face.

Scripture:“You are the Lord, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.” - Nehemiah 9:6

Devotional:

Every part of creation, from the smallest of insects to the mountains in all their grandeur, proclaims the unspoken glory of God. Every living creature, rock, grain of sand, and mountain stream was created for a specific purpose. In the lilies of the field and the birds of the air, we discover God’s faithfulness and provision (Matthew 6:28-30). With every sunrise we are reminded of Jesus’ imminent return (Psalm 19:4-5). And with every gust of wind we are beckoned to live our lives as people of the Spirit (John 3:8).

Job 12:7-10 says, “But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.” Are you allowing God to teach you through his creation? Are you taking in the unspeakable mystery and majesty found in the work of God’s hands? Or are you merely passing by these beautiful, intentional poems written on the pages of leaves, blades, and dirt by the hand of your heavenly Father?

Psalm 19:1-4 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.” God is always speaking to you. Every piece of creation declares to you the depth of God’s love, power, faithfulness, and nearness. Will you afford yourself the opportunity to stop and listen? Will you make space to open the eyes of your heart to receive the beauty, creativity, and love of your heavenly Father faithfully displayed before your very eyes?

To seek God without taking notice of his creation is to miss out on one of the most tangible and beautiful ways he speaks to us. It isn’t too mystical or “out there” to ask God to show you his intent behind his creation. It’s wholly Christian to spend time looking at and reflecting on the work of God’s hands. Children of God across thousands of years have used creation to learn about their Creator. Scripture is filled with revelation received by God speaking through his creation. He has made everything as he did for a perfect and beneficial reason. May we be children who seek God through every avenue available to us. May we be believers who have the faith and patience to learn about our heavenly Father by the work of his hands.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s desire to speak to you through his creation. Allow Scripture to renew your mind.

“But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.” - Job 12:7-10

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat.” Psalm 19:1-6

2. Take some time to reflect on creation around you. It could be a flower, water, animal, or whatever you see.

“You are the Lord, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.” - Nehemiah 9:6

3. Now ask God to teach you about his creation. What does he want to reveal about you and or himself?

“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” Psalm 8:3-4

A. W. Tozer said, “God dwells in His creation and is everywhere indivisibly present in all His works. He is transcendent above all His works even while He is immanent within them.” May you go about your day with the knowledge that God is near to you. May creation declare to you the limitless love of your heavenly Father.

Extended Reading: Psalm 104

You Have Been Prepared..... SHALA W. GRAHAM

 You Have Been Prepared

SHALA W. GRAHAM

“But Moses protested to God, ‘Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?’” Exodus 3:11 (NLT) 

I don’t like feeling unprepared. There is something in me that wants to cross all my t’s and dot all my i’s. Preparation makes me feel like there is a greater chance of success ahead of me. And I like to be successful at whatever I do.

Sure, there are times when I’m cool with “winging it.” For instance, I went to the grocery store without my neatly typed-up grocery list with checkboxes next to each item. Yes, I inevitably forgot some things, but I can always go back to the store if we really need hot dogs.

But when it’s imperative, when the result of my effort impacts other people in significant ways, I want to be prepared.

When my mom moved in with us at the end of 2020, I was in preparation overdrive. We needed everything from a bed to storage solutions. The space plan had to be functional so that Mom could maintain independence. The closet needed to be purged of all the clothes that I would never fit into again. The bathroom required accessibility devices. And every doctor needed to be researched and carefully chosen to provide the best medical and cultural care for my mother.

I feel this passionately about being prepared for things God has specifically called me to do. Lord, I don’t want to mess this up!

Too often, I don’t think I’m prepared enough or even qualified to do what God is asking. So I’ll postpone the calling, waiting for the seemingly opportune time or when preparation — according to me — has been achieved.

Moses had a similar struggle. Long after he ran away from Egypt, he was minding his own business, taking care of sheep near the mountain of God, when the Lord spoke to him from a burning bush.

“‘Look! The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them. Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.’ But Moses protested to God, ‘Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?’ God answered, ‘I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.’” (Exodus 3:9-12, NLT)

On the surface, Moses’ rebuttal seems plausible, even humble. He was just a lowly shepherd for his father-in-law, doing his best to take care of his family. Who was he to talk to Pharaoh and lead millions of Israelites out of Egypt?

But let’s not forget the beginning of Moses’ story. Moses was found by Pharaoh’s daughter as a baby and lived as a part of the royal household of Egypt for 40 years! Forty years sounds like a long time to learn all of Egypt’s necessary customs and build relationships with Pharaoh and his family.

Maybe Moses forgot about the first half of his life. But God didn’t. God was preparing him for his calling. And God has prepared you for whatever He is calling you to do from the burning bush in your heart. You may just need a friend to jog your memory to see all of the ways God has been cultivating you.

Even still, you may be overwhelmed. But the answer God gave to Moses is the same answer He gives to you: “I will be with you” (Exodus 3:12a, NLT). That’s all you need. God’s presence in your life completes your preparation to answer your calling. God is with you, friend!

Father, Your promise to be with me is all that I need to courageously chase my calling, no matter the season. When I feel anxious or unprepared, send me a gentle reminder of Your powerful presence. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Lost Word (2 Chronicles 34:15)..... By Brent Rinehart

 The Lost Word (2 Chronicles 34:15)

By Brent Rinehart

“Then Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan” (2 Chronicles 34:15)

It’s hard to imagine a church, body of believers or even an individual Christian who loses interest in God’s Word. How does one set aside such an important book? How does a people lose touch with God like this?

Whenever I read this story about the reign of King Josiah in Judah, found in 2 Chronicles 34, I’m in awe. Josiah became king when he was only eight years old. I have two small children, so that fact in and of itself is enough to make you pause. But, the story gets better.

Both his father (Amon) and his grandfather (Manasseh) did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. But, his great-grandfather Hezekiah was a good king who “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord” (2 Chronicles 29:2). Based on the math, it was about 86 years between Hezekiah’s reign and Josiah’s. In the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t that long. But, it was long enough for an entire nation to fall away from God so far that even the Book of the Law couldn’t be found in the Temple.

Any of us who have started a New Year’s Resolution that never made it out of January understand that it’s way harder to form a new positive habit than it is to break one. Many times, my best intentions are derailed by a missed day here and there that turns into a week or a month.

How did the Book of the Law come to be put aside after the reign of King Hezekiah? It probably started small. A day here and a day there. Like a slow fade, people slowly begin to forget about God’s law. People relied less on His Word, because they didn’t even know what was in it. Before you know it, generations have fallen away and followed their own ways instead of God’s.

It is tempting to solely apply the truths in this account to what we see in the secularization of America, with good reason. But, when I read this passage, I think about myself. I recall those New Year’s resolutions that fall so quickly to their ruin. The exercise schedules that never truly get off the ground. The healthy eating plans sidelined by my love of Chick-fil-a and ice cream.

A healthy relationship with God mandates a healthy appetite for His Word. “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119: 103). The Bible is God’s main method of communication with His children. We should crave hearing from Him. If we aren’t reading His Word regularly, we run the risk of slowly falling away until we are no better than the Israelites who couldn’t even find the copy of the Book of the Law. They eventually found it buried under piles of ruin the other kings had let become of the Temple.

What things in my life – what rubbish – is keeping me from God’s Word?

We need the comfort, direction and rejuvenation that comes from reading God’s Word daily. A dusty Bible is a recipe for a doomed life. A lost Bible is what will lead to a lost soul.

The Sisyphus Complex..... by John UpChurch

 The Sisyphus Complex

by John UpChurch

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10, ESV)

I used to have nightmares about King Sisyphus—not really the wake-up-in-a-sweat dreams of childhood, but more the kind of gut-punching thoughts that plague the daytime. Those are worse because you don't wake up.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. First, let's talk about who this king was. According to Greek mythology, King Sisyphus was the Machiavellian politician of his day. While responsible for a number of advancements in navigation, he also made a name for himself by inviting potential rivals to stay at his place and then killing them off to boost his own influence. He had enough wit to stay ahead of the game for many years—until he got caught.

His punishment for all his misdeeds, according to the story, was to push a heavy rock up a hill for eternity. He heaved and puffed and shoved and moved the massive boulder inch by inch up the slope. Then, just as the top came in sight—no matter what the wily king did—the boulder slipped from his grasp and rolled right back down the hill. Sighing, Sisyphus plodded after it and started all over. Heave, puff, roll, sigh. Heave, puff, roll, sigh.

During my younger days, when I fooled myself into thinking the universe had no Creator, that's how I envisioned my life: a useless toiling toward a goal that didn't exist. I pressed forward . . . toward nothing. I strived . . . for nothing. I aimed . . . at nothing. All I knew was the effort. There could be no ultimate goal. My rock went up; my rock came down. As I said, it was a walking nightmare.

After God took the rock of my own efforts and smashed it with the sledgehammer of His grace, I somehow imagined Christianity would be easier. I envisioned taking up this cross He spoke of and skipping through daisies toward the celestial city. I assumed the narrow path went straight to the gates without the least resistance.

What can I say? I was naïve.

My real awakening came from studying the history of the church. After the resurrection of Christ, there's one theme you don't find in Acts and the epistles: You don't find an easy-go-lucky jaunt up the hill for the followers of Christ. You find Stephen being stoned to death, and Peter being saved from prison at the last minute. You find Paul heading from one city that hates him to another that loathes him—with associated beatings, whippings, and shipwrecks. You find James telling people that persecution is a good thing because of the endurance it produces.

When John tells us about the future of the world, he doesn't describe fields of poppies and smiley faces. Let's summarize his vision: pain, death, more death, and then, when nearly all hope has been sucked from the world, Jesus.

I really shouldn't have been surprised by this. But coming from a background of unbelief and purposeless toiling, I carried false assumptions. This was mainly because I didn't know my Bible.

Jesus, however, gives it to us straight. You're blessed when you suffer for His name and for righteousness. You'll notice the statement isn't conditional. He didn't say if we're persecuted; instead, He said "those who are persecuted" (check out Matthew 5:11 for more). In fact, if everything seems too easy and the road flattens out, that's when you need to worry.

Intersecting Faith & Life: You may receive blessings here in this world, but the real end, the real finish line, the real rest after carrying the cross up the hill is obtaining the kingdom. His yoke is easy; his burden is light; and His reward is beyond compare. Just don't expect those daises.

Further Reading
Hebrews 4:1
James 1:1

A Prayer for When Life Gets You Down..... By Carrie Lowrance

 A Prayer for When Life Gets You Down

By Carrie Lowrance

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without fault and it will be given to you.” -James 1:5

Sometimes it’s hard to know how to pray and even what to pray when life gets you down. In my own experience, I always pray for three things: wisdom, discernment and for God’s will to be done.

1. Pray for Wisdom

When we are in the midst of a storm and have to make heavy decisions that seem to have no answers, it can seem like wisdom is eluding us. It is always wise to first ask God for wisdom in order to make decisions. We must not lean on our own knowledge and understanding. According to Proverbs 4:7, wisdom and good judgment are some of the most important things to acquire.

2. Pray for Discernment

It is crucial to pray for the ability to discern God’s voice, for it to be amplified beyond a doubt. We all discern His voice in different ways, from hearing His voice in our head to a feeling of utter peace and stillness. For some of us he speaks very loud and clear. Regardless, praying for discernment helps your spirit weed out the deceiver from a spiritually sound answer.

3. Pray for God's Will

We sometimes get caught up in how we want things to work out or how we think things should go. It’s part of being human. When you realize you’re doing this, stop and pray and ask God for his will to be done. Give Him the praise and the glory because you know you are exactly where He wants you in order to teach you something or for you to grow.

Are things so hard right now that you don’t even know what to pray? Let these words be your cry.

Dear Lord, times are really hard right now and life has really got me down. I don’t know what to do. I ask that You bestow Your wisdom upon me. I don’t want to lean on my own knowledge anymore, because it has let me down so many times. I need to hear Your voice. Give me the discernment to hear Your voice and Your voice alone. Speak to me in the way You know I will hear you best. I also pray for Your Will, Lord. I give You the praise and the glory in my circumstances because I know that I am exactly where You want me. I know this is to teach me something or to help me to grow. No matter what, I trust you and ask You to show what is best in this situation. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen.