Breaking Down the Faith Barrier..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 Breaking Down the Faith Barrier

Dr. Charles Stanley

Exodus 4:1-13

A faith barrier is made up of attitudes that short-circuit our trust and prevent us from obeying the Lord's will. A negative self-image can hinder us in this way, as can ignorance of God's character and promises. Three other attitudes can also trip us up: doubt, feelings of inadequacy, and fear of failure.

Moses doubted that the Israelites would believe he had been chosen by the Lord to lead them. But God graciously provided reassurance--in the form of evidence that He could accomplish everything He'd promised (Ex. 4:1-5). When doubt invades our minds, it can be overcome with diligent study of Scripture and persistent prayer, which will dislodge uncertainty and replace it with biblical truth.

Moses wasn't eloquent, and a perceived lack of skill left him feeling inadequate for the job--he was afraid trying to speak would make him stumble. God patiently reassured him of divine help in that task. The Lord often chooses unlikely people to carry out His plan because He looks at the heart, not human qualifications (1 Sam. 16:7). He can overcome all our inadequacies.

Sadly, Moses did not embrace what God promised but instead asked to be relieved of the assignment. A fear of failure can prevent us from saying yes to the Lord.

Carrying out God's will requires a heart that trusts Him, a soul that steps out in obedience, and a mind that leaves success or failure to Him. As we break down the faith barrier, we will be able to see the evidence of God's presence and power--and experience the joy of obedience.

Seeking God in Solitude..... Craig Denison

 Seeking God in Solitude

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:“And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.” - Matthew 14:23

Devotional:

Our world is filled with hustle and bustle. We reward busyness as if always working, striving, and achieving were the true marks of a life well-lived. We elevate those who have given everything to gain success. To be tired is to be weak. To be in need is to fail. To rest instead of work is to be lazy or selfish. As believers, we’re living in a society whose values do not match that of our heavenly Father’s. We need an adjustment of perspective.

We are created for time spent alone with our heavenly Father, away from the cares and ways of the world. We are created to seek God in solitude. Jesus modeled this important principle throughout his ministry. Luke 5:15-16 says, “But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.” >Mark 1:35 says, “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” And Matthew 14:23 says, “And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.” If Jesus needed time alone with the Father, you and I most certainly do.

Solitude is vital in our pursuit of deeper relationship with our heavenly Father. What would a marriage be if the couple only ever saw each other in large groups? What would a friendship be if you never spent time as just the two of you? Yet countless believers, Sunday after Sunday, file through church doors to meet with a God they are not encountering in the secret place. Our heavenly Father loves corporate worship to be sure, but community is intended to be an extension of the love and transformation we are receiving in solitude with God. Matthew 6:6 says, “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” It’s in the secret place that we learn what our Father is really like. It’s in the secret place that we discern what his voice sounds like, find his heartbeat, and become like him.

Without solitude our faith will not stretch into the inner places of our hearts that so desperately need to be flooded with the light of glorious relationship with our heavenly Father. If you long to be loved, it’s in the secret place you’ll discover the wellspring of affections found in the heart of God. If you need someone to listen, it’s in solitude you’ll discover the always listening ear of your heavenly Father. And if you need a friend, it’s in time spent alone fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit that you will find a friend who will never leave you, forsake you, hurt you, or mislead you.

May you discover what you’ve been longing for in the secret place with God. May you pursue deeper connection with your heavenly Father through the wonderful discipline of solitude.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s desire to meet with you in the secret place.

“But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” - >Matthew 6:6

2. Reflect on your need for solitude. If Jesus needed time with the Father, receive the truth that you need it as well.

“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” - >Mark 1:35

“But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.” - >Luke 5:15-16

“And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.” - >Matthew 14:23

3. Spend time alone pursuing God in solitude. Allow the silence to draw you into a deeper place of reflection. What has been hurting you? Where do you need your heavenly Father’s affections?

“But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.” >Galatians 1:15-17

St. Anselm of Canterbury wrote, “Enter into the inner chamber of your mind. Shut out all things save God and whatever may aid you in seeking God; and having barred the door of your chamber, seek him.” May you find the everlasting love of God as you seek him in solitude.

Extended Reading: Matthew 4

Obedience Will Open Doors You Never Thought Possible... NICHOLE KIRK

 Obedience Will Open Doors You Never Thought Possible

NICHOLE KIRK

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James 1:22 (ESV)

“I feel like God is telling me to take a huge leap of faith, and although it seems really uncertain right now … I think we should do it.”

These words were scary coming from my mouth as I sat in our living room with my husband. I was 35 weeks pregnant with our firstborn, talking about leaving my well-paying job to jump into the dream of building a business with the mission to create more conversations about Jesus.

My husband was on a teaching salary, which didn’t quite cover all of our expenses each month. But he grabbed my hand, smiled at me and said, “Let’s do it.” As we prayed together, the Holy Spirit made it so clear that this was the path that He had for us. How would we make it financially? We weren’t sure. The only things we were certain about were that God was leading us and that we would listen.

God calls each of us to do big and sometimes scary things. Taking that first step of obedience might look like:

• Moving to a new place God is calling you to.
• Speaking up in a situation the Holy Spirit placed on your heart.
• Starting your own small group to lead others to Jesus.

Our key verse, James 1:22, is at the beginning of a passage about being people of action and not just listeners:

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing” (James 1:22-25, ESV).

The Greek translation of “do” in this passage is “poieo,” which means to “do well.” So don’t just sit idly by and listen to His Word — do what it says and do it well. Don’t just listen to the sermon, walk out the door and forget. Be encouraged — go out into the world and do the hard things!

Hold close your relationship with Jesus and walk with Him through your day. The more you do this, the easier it will be to hear what He wants you to go out and do. We are each given a job while we are here on this earth, and if we don’t listen closely to what God is speaking to us, we just might miss it.

Most of the time, it’s going to be outside of your comfort zone. I remember being so scared the first time I felt the nudge to go pray over a stranger. Who? Me? I’m not good with words and have never felt “qualified” for things like that, but I had been in a habit of saying “yes” and couldn’t stop now. The result? The Holy Spirit took over and I have a memory I will never forget.

The journey of obedience hasn’t been easy, and I am far from perfect, but I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world. Each nudge has made me bolder. Each “yes” has changed lives. Following Jesus doesn’t result in life being easy and prosperous; Jesus tells us this in John 16:33. But I can tell you that, with each step of obedience you take, doors will open, and amazing things will happen.

So what does it look like for me now after doing the scary thing?

I’ve been stepping out in faith and listening so closely for His whispers, and amazing things have happened. Through the business my husband and I launched, we are creating conversations about Jesus all over the world — across the United States and 25 other countries. And it’s no longer just me; five incredible women have joined us in keeping our mission moving. I still have to surrender financial worries daily, but there is so much freedom in surrendering everything to Him. He has always taken care of us as we have followed His lead.

God is always nudging us to do uncomfortable things. Always whispering plans in our ears. And we listen because we know He has a reason behind every little thing even if we can’t see it yet.

When you feel that nudge on your heart to do something uncomfortable, or maybe even a little crazy, will you act on it? Will you let down your guard, step out and do the scary thing? I can tell you right now, there isn’t anything too big or too scary for our God. He’s writing your story … just let Him take the lead.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the opportunity to hear from You and for encouraging me toward the beautiful life You have for me. Please give me boldness to pursue the things You’ve placed on my heart, and comfort me when they feel like too much for me. I know that, with You, anything is possible. Help me be a doer of Your Word and not just a hearer. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Discerning Lies from Truth..... By: Kia Stephens

 Discerning Lies from Truth

By: Kia Stephens

“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” - Genesis 3:4-5 (NIV)

There are lies that immediately sound like lies and then there are those that closely resemble the truth. In those instances, we have to be able to exercise discernment. This is the only way to identify falsehood and refute it with the truth of God’s Word.

In the book of Genesis 2:16 (NIV), the Lord God commanded Adam, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” Here we see God gave Adam a clear command. God explained why He gave the command and he took the time to point out all of the alternative options in the garden that Adam could choose instead.

From a parenting standpoint, God clearly created boundaries and parameters for Adam and Eve to follow. Unfortunately, the breakdown in communication occurred when Satan, in a cunning and sly way, deceived Eve into believing what God said was not true.

This is a lesson for all of us. When thoughts come to us, we should measure their authenticity against God’s Word. We have the luxury of having God’s Word as close as our nearest device if we so choose. All we need to do is read it.

Eve, on the other hand, had to rely on her memory and it proved to be an insufficient match for the serpent. “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4-5 (NIV) The serpent told a lie. No, Eve would not die an immediate physical death, but she would eventually die. The devil knew this when he approached her.

He also knew that she would die a spiritual death as well. The serpent did not explain this to Eve because had he done so, the decision of whether or not to obey God would have been an easier no. When we are tempted to disobey God, we too need to weigh all the possible consequences of our actions. What may seem like an okay or harmless decision could have lasting repercussions.

The Serpent sweetened his scheme by tempting Eve with the possibility of becoming like God. He appealed to a secret desire in her heart to be all-knowing. This lets us know that the devil knows us intimately. He can hear our thoughts and use them to impact our decisions.

Once our desires are involved resisting lies becomes that much more difficult. We must discern whether opportunities that are placed before us come from God or are traps set by the enemy. The only way to do this is to immerse ourselves in the word of God. In doing so we can readily recognize when an opportunity is rooted in lies or founded on truth.

Seeking God for the Right Reasons..... by Sarah Phillips

 Seeking God for the Right Reasons

by Sarah Phillips

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21

I ran across an article years ago that really touched me. In her piece "A Change of Plans," Lindsy Pike details the excruciating decision to call off her wedding to a man she loved dearly. Reflecting on the mix of pain and peace that comes with any situation where we must give up something precious, Pike rewinds a few centuries to Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, Isaac:

"God promised to give Abraham a son and finally, after years of waiting, God came through, with Isaac. Why in the world would God ask Abraham to give up that gift? In my opinion, it is for the same reason He asked me to call off my wedding. God wants us to love Him more than we love His promises. The minute we get those out of order, He readjusts us.”

While we don’t fully know the mind of God in Abraham’s situation, Pike’s simple thought sheds light on a struggle I think all of us encounter at some time in our lives – the struggle to love God above everything else, even His blessings. God wants us to love Him because of who He is, not what He can give us. Yet, how often do we confuse our love of God’s promises with love of Him? How often do we see Him as the divine blessing machine, ready to dole out happiness on our terms? The popularity of "prosperity theology" reveals how easy it is for believers to twist love of God into the pursuit of earthly happiness.

To be honest, it’s not just greed that gets in the way of loving God. It’s also a limited understanding of who God is. I used to wonder how some Christians could sit for over an hour praying. Is God really that interesting? I’d wonder. This type of thinking reveals a fundamental flaw in how I perceived God, and I think that flaw is what keeps many from coming to Christ in the first place. It’s easy to see Him as limited like we are limited. It’s easy to forget that God is truly our all in all. As C.S. Lewis once said, “God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.”

Still, had I not gone through a similar situation, I might not have believed Pike’s sincerity when she says: "I am thankful for His grace that saved me from ruining my life by pursuing my dream."

In a “reach for the stars, be anything you can be” culture, the idea that pursuing any dream could ruin my life seems foreign. The more I think about it, though, the more I see that living outside God’s will – even if it is for a “good reason” – is a recipe for failure.

Yet, when we give up our dreams for something greater - for Someone greater than ourselves - we begin to see we can trust God no matter what. We find solace in the incredible peace that comes with knowing that even if life here includes sorrow or dreams unfulfilled, there is a God that transcends not only all that’s missing in this life, but also all the good this life has to offer.

Intersecting Faith & Life: This week, do something for God without expecting any reward or blessing in return.

Further Reading

John 16:33

A Prayer to be Sober-Minded..... By: Lindsay Tedder

 A Prayer to be Sober-Minded

By: Lindsay Tedder

“Be sober-minded, alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.” - 1 Peter 5:8

Maybe you’ve heard the verse above?

Maybe you read it just now and thought to yourself “great…another reminder that the enemy is lurking around every corner looking to devour me. Fabulous.”

You may have even said “Ugh…been there, read that…next!”

But stick with me a minute, I think it will be worth it.

Sitting in my living room with several women during a small group, someone read this verse aloud. She was sharing her thoughts when my own began to speak so loudly inside my brain that I could no longer make out what she was saying. My brain clung to the word “anyone.” Never before had that word stuck out to me, but in that moment, it was alarmingly loud.

You see, in the eyes of the enemy, you and I are not anything special. We are “anyone” … “a dime a dozen” … “nothing to write home about.” In the eyes of the enemy we mean nothing. He is looking for literally anyone who can be distracted from their duties in Christ long enough to be devoured.

I, all too often, fall victim to the distracted mentality that quickly becomes a breeding ground for the enemy. I am a work-from-home mom to a busy toddler and the distractions of simply parenting all day can easily keep me far removed from my duties in Christ. That’s where the beginning of the verse comes into play. But what does it look like to be sober-minded and alert? If I’m honest, the sound of it just makes more tired than I already am.

What I often fail to realize is that this call to be alert and of sober mind should be my utmost priority. I should place this above everything else in my life. Before I clean the kitchen, before I make the 8000th snack of the day, before I make my beloved coffee; I should be controlling my thoughts and returning them to my Creator.

During the first couple years as a new mom, I felt anything but alert. In fact, I more often than not, just felt extremely exhausted and on the verge of failure. I didn’t comprehend that in order to be the parent that He called me to be, I had to invest in myself first. I had to show my son what it looked like to struggle, who to turn to in my time of need, and how to correct my course, in order to gain that alert and sober-minded mentality.

It helped that as I matured in motherhood, my boy was maturing in age and comprehension. We grew together during this wild ride. We created a space where he can learn by example and share in my struggles and my growth.

Are you alert and sober-minded? Take a minute and evaluate your spiritual life – what is distracting you and causing you to fix your gaze on something or someone other than Christ? Even good things like our children, our jobs and our church can pull our gaze inward instead of upward. Take a minute and pray this prayer for sober-mindness, and trust that God is eager and ready to give it to you:

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for the reminder that the enemy is looking for anyone. Thank you for letting that word stand out to me that day. I realize that being alert and sober-minded is a moment-by-moment choice. I know that I easily get distracted and derailed by the chaos of this world. Please help me to surrender my thoughts to you in an effort to remain alert and sober-minded. Please help to keep me more in step with You and less distracted by the chaos of this world. Thank you for the reminder that failure isn’t really failing so much as it is learning. Thank you for choosing me. Thank you for creating me unique. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for making me your most prized possession and not seeing me as “anyone.” In your eyes, I am someone. I am your beloved child. In Jesus' name, Amen.