Developing Faith through Adversity..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 Developing Faith through Adversity

Dr. Charles Stanley

2 Corinthians 11:23-30

It doesn't seem fair, does it? Paul spent his life serving Christ, and yet he experienced continual suffering. Why would God let one of His most faithful servants go through so much pain? This isn't just a question about Paul; it's an issue we face today. In our minds, the Lord should protect His loyal followers from hardships, but He doesn't necessarily do so.

Maybe our reasoning is backwards. We think faithful Christians don't deserve to suffer, but from God's perspective, suffering is what produces faithful Christians. If we all had lives of ease without opposition, trials, or pain, we'd never really know God, because we'd never need Him. Like it or not, adversity teaches us more about the Lord than simply reading the Bible ever will.

I'm not saying we don't need to know Scripture; that's our foundation for faith. But if what we believe is never tested by adversity, it remains head knowledge. How will we ever know the Lord can be trusted in the midst of trouble if we've never been challenged by hardship? God gives us opportunities to apply scriptural truths to the difficulties facing us, and in the process, we find Him faithful. For example, how would Paul ever have known the strength of Christ if he had never been weakened by pain, persecution, and adversity?

Depending on your response, trials can be God's greatest means of building faith or an avenue to discouragement and self-pity. If you'll believe what Scripture says and apply its principles to your situation, your trust in God will grow, and your faith will be strengthened through adversity.

God Our Great Protector..... Craig Denison

 God Our Great Protector

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview: 

It’s vital to the Christian life that we as sons and daughters of the most high God allow our affections to be stirred by the loving, powerful nature of our heavenly Father. Too often we feel that God is distant or separated from us. Too often we allow misconceptions or lies to place a rift between us and experiencing God. It’s in reminding ourselves of God’s character that lies are broken and a pathway is laid for us to encounter his tangible love. Open your heart and mind and receive fresh revelation of the goodness of God this week. Allow your affections to be stirred and your heart to be filled with desire to seek the face of your heavenly Father.

Scripture:“But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.” - 2 Thessalonians 3:3

Devotional:   

I used to be scared to death any time I heard someone talking about the devil. He always seemed so cunning, too cunning, for me to handle. I saw Christian after Christian enveloped in temptation fall away from what seemed to be God’s will for their life. I heard about the ways in which the world was so tricked by his schemes. And I thought I would never be able to fully defeat this strong and cunning foe.

Do you feel that way? Does your enemy seem too strong to defeat? Does he seem too cunning to outwit? Does it feel like he has so grasped you in his clutches that escape is impossible? The most important fact for you to know about Satan is that he is the father of all lies. John 8:44 says, “He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” Let that truth sink in for a minute. Everything the devil tells you is a lie. He cannot speak full truth. Everything he tells you is in opposition to God, who is the author of all truth. All of the devil’s whispers about his strength and your inability to defeat him are in opposition to the word of God. May we find blissful freedom today in the powerful words of our loving, truthful heavenly Father. May we allow his Spirit to come in and correct the lies of the enemy we have believed so that we might walk in the abundant life available to us through Christ.

2 Thessalonians 3:3 says, “But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.” Our heavenly Father is a perfect, capable protector from Satan. He promises to establish us and guard us. He is always with us and always knows exactly what we need in order to withstand the temptations of the evil one. 1 Corinthians 10:13 teaches us, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” The Holy Spirit will always provide us an exit from temptation. Always. There will never be a temptation that comes your way that you cannot escape when you are under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

One of the enemy’s most used weapons is the lie that you cannot defeat him. He reminds us of our past failures, of his great cunning ways, and of his victories over us. He whispers that he is stronger than us and that we will give in eventually. All lies. Past failures do not have to dictate the outcome of future battles. In fact, if we will allow the Holy Spirit to use past failures to reveal to us ways in which he longed to lead us away from temptation, past sins become stepping stones on which we achieve future victories. Titus 2:11-14 says, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” God’s grace lays the foundation for our victory over the enemy, not our own works. It was in his grace that Jesus died to set us free from this world and restore us to God. His grace leads us away from temptation. And it’s his grace that he offers us every time we confess our sins to him. God’s grace is powerful, freeing, perfect, and full of love. He knows our weaknesses. He knows our frame. But he is also perfectly capable of being strong in our weakness if we allow him to be.

You never have to fall into temptation again. God has a perfect plan for every temptation that comes your way. The enemy is not stronger than you. He is not more cunning than you. And he will not have victory over you because you have God, and God has defeated him. Your protector and guard is the very God who defeated the enemy at the cross and will throw him into the lake of fire, resulting in his ultimate destruction. That God lives inside of you, has grace for you, and plans to use your past failures and current weaknesses to powerfully defeat your enemy.

Spend time in prayer meditating on the truth of God’s power over the enemy. Reflect on your own life and allow the Spirit to take your past failures and turn them into future victories. And allow Scripture to fill you with truth to combat the future lies of the enemy.           

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s faithful protection over you.

“But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.” 2 Thessalonians 3:3

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13

2. Reflect on your past failures. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you ways in which he was leading you away from temptation. What did he desire you to do so that you might walk in victory over your enemy? In what ways did he desire to protect you?

3. Allow the Spirit to empower you for future victories. Ask him to make you more aware of his leadership in future temptations and to empower you to follow him. Meditate on the truth of who you are in Christ and the truth of the enemy’s plans for you. May Scripture and the Holy Spirit empower you during this time for every temptation the enemy has planned for you.

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” >Titus 2:11-14

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” >Romans 8:1

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” >Romans 6:1-5

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” >James 4:7

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” >John 10:10

It’s critical that we renew our mind to the truth of who we are in Christ on a daily basis. The enemy will never stop tempting us because he will never stop hating us and the God whom we belong to. But you can achieve victory over the enemy every single time because victory is already yours in Christ. You are the enemy’s no longer. You have been given a new nature of righteousness. The most powerful weapon you have is God’s word. Memorize Scripture about your new nature and allow it to redefine the way you see yourself. Walk in light of the incredible grace of God working in and through your life today.

Extended Reading: 1 Corinthians 10

Is Proverbs 22:6 Really a Promise? Or Is It Just a Proverb?..... By Sarah Beth Marr

 Is Proverbs 22:6 Really a Promise? Or Is It Just a Proverb?

By Sarah Beth Marr

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. - Proverbs 22:6

To be a parent is to be a heart-shaper. And being a heart-shaper can be the most heart-wrenching job in the world. As parents, the thing we wrestle with the most, the thing we long for the most, is simply to know that our children will turn out okay. We don't expect perfection, just that they would be okay. We long to know that they will make wise decisions as young adults. We long to know that they will grow up to be healthy spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. If we could just have that assurance, parenting might be a lot less heart-wrenching.

This brings us to Proverbs 22:6, a nugget of truth tucked subtly into the book of Proverbs. But maybe like me you have wondered in your own heart, is Proverbs 22:6 a promise or just a proverb?

When we read that verse as parents, we hope that verse is true of our children. We hope that something we've taught them, the way we loved them, the lessons we’ve ingrained in them… we hope it’s all enough. We hope that somehow, despite our mess-ups, they turn out okay.

The way we look at Proverbs 22:6 is really a reflection of our faith in the God of the universe. I think we want to believe this verse is true, but do we really believe it’s a promise or just a wise saying, a catch phrase, or a motto? Is it just luck that our kids turn out okay? Or is there a deeper promise hiding in this verse… a jewel of wisdom that we can take into our parenting?

The first part of this verse implores us to “train a child in the way he should go.”

According to the dictionary, “train” means, “to develop or form the habits, thoughts, or behavior by discipline and instruction.” Other words for “train” are words like “aim”, “focus”, “target”, “zero in on”. Let’s unpack this a little bit. Heart-shaper, this verse is not asking you to produce the results of your parenting. This verse is inviting you to simply aim your child in the right direction. And the only safe direction to aim your child is in the beautiful grace of God’s direction.

We know, as Christian parents, that “the way he should go” is in the direction of God. We know that that is the only place where our children will find the wisdom, the peace, the guidance, and the light that they need to navigate this life. But can we bank on our children continuing in that direction once they leave the nest?

Our Father in heaven "is a jealous God" ( Deuteronomy 6:15). As we reflect on His character, goodness, faithfulness, and love for us, we can count on Him to keep our children aiming in His direction. It may not be a perfect route. Our children may wander and get lost for a little while. But Proverbs 22:6 promises that there is something ground-breaking, soul-shaping, and heart-shaping about training our children with the wisdom of the Bible and the gospel… that it grabs hold of a heart.

That wisdom shapes a heart. That wisdom holds a heart close because it’s wisdom that is full of the love of a jealous God, a God who longs to rescue each and every one of His children.

So dear heart-shaper, you can rest in the promise of Proverbs 22:6. But the thing is, you don’t have to be the sole heart-shaper anymore, you can let God and the Holy Spirit shape your child’s heart as you teach your child the lessons of the Lord. You can take your grip off a little bit, trusting that the Holy Spirit is wooing your child’s heart, pursuing your child’s soul, and jealously running after your child’s heart to win his or her heart. What's your part? Your part is simply to aim your child in the right direction with a lot of grace, love, faith, and prayer. You will mess up. You will make bad decisions. You will sometimes model bad behavior. You will have rough days. Often you won’t feel like teaching your child about Jesus because it’s hard and it’s awkward sometimes and you are still trying to understand Jesus and your relationship with Him yourself. But know, dear parent, that every bit of your love, your teaching, your helping, your directing your child, your praying… every bit matters.

You can take the pressure off of yourself, dear parent, to produce a child that turns out okay because we serve a God of grace, of love, and of power. And the greatest thing you can do today in training up your child in the way he should go is to focus on YOUR relationship with Jesus. As you keep that first in your life, the blessings and the lessons and the heart of the gospel will spill out over your child’s life.

My Day at the Beach That Wasn't Any Such Thing..... by Shawn McEvoy

 My Day at the Beach That Wasn't Any Such Thing

by Shawn McEvoy

For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of destruction assailed me… (2 Samuel 22:5).

Your wrath lies heavily upon me, and you overwhelm me with all your waves (Psalm 88:7).

I have many times stood upon the shore of a peaceful Atlantic ocean gazing East to the sunrise, pondering the vastness and the depth of God. This was not one of those times.

Today, I wanted to catch some fish. It was my only two hours of alone time during the whole week of family vacation to Isle of Palms. I decided to bike down to the point I’d walked to earlier that morning. This was mistake number one. I popped the chain on that old bike about half-way down the beach, and ended up having to push it the rest of the way with one hand while holding my fishing pole (and trying not to hook myself) with the other.

When I finally got there the waves had risen to a height I’d not encountered in any of my last four seasons on Atlantic beaches. I could barely cast my lure over them, and if I did succeed, I’d soon get knocked over. So, alright. You know what? I’ve been wanting a showdown. “Let’s see whatchya got,” I said, to either myself, God, or the forces of nature. I took my pole back to shore and I waded out to war.

I adopted my best linebacker stance and stood up to the six-foot waves as best I could. I tried body surfing and nearly swallowed a gallon or two of seawater. I tried jumping over, diving under, and shouldering through. And while I was doing all of it I was telling God or whoever would listen how hard a time I’d been having of it. ("Sure," you're saying, "a week of luxury beach vacation with the family; you’re really struggling." But it’s true).

Why do I put on weight so easily? Why do you not seem to hear me anymore? Why am I not satisfied in my soul? Why do my simplest desires – like to ride a bike down a beach and catch a fish – result in such discouraging and powerful setbacks? Why is my faith bruised and how do I start to care for the people of God again? Huh?!

Nothing. Just wave after wave after pounding after pounding.

The good news is I was exhausting myself, getting this out of my system, and 'praying.' That I was again getting a sense of myself in this rough place called The World and how puny I am in relation to the created universe.

The bad news is I was becoming more dejected. When I finally gave up and told God I recognized his bigness and my smallness, I sat in the surf and tried to really connect, to really give it all to him, to really make this the milestone day from which everything was different for the rest of my life.

But it was just words. Nothing seemed to rise. I couldn’t make my heart climb into my prayers. And I couldn’t figure out how or when I had lost it, or what to do about it.

I paced to shore defeated and dejected. What progress had I made? At best today was a humbling, at worst a humiliation. My head drooped, and I looked down.

What I saw further discouraged me. For a length of several yards, the shallow foam washing back out was running at the same pace as my strides walking back in. The optical illusion was one of getting nowhere. Moving, but remaining in the same place.

That's when, finally, this: "You know you're making progress. You know, despite how it looks, that you’re getting closer to shore with every step. Likewise, today was progress. Tomorrow will be a step. As will the next. My grace is a wave infinitely more powerful and cleansing than these, and My footprints don't wash away."

I sighed, but I smiled. “Step by step you lead me, and I will follow you all of my days…” Step-by-step is exactly how I got home that day, beaten, extremely chafed, shoeless, pushing a bike and carrying a pole. And, I'm happy to report, that's exactly how I’m getting back home in my spirit as well.

A Prayer to Bless the Lord..... By Debbie McDaniel

 A Prayer to Bless the Lord

By Debbie McDaniel

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's." Psalm 103:1-5

To “bless” the Lord means to give Him praise, to actually “kneel before Him;” to recognize His goodness and Sovereignty over our lives, by giving Him respect and honor.

We have so many reasons to give God praise. If you’re having a tough day and can’t think of many, here’s just a few from these verses:

He forgives our sin – For all of those times when we’ve missed the mark, turned our back on Him, or gone our own way, He forgives. He graciously extends mercy for every sin, when we simply come to Him and confess our need.

He heals our diseases – Physical, emotional, spiritual, He covers every area of life where we have need. Sometimes our “disease” is a need to please. Sometimes our disease is a heart far away from God. Other times our disease is a physical illness or deep loss we’re facing. And He is able to heal all.

He redeems our lives from the pit – He sets us apart for His purposes, He will never waste the painful times we experience. He lifts us out of dark places, He holds the power to make all things new. Nothing is impossible with Him. No one, no situation, is ever too far gone from His grasp of love and hope.

He crowns us with love and mercy – He is faithful to reward us with his goodness. He gives constantly, continually, steadfastly, love and great mercy. We don’t deserve it, but He loves lavishly, He pours out His grace.

He satisfies our desires with good – He is good to us in all our days. Life may not always be fair, life may not always be good, but God is always just and good. He brings favor and blessing.

He renews our strength like the eagle – His Spirit flows through us, constantly renewing us with strength and power. We can be assured that He is with us, and He will help us to soar over every obstacle and trial.

He has done great things...

So thankful.

Dear God,

We bless your holy name today! Thank you for your goodness, thank you for your crown of steadfast love and mercy. We recognize all that you have done for us, all that you continue to do now, and all that you will do in the future. Thank you that your plans for us are good and that you renew our strength like the eagle’s. Thank you that you have redeemed our lives from the pit, you have forgiven our sin and healed all our disease. You are Restorer of the broken, Healer, and Redeemer. You are Father, you are Friend, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness. You are Faithful, you are True, you are Powerful, you are forever with us.

You are Holy, you are Worthy, and we worship you this day, and always…

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.