The Basis for Discernment..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 The Basis for Discernment

Dr. Charles Stanley

Hebrews 4:12-13

Since spiritual discernment is the ability to see life from God's perspective, it requires that we know how He thinks and acts. The Bible is His unchanging, infallible revelation of Himself. However, the Lord doesn't simply give us a list of facts about His character and ways. All throughout the pages of Scripture, He illustrates who He is and how He operates.

Although the Bible is ancient, it's not a dead book. It's alive and as fresh as if He were speaking directly to you. The stories may have taken place centuries ago, but the principles and applications are current and relevant. It's our instruction book about how to live. Guidance for decisions and discernment about situations are found from Genesis to Revelation.

God's Word is active and piercing. The words don't simply sit on the page. They penetrate our hearts and judge our thoughts and motives. This convicting quality is why some people don't like to read the Bible. But self-discernment is essential if we don't want to keep making the same mistakes over and over again. Some Christians live on a surface level, never understanding why they react to situations the way they do. But if we'll approach the Word of God with an open spirit, it will bring to light our hidden motives and reveal unrecognized sins.

Spiritual discernment involves seeing not just our circumstances but also ourselves from God's perspective. Have you learned to embrace the piercing sword of Scripture, or have you avoided doing so because it makes you uncomfortable? Remember, God's Word cuts only so that it can heal.

Loving the Church...... Craig Denison

 Loving the Church

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview:

Loving others is one of the most important and difficult commands Jesus gave us. We are a messy, broken, needy, and sinful people. We constantly deal with our own wounds and those of others. Because there is no perfect person, the foundation for loving others must be based outside of the merit or worth of others. The foundation for love must come from the God who is love. As believers we must be constantly tapped into the love and grace of our heavenly Father so that we can love others selflessly and powerfully. May you receive the love of your Father and be empowered to love others this week as we look to grow in our obedience of Jesus’ command to love people.

Scripture:“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” >John 13:35

Devotional:

The words of Jesus in Matthew 6:9 radically changed the way God’s people are to relate to him. Scripture says, “Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name.’” Through Jesus,  we now come before God as his child. And because God is our Father, fellow believers are now our spiritual family. Other disciples of Jesus are our brothers and sisters. And church is now a spiritual family reunion designed to be centered around the love and goodness of our Father.

1 John 3:1 says, “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” We have been brought into fellowship with one another because God loves us. We are children of God because he longs to have the relationship of a father and his children with us. In fact, God created the family unit to be an earthly reflection of God’s heavenly family.

And Scripture is clear that it is incredibly important that God’s children love one another. Colossians 3:12-15 says, “Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.”

For the church to work as “one body,” its members must commit to loving one another as Christ has loved us. Church requires selfless acts of grace, love, honor, and respect. It requires sacrificial commitment. But the result is a glorious union founded on and fueled by the depth of God’s love.

And the world will come to join our family as we increasingly love one another. Jesus said in John 13:35, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” The world isn’t enticed by rules and regulations. And it assuredly isn’t enticed with drama, quarreling, bickering, slander, and division. The world needs real, loving relationship with God and his family. The world needs love.

May you be a child of God committed to the people of God. May you receive and give the grace of your heavenly Father to all those he has brought into your spiritual family. And may you love your brothers and sisters in Christ so that the world might know the love of the Father when it sees you. Allow God to fill and empower you to love the church well as you enter into guided prayer. 

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s desire for you to sacrificially love the church.

“And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.” >Colossians 3:14-15

“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”>Romans 12:10

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you,that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” >John 17:20-21

2. Reflect on your heart for the church. Allow God to fill you with a greater desire to love others in the family of God. Repent for any ways in which you have made church about anything other than loving God and his children.

3. Ask God to empower you to sacrificially love others in your church. Ask him to fill you with grace and love for his children. Spend time resting in his presence and taking note of his heart for his people. Allow his heart for the church to become your heart.

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” >Ephesians 2:19-22

God has placed within you a love that can change the trajectory of human lives. May loving others increasingly become a natural extension of your relationship with God. May you be filled with his heart for others daily as you spend time with him. And may he use you in powerful ways to bring his kingdom to earth everywhere you go.

Extended Reading: Ephesians 2

The Fix for Our Faulty Vision..... ALICIA BRUXVOORT

 The Fix for Our Faulty Vision

ALICIA BRUXVOORT

“But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’” 1 Samuel 16:7 (NLT) 

“See me, Mommy! See me!” my youngest daughter hollered from the top of the slide on that long-ago summer’s day.

I smiled at her singsong plea and waved my arms in acknowledgment as she launched her slender frame down the slanted chute.

Meeting her at the bottom of the slide with a hug, I then followed my little girl across the playground to the faded blue swingset.

“See me, Mommy! See me!” she begged again as she pumped her spindly legs up and down with a giggle.

This little giggler wasn’t the first preschooler to solicit my eyes as she explored the world around her. Four children before her had invited my gaze, but their pleas had been wrapped in a different phrase.

“Watch me, Mommy! Watch me!” my first four had demanded when they’d sought applause for their accomplishments or acknowledgment for their efforts.

“Watch me, Mommy! Watch me!” they’d cried as they dangled from monkey bars and somersaulted across the grass, hopped on one foot or danced in the kitchen.

At the time, I didn’t consider my youngest one’s plea to be any different than the cry of the siblings who had come before her. But looking back now, I believe my daughter’s unusual word choice was more than a matter of mere linguistics. It was the cry of her fifth-born heart.

Planted in a house swelling with big brothers and sisters, our littlest girl was used to being watched; she wanted to be seen. The difference may seem slight, but it’s significant. To watch requires our eyes, but to see engages our heart.

God makes this distinction clear when He sends the prophet Samuel on a mission to anoint a new king. Aware that human view often falls short of God’s vision, the Lord commands Samuel to look past the visible veneer to the discernible interior.

“But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’” (1 Samuel 16:7)

In its original language, the word used for “see” is ra’ah, which means “to see with the mind, to perceive, to know.” This kind of sight involves more than hasty impressions; it requires an astute pause of perception.

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus shows us what it looks like to emulate God’s vision.

When He meets an outcast woman at the well in Samaria, Jesus sees more than a hopeless harlot. He spies a broken daughter thirsty for abundant life. (John 4:1-42)

When He notices Zacchaeus in the tree, Jesus sees more than a despised tax collector. He recognizes a man longing for a place to belong. (Luke 19:1-10)

When He encounters Peter on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus sees more than a brash fisherman. He spots a bold disciple upon whom He will build His church. (Matthew 4:18-20; Matthew 16:18)

I want to see like Jesus does, but I’ll be honest — it’s not easy. On my own, I’m prone to peer at people through eyes of apathy or curiosity, carelessness or judgment.

Thankfully, tucked in the folds of Scripture is a fix for my faulty eyes. Keep “looking to Jesus,” Hebrews 12:2 encourages (ESV).

When we fix our eyes on Jesus — focusing on His character and attending to His presence, acknowledging His authority and agreeing with His Word — our optics are refined.

God’s grace becomes the lens through which we view the world around us, and His love is the plumb line for our perceptions. In time, our habits of shallow scrutiny are replaced by the practice of sagacious sight.

But best of all, when we glue our gaze to our Savior, we become seers instead of watchers. And we make the heart of heaven visible on the dust of earth.

Dear Jesus, forgive me for being swift to watch and slow to see. I want to do more than bear Your name; I want to share Your vision. Give me Your eyes for the people in my path. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

How God Empowers Believers for Spiritual Warfare..... By Debbie McDaniel

 How God Empowers Believers for Spiritual Warfare

By Debbie McDaniel

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace, in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:11-17).

God reminds us not to go into the day without being prepared and equipped for battle. He tells us to take up his full armor in order to stand against the enemy’s schemes. Each piece has a specific purpose and is designed for our protection and covering. Just as a soldier would not go to battle unprepared, we also should be fully ready for the attacks we will face.

God arms us with the sword, the Word of God, to stand against the enemy’s lies. He equips us with strength, wisdom, and discernment through His own Spirit to stay strong in the battle. He invites us to spend time in His Presence, through prayer and worship, pressing in to know Him more.

As we grow to know God’s Truth more and more, understanding what is real, we also grow to know more what is false. We’re able to quickly discern when something’s not right. We are stronger to stand against it in the powerful name of Jesus. He never leaves us to fend for ourselves in a dark world, but reminds us He is constantly with us, fighting for us, even when we cannot see.

When we belong to Christ, the enemy never has the final word over our lives. We are secure in God’s hands.

Press on – courageous and free – never held back by fear or defeat. The battle belongs to the Lord, and He has the final victory!

Sex, God, and a Lasting Love..... by Ryan Duncan

 Sex, God, and a Lasting Love

by Ryan Duncan

An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. – Proverbs 31:10

We live in a culture obsessed with sex, but that shouldn’t surprise anyone. From the moment we get up in the morning, to the second we fall back asleep, we are bombarded with images and slogans designed to generate our physical desires. Like many Christians, I grew up listening to sermons about the sin of premarital sex. Over and over I heard pastors talk about the sanctity of marriage, the spread of diseases through casual encounters, the risks of unwanted pregnancies, etc. While I took these warnings to heart and stayed celibate, another part of me was too embarrassed to admit that I just didn’t get it.

To me, most of the sermons just sounded like fear-mongering. As long as both people were careful and consenting adults, was it really that bad? For a long time, I chose to ignore my questions, hoping the answers would eventually just come to me, and ironically enough, they did. I was working part-time at an amusement park with a bunch of other teens when I overheard a co-worker boasting about a girl he’d hooked up with the previous week. I was beginning to tune him out when a realization suddenly struck me.

He didn't care about this girl; and odds were she didn't care about him either. They didn't know each other's hopes and fears, or the character traits that defined their identities. They had both just used each other for their own gratification. To each other, they were both a disposable pleasure.

But look now at how the first marriage is described in Genesis 2,

"So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. The man said, "This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man." For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed." – Genesis 2:21

God created sex, physical intimacy, to be a lasting love. Its purpose was to be the greatest connection between two people who knew one another, loved one another, and were loved in return. What our world offers in comparison is nothing more than a cheap knock-off. Be careful to guard your hearts and minds, and don't allow lust to gain a foothold in your life. Remember, God made us to be more than a disposable pleasure.

Intersecting Faith and Life: Consider your own heart and mind, are you pursuing a lasting relationship?

Further Reading
Song of Solomon 7:1-13

A Prayer for the Lord to Give You His Words..... By: Maggie Meadows Cooper

 A Prayer for the Lord to Give You His Words

By: Maggie Meadows Cooper

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’” – Mark 11:1-3

I don’t know about you, but it seems I have had many interactions lately where I just didn’t know what to say. Wanting to comfort friends going through hard things, watching the national news and trying to answer my children’s questions, or facing my own fears and not knowing how to express them. All of these scenarios seem to abound lately. And in my own strength, I struggle to find the words. It’s a delicate balance as you try to comfort without saying too much, speak truth in love, and put yourself out there, in a way.

But today, as I was listening to the story of Jesus’ Triumphant Entry in Mark 11, I felt like the Lord spoke to my heart. We see the donkey, the palm branches, people shouting praises to God as they look at Jesus with adoration...the whole scene just lifts your spirit! But there’s one detail that might be overlooked.

When Jesus sent two of His disciples into Jerusalem, he told them that they would see a young donkey tied up and that they should bring it to Him. But then, He goes one step further. Because the Lord knows our hearts, and goes behind and before, He must have already realized they were wondering what they would say if they met opposition. So He told them in verse 3, “If anyone asks, “What are you doing?” just say, “The Lord needs it and will return it soon.”

So they went. And sure enough, as they untied the colt, some bystanders asked what they were doing. But instead of stumbling over their words in fear or worry, they simply spoke the words Jesus gave them to say. And they were “permitted” to take the donkey (v.6), thereby fulfilling the prophecy from Zechariah.

I have to believe that without the Lord’s words, that scenario might have ended much differently. Not necessarily because of the words themselves, but because of the power and the direction behind them. So often through scripture, we see that when the Lord directs the speech and steps of those who need Him, they are successful in completing their tasks. Moses, Jonah, Jeremiah... so many who were used in mighty ways because the Lord’s words and directions were with them, even when they were imperfect themselves.

Oh sweet friends, as you face the day before you, don’t set your feet on the floor without asking the Lord to give you His words today. Maybe you know what you’re facing, maybe not, but as we begin to make a habit of praying before we speak, our words become more meaningful, more powerful, and ultimately, more Christ-like than they could ever be in our own strength.

Dear Lord,

Thank you so much for always being available. I come to you today asking for wisdom. More than anything, I want to shine a light for you through my words and deeds. So before I open my mouth, please give me words to bring peace, healing, and restoration where needed. Words to comfort, teach, and bring understanding. And most of all, words that point others to You. Oh Jesus, forgive me for the times I have spoken without seeking your guidance first, and from this moment forward, help me to look to you.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen