Defeating the Devil's Strategies..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 Defeating the Devil's Strategies

Dr. Charles Stanley

John 21:15-19

All of us make tracks through the valley of failure. Then the key question is, What we will do next? Sadly, many believers who stumble give up a vibrant kingdom-serving life for a defeated existence. But failure can also be a chance for a new beginning of living in Christ's strength.

In pride, Peter thought his faith was the strongest of all the disciples' and swore that even if the others left Jesus, he never would (Mark 14:29). Yet when the time of testing came, he denied even knowing Christ--and did so three times (Matt. 26:69-75). Satan hoped the disciple would be so wounded by his own disloyalty that his faith would be undermined by shame, condemnation, and despair.

Likewise, when the Enemy sifts believers today, his goal is for us to become shelved and ineffective for God's kingdom. That's why he goes after our strengths, especially the areas in which we proudly consider ourselves invincible. But if we're willing, the Lord can use our failures to do spiritual housecleaning, as He did in Peter's life. After the resurrection, Jesus met with the disciple personally and restored him, preparing him to become a great leader in the early church. He made it clear that Peter's potential to serve was defined, not by failure, but by his unwavering love for Christ.

Peter laid down his pride, received the healing Jesus offered, and put on courage with the Holy Spirit's help. He then risked his life fearlessly to further the gospel, and many came to Christ through his example. Failure was the catalyst that grew in him a stronger, more authentic faith.

The Depth of God’s Love for Us..... Craig Denison

 The Depth of God’s Love for Us

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview:

We have a great High Priest who constantly intercedes on our behalf. The Son of God and Man loves you more deeply than you can fathom. He prays for you, that you might walk in the abundant life his death affords you. And in John 17 we get a glimpse into the fullness of his desire for all those who would believe in him. As we dive deeply into the riches of Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer this week, may your heart be awakened and your life be transformed by the riches of God’s love.

Scripture:“O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”>John 17:25-26

Devotional:

There is no force more powerful than the love our heavenly Father has for us, his children. His love can move mountains, stop the roaring seas, heal broken bones and wounded hearts, transform lives, and set free those held captive by sin and shame. So great is his love for you and me that he sent his only Son to die that we might live through him. And in John 17:25-26, Jesus makes an unfathomable statement about how great the depth of God’s love is for us:

O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.

Do you know that God loves you the way he loves Jesus? His heart is full of affection for you. Jesus always prays perfectly in line with the will of the Father because they are one. So when Jesus prays for God to love us with the same love he has been given, his prayer is in perfect alignment with the heart of our Father.

Romans 8:37-39 says, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Through the death of Christ, the barrier between us and  relationship with God was torn in two. The wrath of God was satisfied with Jesus’ death, and now we can experience the full depth of his love. Through Christ, we have been made new so that we can finally walk in unhindered fellowship and oneness with a holy, perfect God.

God loves you simply because he loves you. You don’t have to work for his affection. You don’t have to set yourself straight before God can pour out his love over you. The father in the prodigal son story ran out to meet his son before anything had ever been set right. He didn’t know his son was there to apologize. He didn’t care. He simply wanted to love his child. Your heavenly Father feels the same way about you. He longs to love you right where you are, as you are. He longs to fill you with love to overflowing. He longs for us to experience this love and oneness just as Jesus did when he walked the earth.

As you enter into guided prayer, open up your heart and allow God’s grace to settle in. Allow him to free you from works-based religion and guide you to a lifestyle of relationship. God is not an angry taskmaster who shows affection only when you succeed. He is a loving Father who will always love you no matter what. Take time to receive the depth of his love for you today. Allow his love to heal you, transform you, free you, and lead you to the abundant life he has always longed to give.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the depth of God’s love for you.

“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” >1 John 4:9-10

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” >Romans 8:37-39

“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” >1 John 4:16

2. Where do you need a fresh revelation of God’s grace today? What’s keeping you from receiving the depth of God’s love? In what ways do you need him to show you how good of a Father he truly is?

3. Ask the Spirit to give you a revelation of God’s grace and love for you. Receive God’s presence and rest in his love. Meditate on and renew your mind to how deeply your heavenly Father loves you.

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” >Hebrews 4:16

“So that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” >Matthew 5:45

May the whole of Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer be true in your life. May you come into the fullness of what Jesus died to give you. May your life be a wonderful reflection of his love. And may you experience the depth of his love for you in every season. You are a child of the Most High, loving God. He will never leave you nor forsake you. His love is powerful, real, and available. May your day be full of joy, peace, and purpose in light of God’s glorious grace.

Extended Reading: 1 John 4

Saved by Suffering..... LYSA TERKEURST

 Saved by Suffering

LYSA TERKEURST

“The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” Psalm 145:18 (NIV) 

I woke up on what I thought would be an ordinary Monday a few summers ago, but nothing was normal.

I felt as if knives were mercilessly carving their way through my insides. Waves of nausea left me convulsing and desperate for relief. I tried to step out of bed, but I collapsed and screamed.

My family rushed me to the emergency room, where we all hoped I could find some relief and help. But as panic gave way to desperation, I cried out for God to help me: “Take the pain away! Please, dear God, take this pain away!”

But He didn’t. Not that moment. Not the next. Not even the next day.

His silence stunned me.

My trust in Him in those moments started to feel shaky. I kept picturing Him standing beside my bed, seeing my anguish, watching my body writhing in pain, hearing my cries, but making the choice to do nothing. And I couldn’t reconcile that.

How could God do that? How could He say I’m His daughter whom He deeply loves but let me lie there in excruciating pain?

These are the thoughts and questions that tumbled around my brain during a time of such pain and distress. I think we have all asked questions like this.

Where are You, God?
Do You see me?
Do You care?

After five of the longest and most excruciating days of my life, a new doctor came to my hospital room. He ran one last test. And finally, we had some answers.

The right side of my colon had torn away from the abdominal wall and twisted around the left side. The blood flow was completely cut off. My colon had distended from the normal 4 centimeters in diameter to more than 14 centimeters.

It had been in danger of rupturing when it was around 10 centimeters, at which point I would have felt relief from the intense pain. And it’s at that exact time when many others suffering with this medical situation feel that relief and go to sleep. Their bodies turn septic, and they die.

The surgeon explained that he needed to rush me into emergency surgery, and he’d be removing most of my colon. He was hoping to save enough that my body would eventually function properly again, but he wasn’t sure.

He wasn’t even sure I’d make it through surgery.

And with that daunting news, I hugged my family, prayed with my pastor and was wheeled into the surgical unit. Thankfully, the surgery went well, and weeks later, while I was home recovering, the surgeon called me. He’d gotten the report about the mass that was removed, and there was no further treatment needed. However, there was an alarming part of the report he couldn’t reconcile.

He said, “Lysa, I don’t really like how people throw around the term ‘miracle.’ But honestly, it’s the only word I know to use in your case. The cells in your colon were already in a state of autolysis. This is where your brain has signaled your body to start the process of decomposition. It’s what happens when you die. Lysa, you can’t get any closer to death than that. How you survived this, I can’t explain.”

I hung up the phone, stunned.

And I suddenly thought of those days before the surgery when I was begging God to take away the pain. I had questioned God because of the pain. I had wondered how God could let me be in so much pain. And I had cried because I thought God somehow didn’t care about my pain.

But in the end, God used the pain to save my life. The pain was what kept me in the hospital. The pain was what kept me demanding the doctors run more tests. The pain was what made me allow a surgeon to cut my belly wide open. The pain was what helped save me. Had God taken away the pain, I would have gone home — my colon would have ruptured, and my body would have turned septic — and I would have died.

I now have a completely different picture of God standing beside my hospital bed while I was hurting and begging Him to help me. He wasn’t ignoring me. No, I believe it took every bit of holy restraint within Him not to step in and remove my pain. He loved me too much to do the very thing I was begging Him to do.

He knew things I didn’t know. He saw a bigger picture I couldn’t see. His mercy was too great. His love was too deep. Indeed, He is a good, good Father.

He was not far off like I’d imagined as I lay writhing in pain. He was near. So very near. Just like Psalm 145:18 tells us, “The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”

He was loving me through the pain. It was necessary pain — life-saving pain I can see now with new eyes. It’s given me a whole new outlook on times when God seems silent.

His silence was part of the rescue.

Father, You know the heartache and pain we are facing. Help us trust and believe You are not far off but are very close — holding us, comforting us. We know You are good. And we trust You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

How to Live Out of the Goodness of God’s Grace..... by Lynette Kittle

 How to Live Out of the Goodness of God’s Grace

by Lynette Kittle

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” - Philippians 2:3-4

A few years back, I spent numerous hours each week in our mini-van, commuting over 80 miles each day to work and back on the South Florida turnpike. It was tiring to say the least, especially on busy roadways filled with aggressive drivers. Daily, I found myself maneuvering through an onslaught of cars speeding up behind, passing, and cutting in front of me. I tried to keep a good attitude, but it wasn’t always easy.

On one particular day, a car sped up beside my vehicle, then maneuvered to pull in front of my car to exit the ramp. Unlike my usual reaction to let cars in ahead of me, I felt aggravated. Instead of slowing down to make room, I edged closer to the auto in front of me, preventing it from pulling in front of mine. Seeing I wasn't going to let him in, the driver sped ahead and cut in front of the next car.

Almost immediately after doing so, Philippians 2:3-4 came to mind. In examining my own heart, I realized how my actions had fallen short in meeting this exhortation to think of others as more important than myself. I hadn't look out for the merging car's interest, or for the other ones in front of me.

As God’s word gently spoke to my heart, I felt sorry for my prideful and selfish actions, turning to God in confession and repentance. Like 2 Corinthians 7:10 states, sincere, godly sorrow leads to repentance.

Consequently, with my thoughts elsewhere, I wasn’t paying close attention when approaching the tollbooths and unknowingly lined up behind a red light in a closed lane.  Finding myself stuck in a traffic-jam, parking lot type of going nowhere line, I needed someone to let me into a moving line, like the car a few minutes ago had wanted me to do.

Turning on my signal, I hoped someone would be kind. Yet, I thought of how I didn't deserve it after the way I had just acted. Looking in my rear mirror I saw a truck stop and motion to me to pull in front of his vehicle.

Just as immediate as my need to repent had come, I was flooded with the realization of God’s mercy and grace. As James 4:6 describes, God gives us more grace, showing favor to the humble.

In a few passing minutes in an everyday, ordinary commute, one where I behaved poorly, something extraordinary happened. I experienced God's wonderful grace through a person who lived out thinking more of my interests than his own.

All Your Days..... by Anna Kuta

 All Your Days

by Anna Kuta

“Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:16).

Last month, my family was saddened to hear the news of a friend who suffered an untimely and tragic death. A believer in Christ, he had struggled with dementia for years.

At the funeral, the pastor read this verse from the Psalms:

“Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:16).

What a comforting and peaceful reminder that is – that there is nothing we can do to lengthen or shorten our days. How especially powerful those words are for anyone who has lost a loved one “too young.”

Before you were born, God already knew the number of days you would live on this earth. How incredible is that thought? Though circumstances and their timing don’t always make sense, we can trust that God, in his eternal wisdom, has written in His book a grand master plan. As He reminds us in Isaiah 55:8-9: “’For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”

No death is a surprise to God, nor is any death out of the control of His will. Though none of us know in advance how long we will live, we do know that the Lord is with us from the moment of conception until our last breath – and then for all eternity for those who have put their trust in Him as Savior.

Let us never doubt the significance and impact of any life – no matter how short – for God has ordained all of our days for His purpose.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Take a minute to consider the words of Psalm 139:16 – a testament to the holy power and omniscience of God. Though life and death is a mystery to us, it isn’t to God. Let us all strive to serve and live for Him today and every day, so whether we meet the Lord tomorrow or in 50 years, we will be ready when our time comes.

Further Reading
Psalm 139
Ecclesiastes 11:5
Psalm 119:73

A Prayer for Freedom from Condemnation..... By: Meg Bucher

 A Prayer for Freedom from Condemnation

By: Meg Bucher

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

“Wow,” my oldest daughter mused over her lunch, “this peanut butter and jelly sandwich is really good.”

From the time the child could chew, she’s been a picky eater. Once her teeth grew in, she ate an apple for lunch every single day. But when it came time for Kindergarten, I flipped through parenting magazines in search of a sandwich she would settle in on alongside her daily apple. We compromised on a “smore-wich,” graham crackers, marshmallow, and hazelnut spread. Seven years later, she’d discovered the simple joy of PB&J in her own time. And I was left convicted.

We have a tendency to default to condemnation, or criticism, even though Paul reminds us in today’s verse we are free in Christ. “Condemnation here especially focuses upon the believer’s freedom from the crippling power of sin in this life,” The Moody Bible Commentary explains. Jesus died to release us from all guilt and shame, to free us from the sin that so easily entangles us. “The Christian is no longer ‘under the law,’” the NIV “What does it mean to be ‘in Christ?’ True believers are ‘in Christ’ because they have died with Christ and have been raised to new life with him.”

Let’s pray to have patience with our children, and with each other. But let’s also pray for the strength to resist shame and guilt when we make mistakes, misunderstand, or becoming convicted of a close-minded view. “Those who believe in Christ have the unparalleled privilege of living life in the power of the Holy Spirit,” the Moody Bible Commentary states. “Jesus, through the medium of His sacrificed body, pronounced judgment on sin and broke its power.”

Father,

We tend to set the bar so high for ourselves, and fall into feelings of failure when we don’t meet our own unrealistic expectations. We do this to ourselves, and to others. The world puts so much pressure on us, and it truly is painful in a multitude of ways. We confess we compare ourselves to others, and hold ourselves to standards that are unrealistic and unnecessary. The truth is, we fail daily to meet your standard, but by your grace, through faith, we are saved from our sins. Free us from condemnation, for there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Guide our efforts to align with Your will, Lord. Let all we do, all of our strivings, be to bring glory and honor to Your great name, not to achieve a worldly standard or comparative status. Teach us how to live fully in the freedom of our faith.

Fill our hearts with patience, Father. Search our hearts, and renew a right spirit it in them. Let us see, through Your eyes, who we are – your children. Give us Your perspective and open our ears to hear the godly voices of wisdom and encouragement you have purposefully placed in our lives. Remove our worry, and replace it with reminders of the peace we have in our Savior, Christ Jesus.

In Jesus’ Name,