The Consequences of Sin..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 The Consequences of Sin

Dr. Charles Stanley

Genesis 3:14-19

Christians tend to categorize sins, rating some as small and inconsequential, but others as huge and far-reaching in the damage they cause. In reality, no one sins in isolation. Each disobedience to God affects not only the sinner but also countless others in both the present and the future.

If we were to separate Adam and Eve's sin from its context, few of us would convict them of great transgression. All they did was swallow some fruit from a tree with a "do not eat" sign. Today people think nothing of ignoring commands—even biblical ones.

But God has a totally different view of our sins. Each one is followed by negative consequences. Adam and Eve's disobedience led to pain and frustration in two basic areas of fulfillment—relationships and meaningful work. The whole earth fell under sin's curse, and every person born since then has entered the world with a sin nature that alienates each one from the Lord.

That first rebellion plunged humanity into a terrible condition. Civilization is now plagued by countless ramifications of the innumerable sins committed by human beings throughout the ages. Is it any wonder the world is in such sad shape? Sin not only causes suffering; it robs us of God's best. The Garden of Eden is closed and locked to sinful mankind.

The good news of Christ's grace and forgiveness is our only real hope in this fallen world. Though unpleasant, focusing on sin's consequences is necessary at times to remind us of the greatness of our salvation and to move us to obey God, even in the small things. Each obedience is huge to Him.

God is Our Provider..... Craig Denison

 God is Our Provider

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview:

There is no better father than Creator God. He formed us and knows us. He provides for us, loves us unconditionally, and longs for real, life-giving relationship with us. He runs out to meet us in our sin, clothes us with new identity, and restores to us the abundant life he has always planned for us. As we spend time looking at the father heart of God, may a fresh revelation of his love for you guide you into greater depths of relationship with your heavenly Father.

Scripture:“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:19

Devotional:

In Matthew 6:25-33 Jesus says,

 Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Your heavenly Father is the Great Provider for all the earth. He gives rain when the earth needs refreshment. He calls the sun from its hiding when the earth needs warmth. He gives to the animals their food, the flowers their beauty, the birds their shelter, and you and me everything we need.

We worship a God who is both loving and powerful. He is both omnipotent and omnipresent. He is both good and able. If he were not, we would be forced to fend for ourselves, striving for that which he has promised to provide. If he were only good, we would not be assured of the provision his power provides. And if he were only able, we would fear for a lack of his desire to provide. But God is our heavenly Father who both knows what we need and longs to provide for us in exceeding measures. He is our Creator and Sustainer, Lord of all and Lord in all.

So why do you fear for your needs? Why do you stress over the foundational cares of this life while your heavenly Father is seated on his throne? The truth is that until we experience for ourselves both the goodness and power of our heavenly Father, the truth of his provision will only ever feel like a heady, theological principle. Until we experience firsthand the character and provision of our God, fear will remain.

1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” God longs to perfect you in his love today. He longs to guide you into an encounter with his goodness and power. He longs to establish a foundation of his faithfulness by which you can live in faith. May you have a transformative encounter with the Holy Spirit today that frees you from fear and striving as you enter into guided prayer.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s promises of provision. Allow Scripture to renew your mind and transform the way you act, think, and feel.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” >Matthew 7:7-11

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” >Philippians 4:19

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” >Matthew 6:25-33

2. Where do you have fear in regards to provision? Where are you striving for what God has already promised to provide? Where does God want to bring peace into your life today?

3. Take time to allow God to reveal his goodness and power. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into an encounter with all that God is. Allow Scripture to speak to your circumstances so that you might live today in line with God’s promises.

No matter how old we get, God will still be our Father. We never have to go through a season apart from his perfect provision. We never have to step outside of his leadership and love. He will always be our Good Shepherd. He will always be our Sustainer. And he will always be our heavenly Father who provides. Never doubt the goodness and power of your God. Rest in his promises. And continue to grow in your knowledge of who he is by resting in his presence. May you experience today the abundant provision of your loving, heavenly Father.

Extended Reading: Matthew 6

How To Walk Through Uncertainty With Confidence..... ALICIA BRUXVOORT

 How To Walk Through Uncertainty With Confidence

ALICIA BRUXVOORT

“The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1 (NIV)

I couldn’t see the tears streaming down her cheeks, but I could hear the muffled cries seeping beneath her bedroom door.

Summer vacation had come and gone, and when the dark gave way to dawn, we’d welcome a new school year. Some of my children had climbed into bed with eager anticipation, but 9-year-old Hannah lay in the dark with quiet consternation.

Change was difficult for this child, so we’d been diligent about preparing her for a smooth transition into fourth grade. We’d explored her new classroom and played on the playground. We’d connected with her teacher and located her locker, traversed the hallways and visited the cafeteria.

But on that long-ago August night, my daughter wasn’t comforted by our intentional preparation; she was wracked by irrational trepidation.

“I can’t go to school tomorrow,” she whispered as I walked across the room and sat on the edge of her bed.

“Why not?” I gently asked.

“Because I don’t know where the bathroom is,” Hannah confessed.

“You’ll find it tomorrow,” I assured.

“But what if I don’t?”

I could wrap my arms around my girl’s trembling frame, but I couldn’t calm her shaking heart. So, eventually, I changed my strategy.

“You may not know where the bathroom is,” I conceded, “but you do know that your locker is Number 14 and that your teacher has a great smile. You do know that your desk is beside the pencil sharpener and that the purple slide is the fastest.”

I let my words dangle between us. “You may not know everything about fourth grade, but you do know something.”

My little girl nodded, and together we rehearsed what she knew until her sniffles were swallowed by sleep.

It’s been years since I’ve sent a child to fourth grade. But my conversations with God often ring with an echo of that dialogue I once had in the dark with my daughter.

God, I don’t know how You’re going to keep Your promise, but I do know that Your Word is reliable and true.

God, I don’t know how to do this on my own, but I do know that You are with me; I’m not alone.

My words aren’t just wishful thinking. They are a discipline of faith I’ve learned from a man after God’s own heart.

When David penned Psalm 27, he was fleeing from a crazy king who sought to destroy David’s destiny. His present was perilous, and his future was shaky. Yet David chose to focus on what he knew rather than fretting about what he didn’t.

“The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?” (Psalm 27:1a)

David didn’t know how his dark situation would turn out, but he knew that the Lord was his light of hope.

“The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1b)

David didn’t know if he’d have enough strength for battle, but he knew that God was the stronghold of his life.

As David shifted his focus from his personal doubts to God’s perpetual dependability, his concern was quelled by confidence.

And with this newfound assurance, he was able to replace his “what ifs” with “even ifs.”

“Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident.” (Psalm 27:3, NLT)

When we follow David’s example, our response to uncertainty changes, too. Instead of ruminating on all we don’t understand, we find ourselves rehearsing the Truth on which we stand.

We may not know everything, but thanks to God’s Word, we do know something:

God is good. (Titus 3:4)
God is faithful. (Deuteronomy 7:9)
And God is with us. (Matthew 1:23)

And when we walk in the light of that unchanging Truth, we find surety for today even if we don’t know what tomorrow will hold.

Dear Jesus, I can get so fixed on the uncertainty before me that I fail to remember that You are right beside me. Please speak to me through Your Word, and help me root my confidence in Your presence and Your promises today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Fighting Selfishness..... By: Betsy St. Amant Haddox

 Fighting Selfishness (Luke 22:24)

By: Betsy St. Amant Haddox

A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. - Luke 22:24

Selfishness lurks in the corner of every man and woman’s heart. We’re born with a sin nature, and nothing reveals this depraved situation quite as much as our inherent selfishness. Even after regeneration—after confession, repentance and salvation through the blood and power of Christ—selfishness is a constant battle we fight in our flesh. 

The disciples were no different. In the verses leading up to Luke 22:24, the disciples were seated with Christ for the Passover Supper. This was a very intimate, important evening—Jesus was about to be crucified. This was their last opportunity to spend time with Him and learn from Him, but what do they do? They start bickering over who of them was the best. 

We can roll our eyes, but we know that the same tendency lurks in us. We crave recognition. We desire to be the best. We want to be held in higher regard than the person next to us. 

Selfishness starts young, and never goes away. Think about this: When you were a child, you either played with this kid or were this kid—you know, the one who insisted on only playing the game they wanted to play. When you were a teenager, you wanted to eat at the restaurants you wanted to eat at or only see the movie you wanted to see. Even today, I fight extreme irritation when one of my children or my husband interrupts me when I’m writing or trying to complete a task. Thoughts like “don’t they know how important my schedule is” raid my mind. Sometimes, I must remember that my first duty is not to my paycheck or my hobbies, but to my family. Why? Because I’m selfish. 

And so are you. Yikes!

The good news is, we have the power to overcome sin through the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:11 (ESV) If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.  

We are capable through the Spirit living in us to defeat selfishness! We won’t get it right every time, but our hearts should desire to beat this sin of selfishness that hurts our relationships and interrupts our fellowship with the Father. The next time the urge to be selfish pops its ugly head up, take a breath. Recognize it for it is—sin—and pray. Ask the Holy Spirit to sanctify your heart. The shift might not happen overnight, but as time goes by, you should start noticing change in this area.

It’s easy to indulge our flesh, to live out the desire to be first and to insist on being so. But Jesus said otherwise. Luke 22:25-26 (ESV) And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.

In this upside-down kingdom, the first will be last, and the last will be first. Jesus says that whoever humbles himself with be exalted (Luke 14:11) As Christians, we should be focused on serving others, rather than clamoring for the best seat in the house. Trust the Lord to exalt you in due time as you strive to exalt Him always.

The Wonderful Gift of … Suffering?..... by John UpChurch

 The Wonderful Gift of … Suffering?

by John UpChurch

“For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.” (Philippians 1:29-30)

Philippians 1:29 is one of those verses that makes me stop and shake my head in disbelief. Paul tells the readers of this letter that suffering has been granted to them. Granted? Really? As in, "Here you go. Here's a big ol' heaping helping of suffering"?

If you dig into the Greek behind that phrase, you’ll uncover the word charizomai. This word usually implies something that’s freely given for someone else’s benefit. In fact, Paul uses this same word to talk about how God forgave our sins (Colossians 2:13; Ephesians 4:32); how we are to forgive others freely (2 Corinthians 2:7, 10); and how God bestows gifts or titles because of His love and power (as in Philippians 2:9). In Luke 7:21, the same word shows how Jesus gave sight to the blind. Free, beneficial gifts.

All those are well and good. So, why would Paul add something crazy like suffering to these other good things? Surely, he has to see that suffering doesn’t fit in the same category as healing the blind and forgiving sin. They don’t even share the same zip code. Right?

Well, Paul’s example shows us that they do. Right near the end of Acts (chapter 27), Paul gets stuck with a stubborn centurion who can’t wait to get to Rome and a ship’s pilot who’s happy to oblige. Paul warns that such a trip will end badly. They ignore him (word to the wise: never ignore Paul). When they run into a storm, things look really, really bad. People are throwing supplies overboard, faces are green, and hope goes buh-bye.

About that time, Paul gets to give his “I told you so” speech, and in that speech, he uses our old friend charizomai. An angel had appeared to Paul and told him, “God has granted you all those who are sailing with you” (Acts 27:24). God had granted him seasick sailors (who wanted to kill the prisoners, mind you) and a stubborn centurion who refused to listen to sense. What kind of gift is that? God could have granted him a miraculous trip to a nearby island—perhaps somewhere warm and not so stormy.

But if that had been the case, Paul wouldn’t have done the other part of this verse: “you must stand before Caesar.” If Paul had been whisked away, in fact, we wouldn’t have the books of Acts or Luke (that chapter is filled with “we” from our good doctor friend who also survived the storm); the sailors and centurion wouldn’t have seen God’s mighty act to save every single one of them; and Paul wouldn’t have taken the gospel to the most important city in the Roman Empire. God gave Paul the gift of their lives so that the gospel would bulldoze on.

And that brings up back to Paul’s suggestion that suffering is granted—a gift. Quite likely, Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians not long after being smashed into the rocks. Despite the messy trip (or perhaps precisely because of it), the message of Christ spread throughout the royal guard and people all over Rome. Other Christians got some backbone to speak more boldly (Philippians 1:13-14). Things went boom all over.

Intersecting Faith & Life: The gift of suffering, for Paul and for us, doesn’t seem much like a gift—at first. But the vantage point makes all the difference. Suffering that comes for the sake of Christ always produces a harvest of awesome. That’s because, in addition to the suffering, God also grants us the strength to endure and the chance to see the gospel take root.

And that’s why Paul can truthfully say, “What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things” (Philippians 3:8). That’s not empty boasting from a beaten down man. That’s the triumphant cry of someone who sees what lies ahead.

For Further Reading
Acts 27-28
Philippians 1

A Prayer for When You Can’t Decide..... By Kristine Brown

 A Prayer for When You Can’t Decide

By Kristine Brown

“Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.” - Psalm 55:22

“Are you going to enroll your son in public school, or do you plan to homeschool?” the realtor’s question hung in the air for several minutes. I hadn’t even considered our options. Now as we searched for the perfect place to call home, panic threatened. How had we forgotten possibly the single most important detail of our relocation?

Until then, our son happily attended part-time preschool at the local church. If we could've just stopped time and stayed in this place forever, I would’ve been fine with it. But life doesn’t stop for job changes, growing kids, or moving to a new town. And with changes come tough decisions that must be made.

I’ve never been a stellar decision-maker. In fact, letting my husband handle all the big decisions had become a habit. But learning to trust God begins when we learn to take our decisions - our cares - to Him. Give God control, and trust Him with the outcome.

“Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.” Psalm 55:22 NIV

There are times in our lives when we take our problems to God in prayer, then hear clear direction from Him on which path to take. Then, there are those other times. When we pray continually but feel like God doesn’t hear us at all. We may think He’s letting us figure it out on our own, but if we know God will never leave us or forsake us, why doesn’t He answer? How do we make a decision without hearing from God?

God’s Word distinguishes between His plan and a path. We know He has a plan for us, as it states in Jeremiah 29:11. We can also rest assured there may be choices to make. So whether our family chose homeschooling, public school, or private, God would be with us as long as we kept Him at the center of our lives. “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:21)

When we bring our decisions to Him, God assures us of His steady, guiding hand. He will help us decide.

Are you agonizing over a big decision today? Do you fear making the wrong choice? God hears us. Let’s take those cares to Him in prayer. We can trust Him with the decision, the direction, and the outcome.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Your Word tells me “all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” (Psalm 139:16) Thank you for the good plans you have for me and for guiding me through every difficult decision.

Lord, forgive me for taking control of this decision, agonizing over which path to take. I’ve let so many voices drown out Your voice. I want to hear You above all else, but the weight of responsibility over this decision consumes me. You “know my anxious thoughts.” (Psalm 139:23) I give this burden to You today and trust You to guide my path.

“You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.” (Psalm 139:5) I have nothing to fear because You are with me. As You help me to choose the right path today, I pray You will bless the journey and use it for Your glory alone. Thank you for your promise to protect me and my family. I trust you with the outcome of this decision. In Jesus’ name, Amen.