God Sees You..... By Lynette Kittle

 God Sees You

By Lynette Kittle

“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are attentive to their cry” -Psalm 34:15

Do you ever feel lost in the crowd, like there are so many people in the world (7.8 billion at last count), or that your life doesn’t matter to God?

Scripture paints a very different picture of your value and importance to God. “From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind” (Psalm 33:13).

Like Proverbs 15:3 explains, “The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.”

God is keeping an eye on everyone. Nothing that happens in the world is out of His view. As Hebrews 4:13 reminds us, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”

And God isn’t looking at you in passing, either. Psalm 11:4 tells us how, “The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord is on His heavenly throne. He observes everyone on earth; His eyes examine them.”

But even more than God keeping watch over the earth, is the attention He gives to those who love Him, to those who belong to Him. As Psalm 34:15 points out, God is seeing you and attentive to your cries, hearing your needs, heartaches, and the longings of your heart. Being attentive means He is tuned into your voice.

As Psalm 102:19,20 describes, “The Lord looked down from His sanctuary on high, from heaven He viewed the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death.”

You already have God’s attention. His eyes are set on you (Psalm 34:15). “The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God” (Psalm 14:2).

Most exciting is how God is looking to strengthen you. 2 Chronicles 16:9 explains how the eyes of the Lord search throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.

He’s not just watching and observing your ways and habits, He is actively looking to see how, when, and where He can help you where you need it most. God is seeking ways to strengthen and uplift you where you are weak.

Maybe you’ve found yourself in a situation where you feel so far away from God, one where you feel like you’ve so messed up, you don’t think He’d ever look to find you?

But nowhere is too far away or hidden so much that God can’t see you. Jeremiah 23:24 explains, “’Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?’ declares the Lord. ‘Do not I fill heaven and earth?’”

In the Old Testament of the Bible when Hagar, Sarah’s maid, conceived Abraham’s child, her conception of a child led her to despise her mistress. In return for Hagar’s disdain towards her, Sarah treated her harshly. So severely that it caused her to flee the situation. Yet God found Hagar in her brokenness, and when He did, it led her to recognize Him as the “God who sees me” (Genesis 16:13).

In your deepest, darkest moments when you feel far away from God, even if you helped caused the situation you’re living in, He sees you, hears your cries, and is ready to help you.

A Messy Life for God..... by Sarah Phillips

 A Messy Life for God

by Sarah Phillips

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, "Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased."  Mark 1:9-11

Have you ever read the biography of a great Christian, a man or woman who dedicated all to the Lord, and felt inferior? I have. It seems I am too normal and too flawed to live such a life. I am not as bold as St. John the Baptist or as eloquent as St. Thomas Aquinas. I don't have a radical story like Mary Magdalene, or a dramatic calling from heaven like St. Paul.

And yet deep down, I yearn to imitate "the greats" – those who loved God so much, it spilled over into every aspect of their beings. So, I was encouraged when I cracked open one of my Christmas presents this past weekend - a book titled The 33 Doctors of the Church by Fr. Christopher Rengers -- to discover that some of the most noteworthy Christians in Church history were quite normal.

The book's title doesn't refer to the kinds of doctors we associate with medicine but profiles those Christians who, over the centuries, proved themselves to be exemplary docere  (Latin for "teachers") of Christian doctrine. Familiar names like Augustine and Thomas Aquinas are among this group, but so far one obscure Doctor stands out to me: St. Gregory of Nazianzus.

Born in 4th century Asia Minor to a family of devout believers, Gregory enjoyed blessed beginnings – excellent education, financial comfort, and great Christian friendships. But like St. Nicholas, Gregory faced a Church fraught with controversy and confusion from the Arian heresy. By the time Gregory was ordained a priest in his 30's, so many had fallen away from true faith in the divinity of Christ that an alternative Arian church hierarchy had been established.

The faithful needed bold teachers of the truth to help them understand Christ's real identity and to heal the wounds of division. But "bold" didn't exactly describe this sensitive, reluctant saint. Gregory suffered from great inner turmoil over his vocation as a pastor, feeling his zealous father had pressured him into being ordained. Only after months of solitary prayer following his ordination did he embrace the responsibilities of his ministry.

Even after Gregory accepted his calling, he struggled throughout his life to accept certain leadership roles, often retreating into solitude to study or in some cases, nurse wounded emotions. One of his greatest struggles occurred when his best friend, St. Basil, appointed Gregory bishop of a very undesirable region, leaving Gregory feeling exiled and useless. The damaged friendship between these two great men never fully healed.

In spite of Gregory's weaknesses and relational rifts, God worked through his sensitive and solitary nature to raise up one of the greatest theologians in all of history. St. Gregory played a key role in converting powerful Constantinople from the Arian heresy, risking his life to shepherd the pathetically small community of believers. While other theologians wrote formal, lengthy treatises on Jesus Christ, Gregory was gifted at integrating and articulating truth in a way that reached both the scholarly and the unscholarly. Fr. Renger writes that he made "true doctrine live in the minds of his audience," and the result was a flourishing church where the faith had once almost been lost. Renger goes on to describe Gregory's lasting theological influence on the early Church:

"St. Gregory of Nazianzus was given the title of 'The Theologian' or 'The Divine' (the theologian) because of his skill and eloquence in upholding the truth of the Divinity of Christ. The title did not have the more exclusive meaning it now has, but it attests to his reputation in the early Church… History has given this title only to St. Gregory of Nazianzus and St. John the Evangelist. In the case of St. Gregory, perhaps it is God's way of giving earthly glory to a man who had shunned glory, who hated pomp and display and whose life was marked by recurring flights to the world of solitude, as well as by somewhat pathetic returns to the call of insistent duty."

Gregory's orations and writings inspired and influenced scholars for hundreds of years after his death, and we still use some of his key words when describing the profound relationship of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit today.

Reading about St. Gregory's life has given me much to ponder about living for God. Gregory, like so many other faithful Christian heroes, was a normal man with real emotions. Yet God worked through the messiness of life to accomplish great things through him. While Gregory's sensitive spirit may have been a shortcoming in some arenas, it became one of his greatest strengths in bringing the Gospel to the world.

Gregory's story is also a reminder that there is no utopian Christian community, no perfect pastor or church unaffected by sin. Even the "greats" had relational problems. At the same time, God often works through fellowship with one another to help us reach our full potential.

Intersecting Faith & Life: What are your weaknesses and shortcomings? What ways can they become strengths when submitted to the grace of God? What ways can you show grace and godly love to others who, in their own weaknesses, have failed you?

Further Reading
Romans 12: 6-8

A Prayer for Quieting the Noise..... By: Kristine Brown

 A Prayer for Quieting the Noise

By: Kristine Brown

So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. - 1 Samuel 3:9 NIV

Sometimes life gets extra noisy. With all the news, emails, messages, and discussions, it’s no wonder our minds feel overloaded. As a reforming overthinker, I’ve mastered certain techniques for quieting my thoughts. But when the world seems out of control, even my best efforts won’t suffice.

The priest Eli understood this. When the boy Samuel thought he heard Eli calling him, Eli knew Samuel had actually heard the voice of God. Samuel came running to his mentor, expecting an answer. Eli told Samuel what to do and instructed him to go lay down “in his place.” Away from all distractions. We can still learn from Eli’s advice today.

When we struggle to quiet the chaos in our minds, God will call us back to our quiet place with Him.

We can benefit from having a special place where we can tune out the world’s noise and tune in to God’s voice. Maybe yours is a prayer closet, a comfy chair, or on your knees next to a sleeping child’s bed. Wherever you call your quiet place, God is calling you there today.

The reality is, some seasons leave little room for going to that place. For finding solitude and listening for God’s comforting words. We may be surrounded by little ones needing our constant attention or caring for aging family members. We may be working overtime at our essential jobs or burdened by struggles out of our hands. Yet it’s in those times we need God the most.

So whether five minutes or half an hour, let’s pray and seek God for an opportunity to go to that quiet place. He is ready to meet us there.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lately, the noise of this world seems to grow louder and louder. I want to focus on you but get distracted by the chaos around me. I long for a moment of peace but struggle to quiet the noise in my mind and heart. Lord, forgive me for letting distractions of this world draw me away from you. I want to hear Your comforting voice above all else.

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me the importance of having a quiet place. Eli told Samuel to return to his bed and wait to hear from you. In the same way, Lord, speak to me in the stillness. Let me feel your holy presence. You are all I need.

And when the demands of life leave little room for meeting You in the quiet places, I will have peace in knowing You are with me. Your rod and staff comfort me. (Psalm 23:4) Help me to know even a few minutes with you will comfort my overwhelmed soul. You are an ever-present help in troubled times. (Psalm 46:1) In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Fullness of Joy ..... Craig Denison

 The Fullness of Joy

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview:

As children of the Most High God, we are to be marked by contagious, unceasing joy. Through the Holy Spirit we have access to an unending supply of joy that comes from the wellspring of restored relationship with our heavenly Father. God longs to fill us with his joy that we might live the abundant life Jesus died to give us. He longs to make us children fashioned in the image of our Father that we might share his unending joy to a world without hope. May you discover the greater portion of joy available to you through the Spirit as you encounter the heart of your Father this week.

Scripture:“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11

Devotional:

By the grace of God, we have a beautiful inheritance of eternal and tangible relationship with our heavenly Father. Psalm 16:5-6 says, “The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.” And later in verse 11 David writes, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

God has designated the beautiful inheritance of his presence for us. Israel knew what it was to center their gatherings around the presence of God. His presence guided them through the wilderness. His presence won battles for them. His presence was powerful in the Holy of Holies. God’s presence was the sign that he was with them and for them.

And Psalm 16:11 tells us that in the presence of God “there is fullness of joy.” Imagine what the fullness of joy looks and feels like. What would it be like to have a real encounter with the fullness of joy today? In the fullness of joy there is no sorrow, worry, doubt, or fear. In the fullness of joy there is abundant life, peace, freedom, and love.

Psalm 43:4 says, “Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy.” Consistently encountering the presence of our heavenly Father is the sole source of “exceeding joy” on this earth. Only in spending time going to his altar will we experience the joy that is our portion. Only in his presence will the joy of the Lord truly become our strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

Heavenly joy is an essential element to the Christian life. Joy isn’t something we are created to live without. It isn’t a pursuit secondary to other pursuits. Heavenly joy is a cornerstone on which we live lives that reflect the goodness, grace, love, and reality of our heavenly Father. Joy is meant to be the mouthpiece by which we declare how wonderful a relationship with God truly is.

In his book In Our Joy, John Piper writes, “But when God gives the radical change of new birth and repentance, Jesus himself becomes our supreme treasure.” Choose the better portion today of spending time encountering the fullness of joy that can only be found in the presence of God. Allow God to bring a radical change of new birth and repentance that positions Christ as your supreme treasure. And pursue heavenly joy today that you might demonstrate the surpassing kindness of your heavenly Father to a world that is desperately seeking what can only be found in restored relationship with him.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the fullness of joy available in the presence of God. Allow Scripture to stir up a desire to encounter the joy of the Lord today.

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11

“Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy.” Psalm 43:4

“The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.” Psalm 16:5-6

2. Ask the Lord to reveal his nearness. God is never far from you. His presence is with you. He longs to make himself known. Simply rest in the truth of his nearness and allow him to reveal himself to you.

“Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.” Psalm 84:3

3. Ask God to guide you into the fullness of joy available in his presence. Ask him to fill you with abundant joy that you might live today declaring his goodness to the world around you.

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

“But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.” John 17:13

“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:11

I pray that as the bride of Christ we would grow in our knowledge of his nearness. I pray that we would walk in the fullness of relationship with our heavenly Father available to us on the earth. And I pray that we would grow in our reflection of God’s goodness to a world that longs to know him. May you pursue the presence of God with greater fervor as you go throughout your day. May you experience his nearness and live your life with the joy of the Lord as your strength.

Extended Reading: Psalm 16