Abusing God's Patience..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 Abusing God's Patience

Dr. Charles Stanley

Romans 2:4-5

Have you ever ignored the press of conviction upon your heart? Maybe you rationalized your wrongdoing with the thought that if God were really upset, He'd put a stop to things by disciplining you. Psalm 50:21 reminds us that the silence of heaven does not mean approval. Remaining in sin is an abuse of the Lord's patience.

When God seems slow to react, we might hope He's overlooking our transgressions--we'd like to continue in sin because the momentary pleasure is more appealing than obedience. But thankfully, the Father knows our weaknesses, our innate carnality, and the state of our spiritual growth, and He therefore measures His response. Motivated by love and a desire to gently restore His children to righteousness, God refrains from doling out immediate punishment. Instead, He waits for the Holy Spirit's proddings to impact the believer's heart. The weight of conviction is actually an invitation to turn from wrongdoing and return to godliness.

However, we're a stubborn people. There are times when we persist in sin because the sentence against an evil deed isn't executed quickly (Eccl. 8:11). In this dangerous situa-tion, it's possible to immerse ourselves in sin and harden our hearts against the Lord. Then the Holy Spirit's call to repentance falls on spiritual ears rapidly going deaf.

As we learn and understand more about God and His ways, we are increasingly responsible to live righteously. The Lord is not slow; He's patient. Do not abuse His patience with callous disregard for His statutes. Repent and be holy in the sight of the Lord.

Living Without Expectation of Perfection..... Craig Denison

 Living Without Expectation of Perfection

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview:

Offering forgiveness to others is one of the most difficult and important aspects of the Christian life. The Bible clearly commands us to forgive others. God longs to fashion us into his likeness that we might model the love we’ve been shown to a world with no concept of mercy. He longs for us to offer grace and forgiveness to the undeserving as we have been offered grace and forgiveness when we were undeserving. May you be filled with courage and boldness to offer forgiveness to those in desperate need of grace. And may God’s love shine through as you enter into your calling as a minister of reconciliation.

Scripture:“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” >Romans 3:23

Devotional:

One of the most vital aspects of offering continual forgiveness is living without expectation of perfection from others. You will never meet a perfect human. All of us suffer from the same sinful, broken condition. And as believers, our lives are a reflection of God’s grace transforming what was once wholly sinful into pictures of his love. Even in this reflection, we will never experience perfection until we pass from this world to the next and live in perfect, uninhibited relationship with our heavenly Father.

Psalm 103:10-14 offers us insight into the expectations of God in regards to our sin. May the perspective of our heavenly Father be our model for forgiveness:

He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.

God offers us continual love, grace, compassion, and forgiveness because he knows that we’ve come from dust and will return to dust once again. He knows the sins and symptoms of brokenness that entangle us. And he offers us forgiveness for our sin and grace to live righteously in the future. If we are ever going to live in the fullness of life available to us, we must learn to be like our Father. We must learn to live without an expectation of perfection from anyone. It isn’t pessimistic to view everyone as imperfect. Rather, it’s a perspective that will allow us to love and enjoy others to the fullest.

Our heavenly Father longs to guide us to a lifestyle of forgiveness because he longs for us to live with the fullness of joy. Our God’s greatest delight is relationship with his people, and it was in forgiveness by the death of Jesus that restored relationship was made possible. We are made in the image of our Father. We are created to enjoy fellowship with one another, uninhibited by the bitterness and resentment that comes from unforgiveness. We are made to have our hearts open and full of love for one another. But in order to live the abundant life, we must free ourselves from placing others on a platform of perfection they will never attain.

Take time in guided prayer to allow God to fill you with his perspective. Allow him to set you free from the expectation of perfection for others. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” May you become like your heavenly Father: filled with love, grace, and forgiveness for all those who fall short of perfection around you.

God offers us continual love, grace, compassion, and forgiveness because he knows that we’ve come from dust and will return to dust once again. He knows the sins and symptoms of brokenness that entangle us. And he offers us forgiveness for our sin and grace to live righteously in the future. If we are ever going to live in the fullness of life available to us, we must learn to be like our Father. We must learn to live without an expectation of perfection from anyone. It isn’t pessimistic to view everyone as imperfect. Rather, it’s a perspective that will allow us to love and enjoy others to the fullest.

Our heavenly Father longs to guide us to a lifestyle of forgiveness because he longs for us to live with the fullness of joy. Our God’s greatest delight is relationship with his people, and it was in forgiveness by the death of Jesus that restored relationship was made possible. We are made in the image of our Father. We are created to enjoy fellowship with one another, uninhibited by the bitterness and resentment that comes from unforgiveness. We are made to have our hearts open and full of love for one another. But in order to live the abundant life, we must free ourselves from placing others on a platform of perfection they will never attain.

Take time in guided prayer to allow God to fill you with his perspective. Allow him to set you free from the expectation of perfection for others. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” May you become like your heavenly Father: filled with love, grace, and forgiveness for all those who fall short of perfection around you.

Extended Reading: Psalm 103

But Jesus..... JEANNIE CUNNION

 But Jesus

JEANNIE CUNNION

“Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” Psalm 118:5-6 (ESV)

A friend recently reached out to me to see how I was doing because she noticed I’d been, as she likes to say, “quiet lately.”

She knows that when I go quiet, whether that’s not answering her calls or not quickly responding to texts, it means I’m having a hard time. I typically retreat and process my pain with God before sharing it with others.

This is a very close friend of mine, so she knows the unique strengths and struggles of each of my five boys. So when she reached out via text to check on me, I confessed that I’d been quiet for several days because motherhood had been especially hard lately, and I explained why my heart was hurting for one son in particular. But before I hit “send” on my text, I concluded, “But Jesus.”

Those two words — “But Jesus” — are the ones that give me comfort in every painful circumstance I can’t control in my sons’ lives. Those words give me peace in every unwise decision my boys make that I cannot undo, and in every insecurity in them that I cannot heal.

Jesus knows the gifts He stored in my sons and the plans He has for them. Jesus knows their fears, worries and insecurities. Jesus knows the mistakes they hide and the shame that festers as a result. Jesus knows what tomorrow holds, and He isn’t surprised by their sin … or their sanctification. Jesus knows the potholes they’ll fall into, and He knows the stories they’ll tell about His grace that pulled them out. Jesus won’t forsake them. In fact, nobody is fighting harder for my boys than Him!

Isn’t that the greatest encouragement? Oh, sister, as I write this devotion for us, I am preaching a whole sermon to myself.

I don’t know what you’re walking through with your kids. It might feel hopeless. It might feel overwhelming. It might feel discouraging, and your heart might be breaking. I understand all of that. Every morning, after I drop my precious 5-year-old off at preschool, I crank up the worship music in my car and pray for the four older boys who are all dealing with very real things that will either draw them into deeper dependence on Jesus or tempt them to take advantage of His grace.

This practice of placing my boys back in the hands of their heavenly Father each morning helps free me from the burden of being their all in all. We are invited to bring all of our worries, fears, burdens and pressures to our all-knowing and all-loving Father, who loves to help.

When the weight of what our kids are walking through feels too heavy and hard, let us do as the psalmist did:

“Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Psalm 118:5-6)

Like the psalmist, when we call on the Lord, He will answer and set us free. He is on our side as we lead the children He’s entrusted to us. So, sister, call out to Him.

Our prayers for our children (and with our children) are unimaginably significant. Through prayer, we get to partner with God in the work He is doing in the lives of our kids. 

Of course, this is not discounting the fact that there are very real things we must do and very difficult problems we must solve. We have been given the Spirit of Christ to gird us and guide us as we go! Nowhere in Scripture do we read “Pray only.” Right? But we are continually reminded that this is the best place to start and the best place to return if we long to parent in the freedom of Christ and the confidence of God’s grace.

Heavenly Father, help us parent with open hands and pray with trusting hearts — remembering You are sovereign over it all, You are good to us and our children, and there is abundant grace and mighty power for those who call on Your name. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Praying for God’s Will, Not Our Own..... By Joe McKeever

 Praying for God’s Will, Not Our Own

By Joe McKeever

When we pray, we say, “Not my will, but Thy will be done.” And we say, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” We want what we want, but more than anything, we want His will. He knows what is best.

So, when we come to pray, we trust Him to answer in the way of His choice, not ours.

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “We do not know how to pray as we should” (Romans 8:26).

If we cannot pray and leave the answering of that prayer to the Father, accepting whatever He chooses to send as His will in that situation, we will quit praying. Some have quit praying.

If we cannot keep believing in God when He delays answering our prayers, we will quit praying. Many have quit.

If we cannot keep trusting when God disappoints us with the answers He sends, we will quit praying. And many have quit.

God knows what He is doing. God has His own plans. He wants our faith in Him to be strong and steadfast, to endure the hard times and to be pure in the good times.

God is at work this very moment. He will do things in His own way and He will take His own good time about it.

Do not be surprised if God’s answer to your prayers is not what you asked or wanted or expected. But what you said you wanted above all was His will to be done.

Think of Joseph: Joseph is thrown into the pit by his brothers (Genesis 37:24). Joseph is sold into slavery by his brothers and taken to Egypt (Genesis 37:28). Joseph is betrayed by his mistress and abandoned by his master and thrown into prison (Genesis 39:20). Joseph is still in prison two years later, betrayed by fellow prisoners who had promised to help him (Genesis 41:1). Joseph is made ruler over the land of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself (Genesis 41:41).

God had been on the job all along, using these tragic circumstances to prepare His man for the pivotal assignment He had for him. Joseph trusted the Lord throughout all these ups and downs–mostly downs–and God exalted him.

If we cannot walk by faith and believe by faith–a redundancy, of course–we will stop praying.

A Hedge of Clichés..... by Katherine Britton

 A Hedge of Clichés

by Katherine Britton

And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. - Matthew 6:7

A Bible study friend recently encouraged me to rewrite the famous passage on Proverbs 31 woman in my own words, with application to my own life. I took her up on the challenge, thinking the task wouldn't be too hard for someone who writes for a career. 

Crafting a modern application took an hour—much longer than I figured. Getting away from verbatim repetition to explore specific application required much more of my time and energy than I would typically spend journaling on a passage. Stepping back from the verse-by-verse analysis, though, I thought I saw the Proverbs 31 woman's characteristics a bit more clearly. Rewriting the passage didn't destroy the original language for me—on the contrary. The "words, words, words" seemed fresh and clear from my new vantage point. 

Unfortunately, reading and "hiding Scripture in our hearts" quickly slips into rote recitation for me. It's like Tim Hawkin's hedge of protection comedy sketch; the words have power, but we start spouting them off without much thought. Pretty soon, I'm sitting in church and halfway through a hymn before I realize that I'm singing. My heart gets left behind too when my mind is disengaged. Pretty soon, I'm praying a "hedge of protection" for somebody, partially because the phrase sounds good without making me think too carefully about their specific needs.  

The Pharisee Jesus described in Luke 18:9-13 had mastered the art of hiding insincerity behind the right phrases. He knew the turn of phrase that would convey holy devotion, regardless of the filth in his heart. "Words, words, words" became meaningless, as Hamlet saw them in the dead books - they became a socially acceptable key to avoid the real attitudes. 

Contrast this to the tax collector. He understood that social niceties wouldn't veil his sins before God, and he didn't continue with a recitation the way the Pharisee did. His simple prayer was, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner." That was it. He knew the impact of his simple phrase far better than the Pharisee did. He didn't need to "babble" to impress God or those around him; he simply spoke his heart, knowing that ability to pray is itself a mercy. 

The beautiful language of Scripture is best adorned with sincerity of heart, not how many words we can string together in holy sentences. After all, consider how simple the Lord's Prayer is written - and how difficult and miraculous it is to proclaim "Your will be done." 

Intersecting Faith and Life: There's not a "holy attitude" that we put on at "holy times" - we are called to be holy all the time, in our joking with friends as well as our prayers. We need to speak simply, truly, and to God's glory all the time. This week, practice this by eliminating Christian catchphrases from your prayers, instead journaling your prayers to bring a fresh application.

A Prayer for God to Give You Wisdom..... By: Chelsey DeMatteis

 A Prayer for God to Give You Wisdom

By: Chelsey DeMatteis

“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; 7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.” - Proverbs 2:6-8

Have you ever opened your Bible and wondered to yourself; How do I grasp what I’m reading? How do I take what I’m reading and apply it to my everyday living? Well, by God’s amazing grace, He promises to give us wisdom as we seek Him and leads us to live it out each day on display for the world. As we unpack His Word and desire to understand His heart, from that flows His wisdom.

I’ve spent a lot of time recently in these beginning chapters of Proverbs. They teach us so much about the value of seeking God’s heart and desiring His wisdom above all else. The saying is true, we must seek the Word before we enter the world.

We can see right here in these opening words of Proverbs 2 that God desires for us to receive His words and treasure His commands. He wants us to write His Word on our hearts and draw from His promises to quench our thirst. By doing this we will begin to grasp what God desires for our lives. When we make our ears attentive to His wisdom and when we long for His understanding, we will find our hearts hungrier to take in His Word and more willing to walk out the correction we receive from the Holy Spirit.

He tells us specifically in verse 3, “if we call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding”, we will understand and find the knowledge of the Lord. What a gift this is. Proverbs 2 paints the picture for us that our walk with the Lord takes much effort on our part, and it should. It’s the most important relationship; one that takes time, nurturing, and desiring to go deeper.

I want to focus in on verses 6-8. “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.” The Lord desires to give His people wisdom and He promises to shield His children. He promises to lead us as we grow in our knowledge of Him and showers us with grace as we begin applying His word to all facets of our lives.

So friend, lean in and listen. Be attentive to the Lord and what He’s doing in your life. Make time with Him of utmost importance, seek His wisdom, and choose His ways over the world. He is a good Father who will lead and guide you as you should go.

Pray with me…

Lord,

Thank you for promising your children wisdom and understanding when they seek you. I pray that my heart never grows tired of turning to you and seeking your heart. As I journey through this life, I pray for an abundance of wisdom that flows because of my deep relationship with you. 

In Jesus’s name, Amen.