The Side Effects of Fear..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 The Side Effects of Fear

Dr. Charles Stanley

Matthew 6:25-34

Fear obviously produces anxiety, but it also creates chaos in our lives and even affects those around us.

Fear stifles our thinking and actions. It creates indecisiveness that results in stagnation. I have known talented people who procrastinate indefinitely rather than risk failure. Lost opportunities cause erosion of confidence, and the downward spiral begins.

Fear hinders us from becoming the people God wants us to be. When we are dominated by negative emotions, we cannot achieve the goals He has in mind for us. A lack of self-confidence stymies our belief in what the Lord can do with our lives.

Fear can drive people to destructive habits. To numb the pain of overbearing distress and foreboding, some turn to things like drugs and alcohol for artificial relief.

Fear steals peace and contentment. When we're always afraid, our life becomes centered on pessimism and gloom.

Fear creates doubt. God promises us an abundant life, but if we surrender instead to the chains of fear, our prayers won’t be worth very much.

What are you afraid of--loss, rejection, poverty, or death? Everybody will face such realities at some point. All you need to know is, God will never reject you. Whether you accept Him is your decision.

The Bible tells us that God will meet all our needs. He feeds the birds of the air and clothes the grass with the splendor of lilies. How much more, then, will He care for us, who are made in His image? Our only concern is to obey the heavenly Father and leave the consequences to Him.

God Demonstrates His Grace..... Craig Denison

 God Demonstrates His Grace

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview:

The story of the prodigal son moves my heart to delve into the depths of God’s limitless grace. I find myself in every facet of Jesus’ words. I identify with both the son’s rebellion and the power of the father’s love. As children of God we are in constant need of reminders about God’s mercy toward us. When the world rejects us, God calls us in. When the world writes us off, God clothes us with righteousness and honor. May this transformative story of the prodigal son guide you to a deeper and more intimate relationship with your loving heavenly Father.

Scripture:“And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” >John 1:6

Devotional:

No single passage of Scripture has impacted my life in greater ways than Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son. I find myself in every facet of this story. I see my own sin and pride in the foolishness of the son to run from the Father. I see the despair and destitution that results from my own sin as the son longs for the slop he feeds to pigs. I see my desperate need for forgiveness, grace, and restoration in the son’s return. And more than anything, I see the unfathomable grace of my heavenly Father as the father in the story runs out to embrace his disobedient and wayward child.

Rather than beginning this week on the prodigal son with my own thoughts, take time to allow the entirety of Jesus’ words in this transformative story to impact your life. Ask the Holy Spirit for fresh eyes today. Find yourself in Jesus’ words. I pray that you will feel the selfishness and rebellion in the prodigal son. I pray that you will feel the despair and loneliness that comes from sin and separation from the Father. And I pray that you will feel the loving embrace of your heavenly Father as the heart of your God is clearly displayed through this life-changing story.

“There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

“Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found’” (Luke 15:11-32).

Guided Prayer:

1. Place yourself in every facet of the story. Find your own story of redemption and reconciliation in Jesus’ words.

2. Where do you need the grace of your heavenly Father today? What part of your life needs the redeeming love of God?

3. Turn to the Father and confess your sin. Confess your need of his embrace and forgiveness. Allow him to forgive and heal the areas of your life wrought with the destruction of sin.

We are in constant need of God’s grace. We will never live a perfect day. We will never step outside an immense need to be unconditionally loved and forgiven by our Father. Sin robs us of the abundant life available to us in Jesus every day. And until we allow God to forgive and heal the sinful places in our lives we will not experience the tremendous power and grace of our heavenly Father in those areas. May you spend the entirety of your day wrapped up in the arms of your Father. May he speak a new identity over you as his child both forgiven and empowered for freedom. And may you experience the abundant life only found in receiving the overwhelming and free grace of God.

Extended Reading: Romans 6

Finding Rest in the Grace That Never Runs Out..... MEREDITH HOUSTON CARR

 Finding Rest in the Grace That Never Runs Out

MEREDITH HOUSTON CARR

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV)

Of all the challenges that come with raising a special needs child, finding the right school had been one of the most arduous tasks. No matter how great a school year began, it would often end in tears, fears and the awful thought that we, as a family, weren’t good enough — we didn’t measure up.

In one particularly grueling season, my husband and I inadvertently found ourselves on the wrong side of the school administration. Taking my son to school felt like going into battle. Leaving the carpool line in tears, I’d anxiously wait by the phone and gird my weary mama heart for the negative report I would surely receive at pickup.

Each morning in that painful season, I drove to school wondering, Is this the day they say he can’t be here anymore? Is this the day the grace runs out?

It was exhausting.

I wonder if you feel the draining pull of trying to measure up, too. Maybe you’re striving at work to stay one step ahead of falling behind. Maybe the comparison trap is sinking your joy in motherhood. Perhaps your relationships are hanging on by a thread, and you feel like you’re just one mistake away from letting someone down.

The circumstances may change, but the result looks the same: We find ourselves worn thin by constantly trying to get it right, fit the mold and check the box. We know Jesus promised life and peace, yet those gifts feel like a dream on the days our limitations hover close to the surface.

The truth is, the world isn’t a very kind place when our weaknesses come into full view. The world offers us a conditional “grace,” one that runs out at the first sign of failure. Though we may try to have it all together, we can’t escape the truth that something in our lives is bound to tattletale on our shortcomings.

The Apostle Paul deeply understood this struggle. Three times, he begged God to remove a “thorn” in his flesh. While we don’t know the specifics of this thorn, we know it caused him anguish, and 2 Corinthians 12:7 characterized it as “a messenger of Satan” sent to “harass” him (ESV). Boy, can I relate to that!

Our key verse, however, reveals that God’s plan was bigger than simply removing Paul’s prickly problem:

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

God reminded Paul that His grace, unlike the world’s, doesn’t vanish at the first sign of our weakness. Instead, humbly acknowledging our inadequacies and bringing them to Him flings open the doors to His divine muscle. This is one of many counterintuitive truths of the gospel: God’s power finds perfection in our imperfection!

In the comfort of His grace, we find our frailties transformed into a poignant testimony of Jesus’ sustaining love. Like Paul’s, our “thorns” no longer hold us back — they can even become a source of joy as we expectantly await the extraordinary work Jesus will do through our humble, human lives.

And in this, we find rest — genuine, soul rest. This rest invites us to shed the shame surrounding our weaknesses. It paves the way to peace because we know God will use our weaknesses to display His strength. The stunning, all-sufficient grace of Jesus frees us from the need to strive, measure up and attempt to attain perfection, for at our weakest, God is strongest. His grace never runs out.

These days, my son is thriving at a beautiful school that loves him, quirks and all. I am grateful every morning. Yet I also give thanks for that hard season because it taught me to find respite in God’s endless supply of grace and stop pursuing man’s empty approval.

Whatever this day holds, may we rest in the safety and security of God’s capable, grace-filled arms.

Dear Jesus, thank You for Your grace that sustains us and never runs out. Today, help us bring our weaknesses to You so that Your power might shine in us. May we find our rest in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

4 Ways to Pray About Anything in Every Situation..... by Lynette Kittle

 4 Ways to Pray About Anything in Every Situation

by Lynette Kittle

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” – Philippians 4:6

Over the years I’ve been growing in my understanding of prayer and how God wants to have an ongoing dialogue with me throughout my day, where I am accessible to Him in every aspect of my life.

Through prayer, I invite and involve God into my everydayness. Below are four ways I’ve been learning to include prayer into my daily life.

1. Seize the Moment

Instead of telling people “I’ll pray” when someone asks for prayer, my goal is to take time to actually pray right in the moment, because it’s easy to forget. Also when someone asks for prayer, it reflects openness on his or her part towards God, something that may not be present later on.

Sometimes the simplest of phrases can touch a hardened or hurting heart. Psalm 49:3 reassures me that God can help my mouth speak words of wisdom.

Even if words are awkward and don’t come easy, or if they flow easily, I trust God to give me words to speak that will encourage, comfort, and touch hearts.

2. Let God Lead

Scriptures states as a child of God, I’m to be led by His Spirit (Romans 8:14). Doing so helps me in so many ways such as recognizing when someone is open to prayer, situations where prayer is needed, and how to pray.

In asking the Lord to guide my prayers, I find myself praying in new and unexpected ways and places, trusting Him to lead my thoughts and prayers.

Letting God lead also frees me from things such as feelings of self-consciousness and trying to impress with well-expressed words or phrasing. Psalm 25:6 states that the Lord guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way.

3. Take Time

When someone asks for prayer through an email, Facebook, or Twitter, take time to respond. Find a few minutes to send or post a thoughtful response to requests for prayer, trusting God to minister through your words.

Even with all of social media’s issues, there are still opportunities to bring a refreshing word.

Like Proverbs 15:23 states, “A person finds joy in giving an apt reply and how good is a timely word!”

4. Be Available

Let God know you are available, willing, and asking Him for opportunities to pray. When you do, commit to being on-call to pray 24/7, along with being open to surprising situations.

Unexpected opportunities in my life have included praying with a stranger outside an amusement park ride, during a Christmas party, on a crowded airliner, in a store’s check-out line, and more.

Like 2 Timothy 4:2 urges, I aim to be prepared in season and out of season, ready to reach out to others.

Sinners Gonna Sin..... by John UpChurch

 Sinners Gonna Sin

by John UpChurch

“For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.” Philippians 3:18-19

We should never be surprised by sin. Humans run to it, fill their hands with the dripping filth, and smear it over their bodies. From birth. From conception (Psalm 51:5). It’s the natural state of what it means to be a fallen Homo sapiens.

Often, though, it’s easy to forget our own dip into the slop. Years of following Jesus can make that mud bath indistinct and alien in our memories. We were, but are no longer (Romans 6:6). The times we plunged headfirst into sin no longer seem real. We forget how arduous the road has been that’s brought us here—the struggles, the temptations, the urges to turn around and dive back in. We forget that each victory came with wounds. We forget why we have the scars.

With that newness of rebirth comes the temptation to compare everything and everyone with where we are now. Our filth cleansed, we see clearly. And what we see are those pitiful figures still flailing in the dirt, still covering themselves with sin.

It’s easy to be disgusted. The mud seems much dirtier now than it was when we were in it, more putrid to our nostrils. Certainly we would never do what they do—those still wallowing, those whose god is their every whim and desire. There’s nothing very attractive in the mess.

But when you think of what will become of those who blindly grope in the sludge, when you consider the destiny of those who glory in their own shame, you start to see something else. God looked into just such filth to find a struggling wretch—one that looked just like you. His love wasn’t deterred by all your caked-on grime. His compassion wasn’t stopped by the junk that clung to you. He yanked you from the pit and put your feet on the rock. Then, He washed you clean.

Sin comes naturally to humanity. But love that looks past the grime to share the hope of the gospel? That’s the hard thing. That’s the thing worth doing.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Those who are enemies of the cross, as Paul describes them, will sin. They’ll do so in small ways, and they’ll do so blatantly and defiantly. And from outside the mud bath, it’s easy for us to wrinkle our noses in disgust. “Sure, we all sin,” we might tell ourselves, “but they’re reveling in the stuff.”

But compassion, the kind that rolls through 1 Corinthians 13, peers ahead to the future destiny of those writhing in the filth and peels back the layers of grime. There, we see humans destined for destruction. They may not want help, but they need it. And you’re called to offer it to them.

For Further Reading
1 Corinthians 13
Romans 2

A Prayer for Calling on the Powerful Name of Jesus..... By: Kristine Brown

 A Prayer for Calling on the Powerful Name of Jesus

By: Kristine Brown

“When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” - Mark 10:47, NLT

There are many times in life when I get caught up in all that’s going on around me. It feels like I’m amid a sea of people, each voice distracting me from the peace and joy I know is available through Christ. I believe Jesus is right there with me, willing to bring peace to my situation. But I lose focus on him and instead let myself get lost in the crowd.

A man named Bartimaeus knew what it was like to focus only on Jesus in a crowd of chaos. Born blind, this man chose to tune out all the happenings around him and the voices pulling his attention away. He did the one thing we should all learn to do when we have a need— call on the powerful name of Jesus.

Jesus’ name “is above every name.” It is so powerful that every knee will bow to it and every tongue will acknowledge Jesus as Lord. (Philippians 2:9-11).

Bartimaeus didn’t give in to distraction. He kept calling, even when people tried to silence him. We shouldn’t let people or circumstances discourage us from calling on Jesus, any time we want. He is always there for us, ready and willing to meet our needs.

Jesus would not be deterred when one of his children called. He paused and turned toward Bartimaeus. Mark 10:49 says, “When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, ‘Tell him to come here.’” Then in verse 52, we are given an incredible example of what happens when we choose his name above all else. “And Jesus said to him, ‘Go, for your faith has healed you.’ Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road.”

Jesus responded when Bartimaeus called his name, and he will do the same for us today. Just like this man’s story, let’s allow Jesus to be the focus of our story, today and every day. Let’s pray by calling on the powerful name of Jesus.

Dear Jesus,

Please help me. I need you. Circumstances seem out of control, and with all the voices shouting at me, I am struggling to focus on you alone. I cry out to you today because your name is above every other name.

I want to be like Bartimaeus and not be afraid to call on you in the midst of the crowds. When I say the name, “Jesus,” the enemy trembles. He is no match for you, the King of Kings and giver of mercy and grace. You bring hope to my hurt and healing to my weary soul.

Help me get rid of distractions and break down barriers between us as I focus on you. Romans 10:13 promises, “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Thank you Jesus for this undeniable truth! Thank you for caring about me and hearing me when I pray.

Praise your powerful name, Amen.