Another Divine Helper..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 Another Divine Helper

Dr. Charles Stanley

John 14:16-18

Have you ever wished you had a 911 number that rang in heaven whenever you had a need? Well, I have good news for believers. We all have divine assistance that’s even closer than a phone call: our Helper dwells within us. But if we are unaware of Him, we’ll miss many opportunities to benefit from the greatest asset in our Christian life—the Holy Spirit’s presence.

Christ knew that when He left the earth, His disciples would be totally inadequate for the task He was giving them—to evangelize the world. Though they’d spent three years with Jesus, all they had seen and learned would still not sufficiently equip them for what lay ahead. They needed supernatural help, and so do we—someone who will come to our aid, empower our service, and transform us from the inside out.

The Holy Spirit is the only one who can achieve all this. Consider His qualifications:

1. He is a personal Helper, not some inanimate force. God’s Spirit is a member of the Trinity and coequal with both the Father and Jesus Christ.

2. He is a practical Helper who involves Himself in every aspect of our lives.

3. He is an adequate Helper because He’s omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent.

4. He is an available Helper who permanently lives within us.

Do you have any need that requires more power than omnipotence? Are you facing a decision that requires more knowledge than omniscience? Nothing we encounter is bigger than the omnipresent One who lives within us. Be calm and confident. No matter what challenges you face, He can help.

Restoration of Sonship..... Craig Denison

 Restoration of Sonship

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 I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.” - 2 Corinthians 6:18

Devotional:

By the sacrifice of Jesus, you and I have been made sons and daughters of the Most High God. We’ve been redeemed and transformed into children and heirs to the kingdom of God. Romans 8:15-17 says,

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

In the story of the prodigal son, the father clothes his wayward and rebellious son with a robe, a ring, and sandals. All three of these symbols represent a restoration of sonship in different ways. The son who returned to his father to simply be employed as a slave was immediately restored as a child and heir. The father had no desire to make his son pay for his own sins; he simply wanted restored relationship with his child again.

Our heavenly Father feels the same way about us. At salvation we were restored to right standing in the eyes of God. 2 Corinthians 6:18 says, “And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.” >1 John 3:1 says,“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” No matter what sins we commit, we will always be a child of God. No sin we ever commit can rob us from the inheritance of glorious relationship afforded to us by the death of Christ Jesus. His love is stronger than our sin.

An epidemic exists in the church today of believers living and serving their Father as slaves rather than as sons and daughters. A slave works and serves apart from intimate relationship with their master. A son lives with the empowerment of true relationship with the Father. Many disciples are trying to live for Jesus—they go to church, go on a mission trip, teach a small group, and even try and read their Bibles—but they have no real fellowship or relationship with the Father. I lived much of my Christian life that way. It wasn’t until I began to experience the Father’s heart (knowing that he longed for me to truly know him), experience his love and nearness, and be empowered by a new identity that I began living as a son.

Allow your heavenly Father to clothe you with his presence and speak to your true identity today. Ask him what it looks like to live as a son or daughter who truly knows the Father. And experience the overwhelming joy and peace that comes from intimate relationship with your God.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on your identity as a son or daughter of the Most High God. Allow Scripture to fill your heart with a fresh desire to pursue deeper levels of relationship with your Father.

“And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.” - >2 Corinthians 6:18

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” >1 John 3:1

“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” >Romans 8:15-17

2. In what ways do you feel you might be living as a slave more than a son or daughter? Where are you lacking a revelation and experience of God’s love for you?

3. Ask your heavenly Father to reveal the depths of his love today. Ask him to guide you into a fresh encounter with his grace. Ask him to restore you and lead you into greater depths of relationship with him.

“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

How astounding is the love and grace of our Father that we would be considered his children. How vast is his love for us that with no effort of our own we would be transformed into heirs with Christ. There is no greater privilege than being the son or daughter of the Creator. There is no greater love than that which the Father has for us. And there is no greater life than one spent in full relationship with the very Father who would run out to meet us, call us his son or daughter in our weakest moments, and bring us into his family. 

Extended Reading: Romans 8

The God Who Sees You..... JO SAXTON

 The God Who Sees You

JO SAXTON

“She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.’” Genesis 16:13 (NIV)

Sitting down in my favorite chair, cup of tea in hand, journal by my side, I was ready to read the Bible and pray. My family had been instructed not to disturb me and was a distant sound upstairs. Even the dog was quiet. I appreciated the space because I had a singular focus that evening. I was determined to spend time with God because I needed some answers.

My business, once the fruit of dreams we’d prayed and fasted over, was failing. Every day felt like I was working hard to rescue a sinking ship. We tried new strategies; we tried old strategies — nothing worked. I was exhausted.

I needed a plan to fix things; I needed to know the next step. There were some difficult choices to make, but how would I discern them? I needed God’s guidance.

I sat down with every intention of seeking God for direction. I was ready to pray all the confusion out and pray all the clarity in! But when I began, all I could say was:

“God, would You mind if I got into the fetal position, please … because … I can’t —”

My voice broke with sobs that spoke the prayers my words couldn’t form. I curled into a ball on the floor and wept because it’s hard to hold it all together when you’re falling apart. I’d been telling everyone, including myself, that I was “tired but OK.”

But I couldn’t fake it with God. So I stayed on the floor for what seemed like forever, pouring my heart out to Him. The grief and confusion, the anger and disappointment. Eventually a phrase came to my mind: “You are the God who sees me.” I took a slow, deep breath. Hagar.

Hagar spoke these words in the desert after escaping the mistreatment of Abram and Sarai. Her life had been swept up into their own broken struggles, and they had utterly broken her. Yet in the desert, Hagar discovered that, though she had limited value in Abram and Sarai’s eyes, every part of her life was precious to God, and He would redeem her story. In response, Hagar called Him El Roi — the God who sees.

How often do you feel that God doesn’t see what you’re going through? Perhaps you don’t take it personally; after all, there’s so much going on in the world, so many other people in need. Or maybe it does feel personal, as though God sees everyone’s life but yours, hears everyone’s prayers but yours. We struggle through difficult relationships, challenging circumstances, hard decisions that give us sleepless nights. Maybe, like me, you dutifully prepare yourself to pray the right prayers, read the right words and try to be strong for everyone, including God … even though in reality you’re falling apart.

That tearful evening, I was reminded that God doesn’t need me to try to be strong for Him when I’m going through a crisis. He is not surprised by my circumstances; He cares about them and He cares for me. He is the God who sees me.

When I was in crisis, He saw my disappointment and shattered dreams. He saw how afraid I was; He knew the way this crisis touched old wounds and scars in my past. He saw me trying to hold it together for everyone and loved me in it all. He met me there on the floor — and He reminded me of who He is. He is still the God who sees me and redeems my story.

God has seen every chapter of your story, the parts you celebrate and the parts you wish you could forget. He sees you today, in the struggles and the tiredness, the fears and the fun. He sees every part of you. He knows you. He loves you. And when life is falling apart, His hold on you is stronger than your hold on Him. He has no intention of letting you go. He will redeem your story.

Heavenly Father, You know my every thought, my deepest longings and every hope. You know the reality of all my days. Thank You that I do not have to be strong with You. Please help me today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Key to Fighting Temptation..... By: Betsy St. Amant Haddox

 The Key to Fighting Temptation

By: Betsy St. Amant Haddox
 
And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” - Luke 22:40 (ESV)

No Christian is free from temptation. Remember, temptation itself isn’t a sin, as Jesus was tempted (Matthew 4). Rather, the sin lies in whether we give in to temptation. Do you avert your eyes when tempted with the opportunity to indulge in lust? Do you attempt to take a deep breath and curb your rising anger instead of lashing out? Do you make the right decision when presented with the chance to lie, cheat, or steal and get away with it?

Jesus clearly tells us how to fight temptation.

The night that Christ was arrested, he first went to the Mount of Olives to pray. Luke 22:39 (ESV) And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. Something that strikes me about this scripture is the mention of “as was his custom” - meaning, retreating to pray was a habit or routine of Christ’s. It wasn’t foreign to Him, and it shouldn’t be to us. This is the key to overcoming.

Prayer is so important when fighting temptation that Jesus told the disciples to do it twice in the same evening. Just a few verses down, He repeats His command. Luke 22:45-46 And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow,  and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

The disciples struggled with this discipline just like we do. It doesn’t come naturally to us to retreat and pray. Our minds wander a mile a minute, and before we know it, we’re planning our grocery list, thinking of tomorrow’s schedule, or remembering something funny we saw earlier that day on social media. Or, quite possibly, we’re dozing off just like the disciples did.

I believe one of the reasons it is so hard for us to imitate Christ in this manner is precisely because of how important it is. Of course the enemy will come against us and cause all manner of distractions and interruptions when we try. Worse yet, once we sin in some way, we instinctively feel the urge to retreat from God and hide (Genesis 3:8) rather than press nearer to the Father. We tend to pray less, and the less we pray, the less desire we have to do so. It’s a vicious cycle.

As Christians, if we’re going to have any hope of overcoming temptation in our lives, we must listen to the commands of Christ and pray. Carve out time to spend talking with the Father. Make it happen! Have you ever noticed that the more disciplined you are with your daily time in the Word and in prayer, the less likely you are to give in to your “typical sins”? Have you paid attention to the fact that when you skip church for a few weeks or forsake fellowshipping with the body of Christ, you’re more likely to give in to temptation?

This is all intentional. This is the way it works. We need each other, and we need Christ to have any victory over temptation. So, fight your flesh. Rise and pray. And then watch with eager anticipation for the fruit this discipline will grow in your life.

Sick on the Scenic Route..... by John UpChurch

 Sick on the Scenic Route

by John UpChurch

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” - Philippians 3:12 

On my way home from North Carolina, I followed my impulse to jump on the Blue Ridge Parkway that meanders along the spine of the Appalachian Mountains. Late spring had hit, and the trees on that slithering byway had burst into color. And if you know me, you know I can’t resist a scenic detour in spring… or summer…  or anytime I’m sure my car won’t get stuck for some reason.

If you’ve ever had the chance to sling along the Blue Ridge, you’ll find it hard to keep your eyes on the road. Gasp-worthy valley vistas pretty much assault you wherever you turn with their seductive greens and purples and blues. The only problem with a wandering gaze, however, is that many of the turns on that road completely bend back on themselves. So, you’re constantly looking out in awe—and then whipping the car back on the road before you become part of that valley view.

In fact, those stomach-churning curves nearly got the better of me. Never before or since have I suffered from motion sickness while driving. But that road, with all its flipping and flopping, beat me up. By the time I finally escaped that tangled beast of a road, I was actually happy to see the interstate and all its rush-hour traffic (well, for the most part). At least those bumper-to-bumper shenanigans meant I’d be going straight.

For many of us, our pursuit of Christ swings us around in much the same way. We whip around curves that seem to take us the long way round, nearly bumble off the road because something shiny catches our eyes, and let the cares along the way nauseate us. It’s a circuitous route, this Christian life, and one that doesn’t move us from start to finish quickly.

But it’s a path paved by the One who made us His own.

Each bend, each switchback curve, brings us closer to the goal He made possible. His mountain climbing 2000 years ago means we can follow Him all the way, no matter how far away the goal may seem. We’re His, and He’s calling us home.

Intersecting Faith & Life: We belong to Christ. He made us His own by dying on a tree. That’s not some partial investment or a half-hearted venture; that’s some serious business. He paid our price in full.

He intends to lead you around the bends, past the vistas, through the gulches, by still waters, and, finally, home. He’ll calm you, guard you, and shield you. But what He won’t do is leave you stranded. (There are no guarantees against nausea, though.)

A Prayer for Enduring with Hope..... By: Kristine Brown

 A Prayer for Enduring with Hope

By: Kristine Brown

“But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 24:13 ESV)

The disciples gathered around Jesus one day and asked how they would recognize the end of time. Jesus explained what the world could expect to happen in those days, so they would not be alarmed. Surely talk of impending wars, famines, and earthquakes would cause people to panic. But Jesus reassured the disciples, saying, “See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.” (Matthew 24:6)

Even today we may be tempted to lose heart when we read Jesus’ words regarding the end times. Hearing that many will suffer or be led away from God? It doesn’t sound like something to look forward to. But in Matthew 24:13, Jesus offers unmistakable hope to sustain us through the hardest days: “But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

God calls us to endure. Romans 5:3-4 encourages believers to “rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” So as we persevere through whatever trials we face, God replenishes our hope with the promise of eternal life with Him.

Jesus came and suffered because of his deep love for us. Knowing nothing can separate us from that love gives us reason to press on. We can step into each new day with anticipation instead of panic, thanks to this amazing promise. We will “see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” (Matthew 24:30)

Let’s keep this promise in mind as we pray and ask God for the strength to endure with hope.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your Word. When I look around at the world today, it’s hard to stay encouraged. Yet in those times when I begin to lose heart, I can always turn to Scripture and find renewed hope.

Your son Jesus spoke to his disciples, explaining how important it was for them to endure with hope, even in the end times. Through their conversation, Jesus gives us all a reason to press on today. Lord, help us to endure when we’re tempted to give up. Help us focus on your love as we face difficult times.

Thank you for not only calling us to walk in freedom from panic because of Jesus, but also giving us the strength to endure until we see Him again. We can rejoice as we persevere because of His promised return.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.