Building Bridges to the Kingdom..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 Building Bridges to the Kingdom

Dr. Charles Stanley

Matthew 25:31-34

Scripture refers to "the kingdom of God" frequently, but many people are unclear as to its meaning. Let's look at the past, present, and future reality of this concept.

The first thing we must realize is that the heavenly kingdom refers to everything under Christ's control. At the moment of salvation, we are transferred from the reign of darkness to the bright authority of Jesus. And we are eternally secure in Him.

As today's verses explain, Jesus' kingdom and reign have been planned since the foundation of the world. From the beginning, God has been preparing mankind for what is to come. One way was by using prophets to foretell how He would redeem humanity and sovereignly rule over heaven and earth.

Once Jesus came and gave His life, He established the "present" kingdom. This isn't a geographical locale; it's a term describing the heart, where God's Holy Spirit indwells believers to guide, counsel, and empower.

But there is also a future aspect of the kingdom, which we can anticipate with excitement. You are probably familiar with the words "Thy kingdom come" from the Lord's Prayer (Luke 11:2 kjv). This speaks of the new heaven and new earth, where we will enjoy freedom from pain and sin. There, we will worship Jesus with gladness and joy for all eternity.

As God's kingdom ambassadors, we who are His children have the responsibility and privilege of sharing the good news: Through Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection, all who trust in Him are forgiven of sin and assured of eternal life with God. Whom can you tell about this amazing gift?

Encountering God through Others ..... Craig Denison

 Encountering God through Others

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview:

Having consistent and transformational encounters with God while on earth is meant to be foundational to the Christian life. Our God has not left us. Through the sacrifice of Jesus, we’ve been filled with the very Spirit of God who longs to reveal to us daily the nearness and love of our heavenly Father. We are never alone. There is nowhere we can flee from the presence of our God. May this week be filled with transformational encounters with the living God as we learn what it is to seek the face of the one who has formed us, knows us, and loves us unconditionally.

Scripture:“Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” - Matthew 18:19-20

Devotional:

One of the most impactful ways God reveals himself is through others. Jesus taught us in Matthew 18:19-20, “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” We can learn aspects of God’s heart through others that we simply can’t learn alone. In relationship with others we learn about God’s heart for unity, grace, humility, and love in new and powerful ways. In fellowship we encounter people with various giftings, perspectives, and past experiences that are different than our own. And in community we discover God’s heart to use others for the building up, healing, and sharpening of ourselves. James 5:13-16 says,

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

God longs for you to give yourself fully to the community around you. He longs to use you for the healing and building up of others. And he longs for you to embrace humility and receive help and sharpening from others around you.

Ephesians 4:16 says, “From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” Investing in community gives you the opportunity to be used by God to be built up in love with a group of believers. It positions you to receive help from fellow believers who are pursuing Jesus. And it equips you to pursue freedom and life in areas where you might not have gotten victory without the help of others.

Pursue wholehearted community today, not because fellow believers are perfect, but because you, as an imperfect child of God, need help from fellow imperfect children to encounter the fullness of abundant life God intends for you. Have grace for others. Love when you are unloved. Help when no one else will. Build up the body that Jesus loves that the world might better know the loving and available God we serve.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the importance of investing in, and being invested in, by fellow believers.

“From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” - Ephesians 4:16

“Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” - Matthew 18:19-20

2. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you whom you ought to invest in today and who he wants to use to invest in you. Ask God to help you humble yourself that you might love and show grace regardless of the faults of others.

3. Take some time and encourage a fellow believer. Ask God to show you his heart for that person and send them an encouragement from him. Ask God for a Scripture that he is speaking over that person. May you be used to build up another in love today.

I believe that the Lord has a few people for each of us that we are called to be totally open with. Oftentimes healing for our sin comes through confession and repentance to God and to fellow believers. When our sin is truly brought into the light in front of believers, we can better see it for what it is and gain help and accountability. May Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 encourage you today as you seek to develop much needed community with fellow believers:

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Extended Reading: Ephesians 4

God Wants Our Whole Heart..... LYSA TERKEURST

 God Wants Our Whole Heart

LYSA TERKEURST

“Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you.” Hosea 10:12 (NIV) 

God wants us to settle some things in our hearts. Especially whether we are all-in when it comes to our relationship with Him. Do we want to walk in the fullness of His love and His plans? Or do we want to spend our lives chasing after the world’s empty pleasures?

Why not push the limits, live for the now and worry about eternity later? the enemy whispers.

The enemy is very strategic with his plans to derail and distract us. He cleverly makes his temptations seem so harmless.

The problem is that, by “living for the now,” we miss the whole point of our existence, the very purpose for which we were created. God made us for the relationship of His perfect love. But if we’re always chasing after other things, we’ll never experience the fullness of that love. There’s a big difference between a halfhearted approach to God and wholehearted devotion.

That halfhearted approach is where we find God’s people in a passage of Scripture I have been studying recently.

Hosea 10 opens with the initial appearance that all is well for the Israelites. They’re flourishing and in a season of plenty. (Hosea 10:1) Anyone looking at them from the outside would probably assume God is pleased with them and greatly blessing them. But Hosea lets the Israelites know God is anything but pleased with them, and their season of plenty and fruitfulness is about to be replaced with one of destruction and barrenness.

Why?

Hosea 10:2 explains the reason: “Their heart is deceitful, and now they must bear their guilt. The LORD will demolish their altars and destroy their sacred stones” (NIV).

The Hebrew word for “deceit” is חָלַק, ḥālaq (pronounced “Ha-Lack”) and means “divided, smooth or slippery.”

God didn’t have their whole hearts.

Their hearts were deceived and divided. Instead of worshipping God with their whole hearts, the Israelites turned to their pagan altars. (Hosea 10:1) Instead of trusting in the Lord, they put their faith in their rebellious and evil kings. (Hosea 10:3-4; Hosea 10:7)

They ignored God’s warnings to tear down their altars — failing to realize that divided affections will always be detrimental to a life of devotion. And as they chased after their idols, they wandered away from their covenant relationship with the Lord.

Thankfully, God is gracious in the midst of our wandering — beckoning us back home, calling us to repentance, offering us the chance to begin again.

He holds out hope to the Israelites and to us in Hosea 10:12: “Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you.”

I don’t want us to miss the original Hebrew meaning of the word “seek” in this verse. The word דָּרַשׁ, dāraš (pronounced “Da-Rash”) is translated as “turning to the Lord.” I love that! Can’t you just hear the Father’s voice calling out to His people? Calling out to us?

As if He’s saying, My wayward and wandering children, turn back! Turn to Me! The path you are on is one that leads to destruction. One I cannot bless. But it’s not too late! You haven’t wandered too far. You can stop right now, right where you are, and return to Me. You can make wise and holy choices. Starting now. You can sow better seed. Today. Draw near to Me once again, and I will draw near to you. Repent of your sins and receive the fullness of My mercy, grace and forgiveness. Welcome Me even into the parts of your heart that have perhaps been hard and resistant to Me. Turn to Me. Seek Me. You will find Me waiting and ready to move in your life with amazing grace, unending love and incredible power.

Oh, how I pray we will answer His call today. Let’s seek God like never before. Let’s turn to Him, follow Him and offer Him all that we are and all that we have.

Father God, please forgive me. You know how my heart can get so divided and stretched and pulled in a million directions, especially in a hard season. Thank You for reminding me that You want every single piece of my heart. Please reveal anything I have been turning to instead of You. Teach me to rely on Your strength and power in the areas where I am weak. My deepest desire is to fully follow after You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Would you say God has your whole heart? What things or people have you been looking to for comfort, for hope, for fulfillment more than Him? How can you purposefully turn back toward the Lord today? 

When the Lord Calls, He Equips..... by Jennifer Waddle

 When the Lord Calls, He Equips

by Jennifer Waddle

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” So the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord? Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.” - Exodus 4:10-11, NKJV

When God called Moses to approach Pharaoh and insist that he set the nation of Israel free from slavery, Moses was full of arguments. His questions were, Who am I? What shall I say? What if they do not believe me? But Moses wasn’t the only one who doubted God’s call. Many who were chosen to do hard things questioned the Lord, argued with Him, and even ran away.

Gideon doubted God’s call to deliver Israel from the Midianites, insisting he was the least of the least.

Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?” So he said to Him, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” Judges 6:14-15

Jonah ran from God when he was commanded to warn Nineveh of impending judgment.

But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. Jonah 1: 3

Jeremiah argued with God’s direction, stating he was only a youth and could not speak to the rebellious nation of Israel.

Then said I: “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.” Jeremiah 1:6

Most of us are happy to step up to the plate when the task is easy. But when the Lord draws us out of our comfort zones and into the unknown, that is when we wrestle with His assignment.

We may not feel worthy of God’s call, but nevertheless, He makes us complete in every good work that aligns with His will and equips us with whatever is needed to carry out His divine purpose.

Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20-21 (emphasis mine)

Moses argued with the Lord, to the point of provoking Him to anger. In the end, Moses’ brother Aaron ended up being God’s mouthpiece.(Exodus 4:14-16) How might it have been different if Moses had yielded to God and trusted that He would equip him to speak?

We, too, might doubt God’s abilities, but by His Spirit, we will be given exactly what we need at the exact time we need it.

“Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” Luke 12:11-12

Just as the Lord assured Gideon, Jonah and Jeremiah, He assures us that He will put the words in our mouths and the tools in our hands to accomplish the work He has begun in us.

What You Should Do..... by John UpChurch

 What You Should Do

by John UpChurch

And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.  - Colossians 1:10-12

Hundreds of times I’ve found myself bemoaning some predicament or difficult decision. Often, I’m on the floor and staring up at the ceiling. Although the words may vary somewhat, they all pretty much amount to this:

"God, can’t you just tell me what to do?"

I’m a planner. So, what I really mean is this: “If You could just spell out every step for the next few months—or years—that’d be great. Maybe a detailed list?”

What I keep forgetting is that God already did that. He even put it all in a list for me in Colossians. Sure, it isn’t exactly a step-by-step guide, but close enough. His planner for our daily life goes like this:

Bearing fruit in every good work: Since He’s prepared good works for us to do (Ephesians 2:10), that makes this one even more straightforward. But how can we identify these? By…

Growing in the knowledge of God: He’s the one who prepared these good works. So, He’s the one we should cozy up to and learn from through His Word and consistent communication. And when we do, we get some boom to go with it…

Being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might: God is radioactive. As we walk in those good works by getting to know Him, His power rubs off. True, we don’t get the X-Men glowing face like Moses, but we can still put on quite the light show (Matthew 5:16). You get that power…

So that you may have great endurance and patience: When good works flow from our knowledge of God and His strength, we suddenly care a lot less about those worries that used to drag us down. We can endure because God’s Kingdom is present in our life right now (Matthew 6:33). With such a focus, that means we should be…

Joyfully giving thanks to the Father: Rolling in those pre-prepared good works with God-strength and God-focus makes us want to do the God-is-good electric slide (your results and dance moves may vary). We just can’t keep our mouths shut because He…

Has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light: In fact, that’s the biggest, boldest thing on our God-given to-do list. We do the good works He’s planned with His strength and our eyes on Him, all because He qualified us.

Intersecting Faith & Life: So many times I want God to spell things out for me each step of the way. And sometimes He does. But most often, He points me—gently or not so gently—back to Colossians. I’ve been given instructions for the day-to-day race that will one day end with Him. Faith means leaving the details in His hands.

Further Reading
Matthew 6

A Prayer When You’re Desperate for Help..... By Betsy de Cruz

 A Prayer When You’re Desperate for Help

By Betsy de Cruz

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” – Psalm 121:1-2

Life can seem like one problem after another. Just when you think you have your job figured out, your boss hands you another responsibility. And when your kids finally start sleeping through the night, the time to teach them to drive comes before you know it. If your job doesn’t occasionally make you feel unprepared or unqualified, parenting will.

When challenges arise, overwhelm can set in, and we forget we have a Heavenly Helper. It’s mind-boggling to think God takes an interest in helping us, yet Scripture tells us He does. Not only does God look down from heaven to aid His children, He also sent us a Helper, the Holy Spirit, to be with us forever. Our Helper rules over the heavens, and He also lives inside us.

Friend, if challenges at work make you feel stressed and inadequate, take heart. The same God who helped people on the pages of your Bible will also come to your aid if you call on Him. When you’re hanging on by a thread at home or feel like the worst parent ever, remember Your Heavenly Father stands ready to strengthen and guide you. 

When we feel overwhelmed and inadequate, Psalm 121 offers encouragement.

Let’s lift our eyes heavenward. Instead of striving to handle everything ourselves, we can call on our Helper. The God of heaven delights in drawing near to aid His children in a time of need.

Let’s remember God’s power. Nothing is too hard for the Creator of heaven and earth. He rules and reigns over every circumstance in our lives. No problem is too big for Him to handle.

Take a few minutes to read through Psalm 121 today and notice the description of God as our ever-present Creator, Caretaker, and Keeper. 

When you ask God for help, He will respond. Your faith will grow as you see Him come through for you again and again. Perhaps the challenge before you today is actually an opportunity to see God’s power and experience His love in new ways.

Let’s Pray:

Lord, I come to you to ask for help. Forgive me for the many times I rely on my own strength and capacity before I look to you. Thank you for difficult circumstances that go beyond my ability and make me realize my need for you. Help me turn to you today and every day as I navigate the challenges I face.

I praise you for your great power and ability to do far more than I can imagine. Your greatness goes beyond what I can comprehend. Father, show your power and glory in my life. Strengthen me and give me patience as I learn to wait on you. 

I lift my eyes to you because I know where my help comes from. Give me the grace to keep my eyes on you alone and to live for you today. I trust you will care for me and work all my circumstances for good.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.