Understanding..... Craig Denison

 

Understanding

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview:

Trust is something we are not created to give away lightly. We value trust like we value our own lives, constantly scrutinizing others to see if they're worthy of our trust. But still we are made to do life with help. We are made to place our trust in that which will provide us with more life, joy, and peace. I pray that this week you and I will discover how trustworthy our heavenly Father is. I pray that we will willingly hand over control of our lives to a capable, loving, and near God. And I pray we will experience the abundant life that can only come through placing our trust in a God who gives up everything for relationship with us.

Scripture:“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5

Devotional:

True understanding about ourselves, others, and this life only comes through trust in God. God alone has perspective and truth. God alone has understanding about what matters, who we are, and what will happen. And the good news for you and me today is that our heavenly Father is absolutely longing to share his understanding. God yearns for us to think and see through the lens of the Holy Spirit and his word. Proverbs 3:5-8 says,

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.

Why is it that when Scripture promises us God’s understanding we still do life apart from his wisdom? Why do we look to our own minds and go our own ways when God makes his understanding and will so available? You and I are only capable of looking for understanding in that which we fully trust. If we don’t trust that God’s wisdom and will are truly the best path laid before us, we will go our own ways. If we don’t trust that God’s commands will actually produce the most abundant life, we will choose the ways of the world. To live with godly understanding and wisdom is to look to God alone as our Truth.

Proverbs 3:13-18 stirs my heart to lean on God for my understanding. Scripture says,

Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed.

While all the world is declaring to you its understanding of truth, I pray that you will look to its One, True Source today. I pray that you will lean on your loving heavenly Father for understanding about yourself, your life, and others. May today be marked by a continual overflow of revelation. May you know how God feels about you and base your image off his understanding. May you experience to greater depths the perfect mind of Jesus. And may God’s word transform your life as it plants seeds of wisdom that grow into beautiful, plentiful trees of peace and life.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the availability of God’s understanding. Allow Scripture to stir up a desire to lean on your heavenly Father for truth and wisdom.

“My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.” Proverbs 2:1-5

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.” Proverbs 3:5-8

2. In what ways do you lean on yourself or something of the world for understanding and truth? What do you look to for your perspectives and source of value?

3. Take time to lean on God for his understanding. Search out Scripture and the Spirit for wisdom and understanding concerning yourself, your life, and others. Ask him to help you be one who seeks understanding from him in every area. Take time to rest in his presence and discover the wealth of his affections for you.

“The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.” Psalm 119:130

“Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 9:23-24

“The purpose in a man's heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.” Proverbs 20:5

Paul’s prayer in Colossians 1:9-10 is my prayer for you. May your life bear the fruit of heavenly understanding today:

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

Extended Reading: Proverbs 3

Let Prayer Be My First Response..... By Lynette Kittle

 Let Prayer Be My First Response

By Lynette Kittle

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. - Colossians 4:2

Especially during the holidays, it’s easy to be weighed down with all the stresses connected to gift-giving, holiday gatherings, family dynamics, and much more. All this added to life’s daily demands can be overwhelming. Yet scripture encourages me to devote myself to prayer.

So how can I be devoted to prayer with so much going on, along with being watchful and thankful in the process?

Pray First

In a culture where “making things happen” is often valued over seeking God first, Scripture directs me to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people” (Ephesians 6:18).

Often in hearing others tell stories of dealing with difficulties, first I’ll hear a list of all the approaches and methods attempted in resolving the situation until finally coming to a point where the storyteller says, “All that was left was to pray.”

In hearing these words, I often think, “What might happen if prayer is the first response? Like people call 911 in an emergency, what if prayer is the first option?

As most when faced with challenges, worry, fear, and anxiety try to take over my thoughts and direct my responses but Philippians 4:6 encourages me to, “not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present my request to God.”

Devotion to prayer begins when I make it my priority in responding to everything and anything. Like 1Timothy 2:1 urges me to first of all, make petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving for all people.

Keep Alert

In the busyness of life, it’s easy to tune out what’s happening around me. Still, Scripture directs me to, “be alert and of sober mind because the enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).

As I become watchful, my eyes open up more to my surroundings, alert to what is taking place around me. Things I didn’t notice before or considered praying about seem to stand out, increasing my prayers for others and situations.

Being observant helps to turn my thoughts continually to living out 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to pray without ceasing throughout my day and week.

Give Thanks Often

Scripture advises me to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving (Psalm 116:17), which can be as simple as thanking God for His faithfulness, comfort, presence, and peace regardless of daily challenges and events.

It’s expressing my gratitude for His never leaving or forsaking me (Hebrews 13:5), the act of being grateful He is close to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18), and thankfulness for being able to cast all my anxiety on Him (1 Peter 5:7).

A Thankful Tomorrow..... by Ryan Duncan

 A Thankful Tomorrow

by Ryan Duncan

“How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you.” – Psalms 31:19

I’ve always really enjoyed Thanksgiving. Sure, the family can be pretty crazy at times, and I usually end up on dish duty after the meal, but Thanksgiving has always been a time for me to stop and realize how blessed I am. Friends, family, a warm meal, there are many simple things in this life that are easy to take for granted, so it’s good to have a day that reminds us to be thankful for all God has given us. The problem is that’s usually how long it lasts, a day. After the food has been eaten and prayers have been said, many people wake up the next morning and jump headfirst into the madness of Black Friday.

I can only remember shopping twice on Black Friday, and I regretted it both times. It’s complete chaos, with people running, screaming, and sometimes even fighting each other over things they want to buy. I’ve never had any crazy experiences myself, but my brother-in-law remembers a particularly strange incident that happened while he was in college. One year, while he and my sister were still dating, he drove up to visit her on the Friday after Thanksgiving. He had left his house at 3am with hopes of avoiding the holiday rush and was making good time on the freeway when suddenly, out of nowhere, a long line of traffic appeared in the distance.

At first he thought there had been an accident, but as he got closer he realized that the stalled traffic was due to cars making complete stops on the freeway so their passengers could get out, jump the guard rails, and climb a small hill to a nearby outlet mall. It’s ironic, and a little sad, that a day which celebrates American greed happens after the holiday about being thankful. At times like these, it’s important that as Christians realize we cannot live Christ-centered lives when we leapfrog between God and possessions.

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” (Matthew 6:24)

So don’t throw out your thankfulness with the evening leftovers, but hold onto it as the Advent season begins. Remember the blessings Christ has given us and use them to prepare yourself for Christmas, when we celebrate the birth of Christ, the greatest gift of all.

Intersecting Faith and Life: Don’t let the crazy shopping season distract you from what’s really important.

Further Reading

1 Timothy 4:4

A Prayer for Focus as We Work..... By Tiffany Thibault

 A Prayer for Focus as We Work

By Tiffany Thibault

“Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see to it that all the work related to the temple of the Lord is finished correctly.” - 1 Chronicles 28:20

We have all been called to ministry. As disciples and followers of Jesus we have been charged with the mission of sharing the Gospel with the world. Some are called to the pulpit, some to teaching, some to leave their job, and others to stay at their job. Though the roles might look different for each of us, the task is still the same. We are to share the Gospel to everyone who crosses our path. We are to point others to the Lord and in doing so we point them to the hope, the life, and the love that He alone can give.

When the work is easy, when the work is beyond challenging, we must remember that the work is all about Him and only for Him. We must remember the truth of this verse, that He will see that the work is finished correctly. He is building something beautiful in His church. He is making us a reflection of Him as we keep doing the work for Him.

Commit yourself once again to keep your eyes on the Lord and to trust Him as you go through each day, focusing on doing whatever it is that God has called you to do.

There will be times where the work seems impossible. We must remind ourselves of the command we are given in this verse: to be strong and courageous! The church is being shaken, the call to a life of holiness is not understood, and the pressure to conform and go against your Biblical beliefs is increasing.

Listen to this truth: Do not be afraid! Do not be discouraged! The Lord God is with you. My God is with you. If He is not your God, He wants to be! He loves you so much! You can turn to Him and find peace, hope and strength to get through all that you are going through.

Just think about all those hard places in your life. Those places where you feel no hope. Those places that you just can’t change. In every single one of them, He is at work. He is creating something beautiful from the pain, from the mess, from every hard thing. He will not fail you. He will not forsake you.

Others may turn away, others may make the work hard, but don’t take your focus off of this one fact: this is the Lord’s work, and He will finish it correctly.

Dear Lord,

Thank you that you are with me. Thank you that you will not fail me, that you will not ever forsake me. Thank you that you will see that all the work done for you is finished correctly. Fill me with strength and courage. Please remove all fear and discouragement far from me as I focus on the work that you have called me to do. May you receive all the glory, all the worship and all the praise!

In your name I pray,

Amen

3 Ways to Be Thankful Through the Holidays..... By Lynette Kittle

 3 Ways to Be Thankful Through the Holidays

By Lynette Kittle

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” - Colossians 3:15

Especially during the holidays, it’s easy for a heart of thankfulness to fade. And as with most things in life, it’s easier said than done. So how do I go through the holiday season with a thankful heart?

Scripture offers three directives in how to prepare my heart towards an attitude of gratefulness.

1. Be Thankful in Actions. Colossians 3:17 gives me clear direction stating “whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thank to God the Father through Him,” encouraging me to live out my faith through my actions and reactions.

This can be anything and everything I do from waking up in the morning and deciding to thank God for the day, to being a courteous and safe driver on the roadways. With each action and reaction, I can determine beforehand to have an attitude of gratitude towards God.

2. Be Thankful By Remembering. Psalm 77:11 encourages me to remember the deeds of the Lord, which can be as simple as thanking God for His comfort, presence, and peace in daily challenges, remembering that He never leaves me or forsakes me (Hebrews 13:5). Of thinking how I can cast all my anxiety on Him (1 Peter 5:7).

It can be as easy as picking up my Bible and reminiscing through the underlined and highlighted verses and passages, remembering God’s goodness, mercy, and love.

Likewise as Psalm 105:5 urges me to remember the wonders God has done, it’s good to talk with family members and friends of the ways God has answered prayers and met needs.

Reminding myself of His faithfulness stirs my heart towards thankfulness.

3. Be Thankful in Everything. Giving thanks in everything can seem like a hard task to accomplish at times, especially in difficult circumstances. Even so, 1 Thessalonians 5:18 directs me to make this choice stating, “give thanks in all circumstance; for this is God’ will for you in Christ Jesus.”

One way our family lived this out was when my husband’s job at a church ended rather abruptly. Being the only breadwinner at the time, along with hitting us unexpectedly, we felt tremendous disappoint with what had happened in the situation, as well as combating the uncertainty associated with the loss of income.

Wanting to respond in a way that pleased God and set a godly example for our four young daughters, we looked to express it in a way they would understand and could also be involved in, which resulted in baking a “Thankfulness” cake.

Even though at the time being thankful felt like an opposite kind of reaction to have in such a serious circumstance, doing so made a life-long impression on all of us and surprisingly not only comforted us but also cheered our hearts concerning God’s plans for our future.