The Savior King..... Craig Denison

 

The Savior King

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview:

What a gift we have in the Christmas season. God himself took on flesh and dwelt among us that we might find eternal relationship in him. His coming serves as a continual reminder of his grace and pursuit of us who are lost without him. As we look to Jesus this week to celebrate who he is and what he’s done, may you find life-giving hope and foundational joy.

Scripture:

“But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are his,’ and, ‘Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.’” 2 Timothy 2:19

Devotional:

Sometimes as believers we’ve known Jesus to be our Savior for so long that we fail to dive in to all it means for us and thereby miss out on all the wonderful fruit salvation is meant to bear in our lives.

Jesus died, not just to usher us into heaven at our death, but that we might find salvation from the things of this life that don’t flow from the heart and hands of the Father. God’s will is that we would walk in fullness of life all the days of our life (John 10:10). He has peace for us instead of anxiety (2 Thessalonians 3:16). He has an eternal purpose for us instead of frivolous pursuits (Ephesians 2:10). He longs to fill our hands with good gifts instead of the fruit of anxious toil (James 1:17). And he has a new nature and newness of life instead of the sins and cares of who we were before Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

So the questions in response to God’s truth become: what are you waiting for? What’s holding you back from all of these amazing things God has for you? What’s keeping you from walking in newness of life today?

Experiencing the fruit of salvation begins with a clear revelation of what God does and doesn’t want for you. Without faith to hold on to the promises of God, we easily fall victim to the lies and temptations of the enemy. Now that Satan has no hold over our eternal destiny, his pursuit is robbing us of all that’s available to us in God that he might both hurt us and the heart of God.

But we serve a King who was not only Savior on the day of Calvary, but comes to us each day offering us salvation from the things of the world. The Holy Spirit inside each of us has the will and ability to deliver us from anything not found in the will of God that Jesus’ sacrifice might bear its full fruit in our lives. And in spending time in dedicated communion with God, studying the Scripture to find what’s been allotted as our portion in Jesus, and seeking to follow the moment-to-moment leadership of the Holy Spirit, we find the power we need to experience all God has for us.

Seek today to understand God’s heart for you. Look for promises you can hold on to about his character and will. And in response to a revelation of God’s will, have faith and vision to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit into fullness of life. May today be marked by the life-giving fruit of salvation in Jesus.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the life available to you through salvation in Jesus.

“For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’” Acts 17:28

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10

2. Spend time looking at your own life with the Holy Spirit. What in your life isn’t in God’s heart for you? Where are you not experiencing the fruit of salvation in Jesus?

“For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.” 1 Corinthians 2:11-12

3. Bring to God the parts of your life that aren’t in his perfect will. Allow him to cast vision over your life. Let him fill you with faith to live the life he longs to give you.

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” John 16:13

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

God is a god of the journey. He doesn’t expect perfection from us. He knows we are dust. He’s just after your heart that you might go through this life together. Don’t miss out on opportunities for relationship by running from the heart of God when you realize your own imperfection. Don’t miss out on an opportunity to experience grace by trying to hide your sin. Allow God into everything you are and do. Journey with him that you might experience the wonders of a god who loves you just as you are. Find joy in experiencing right now the eternal relationship afforded you by your Savior King.

Extended Reading: 2 Corinthians 5

God's Dream for You before You Were Born..... by Lynette Kittle

 God's Dream for You before You Were Born

by Lynette Kittle

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”—Matthew 1:21

Expectant parents often have high hopes and dreams for their babies. Some dream of their daughter or son becoming the President of the U.S.A., a New York Times best selling author, or an Olympic athlete.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, didn’t have to guess God’s plan for her son. Before Jesus was conceived, she was told His heavenly Father’s purpose in Him being born. Jesus was coming to save people from their sins.

Although the angel Gabriel told Mary God’s plan for Jesus’ life, she could only imagine how it would be accomplished in His life. Hearing the plans, she must have had hopes and dreams in how it would be fulfilled. Most likely her thoughts did not envision Him being crucified on a cross.

Like Jesus, God was overseeing your life before you were born. “For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

As Jeremiah 29:11 explains, God has hopes and dreams for you, too. “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

If you believe you alone are in control of your life, Proverbs 16:9 gives another perspective. “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”

As well, Scriptures explains:

• “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21).
• “Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps” (Jeremiah 10:23).

Or, maybe you feel like you’ve been stumbling through life and are missing out on what God has planned for you? If so, Psalm 37:24 assures that although you may stumble, you will not fall, for the Lord upholds you with His Hand.

If you’ve made choices or had things happen to you that have caused you to feel hopeless, Romans 8:28 assures you that it’s not too late for His purposes for your life to be fulfilled, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”

As Psalm 37:4 encourages, “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”

Choose to delight in God because, “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him” (Psalm 37:23).

Blessed Are You Among Women!..... By Sarah Phillips

 Blessed Are You Among Women!

By Sarah Phillips

In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to the city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord." - Luke 1: 39 - 45

You don't need me to tell you Christmas is here. Chances are, this past week, you've been rushing around trying to get last-minute errands completed. I had a mental list of "must do's" running through my own head.

So as I read the gospel for the final Sunday of Advent, I was struck by how Mary prepared for Christ's coming. Mary received the biggest news of human history, the coming of the Messiah (through her?!), and what did she do? Mary set aside her own agenda and "went with haste" to visit her cousin Elizabeth. At this point, Elizabeth's pregnancy is entering the final trimester and no doubt this older mother is tired and in need of assistance.

I imagine Mary must have had a lot of thoughts running through her head on the way to Judah. "Is Elizabeth really pregnant in her old age? She must be… but really? And how am I going to explain my situation to Elizabeth? Will she believe me?"

Mary's arrival is one of those great moments in history - a moment that reverberates throughout the ages that follow. This simple story of two pregnant women meeting carries so many implications. Some of the themes that stick out to me include:

1. Mary's faith. Mary was obedient to God and put faith in him. She set aside her own comfort and questions to help Elizabeth. Mary's virtue shines through here, and God throws in a little reward - a miraculous and joyful greeting from Elizabeth.

2. Elizabeth's selflessness. Elizabeth's news is a pretty big deal. Her husband receives a vision from an angel and she conceives in her old age after years of waiting. Yet, her first response focuses not on her big news, but on Mary's. This reveals Elizabeth's virtue and also adds emphasis to the reality that Mary's news holds even more profound implications for humanity than Elizabeth's miracle.

3. The humanity of the unborn. In those days, pregnant women didn't enjoy the luxury of ultrasound technology. Yet, God makes the humanity of these little ones very clear here. Elizabeth exclaims, "And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" Elizabeth refers to Mary as "mother" in the present tense and she refers to the growing baby inside of Mary (who probably wasn't even showing yet) with his proper title: Lord. God was "with us" the moment Mary conceived, and even the unborn John the Baptist recognized this!

4. God works through fellow human beings. God could have found any number of ways to communicate his message that day. He chose to speak through Elizabeth and John and the communion between Mary and Elizabeth. He also brought help to Elizabeth during her last trimester through Mary and comfort to the newly pregnant Mary through Elizabeth.

5. God's love for women. How can there be any doubt that God has a special place in his heart for the fairer sex after reading of Mary and Elizabeth's stories? God could have arrived on earth in any form he chose… and while the rest of the world remained ignorant, two women basked in the presence and knowledge of the Lord.

I am sure great theologians can extract even more from this story, but I'll leave it here for today. As you celebrate Christmas, imitate Mary who "treasured up" the mysteries revealed to her and "pondered them in her heart" (Luke 2:19).

Intersecting Faith & Life: How has God been present in your life this holiday season? Think of the little ways God makes his presence known and brings you comfort and joy even in the midst of trials.

Further Reading

Psalms 80:2-3,15-16,18-19
Hebrews 10:5-10

A Prayer for the Fire Seasons of Your Life..... By: Lindsay Tedder

 A Prayer for the Fire Seasons of Your Life

By: Lindsay Tedder

“Nebuchadnezzar then approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire and called: ‘Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego, you servants of the Most High God - come out!’ So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire.” - Daniel 3:26

Have you ever eaten raw chicken?

I hope not! I assume that you would never intentionally consume raw chicken. If you’ve ever had food poisoning, you know why you would never do such a thing.

We must cook our food to a certain temperature in order for it to provide nutritious value to our bodies and not cause us harm. Are we any different?

God is the chef, we are the raw chicken. He delicately prepares us for the journey to which He has called us. All raw chicken has to go through a “fire season” in order to provide us healthy nutrition.

We too, must endure a fire season of our own, in order to be prepared for our calling in Christ. The Lord must prepare us, stand with us in the fire, and get us ready for the life He has in store for us.

When King Nebuchadnezzar ordered all in his kingdom to bow down to the idol that he had fashioned, he expected all to follow his orders. To ensure they all would bow as he commanded, he threatened their lives. I believe the assumption was that if someone’s life would be in jeopardy, they would do what he said.

When Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego refused to bow down to the idol, they created quite an uproar in the kingdom. When word got back to the king, he had his men fire up the furnace seven times hotter than normal. He was determined to show these traitors his power. They willingly admitted their refusal to bow down to anyone other than the one true God. They were bound and carried to the fire. The fire was so hot that the men who were leading these three to the entrance lost their own lives as they threw them in the flames.

When King Nebuchadnezzar saw what appeared to be four men walking around in the furnace, he knew that their God was real. He saw it and he believed it. When he had them drawn out of the fire, they showed no signs of damage. They didn’t smell, they weren’t burned, they had not suffered at all; but they would never be the same.

Let’s pray today for God to show up in our “fire seasons” – that though life may try to scorch us, God will see us through and use these times of trials and sufferings to make us into children who are more like him.

Lord,

Thank you for sending Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego to be the forefathers of the fire season. Thank you for the visual, biblical, and historical example that the fire season is real. Thank you for the reminder in Psalm 66:12, “we went through fire and water but you brought us out to abundance.”

I pray that my fire season isn’t quite as intense as a literal fire, however, I know that if it is, there will always be another there with me. Lord, I know that everyone’s fire season will look different and I pray that you use mine to prepare me for the journey you have ordained.

I know that no matter the fire, I will never be alone and I will never be the same. I pray to be brought from the fire into abundance. Lord, thank you for taking the time to prepare me for who you have called me to be. Thank you for the fire season, and I pray that I never underestimate its value.

In Jesus’ Name, 

Amen

The Man Who Tried to Stop Christmas..... Pastor Greg Laurie

 The Man Who Tried to Stop Christmas

Pastor Greg Laurie

Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. (Matthew 2:7 NLT)

King Herod was the man who tried to stop Christmas. With all his wealth and power, he came to complete ruin. Historical writings tell us that in the final year of his life, his body was infected with disease.

Ironically, Herod pretended to be a worshipper. He said to the wise men, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!” (Matthew 2:8). Yet Herod was a false worshipper. There are people like him today. They say they believe in God, but they live a life that contradicts what the Scriptures teach.

Herod wanted to be the king of his own life, but he really was a slave. He ended up being not the King of the Jews but the king of fools. Herod ended up on the ash heap of history like dictators before and after him, reminding us that those who live wicked lives eventually will reap what they sow. Adolf Hitler went into his bunker and shot himself as his nation crumbled around him. Saddam Hussein was found hiding in a hole and was eventually executed by his own people. Muammar Gaddafi was hunted down by his own people, beaten, and shot to death.

All those who blaspheme God, fight with God, or try to stop the work of God eventually will fail. Yet God’s Word ultimately will prevail. Philippians 2:9–10 says, “Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.”

One day, everyone—every man, every woman, every believer, and every nonbeliever—will bow before Jesus Christ.