God Is for Us..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 God Is for Us

Dr. Charles Stanley

Romans 8:31-34

Throughout life, there will be times when our sins and failures lead us to conclude that God is disappointed or angry with us. How can He still love me after what I've done? If I'm really forgiven, why do I still feel so guilty? At such times, we need to fix our eyes on the truth of Scripture and ask the questions Paul posed in Romans 8.

If God is for us, who is against us
 (v. 31)? Our heavenly Father proved His loyalty to us when He delivered His own Son over to death in order to save us. Without Christ's atoning death on our behalf, we would face eternal separation from God.

Who will bring a charge against God's elect (v. 33)? No accusation against us can stand, since at the moment of salvation, the Lord justified us. This means we were legally declared righteous, while still in our sinning condition. No one can reverse this transaction and make us guilty again. To doubt our blameless standing in Christ is to declare His atonement insufficient to cover our sin.

Who is the one who condemns (v. 34)? Although Satan rails against us, Jesus' death and resurrection are proof that we are right with God. Christ took our condemnation and gave us His righteousness in return. Now He sits at the Father's right hand, interceding for us.

When doubts about the Lord's love and faithfulness arise, focus on truth. If we judge His loyalty to us by our circumstances or feelings, we will never get an accurate view of God. True security lies not in our good performance, but in our relationship with Christ, and no one can take that from us.

Hope in God’s Nearness...... Craig Denison

 

Hope in God’s Nearness

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview:

As this year comes to a close, it’s vital that we take time to both reflect on what God has done and allow him to prepare us for what’s to come. A new year marks a fresh opportunity to center our lives around the goodness of God. I pray that as you begin looking toward what is to come you will make space to gain God’s perspective, ground your hopes and pursuits on his grace, and celebrate all that God has done and is doing. May your time with God this week be filled with the loving presence of your heavenly Father.

Scripture:“Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” Psalm 33:22

Devotional:

As sons and daughters of the living God, faith founded on God’s nearness should be at the core of our hope for next year. Psalm 139:7-12 says,

Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.

There is no greater source of hope than God’s resounding declaration of his nearness. Jesus paid the ultimate price that you and I might be no longer separated from God. His presence now dwells within us through the Holy Spirit. And that fact brings a pervasive hope that has the ability to profoundly impact every aspect of our lives.

As you look forward, know that the God who dwells within you knows every little thing that will happen next year. He dwells within all of eternity. Time for him is not as it is for us. And he promises to be with you in the midst of any trial, pain, victory, or defeat. He longs for you to know his presence moment by moment in everything you will do.

Your heavenly Father says, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). You can have the fullness of hope for next year because the God who fashioned time is “your God.” He will help you and be there for you. He will never “leave you or forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).

While the rest of the world sits in fear and worry over what the future holds, your God is leading you in the path of peace that comes from trusting in his presence. But the choice is yours. Will you place your hope in yourself, others, the world, or in God? If you try and build your hope on the foundations of this world, you will find yourself tossed about by the ever-changing waves of man’s opinion. But if you choose to found your hope on the rock of God’s nearness, your life will be filled with all the goodness and mercy of God’s steadfast love.

Take time right now to place your hope in the loving nearness of your heavenly Father as you enter into guided prayer.

Guided Prayer:

1. Allow Scripture to fill you with hope founded on the nearness of God.

“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.” Psalm 139:7-12

“And he said, ‘My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’” Exodus 33:14

“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

2. Where do you need the peace and comfort that comes from knowing God is and will always be near to you? What are you worried about for next year? What unknowns are causing you stress or fear?

3. Take time to place your hope in the nearness of your heavenly Father. Place your trust in him that he will always be with you through thick and thin.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

Why do we live as if God isn’t near to us? Why do we fumble through life on our own when Jesus paid the ultimate price that we might have restored relationship with our loving Creator? God has made available a better way of living and has called us to walk in it. He wants us to know his will, love, and power moment by moment. He wants our thoughts, emotions, and actions to be fully founded in his unshakable nearness. Paul’s prayer in Romans 15:13 is my prayer for you today: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” May your day be filled with the peace that comes from trusting in God’s nearness.

Extended Reading: Psalm 139

What Love Is: Choosing To Love All Year Long..... KIM SORRELLE

 What Love Is: Choosing To Love All Year Long

KIM SORRELLE 

“Let all that you do be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:14 (NASB1995) 

I am a sucker for New Year’s resolutions. And every year, I pick my resolutions in threes.

Two have hung around for a long time. I pledge to eat nutritiously and exercise intentionally, more than just taking the garbage to the end of the driveway once a week. For my third resolution, though, I go deeper — beyond working on my outside — and choose something to transform my inside.

Yet reflecting on 2021 and, frankly, all other years, I realize I have missed so much. It’s like life is a movie, and I’m just a prop in the corner, an extra at best, mostly hanging in the back lot. I don’t take enough time for people. Instead, I’m just playing a scripted role with lines that rarely change.

“Hi, how are you?”
“Fine. And you?”
“Fine.”
“Have a good day.”

Why am I asking a question if I don’t want to hear the answer? Maybe it’s because the answer might take too much of my very valuable and extremely limited time. There are things to be done, after all. Emails to return, laundry to wash, errands to run, bills to pay, and if I don’t hit the grocery store on my way home from work, I won’t be eating leafy vegetables for dinner.

But God.

God is love, and God tells us to love one another. In fact, God commands us through Paul in 1 Corinthians 16:14 to “Let all that you do be done in love.” That’s why my big resolution challenge for 2022 is to love — really love.

But how am I loving when I value my personal agenda above people? Surely it’s not love to ignore the person in front of me while thinking of everything ahead of me. When a friend calls, I’m not showing love by saying “uh-huh” as I watch the last few minutes of my favorite TV show. Does love take so little interest?

Real love, the way God loves, cares more about people than tasks … no matter the size of Mount Laundry. Relationships — loving and caring for people — eclipse TV and to-dos all day long.

I’ve overlooked opportunities to connect, to give love, to live love. I’m sure there have been many times when I asked the “how are you?” question, and the person who I am supposed to love wanted or needed me to hear the answer. Maybe she received a tough diagnosis, or he lost his job, or she was going through a hard time in her marriage and needed someone to care and pray, but my face said, Gotta run. No time for you.

What would love do? Love would stick around. Love would want to hear the answer. Then love would really listen.

Undistracted, giving full attention, right there, at that moment — loving the person like God does, not seeing them as an obstacle to my plans. Without thinking about the turmoil of this morning’s carpool or the meeting later tonight — just patiently listening. Fully engaged, no distractions, really hearing, caring, putting feet on love.

Sure, there are deadlines and moments when there really is no time, at least not right then. But later, love sets a time to get back in touch. Love follows up, follows through.

In 2022, let’s choose to love. To listen intently. To live love and show love to the ones we’re with. Let’s ask “how are you?” with our hearts and ears wide open. Because that is what love would do, and I resolve to love. Will you join me?

Lord, open my eyes, heart and ears to live and give love. Please don’t let another opportunity to love pass me by. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

2 Ways to View Our Diets With a Biblical Perspective ..... By: Jennifer Waddle

 2 Ways to View Our Diets With a Biblical Perspective (Genesis 1:29)

By: Jennifer Waddle

And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.” Genesis 1:29

Thousands upon thousands of searches for the word “diet,” are Googled each month. And every new year, resolutions are made to go on a diet and lose excess weight. It may be surprising to some, but the Bible actually has a diet plan as well. God instituted it in Genesis chapter one and then expanded it in Genesis chapter nine.

“…every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.” Genesis 1:29

“Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs.” Genesis 9:3

Some would argue that the original plan of a plant-based diet is best, while others would insist that eating meat is essential for good health. But no matter what our personal preferences are, God never intended for us to take food to the extremes that we have.

Food is simply nourishment for our bodies, so that we can carry out the work of the Lord. It was designed to be enjoyed and savored by the tastebuds God created. We, however, have become so focused on the particulars of our diets, we’ve lost perspective. Here are 2 ways we can view our diets from a Biblical perspective.

1. Choose wisely and move on.

Jehovah-Jireh, our Provider, supplies the sustenance our bodies need. Jesus told His followers not to worry about what they would eat or drink. In that day, it was more about having enough food to eat. Today, even though most of us have food in abundance, we still worry far too much about food. We can still make wise choices about our diets without the hyper-focus and worry.

Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Matthew 6:26

We are valuable to God. He provides for us because He loves us. Our worries about food are fruitless. We can and should make wise choices—choices that will fuel our bodies for the work God has purposed in us, but then, we should move on to the more important things in life.

2. Trust God and enjoy the food that He made.

Unfortunately, the diet industry has hindered our enjoyment of food. The nagging guilt that follows every piece of birthday cake, and the time-consuming reading of every package, has knocked the joy right out of eating.

However, if we simplify our diets and eat the foods that God made, all the guess-work is eliminated. It’s OK to search for the best quality of foods, but in the end, it all comes down to trust. Do we trust God or the promises on the food label?

With thankfulness, we can receive our portion, the portion God so lovingly provides. We can trust Him to strengthen us and bring enjoyment of His provision. And, we can have a Biblical perspective of our diets that will free us to do exactly what He created us to do.

Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot..... by Laura MacCorkle

 Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot

by Laura MacCorkle

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. - James 1:2

During the holidays, I have used my oven quite a bit.

Because it is electric, it automatically has a mind of its own.  It heats up very quickly and will char whatever is baking much faster than the time required for completion.  That means I have to adjust the times for any recipe that I'm attempting to follow. 

So, as you can imagine, for the home cook this is extremely frustrating.  It means I must constantly be monitoring whatever is inside the oven.  Putting on the potholder gloves.  Opening up the door.  Pulling out the rack.  Checking the top of whatever's baking to make sure it's not burnt to a crisp.  Closing up the oven.  Waiting a few minutes.  Putting back on the gloves.  Opening up the door again.  Covering with foil to protect as needed.  Waiting some more.  And then testing with a toothpick near the center to check for doneness, while hoping that the bottom isn't blackened and ultra crispy.

Ugh.  What … a … pain!

One of the recipes I made was for some bar cookies called "brandied cranberry-apricot bars."  Dried fruit, brown sugar, vanilla, butter, pecans … what's not to like?  The instructions called to bake the crust first (flour, sugar, butter).  And of course, my oven-baked it much faster than the 20 minutes ("or until golden") that was required.  It was actually more like "or until darkest brown" by that point.

Still undeterred, I pulled it out and then poured in the filling (fruit, eggs, pecans, vanilla and more flour and sugar).  Next, I baked it for another 35 or so minutes. All the while, though, I was worried that the already partially-baked crust would be blackened by the time the cookies were done.  I couldn't see it (since it was on the bottom), but I kept thinking maybe I should take out the pan before the time was up (Was my oven baking at warp speed or not?  How annoying!  And what to do?).

Eventually, I decided to let the cookies stay the course.  And thankfully, they weren't scorched beyond recognition.  But they were done.

Despite the small culinary victory, situations like this always frustrate me.  Why?  Because the heat is on!  And I need it in order to complete what I'm baking.  But, it also forces me to make adjustments while it's doing its thing.  And that isn't something I'm clamoring to do.

Maybe it's how a lot of us feel in our walks from day to day.  We probably don't go out in search of fiery trials to bring into our lives.  But rest assured, they will find us anyway.  And when the heat is cranked up in any given situation or relationship, this means we can either get a little crispy or get the heat that we need (and is actually for our good!) in order to continue on our way toward spiritual maturity.

When life seems to be feeling "hot, hot, hot," we can either refuse to make adjustments in our attitudes or choose to find the joy in knowing that the Lord is at work.  As his children, we know that he is always checking on our conditions.

It's what it means to be loved by God.  He cares too much to leave us alone, to be burned up.  And he wants to move us—even through allowing fiery trials—toward completion as part of his eternal plan.

Intersecting Faith & Life:  You've heard the saying, "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen," right?  As Christians, though, our God is with us—no matter the intensity of the heat of our circumstances.  He is asking us to "stay in the kitchen," to persevere and to look to him.  Whatever is baking you to a crisp today, know that nothing is impossible for God.  If you ask, he will help you find joy as you are maturing in your faith.

Further Reading:

1 Peter 1:6

Hebrews 10:35

A Prayer of Hope for When Christmas Is Over..... By Debbie McDaniel

 A Prayer of Hope for When Christmas Is Over

By Debbie McDaniel

“…I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” John 10:10

Often, these days after Christmas can seem maybe, not so sparkly. You might be feeling like the holiday spirit came and went by too fast. Maybe you never did get everything done, but now that the big day is gone, you're already vowing to make next year even more special. Messy house calling your name, organization of it all begging for attention, returns waiting to be done, toys already broken, lights going out...

Deep breath.

His reminder to our hearts this morning: Christmas may be over, but He never changes.

Though some days seem to have lost their shine, He's still the same.

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

On all the big, celebration days and on all the days in between.

The manger is empty and so is the tomb. Jesus didn't stay there, He's alive today, our Emmanuel, "God with us."

Whatever you might be facing, don't ever doubt His great love for you. He sees you and He cares. He made a way for us to be free. And that truth puts all the joy and "Merry" in Christmas and the New Year too.

We still have such reason to celebrate, we still have great reason for joy, today, and every day.

For He is with us.

Resting there today. Hope you are too.

May His peace and joy fill your heart and home today, more than ever before. On this day after Christmas and through the whole New Year.

Dear God,

Fill us with your joy and the peace of your Spirit. Thank you for your reminder that both in seasons of celebration and in seasons of brokenness, you’re still with us. You never leave us. Thank you for your daily Presence in our lives, that we can be assured your heart is towards us, your eyes are over us, and your ears are open to our prayers. Thank you that you surround us with favor as with a shield, and we are safe in your care. We choose to press in close to you, in all these days after Christmas. Thank you for giving us this hope we can carry all year through. 

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.