God is Worthy of Devotion...Craig Denison Ministries

 God is Worthy of Devotion

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview: 

It’s vital to the Christian life that we as sons and daughters of the most high God allow our affections to be stirred by the loving, powerful nature of our heavenly Father. Too often we feel that God is distant or separated from us. Too often we allow misconceptions or lies to place a rift between us and experiencing God. It’s in reminding ourselves of God’s character that lies are broken and a pathway is laid for us to encounter his tangible love. Open your heart and mind and receive fresh revelation of the goodness of God this week. Allow your affections to be stirred and your heart to be filled with desire to seek the face of your heavenly Father.

Scripture:“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” - >Isaiah 6:3

Devotional:

Throughout Scripture we see a powerful principle exemplified: when God is seen for who he truly is, the natural response of the seer is full and absolute devotion. When God reveals his glory, love, power, holiness, and splendor, the seer responds with absolute commitment and worship. I believe that God would reveal himself to us today in simple but mighty ways. I believe that he longs for us to see him as he truly is, and that his chief desire is our devotion. May we see God face-to-face today and be forever changed by a fresh revelation of this God who would give up everything for relationship with us.

Isaiah 6 exemplifies both a vision of God and a response of devotion. Isaiah has an open vision of the majesty of God in heaven. He sees God on his throne and hears angels declaring his holiness and splendor by saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:3). And in response to this vision Isaiah 6:8 says, “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘Here I am! Send me.’” Isaiah responds to seeing God with full devotion.

God doesn’t ask for your devotion the way man does. He doesn’t offer you ultimatums or transactionally based benefits if you will love him. Devotion to him is meant to be the natural response of seeing God for who he is, because he is inherently worthy of every bit of devotion we can bring to him. He is worthy of our allegiance because he is the King of Kings. He is worthy of our obedience because his will is both knowable and perfect. He is worthy of our worship because he is the almighty God to whom all creation offers ceaseless praise. And he is worthy of our heart because he is the God of love and mercy who has created us for relationship with him.

Too often we mistake God’s mercy and grace as opportunities to go our own way and come back to him as we please or when we need something. Too often we treat his love as an opiate for our problems rather than the foundation on which we devote our lives in humble submission to him. God is patient. He is kind. He will never force or manipulate us into loving him. But his patience, kindness, and gentleness do not change the fact that he is King of kings, Lord of lords, and Creator of all, and that he is worthy and deserving of our ceaseless devotion.

Finding the Beauty in Our Limitations...MEREDITH HOUSTON CARR

 Finding the Beauty in Our Limitations

MEREDITH HOUSTON CARR

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15 (ESV)

I am not a fan of limitations.

Apparently, my daughter feels much the same way. This fact became painfully evident as we undertook the all-important job of decorating her Valentine’s Day “mailbox” where she would receive cards and candy from her elementary-school classmates on February 14.

Her creative little heart worked for hours at our kitchen table — cutting, painting, coloring and finally gluing on all her ornate creations of felt puffs and pipe cleaners. But as she found out the hard way, there’s only so much a bottle of glue can do.

When her mental masterpiece turned out to be a dismal disaster, that sweet baby lay on the floor and cried her big blue eyes out. I’m not the crafty-mom type — but even if “Miss Pinterest” herself showed up at our door, this mailbox was never going to look the way my daughter had envisioned.

The limits of glue and gravity left her heartbroken, discouraged and defeated.

Boy, can I relate to those feelings. I wonder if you can, too. Our world preaches the gospel of “you can do anything” and “transcend your limitations” — yet deep in our souls, we know this gospel is false.

We face limits in our bodies, minds and jobs every day. We experience roadblocks in our relationships. We reach the end of our talents. And when we regularly run into limitations of our character — like those temptations we can’t seem to resist — our confidence wanes.

We may even begin to wonder if our limitations render us unusable to God. When we beat our wings against the walls of our weaknesses, Satan taunts us with the fear that we’ll never measure up to our own standards — much less God’s.

But God knows we can’t measure up on our own; that’s why He sent His Son, Jesus.

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)

Graciously, the writer of Hebrews reminds us how much our Savior relates to and sympathizes with our humanity. Jesus was fully divine, yet we can’t forget He was also fully human. Like us, Jesus became tired and hungry. He experienced temptation. (Luke 4:1-13) He wept from heartache. (John 11:35) He fully understands the limits of our humanity.

And still — He calls us into Himself. He says, “I understand, and I have the mercy and grace you need most.” (Hebrews 4:16)

As we invite Jesus into our limitations, prayerfully answering these questions can help us make progress and grow in faith:

1. What do I believe this limitation prevents me from achieving or becoming? God often uses our weaknesses to reveal areas of misplaced trust or idolatry. Are we looking for worth in a particular relationship? Are we putting our confidence in our accomplishments? Asking these questions can help us root out beliefs and motivations that may be hindering our growth.

2. What lesson or truth might God be trying to teach me through this limitation? Our shortcomings frustrate us, but more often than not, they are packed with important lessons. We can better hear God speaking new spiritual insights into our hearts when we take a step back and ask Him for wisdom.

3. What specific scriptures can I pray over my heart? God’s Word is full of Truth that equips us for any and every weakness we encounter. We can invite the power of His Word into our weak spots by praying specific verses over them.

It’s easy to feel like our limitations disqualify us from meaningful Kingdom work, but what if we rejected the enemy’s lies and began to view our weaknesses through a different lens? What if they’re not simply something to cover up or conquer but are an invitation into deeper fellowship with the God who understands and loves us?

Dear one, our shortcomings don’t have to hold us back or rob our joy. Here’s the beautiful truth: When our limitations lead us to Christ, our souls find the comfort they crave. So today, may we willingly lean into our limits and let the strength of our Savior carry us through.

Dear Jesus, thank You for understanding our weaknesses and loving us through them. Please open our eyes and minds, helping us learn to see our limitations as an invitation into deeper fellowship with You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

God’s Compass for the Heart and Mind...Dr. Charles Stanley

 God’s Compass for the Heart and Mind

Dr. Charles Stanley

Proverbs 3:7-12

Yesterday we discussed the importance of depending on the Word of God as our compass throughout life. Following the Lord’s directions will change behavior and challenge our thinking, attitudes, and desires. He leads us to think differently about ourselves, our values, and and even the difficulties facing us.

We naturally want to determine our own course in life. It seems like the only logical way to get where we want to go. But being wise in our own eyes is pride. To combat this tendency, the Lord instructs us to fear Him and turn away from evil (v. 7). This “fear” is not a horrified dread of the Father, but an attitude of respect that motivates us to obey Him for both our good and His glory.

We naturally want to keep our money for ourselves. A desire for a better lifestyle or fear of not having enough leads us to hang onto everything we get. But our compass directs us to honor God by giving Him the first part of all we have, trusting Him to provide for our needs (vv. 9-10).

We naturally hate God’s discipline. His painful reproofs seem to prove that He doesn’t care about us. But our heavenly Father says His discipline is the evidence that confirms His love and delight in us as His children (vv. 11-12).

Sometimes in our desire to follow the Lord, we focus on obedient actions—doing what He says—but miss His directions concerning our attitudes and thought patterns. To stay on God’s path for our lives, we must make course corrections not only in our behavior but also in our hearts and minds.

One of the Saddest Verses in Scripture...by Aaron Armstrong

 One of the Saddest Verses in Scripture (1 Kings 11:4)

by Aaron Armstrong

“When Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away to follow other gods. He was not wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord his God, as his father David had been. - 1 Kings 11:4

There are so many, I know. Heartbreaking stories in the Bible, moments where you read them and you can barely hold it together. Recently, as I was reading through 1-2 Kings, I came across this verse in 1 Kings and felt the gravity of it.

Solomon was the wisest man to ever live, given the gift of great wisdom so he could rule wisely. And wisely he did. During his life, Israel knew unprecedented peace and prosperity, respect and admiration. But it would not last. Solomon turned away to follow other gods. He had the wisdom to rule, but his wisdom was overcome by his passions. He had hundreds of wives, whom he loved deeply. He cherished them. He clung to them (see 11:2). They captured his heart, and before he offered a sacrifice to a false god, he was already enslaved to an idol.

And that’s why this is so sad in so many ways—why it’s so tragic. If anyone would be able to avoid being led astray, it would be Solomon. After all, he was the wisest man ever. People marveled at his proclamations (and still do). There was no one else like him, ever. But even his wisdom could be corrupted. His heart could be drawn away, just as any of ours can. The wisest man in the world is not one whose example we should follow. The wisest man in the world became a fool. The wisest man in the world could not save himself. He needed a savior, too.

And if there’s any good news to be drawn from Solomon’s story, it’s that. Our gifts, whatever they are, are just that—gifts. We may be wise or knowledgeable. We may be compassionate and hospitable. But in the end, our gifts won’t be enough to keep us from stumbling. We need something else—we need Someone else. Not just a wise man, but a man whose wisdom can never be corrupted because he is its source. Not only a great king, but the King of Kings whose kingdom can never be stripped away. A man who cherishes his bride, but whose heart cannot be turned away from his greatest love—his Father. Jesus is the Savior we need. He is the only one who can save.

A Prayer to Know God Cares...By Victoria Riollano

 A Prayer to Know God Cares

By Victoria Riollano

“Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Luke 12:7

Years ago, I began the journey of leading youth ministry at my local church. There’s something about the fun youth games, watching the students mature, and helping teens to encounter God that has always been so exciting to me. If I’m honest, I often have just as much fun as them and learn much from their life experiences and perspective. Last week, I saw this first-hand. Our lesson was about prayer and after watching a video and teaching on how prayer changes lives, we entered into a small group discussion. During this time, one of my favorite students raised her hand with glee and said, “I have seen God answer my prayers twice in a miraculous way.” Needless to say, we were all at the edge of our seats awaiting her story.

She explained, “I have a bird that got out of his cage twice. I panicked when I noticed and said, ‘God please bring her back.’ After lifting my hand out in expectation that she would fly back, she came back quickly.”

Although this story seemed minuscule to some of the students, I shouted out, “You just lived the verse that says His eyes are on the sparrow!” You see, I realized in that moment that the Lord was showing us all that if he cared for that small bird, how much more does He care for us, the ones created in His image.

In Luke 12, Jesus is speaking to His disciples about this very topic. He implores them to not be fearful of those in the world but to have a holy respect for God who was truly in control. He finishes this passage by saying to them, “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

Jesus was being clear with His disciples that he was attentive to them. He loved them so much that He knew how many hairs they had on their head at any given moment. Imagine a God who knows such intimate details about every single person who was ever created. What wonderous love is this! Jesus was showing them that God was majestic and righteous that He determines the status of the world and its salvation and intimate enough to care about every detail of every person. Even more so, God, not only answers prayers but is attentive and loving. In this truth, we find safety, peace, and strength knowing that He is with us. We don’t have to live a life of fear but can trust God wholeheartedly.

Today, I want to encourage you that God cares about you. He cares about your situation. He cares about your worries. He notices those who rise up against you. He loves to show up for you and remind you that He is present. Much like the young girl in my youth ministry, He wants to show you in the simplest ways that He sees what burdens your heart. May we trust God to provide for us and protect us. He certainly has His eye on His creation.

Let’s pray:

Lord, I thank you for your reminder that you care about everything. Much like you care about the birds and their safety, you are attentive to me. I thank you for loving me. I praise you for calling me friend. I love you because you first loved me. Father, help me to remember that I must never allow fear of the world around me to overtake me. Teach me to keep my faith in you when difficult times come. Show me your heart for me and how I can serve you better. Thank you for being my mighty God and my comforter. You are my greatest reward. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Who Do You Say I Am?...by Amanda Idleman

 Who Do You Say I Am?

by Amanda Idleman

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” - Matthew 16:15

Men and women often die needlessly difficult deaths, what makes Jesus' death on the cross meaningful? Why does Jesus matter? 

The answer to that question is really the centerpiece of the Christian faith. What we each believe about the identity of Jesus has the power to transform him from being just a prophet, clever speaker, or possibly even a crazy man into the living breathing son of God. 

Jesus proves his divinity to humanity most remarkably through his death on the cross that fulfilled the prophecies laid out about our Savior in scripture and his subsequent resurrection. No one else in human history has the power to overcome death. Jesus’ death is his living sacrifice for our sins and his resurrection defies the rules of this world in a way that only God can accomplish. 

God’s love is displayed through his incredible sacrifice. If Jesus only came to Earth in order to display his divine power to humans so we would worship him then our need for him in our lives as a personal savior would be diminished. If he only showed up on Earth to parade his power and coerce us into worshiping him then he would be just like those cruel Greek and Roman gods that were filled with pride and selfishness. 

Jesus is different from the other gods of this world because he clearly tells and demonstrates to us the purpose of his incarnation. John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” His arrival on Earth was a well-thought-out rescue mission. He came to redeem his fallen creation.

Jesus’ existence on Earth is a gracious invitation to all of humanity to engage in a real, life-changing, and eternity-impacting relationship with the one true living God! 

Jesus asks Peter, one of his disciples, the question ‘Who do you say I am?” Jesus knows that it’s important to Peter’s faith that he grasp that Jesus is fully a man but also fully God. Jesus Is the truth, the way, and the light. Without his disciples understanding all of who Jesus the man was they would not be able to receive the gift of salvation that God was offering. 

The question of “Who do you say I am” continues to be the most foundational question for people of faith. Our ability to recognize Jesus as our Lord and Savior is where our path towards transformation and adoption into God’s ‘heaven family’ begins. 

If you are in a season of questioning or feel a sense of disillusionment with the Church, I ask you to just go back to this question: Who is Jesus? What did he come to do? How has knowing him impacted your life? That’s the place to start when we are wanting to deconstruct our beliefs. 

Build back a stronger, more firm faith foundation that begins with Jesus your Savior. God embraces our questions but we have to be open to hear the answers he came down to Earth to give us. 

Intersecting Faith and Life:
Go back and read the Gospels from the Bible. Study the life, words, and teachings of Jesus. Let the alive and active Word of God be the foundation you build your belief system on.

 

God is Trustworthy...Craig Denison Ministries

 God is Trustworthy

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview: 

It’s vital to the Christian life that we as sons and daughters of the most high God allow our affections to be stirred by the loving, powerful nature of our heavenly Father. Too often we feel that God is distant or separated from us. Too often we allow misconceptions or lies to place a rift between us and experiencing God. It’s in reminding ourselves of God’s character that lies are broken and a pathway is laid for us to encounter his tangible love. Open your heart and mind and receive fresh revelation of the goodness of God this week. Allow your affections to be stirred and your heart to be filled with desire to seek the face of your heavenly Father.

Scripture:“And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.” Psalm 9:10

Devotional:    

Our heavenly Father calls us, his children, to place our trust solely in him for provision, well-being, and guidance. We see God call his people to a lifestyle of trust throughout Scripture, but time and time again the people of God take matters into their own hands. Why is trust so difficult? Why do we have a hard time placing the burden of provision, well-being, and guidance in the capable hands of our heavenly Father? The only good posture of our hearts is total trust in our God. The only way we will experience the full reality, love, and power of our heavenly Father is in trusting him. It’s when we trust him that we allow him to move in our lives. It’s when we trust him that we position ourselves to receive the powerful working of the Holy Spirit. It’s when we trust him that we allow him to work in and through us to see his will done on the earth. So, let’s allow God’s word to be our guide today as we open our hearts to receiving the courage and faith to place our trust in God.

Psalm 9:10 speaks to the core of trusting in God: “And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.” Trusting God is first and foremost a matter of knowing his character and faithfulness. We must know his name, or who he is, and know in our heart of hearts that he will not forsake us. Trusting God starts with a knowledge of his trustworthiness, but must make its way down to the heart. If we don’t allow God’s character and faithfulness to become a transformative reality of our heart, we will never bear the fruit of trust. So in order to begin a lifestyle of trust in areas in which we have taken control for ourselves, we must begin by asking God for a fresh revelation of his character and faithfulness. We must see God for who he is, reflect on his faithfulness as demonstrated in Scripture, in the lives of other believers, and in our own lives, and allow these revelations to transform our hearts’ desires and bear the fruit of trust.

Oftentimes it takes me being at my wit’s end, where there is nothing possible left for me to do, before I pray and ask God for his help. In reality, I should begin every part of my life with surrender to the Holy Spirit’s power and guidance. I should follow God’s leadership from the beginning. Isaiah 26:3-4 says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” My life should be a continual response to the love and faithfulness of God rather than a trial of my own strength ending in cries of desperation to my heavenly Father who longed to help me all along. God’s desire is that we would be a people marked by the peace that only comes from continual trust in response to his trustworthiness. Continual peace comes from continual trust.

Psalm 37:3-5 offers what I believe to be a blueprint for the abundant life God desires for each of us. David writes, “Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.” When we place our trust solely in God we are filled with delight in him in place of the burden and weight of living life in our own strength. And when we delight ourselves fully in God, our desires come into line with his, allowing us to simply “do good” and “dwell in the land.” If we will trust in God he will both fill us with the desires he has for us and then satisfy those desires. When the people of God respond to his faithfulness with trust, he does mighty and incredible works. God delivered the entire nation of Israel through the trust of one man, Moses. He destroyed the walls of Jericho through the faithful marching of his people. He scattered the Midianites in response to the trust of Gideon. He delivered Paul and Silas from prison as they worshipped him in trust. The stories go on and on, but they all have this in common: God spoke his desires to his people, his people trusted him at his word in response to his character and faithfulness, and he did a mighty work in their favor.

Where do you need a powerful work of your heavenly Father today? Where do you need his help and guidance? Spend time meditating on the character and past faithfulness of your heavenly Father and place your trust in him in response to his trustworthiness. Your God loves you and longs to help you. He has a plan to deliver you from whatever comes against you. Just as he destroyed the enemies of his people time and time again, he will help you overcome whatever obstacle stands in your way today. Place your hope and trust in God and follow him as he leads you to a life of victory and freedom.     

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the character and faithful works of God.

“God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” Numbers 23:19

“The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.” Nahum 1:7

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8

2. Reflect on your own life. Where do you need God’s help today? Where do you need his favor or guidance? Where do you need a miracle?

3. Place your trust in God, ask for his help, and follow his leadership. Spend time placing your trust solely in him. If it feels too difficult to trust him completely, ask for his help! Ask him to uncover whatever lie is keeping you from trusting him. Ask him to reveal his nearness, love, and power to you. Trust is meant to be a response, not something you conjure up. Allow him to reveal himself in deeper ways so that you can simply respond to his overwhelming reality, love, power, and faithfulness.

“And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.” Psalm 9:10

“Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.” Psalm 62:8

“Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.” Psalm 37:3-5

May you grow in your knowledge of the trustworthiness of your God today. May you experience the joy of having the Creator of all working in the details of your own life. God is not too busy for you today. He doesn’t have better or bigger things planned than your problems. He is infinite, vast, all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving. He longs to work in the little things along with the big things. Listen to him as he speaks Isaiah 43:1-2 over you today:

Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.

Extended Reading: Psalm 37