God the Giver of Strength..Craig Denison Ministries

 God the Giver of Strength

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

Our heavenly Father is the giver of every good gift. His mercies are vast, powerful, and real. His love has the ability to completely overwhelm and satisfy every one of our needs. Everything he gives us satisfies, transforms, and leads us to abundant life. As we spend this week stirring up our affections toward God, allow your heart to become soft and open. Allow his loving character to draw you close and provide life to every dry and weary place in your soul.

Scripture:“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” - Psalm 73:26

Devotional:

The story of God’s people is one of God’s strength covering our weakness. Our heavenly Father takes our problems, sins, fears, and feebleness and uses them as opportunities to demonstrate the overwhelming power of his love. He takes those the world deems to be the weakest and uses them to accomplish incredible, powerful works. Isaiah 40:28-31 says:          

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Our God knows our frame. He knows that our bodies have come from dust and will one day return to their original form. He knows that without his help we accomplish nothing. But Paul’s declaration in Philippians 4:13 is just as true for you and me as it was for him: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” We can do all things through the anointing and power of our heavenly Father. We can tackle any obstacle that stands in our way because our God is perfectly strong in our weakness.

Where do you need the strength of God today? Where do you feel weak, powerless, or weary? Where do you need to run but only feel exhausted? Your lot is not to go through life living solely by your own power. You’ve been given a new identity as a son or daughter of the Most High God who desperately wants to clothe you with strength and teach you how to use the authority given to you by Jesus.

In God you can defeat the powers of sin and darkness that have held you back. In God you can accomplish the tasks set before you with joy, energy, and strength. And in God you can love and be loved to such a capacity that your very attitude, outlook, and emotions transform into reflections of your heavenly Father’s.

Spend time in prayer receiving the strength that comes from God alone. Allow him to fill you with fresh vision and align your perspective with his.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s desire to fill you with strength.

“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

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” - >Isaiah 40:28-31

2. Where do you need God’s strength today? Where do you feel weakest? Where do you need his power and anointing?

3. Ask God to fill you with the power of the Holy Spirit. Ask him to make his strength known to you. Allow your perspective and outlook to shift in light of God’s power and love.

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” - Psalm 73:26 

“It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights.” - >2 Samuel 22:33-34 NIV

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” - >Philippians 4:13

We are never meant to do life on our own. We are designed to be in connection to the strength of our heavenly Father in every situation, relationship, job, and trial. God longs to fill us with strength to accomplish the good work laid before us. He longs to make us strong in him. Don’t go throughout your day in your own strength. Instead, seek out the hand of your heavenly Father and allow him to help you today.

Extended Reading: Psalm 73

How Do I Hang On to Hope When I’m Still Hurting?..LYSA TERKEURST

 How Do I Hang On to Hope When I’m Still Hurting?

LYSA TERKEURST 

“I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry.” Psalm 40:1 (ESV) 

Are there deep disappointments in your life that seem to linger on and on? Do you feel like you’ve prayed the same prayers over and over, with little to no change?

I understand how hard that is. Over the last few years, I’ve walked through some of the most heartbreaking seasons. And although the circumstances of your life may be different, you probably have your own middle-of-the-night moments wrestling through tears, too.

There are memories that still hurt. Realities that make you wonder if you’ll ever feel normal again. Sufferings that seem forever long. And you’re disappointed that today you aren’t living in the promises of God you’ve begged Him to bring to pass.

In your most private moments, you want to scream at the unfairness of it all — words you don’t use around your Bible friends. But then there are more hopeful moments … when you want to turn up the praise music, lift up honest prayers and declare God is good even when the situation doesn’t seem good.

Hurting but still hoping — that is the human journey.

And that is where we find David in Psalm 40. In the first 10 verses, David praised God for delivering him, but then in verses 11 through 17, he was crying out for God to deliver him again. David was hurting but still hoping.

Hoping doesn’t mean we ignore reality. No, hoping means we acknowledge reality in the very same breath that we acknowledge God’s sovereignty — His absolute ability and power to work as He sees best.

Our hope can’t be tied to whether or not a circumstance or another person changes. Our hope must be tied to the unchanging promises of God. We hope for the good we know God will ultimately bring from our situation, whether the good turns out to match our desires or not. And sometimes that takes a while. The process often requires us to be persevering and patient.

Honestly, I know that can feel a little overwhelming. I want the promised blessing of Psalm 40:4 (ESV): “Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust …” But I forget that this kind of trusting in God is often forged in the crucible of longsuffering.

God isn’t picking on me. God is picking me to personally live out one of His promises. It’s a high honor. But it doesn’t always feel that way. I’ve got to walk through the low places of the process before I’m perfectly equipped to live the promise.

We read about some of the low places of the process in Psalm 40:1-3a (ESV):

“I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.” (emphases added)

The idea of waiting patiently is incredibly important in this psalm. The Hebrew word for “waited” in verse 1 indicates the wait is ongoing, and it holds a sense of eager expectancy and hope.

So while I want the solid rock on which to stand, first I have to wait patiently for the Lord to lift me out of the slime and mud and “set my feet” (v. 2). That word “set” in the original Hebrew is qum, which means “to arise or take a stand.” God has to take me through the process of getting unstuck from what’s been holding me captive before I can take a stand.

I also want that “new song” promised in the psalm (v. 3). Did you notice, though, what comes before the promise of a new song? It's the many cries to the Lord for help. The most powerful praise songs are often guttural cries of pain that have turned into beautiful melodies.

I know this is hard. So let me be the one to lean in and whisper these words to you as we begin to wrestle through this journey together:

God is working things out. He’s not far away. He is right here with us. Even if our prayers aren’t answered in the way and the timing we want. Even when this process feels messy. We will trust God is good.

Lord God, I know You often work in ways I don’t understand. There are parts of my story that feel incredibly hard to live in, but I trust You are making something beautiful even out of those parts of my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Formula for Personal Growth..Dr. Charles Stanley

 Formula for Personal Growth

Dr. Charles Stanley

James 1:22

Growing in Christ involves far more than just attending church, tithing, and listening to a sermon. In fact, many believers do these yet remain stagnant in their walk. There are two elements necessary for us to become more like Jesus: instruction and involvement.

The first of these, learning truth, is vital to a healthy walk with God. Our Savior proved the importance of instruction by devoting much of His time on earth to it. The apostle Paul is another example, as he wrote letters to educate Christians about godliness.

So how can we gain knowledge and understanding? One of the most important and effective ways is to read the Word of God. Scripture instructs us that just as newborns crave milk, we are to desire His Word so that we might grow. I pray your spiritual thirst will become insatiable.

Yet simply listening to the truth does not mean that we've acquired it. I know many people who love attending Bible studies and expanding their knowledge base, but their lives remain unchanged. Just as today's passage teaches, we have to apply the Word to our lives. Even so, actual growth requires more than merely inputting information. It requires action. James 2:26 states, "For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead."

Are we careless hearers, deceived into thinking that we're growing? Or are we listening intently and abiding in the truth? If we're truly maturing, our lives will be increasingly Christlike, and our desires will align more closely with God's heart. Make sure that you are listening and responding to His truth.

If God Is Sovereign, Why Should We Pray?..: Betsy St. Amant Haddox

 If God Is Sovereign, Why Should We Pray? (Matthew 6:9)

By: Betsy St. Amant Haddox

Today’s Bible Verse: Matthew 6:9 (ESV) Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.”

I don’t know about you, but sometimes, I fall into the bad habit of thinking: “If God is sovereign, why should we pray?” It isn’t necessarily a conscious thought I have, but a subconscious doubt that I occasionally operate out of.

For example, right now, I’m praying for a couple going through a sudden divorce. I’m praying for a friend whose family member is missing. I’m praying for another friend who is caught up in a prodigal daughter type situation and causing her family pain. And another friend just discovered her mom was diagnosed with a terminal illness.

I know my will for each of these situations—reconciliation, discovery, reunion, healing—but what of God’s will? And if His will prevails, then why even pray for what I want? Why does it matter? Does it matter?

It does—and we know that through Scripture.

Here’s a great, encouraging quote from well-known pastor John Piper. “God doesn’t plan the world, and then wonder if anybody’s going to pray for part of his plan to be changed. He plans the world, and part of his planning for the world is the praying of his people for what he plans to do.”

Meaning, God plans our prayers. He isn’t waiting for us to try to change His mind, rather, He uses our prayers to accomplish His planned purposes. He invites us into the process of answered prayers, rather than shove us out of the way to do His will.

He did the same with Peter. Luke 22:31-32 (ESV) “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” God planned for Peter to deny Jesus, and God planned for Jesus’ prayer for Peter to turn Peter back. I love the word “when” in that last verse. Not if—when. It’s a world of difference, and there’s so much rich theology packed into that little phrase.

Here are a few more things to remember about prayer that might help us when we doubt. Namely, that prayer is a command in the Bible—one we’re to obey. To disobey in this area would be a sin. And secondly, the Bible tells us that we have not because we ask not. (James 4:2b) We’re encouraged to ask! If it were pointless, this wouldn’t be a repeat theme in Scripture.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is our key verse, Matthew 6:9. The word hallowed here means to make holy. Jesus gave us instructions on how to pray and the very beginning of that example starts with beseeching God to make His name holy. God is for His glory, and we give God glory when we pray. It’s a beautiful cycle. Why would we not want to participate in that?

The next time doubt strikes you or you feel like you’ve seen a streak of “unanswered prayers” or “silence from Heaven”, refresh yourself with the truths of these Scriptures. Meditate on the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6.  Your prayers matter, and you can pray with purpose and trust God’s will to be done in and through your petitions.

A Prayer When You Need to Believe the Good News..Betsy de Cruz

 A Prayer When You Need to Believe the Good News

By Betsy de Cruz

“Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” Mark 1:14 – 15  

This may sound blasphemous, but I don’t like the word repentance. Perhaps I don’t like to think of my own sin. I’d rather think of myself as someone who has it all together than someone who desperately needs God’s mercy. Wouldn’t you? Surely, repentance is for thieves, drug dealers, and murderers, right? Not for good people like us. 

Yet Jesus’ first recorded message in Mark begins with: “The kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Jesus calls us not only to repent but also to believe. We must believe Jesus died for our sin so we can turn to Him for forgiveness. Repentance ushers us into God’s kingdom, but it also paves the way to closer fellowship with God every day of our Christian lives. When we turn from our sin, unbelief, and desperate attempts to control our lives, we humble ourselves and make room for God to work in us. 

Maybe each morning is a new opportunity to repent and believe. Consider the CEV translation of Mark 1:15, which puts Jesus’ first message in everyday English: “Turn back to God and believe the good news!” When we repent, we not only turn away from sin towards God; we also turn away from unbelief to choose faith, and we open the door for God to renew our hearts.

Where do you need to turn back to God today, my friend? If you’re like me, maybe you need to turn away from the tight grip of control and surrender your circumstances to God instead. Maybe you need to turn from unbelief and choose to trust your Heavenly Father who loves and cares for you. 

What good news do you need to believe? Perhaps you need to believe your loving Creator rejoices in you and sees the righteousness of Christ when He looks at you. You might need to believe His promises to show you steadfast love and faithfulness, or maybe you need to remind yourself His power can do far more than you can ask for or imagine.

Each day is a new opportunity to repent from unbelief, turn to the Scriptures, and choose to believe the promises and encouragement we find in our Bibles. Let’s ask God to remake us and renew our minds today.

Let’s pray:

Lord Jesus, I choose to repent and believe today. Forgive me for trying to handle life on my own and forgetting your presence and power. Forgive me for relying on myself rather than trusting You. Forgive me for fearing the worst instead of resting in faith. I choose to believe your goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life because you have said so in your Word. 

Lord, Your Word says I am your beloved child, living under Your watchful care. The Bible says You promise to show me steadfast love and faithfulness all the days of my life. You are my Shepherd and Guide; You will make a way for me. Scripture says the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in me. I have a Helper today and the hope of everlasting life with you. 

I repent and I believe. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Our Truthful Father..Chelsey DeMatteis

 Our Truthful Father

By Chelsey DeMatteis

“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.” - John 17:17-19

This world is a messy place. It's loud, vigorous, and rampant with waywardness. It squanders truth at all costs and labels it excluding. It elevates falsehood and celebrates it as love. This reminds me of what my life looked like before I claimed Jesus as Lord over all. I sadly craved the false stability of living for the world and took the bait of the world's standards of "truth". I ushered in opinions of anyone and freely welcomed desires to feed my emptiness. "Truth" in my life at that point was formed by nothing more than feelings and emotion-based responses. But God! By His grace, He swiftly saved my soul from this path of destruction. 

When I finally surrendered my life to Jesus, I didn't know anything more than the Lord's prayer and John 3:16. I pray that gives you hope (either for yourself or for someone you're praying to come to know the Lord). I wasn't a Bible scholar, I didn't have much of anything in my memory tank from what I'd learned in my youth, but what I did have was a heart at the end of its rope and small a very small yet powerful reminder of God's Word.

It honestly amazes me that I had God's Word still written on my heart through all my years of rebellion. These small seeds planted in my heart as a child would soon be watered and flourish into a deep desire to pursue the truths of God and His heart. I no longer wanted to live in this emotional state of being tossed to and fro by my feelings and other people's opinions. My soul craved the actual truth, the undeniable, unwavering, all-consuming steadiness of God.

As I began to grow in the knowledge of His Word through taking time to study Scripture and be poured into by mentors, His truth began to pierce the harshest parts of my flesh. The promise of sanctification began to reveal areas of my life I didn't know needed tending. Suddenly the truth I found in Christ became my anchor and the falsehood of my former life had to flee. 

This reminds me of Jesus' prayer in John 17. Jesus was praying to our Heavenly Father on behalf of those who were believers (those who came to a saving faith), not for those of the world. He prayed that we, as believers, would be sanctified in the truth because his Word is truth (John 17:17). I saw this unfold personally, which is why it has always been a favorite part of Scripture for me. It boldly lays out not only who created truth but tells us why we're called to walk in it. 

It all boils down to this, God is truth and the truth from God sanctifies our sinful flesh. I can without waiver promise you, that God is all truthful. In Him, we find everything we need - peace, hope, joy, mercy, grace. Through Him, we become the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Because of His love for us, we were gifted His Son, and through Christ's life, we've received the truth of the gospel which changed our lives on earth and our lives eternally forever.

Intersecting Faith and life:
Today, where do you see areas of truth you shy away from and why? Ask the Lord to lead you to places in His Word that remind you He is always truthful and that the truth comes from Him alone. How can you live out His truth today where the Lord has you?

Further Reading:
John 17:1-26

The Lord Gives Direction..Craig Denison Ministries

 The Lord Gives Direction

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

Our heavenly Father is the giver of every good gift. His mercies are vast, powerful, and real. His love has the ability to completely overwhelm and satisfy every one of our needs. Everything he gives us satisfies, transforms, and leads us to abundant life. As we spend this week stirring up our affections toward God, allow your heart to become soft and open. Allow his loving character to draw you close and provide life to every dry and weary place in your soul.

Scripture:“The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way.”Psalm 37:23

Devotional:   

Isaiah 48:17-18 offers a hopeful yet heart-wrenching promise of God. Scripture says, “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go. Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.” What would it be like to experience peace like a river? What would it feel like to float on a continual stream of rest and contentment? How would past circumstances have turned out differently if only we would have listened to the commandments of God? Isaiah makes it clear that a lifestyle of peace and righteousness is readily available to us if we will simply follow the Lord our God “who leads [us] in the way [we] should go.” Let’s open our hearts and minds to the Spirit of the living God today and ask him to mold and shape us into followers of his direction.

Psalm 32:8-9 says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you.” The Lord is faithful to give direction. Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” God’s word illuminates the ways in which we should go physically, emotionally, and mentally. His word is designed to influence the ways we think, feel, and act. If we will choose to follow the direction offered to us in Scripture, we will discover a wellspring of peace and righteousness that completely drenches every part of our hearts with passion and purpose.

Scripture is also clear that God continues to speak to us and offer us direction straight from his voice. John 10:27 says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” All throughout the New Testament we see God’s people living and working by the direct word of the Lord. The Holy Spirit loves to speak to us and give us knowledge of his plans for us. Our job is to keep our ears open to him and to respond anytime he offers us direction. He longs to lead us daily into the incredible plans he has for us. He longs to direct us into abundant peace, joy, and purpose. As his sheep we must acknowledge the leadership of our Shepherd and trust in his guidance.

What situation lies before you today in which you need the direction of your all-knowing, loving heavenly Father? Where do you need peace and righteousness today? Where do you need your path illuminated? Dive into the word and God’s heart under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and search out his commandment for your life. Tune your ears to the frequency of God’s Spirit and listen to whatever he would say to you. May you discover the direction you need today as you pray.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s desire and ability to offer you direction through his word and voice.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105

“The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way.”Psalm 37:23

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” >John 10:27

2. Where do you need God’s direction today? Where do you need the peace that comes from knowing God’s will and desire for you?

“Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go. Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.’” >Isaiah 48:17-18

3. Ask the Spirit to direct you right now, and dive into what God’s word says about your circumstances. Trust that God will speak to you perfectly because he loves you. He will make his will known to you if you ask him.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you.”Psalm 32:8-9

God never desires to send you out into this world on your own. He longs to establish you as a good follower of his direction. He longs to teach you how to live your life under the guidance of the Spirit and the word. Spend time receiving fresh revelation on what it looks like to follow your heavenly Father and receive his will. Ask him to guide you throughout your day today and teach you how to be a good follower.

Extended Reading: Psalm 37