God Speaks through Meditation.....Denison Ministries

 God Speaks through Meditation

Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

You and I have been given the invaluable gift of communication with God. Last week we learned about the process of making the soil of our hearts soft and receptive to God. This week we’ll learn some different ways to receive the seed of his word. May your communion with God flourish as you engage in continual conversation with your loving, present heavenly Father.

Scripture:“I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.” Psalm 119:15

Devotional:

The spiritual discipline of meditation does for the heart of a Christian what nutrients and good soil do for the seed of a plant. Through meditation the seed of God’s word takes root and produces life-giving, abundant fruit. Richard Foster in his book Celebration of Discipline wrote, “The purpose of meditation is to enable us to hear God more clearly. Meditation is listening, sensing, heeding the life and light of Christ. This comes right to the heart of our faith. The life that pleases God is not a set of religious duties; it is to hear His voice and obey His word. Meditation opens the door to this way of living.”

The Christian practice of meditation is, at its core, ruminating on the word of God. Meditation creates space for the Spirit to speak directly to our hearts and apply God’s word to our lives. When we ruminate on a passage of Scripture like Lamentations 3:22, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end,” we give God space to reveal all the ways in which his mercy and steadfast love are available to us. Meditation creates a pathway for Scripture to go past our minds and affect change within our hearts.

Another powerful aspect of Christian meditation is mulling over the character of God. Sometimes when I feel hopeless I will take a few passages of Scripture about the hope God provides and meditate on them. And in the process of meditating on God’s perfect character my thoughts, perspectives, and emotions come in line with the unchanging nature of my heavenly Father. Meditating on who God is powerfully affects the way we view the world. It’s for this reason Psalm 1:1-3 declares,

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

Take time to meditate on Scripture today. Make space to listen to God and apply the seed of his word. Ruminate on his unchanging, perfect character. May your day be filled with abundant life as you bear the fruit of meditation.

Guided Prayer:

1. Choose a verse or aspect of God’s character to meditate on.

2. Make space to hear from God as you meditate on his word or character. Allow the Spirit to apply God’s word to your life as you meditate. Allow God’s character to lay a foundation for your emotions.

“I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.” - Psalm 119:15

3. Now take note of how the verse or phrase seems to have made an impact in the way you think, feel, or desire to act. Rejoice in the power of God’s word to transform lives and hearts.

Meditation should be a daily practice for Christians. God’s word was never meant to just be understood but to be alive and active in his children. Scripture is meant to direct us into becoming more like Jesus both internally and externally in our actions. Meditating is one of the best tools God has given us in taking the Bible from words on a page to a living and active lifestyle. May engaging in meditation transform your spiritual life into one filled with joy, power and fruit of the Spirit.

Extended Reading: Psalm 1

Our Inseparable Relationship..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 Our Inseparable Relationship

Dr. Charles Stanley

Romans 8:31-39

Far too many relationships in today's world are uncertain. Disunity is found in marriages, churches, and international alliances. Yet there's one relationship that is sure and permanent.

The Lord designed people for intimate fellowship with Him. His love toward each of us is evident throughout the Bible. In fact, there is nothing tangible, intangible, past, present, or future that can separate believers from the Father's love. John 10:14 draws a comparison between Jesus and a good shepherd—a man whose ultimate task is providing for and protecting the flock. Christ's character is one of passionate care for His people. First John 4:16 clearly states, "God is love." If we believe the Bible, then we cannot deny this fact about His nature.

We also see evidence of divine love through the Lord's gifts and actions. For example, He created us in His image (Gen. 1:26). He sent His only Son to die in our place, and He forgives us of our sin debt (1 Cor. 15:3). John 15:15 tells us that Christ calls us His friends—and what's more, when we trust in Jesus, God adopts us and considers us His children (Rom. 8:15). He even blesses us with an Intercessor and Helper—the Holy Spirit (John 14:26). The Word is clear: God loves us passionately.

The affection we experience in our families is only a glimpse of the great compassion and care that God has for you. Think about the people you treasure most. Imagine what you would be willing to do if they experienced a need. How much more will our heavenly Father be devoted to you!

Moving Past Our Past..... SADIE ROBERTSON HUFF

 Moving Past Our Past

SADIE ROBERTSON HUFF 

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) 

I think you’ll agree when I say we all have a past. What are the things in your past that you’re not proud of? For me, plenty of things come to mind, and I don’t think I’m alone in that.

Often, what keeps us from following God is who we used to be or the things we used to do.

I remember the story of a girl I met a while back. She was beautiful and sweet … and she had a past. One mistake she made in high school stuck with her for years. It was made public and ultimately prevented her from being accepted into any sorority at her college. All I could think about was how sad that had to be. She didn’t have the opportunity to continue on to her future in something she would have loved to do, all because of something she did that wasn’t a representation of who she is. It felt so unfair.

A lot of times, we feel the way my friend felt — like our past has disqualified us and is preventing us from moving forward.

But the power of the gospel is that we have hope in the newness of life, and there is a resurrection story for us, just as our key verse says: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

How do we step into our life as a “new creation” when everyone knows us for who we were? There are two steps I’ve taken in my life when it comes to moving past my past:

#1: We must know who we are and what God’s Word says about us. If we are not rooted in this truth, we will listen to the voice of the enemy. However, if we are truly anchored in the reality of who God says we are, when the enemy comes to attack we will stop him in his tracks and remind him who we are.

#2: We must fully commit our lives to Jesus. We can’t fully be who we’re meant to become if we’re still living our old lives. For example, it would be very confusing if Paul, who wrote many New Testament books in the Bible, had continued to murder Christians (Acts 9:1) after he became one himself. (Acts 9:3-18) The powerful thing about his story is that he committed; he didn’t turn back. Plenty of people in the Bible had to press past their pasts to step into God’s calling for their lives — like Moses, Joseph, Rahab and Ruth. We can do the same.

What’s crazy to think about is that if these people in Scripture hadn’t pressed past their old lives, our lives would be drastically different. Many of our favorite Bible verses were written by Paul. We are impacted by people who have pressed past their pasts.

The same is true for our lives. What people am I going to reach when I finally get past who I used to be and step into who God has called me to be? Amazing impact lies on the other side of getting past our pasts. Live the life He has called you to, friend! Don’t let your past hold you back.

This can sound easy but can be a long journey. However, today you can start that journey with your thoughts. What is a word you’ve been declaring over your past? Is it “failure,” “lost,” “abused,” “dirty,” “sinful,” “weak,” “jealous”? If your past still brings you shame, I want to encourage you to change whatever your word is to “redeemed.” That’s who you are in Christ — made new and washed clean.

The only way we’ll see the world change is if we truly change by the power of the gospel.

God, I thank You so much for the power of the gospel. I thank You that I don’t have to live entangled by my old sin, and I can live redeemed by Your sacrificial blood. God, I thank You for making me new. I pray that, when I feel stuck in old sin, You will break the chains. I pray that I will boldly preach the gospel but, above all else, live the gospel. I love You so much. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

A Prayer for Each New Morning..... By Tiffany Thibault

 A Prayer for Each New Morning

By Tiffany Thibault

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. - Psalm 143:8

There are some mornings, such as today, when I wake while it is still dark outside. I grab a cup of coffee and sit in a chair before an eastern-facing window. Far up in the vast black sky, I can see the planet Venus and several other surrounding constellations. I am in awe once again of how the intricacies of creation. I marvel at the placement of each planet and star in the galaxy. I am humbled when I remember what it says in Psalm 147:4 about the stars: He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.

As I watch the sun slowly rise over the mountain and the stars begin to fade away from the light, I pray for this new day. I pray for the opportunities that will cross my path today. I pray for each family member that I will be doing life with today. I pray for those in my family who live far away. I pray for our country and our leaders. I pray for those I know who are hurting.

As I sit there in the early morning quiet, I am reminded of several truths. There has never been a morning, whether I see it or not, that the stars haven’t always seemed to fade away. There has never been a morning that the sun has not risen in the eastern sky. Since the God of creation has never failed the earth in this, then I don’t have to wonder or worry if tomorrow morning the sun will once again rise. It will, because God determined it to do so.

Each new day is an opportunity for our faith to grow. If you woke up today, then it is because this very day God has a plan, a purpose for you being alive! He loves you with an unfailing love, every single day.

Even though life sometimes has a way of overwhelming us with its difficulties and each new day can seem so hard, look up to the heavens and be reminded that God is always at work in every part of your life. He can be trusted with your life, your dreams and your heart. If you look to Him for guidance for each new day, relationship and situation, He will help you.

Just because it may be a cloudy or a stormy day and I cannot see the stars in the night sky or the sun rising above the mountain ridge, it does not mean that they aren’t there. The sun and stars continue because God determined it to be so.

Just because life is hard today and tomorrow and even the day after that, it does not mean that God is not at work in your life, or that He has even stopped loving you. He says this to you: “For I the Lord do not change” (Malachi 3:6).

You can be confident in His unfailing, never-ending love for you. Just look up to the sky and be reminded. Those stars and planets, and that sunrise or sunset are continual reminders that His love for you is unfailing. He has determined the planet's path and they will not crash. He can show you the way to go each and every day of your life. He can most certainly be trusted with your life. His love for you is unfailing.

Dear Lord,

Each and every morning as I begin to wake, I pray that the first thought of each new day would be of You and of your unfailing love for me. I pray that You would give me wisdom for every single situation I will be facing today. Show me what I should do and where I should go. I trust my life to you.

Amen.

Love Your Neighbor as Yourself..... by Kelly Givens

 Love Your Neighbor as Yourself

by Kelly Givens

“And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, ‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ And He said to him, “'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. The second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' " - Matthew 22:35-39

I live in an apartment complex, and new tenants have recently moved into the rental directly below me. I haven’t met them yet, but I do know one thing about them: they have an incredibly close relationship with their bass speakers. If you’ve ever had neighbors with a big sound system, you’ll know why I’m frustrated. While other sound waves bounce off or are absorbed by the objects around them, bass sound travels right through. So while I can’t hear the words of the song my neighbors are blasting, I can feel the floor vibrating to the irregular, heart-beat-like bumps of the bass. It’s the kind of sound that even earplugs can’t always drown out--which is especially annoying at 1 o’clock in the morning.

Situations like these tempt me to toss aside every sermon I’ve heard on patience, gentleness and self-control and start banging on the floor with a broom handle.  But this is completely antithetical to what Christ demands.  Jesus’ message to “love your neighbor as yourself” is a verse that often gets thrown out there without a lot of thought. However, I’m starting to realize there are major implications of truly loving someone the way I love myself.

How do I love myself? Well, for starters, I’m always thinking about myself. I think about what I’m going to eat for breakfast, what I need to do at work, what I need to pick up from the store on the way home. I also love myself by making my needs top priority. How I schedule my day revolves around the things I want or need to accomplish. Basically, my thoughts and my day are centered on me.

So when Jesus tells us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, that’s a tall order. He’s saying we need to think about others as much as we think about ourselves. He means we should remember the needs of others like we remember our own. He means seeking the happiness, goodness, peace, security of others as much as we seek those things in our own lives.

How can we do this- especially to those who annoy us, hurt us, or perhaps even persecute us? When I think about loving my neighbors as sacrificially, as a priority number one, it seems impossible. I can’t even say I do this fully for the people I love most. But then I remember the first part of Jesus’ command- ‘Love God with all your heart, soul and mind.” There’s my answer. When I focus all my love toward God, he takes my selfish heart and transforms it into a heart capable of loving others. I no longer need others to validate me, be kind or loving toward me in order to love them back. Christ’s love is enough. He fills me up so I can pour out selfless love to others, even others with loud bass speakers.

This selfless love isn’t something I’m good at - it’s not even something I can say I regularly attempt. I’m more selfish than I realize. But God has been using my noisy neighbors to convict my selfish heart, to show me how much better I can be at putting the happiness and peace of others above my own. I know it’s not going to be easy to start loving people as much as I love myself, but I know the first step: loving God above everything else.

Intersecting Faith and Life: Are you loving others as you love yourself? Without loving God first and fully, this is impossible to do. If there is someone in your life you’re struggling to love, ask God to help you persevere in loving them - and in loving Him better, too.

Further reading
Matthew 5:43-48
 Leviticus 19:18
 Romans 13:9-10