Is Your Bible Study Self-Centered?.....By Lisa Appelo

 Is Your Bible Study Self-Centered?

By Lisa Appelo

Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent. - John 17:3

Who is God?

What is He like? What does He do and what pleases Him? What is His order of things and what does He require?

So often we come to our Bible devotions pretty self-centered.

Answer me. Encourage me. Teach me. Help me.

When all along God has given us His Word as a stunning revelation of Who He is.

Yes, God will meet and teach us and encourage us, but there is something far greater: when we open our Bibles, we worship the One who fashioned the galaxy, who is infinitely beyond this galaxy and yet makes Himself known to us.

We read our Bible to know Who God is, what He does and how we can align our lives to Him.

When Jesus pierced time to dwell on earth, he came to a religious people who knew about him, but didn’t know him. The Jewish elite could keep the law like nobody’s business but they could not comprehend a God above the law.

Their tight little boxes of Who God is did not fit cleanly around Jesus.

They constantly challenged him:

How can you say you forgive sins?

Why do you eat with sinners?

Why don’t your disciples fast like our disciples?

Why are your disciples picking grain on the Sabbath?

How dare you break the Sabbath by healing on it?!

John 5 tells of Jesus coming to the pool of Siloam in Jerusalem. When he saw a man who’d been lame for 38 years lying there, Jesus asked him if he wanted to get well and then healed him, commanding him to pick up his mat and walk.

Why did Jesus heal this man? He hadn’t even asked for it. Nothing is said about Jesus healing any of the other paralyzed and lame lying at that same pool.

I believe this man’s healing – compassionate as it was – was secondary to Jesus’ real work: revealing Who He is.

When I read this story, my heart is immediately drawn to what Jesus can do for me. He can heal me. He can take care of my need. He can reach down in my pain and take it away.

Yes, He can.

But if I stop there, I’m stuck in the claustrophobic cosmos of my own need.

Jesus is revealing Himself in this passage and we are the lame if we miss it.

This passage explodes with declaration of Who Jesus is.

Jesus revealed His authority as the Son of God. Second person of the Trinity. All-powerful. All-worthy. All holy. So far outside the bounds of the law and yet the only true Righteousness who could fulfill the law’s righteous requirements.

And suddenly, magnifying God for Who He is realigns the trajectory of my heart and thoughts. I can worship and adore and enjoy and marvel. I can repent and grieve and realign so that my life revolves around His.

And my need? My fear? My worry? Only when I know Who God is can I rest in Him with every need, fear and worry.

No more 15 minutes of Bible reading to see what You have for me.

No more coming to You to meet me.
No more reading Your Word to affirm me.

God's Heart Doesn't Stop with Us.....Craig Denison Ministries

 God's Heart Doesn't Stop with Us

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

One of the greatest privileges as a child of God is that we can have the heart of our heavenly Father. We don’t have to wonder how he feels about us. We don’t have to wonder if he will guide us. We don’t have to question whether he loves us or cares about us. Through the Holy Spirit we have continual, free access to the heart of God. May your relationship with God go deeper and become freer as we learn how to have God’s heart this week.

Scripture:

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” 1 John 4:7

Devotional:    

As wonderful and life-giving as it is to access the heart of God for ourselves, having God’s heart isn’t meant to stop with us. His heart is meant to fill us, empower us, and transform us to live in such a way that we are light in the darkness. In Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus said:

 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

As a believer you can reveal the heart of God to others. You’ve been given access to a deep, revelatory knowledge of God’s love that you might shine the light of God’s goodness to a world that only knows darkness. You can reveal the heart of God through the way you honor rather than speaking ill. You can represent the humility of Jesus by serving rather than being self-seeking. You can reveal God’s grace by offering compassion when others treat you poorly. And you can display the courage that comes from a true understanding of God’s unconditional love by living authentically rather than building up a false image.

You were made to share God’s heart. You were made to co-labor with him in seeing the gospel be proclaimed and bear fruit in the lives of others. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” God has work prepared for you today. Look for opportunities to share what God is doing in your life. Look for ways you can be a reflection of the aspects of God’s heart he’s revealing to you. Don’t let the love of God be contained to you like a secret, but share it freely, knowing that his love never runs out and is what every human heart is searching for.

Take time in guided prayer to allow God to fill you with passion to reveal his heart to a world in desperate need of restored relationship with him.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the importance of sharing God’s heart with the world. Allow Scripture to fill you with a desire to be a reflection of God’s heart.

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” 1 John 4:7

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

2. What aspect of God’s heart can you share with someone today? What part of God’s character can you reflect to the world around you?

3. Ask the Holy Spirit to put a person or group of people on your heart that he wants you to love well today. Ask him how he wants to use you to reveal the heart of God. Journal his response.

An important aspect of sharing God’s heart is trusting in faith that he will use you. When you choose to live a life co-laboring with your heavenly Father you get to experience the supernatural. It’s miraculous when people choose to accept Jesus. It’s astounding when our service, compassion, and love tears down walls around people’s hearts that they might be more open to God. Don’t just live a normal life today. Allow God to use you by sharing his heart. May your day be filled with wonder and awe at your heavenly Father who uses you in mighty and powerful ways.

Extended Reading: 1 John 4

Moving Past Shame Into New Life.....LAURA BAILEY

 Moving Past Shame Into New Life

LAURA BAILEY

Lee en español

“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.” Romans 8:1-2 (NLT)

When I think of the hardest person in my life to forgive, guess who comes to mind? Myself!

Extending grace to others comes much easier to me than extending grace to myself. Instead of eagerly offering myself grace like I do to others, I tend to wallow in a deep pit of shame and guilt. Past transgressions plague my thoughts, crippling my ability to remember that God has fully forgiven me and made me a new, different person in Him.

Deep down, knowing that sooner or later I will fall short again, I wonder if God could ever use someone like me for His glory.

Who will listen to me once they know my past? I am such a phony.
Why did I give in again? I am never going to change.
What was I thinking? God is probably so disappointed in me.

Recently, I read a book about the 12 disciples, nearly breezing past references to Peter, whose life was already the most familiar to me. Oh, but what lessons the Lord revealed upon closer examination of this most impulsive disciple!

During the Last Supper with His disciples, Jesus spoke of Peter’s imminent denial of Him, which Peter emphatically asserted he would never do. (Matthew 26:33-35) Yet hours later, Peter did just that, not once but three times. Subsequently, as foretold, the rooster crowed, leaving Peter to bear the weight of guilt and shame for his cowardly actions.

Mercifully, Peter's story didn't end with his courtyard betrayal of Jesus. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, He reappeared to the disciples, taking time to meet specifically with Peter. There is no record of harsh words or recriminations. Instead, Jesus not only reinstated Peter but tasked him with a vital mission: “Feed my sheep” (John 21:17e, NLT).

Romans 8:1-2 tells us, “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.”

Neither Peter nor any of God’s children need wrestle with feelings of failure and inadequacy. Christ’s work on the cross freed us from the power of sin and darkness, enabling those who trust Him to move past the bondage of shame and despair, into the light of joy and gladness. We stand ready to fight feelings and thoughts that counter the Lord’s purpose for our lives. How? I like to use the acronym “M.O.V.E.”

Meet with God. When suffering the pain of shame or guilt, open your Bible and ask the Lord to transform your mind through His Word, silencing any thoughts or feelings that aren’t from Him. (Romans 12:1-2)

Own your story.
Instead of hiding or denying your past, share the good news of God's redemptive power, that He didn’t give up on you and never will. Don’t be too proud to tell others how the Lord has changed you and continues to work in you since you trusted Christ as Savior.

Veto negative thoughts. Conviction of sin comes from God, leading us to confession and repentance. Shame comes from Satan, our accuser, leading us to despair, doubt and insecurity. Colossians 1:22 is just one of many verses that assure us that our heavenly Father grants repentant sinners free and full forgiveness and never accuses them again. Never!

Elicit help. We need Christian community to speak the truth in our lives, pray with us and hold us accountable. Don’t fight this battle alone; call on your brothers and sisters in Christ to help you walk in truth.

On this side of eternity, we will never be sinless; only Jesus Christ lived a sinless life. However, like Peter, when we accept God’s gracious gift of salvation through faith in Him, we can M.O.V.E. past shame and guilt and walk boldly in the new life and ministry to which God has called us. To God be the glory!

Heavenly Father, thank You that You are rich in mercy. You love us so much that even while we were sinners, You sent Your Son to die for us so that we can have eternal life. Please forgive us when we fall short, and help us to move past shame, bringing glory and honor to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Trained to Discern.....Dr. Charles Stanley

 Trained to Discern

Dr. Charles Stanley

Hebrews 5:11-14

In today's world, impatience is all too common a trait. We want food, help, and information fast. Just waiting for the computer to boot up or the "next avail-able agent" to answer our call can cause frustration. But the Lord specializes in slow, steady work. He's more interested in a quality outcome than a speedy process.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the realm of spiritual discernment. When we become Christians, we aren't instantly wise and knowledgeable. It takes a lifetime to grow to maturity. Some believers, however, don't seem to grow up at all. They get older, but their understanding of God's Word never goes very deep.

This lack of godly wisdom is caused by ignorance of the Scriptures, apathy and complacency about spiritual things, and a failure to apply biblical truths. Discernment requires time and effort. You can't simply move through life, thoughtlessly reacting to situations yet never learning from them. Take time to reflect on your responses and observe the consequences of your actions and choices. If you feel convicted by what you notice, let that motivate you to begin a lifelong pursuit of the Lord and His ways. Start reading the Bible regularly. And as you do, ask the Lord to open your heart and mind to understand what He's saying.

But just reading God's Word isn't enough. Without applying what you've read, all you'll have is head knowledge. Obedience trains us to discern good and evil. Through practice, we learn wisdom and develop spiritual maturity. If you'll begin today and patiently persevere, in time discernment will come.

The Corinthian Creed.....by Shawn McEvoy

 The Corinthian Creed

by Shawn McEvoy

Be on your guard, stand firm in faith, be men of courage, be strong; do everything in love. - 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Today's verse hangs on a board on the wall of my son. But years ago, long before my son was even an inkling, I came across that verse as I was sending my own father one of many letters I composed over the years to share with him the importance of salvation, and the value of life in Christ. My sister, mother, and I came to know the Lord in 1980, but it took another 17 years, seven months, and 26 days worth of praying, heart softening, and brokenness for Dan McEvoy to surrender.

And it wasn’t this letter or the above verse that pushed him into it. No, this letter I was writing simply to tell him how blessed I was to have begun dating a woman (who eventually became my wife) for whom faith came first, and I was giving God all the glory and credit and all that good stuff, and probably telling him how God delights in blessing those who trust in Him.

With the letter I enclosed a quick-and-dirty page of graphic art involving the aforementioned verse from Corinthians in some fancy font, with a clip-art picture of a sailboat, kind of as a visual aid to my letter, indicating, I suppose, what it was like for the man of God to live in this world under the Captaincy of Christ.

Well, so. After he died in 2001, I found that letter and piece of "art" in my father’s desk, looking as if it had been read and glanced at often. Something in me knew then that if I were ever to have a son, I’d commit to raising him to manhood under these same five principles:

• Be on your guard. Be ready, be alert. Expect God to be involved, expect Satan to attack. Let the wonder of creation still catch your eye.
• Stand firm in faith. Be unmoved because you know intimately that of which you believe in. Become biblically literate.
• Be a man of courage. Fear is not from God (2 Timothy 1:7), so go your way boldly. The worst that can happen – even death – still ends in victory and glory for the Christian.
• Be strong. Physically, yes, let’s take care of ourselves, and present our bodies as holy. But remember that the Lord is the strength of the strong (Ephesians 6:10), and that “when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).
• Do everything in love. Here’s your motivation, because he that doesn’t love doesn’t know God (1 John 4:8), and the world shall know you by your love (John 13:35).

So when Jordan was born, and we had the dedication service at our church, that’s the verse we selected to have read. When he was about two-and-a-half, he started reciting it by memory and making up arm/hand motions to go with it. We call it our “Man-Creed.” 

But here’s the secret: these couple verses from the closing of Paul’s first letter to Corinth aren’t first-and-foremost for Jordan… they’re for me.

When I first realized that, it caught me, ironically enough, "off my guard." I had been more than happy to tell my own father how to "be a man," and was perfectly willing to raise my son to be one according to the Word. How, I wonder, did I intend to do so without living out the credo, making it my own?

The Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible comments upon the 1 Corinthians passage thusly: "[Paul] shows that they ought to make their hopes of salvation to depend not on Apollos or any other teacher; that it rests with themselves." Yes, and on how I am willing to live, or better, whether I am willing to let my life be of greater worth than my words.

I don’t know about the other guys out there, but it definitely helps me to have something to live by, to recite, to write on my heart, ponder the meaning of, and connect to other scriptures as I strive to be a man after God’s own heart. And it doesn’t hurt that this creed I now try to follow is affecting its third generation in my family.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Allow me to recommend teaching your child – no matter how young – to recite Bible verses that reflect who they are and can be in Christ, and make it real in their lives. But while you’re doing it, "be on your guard." One of them may just become your own credo.

Further Reading

Ephesians 6:10

A Prayer for the Difficult People in Your Life.....By Tiffany Thibault

 A Prayer for the Difficult People in Your Life

By Tiffany Thibault

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. - Genesis 50:20

We all have them in our lives. Difficult people. People who make life hard, who steal our joy, peace, hope, plans and dreams. Some do it in tiny doses when you least expect it, blindsiding you, leaving you stunned with their negativity and criticism. Others manipulate you - twisting your words, creating doubt about your plans and withholding praise or encouragement when you are working so hard to pursue your dreams.

As we face those difficult people in our lives, we can take great encouragement from this verse. These words were spoken by a man named Joseph who had been his father’s favorite child, and whose brothers hated him for that, who even mocked him by calling him “the dreamer.” They called him this because Joseph had told them the dreams that he had at night. One dream used images of wheat sheaves in a field and all the brothers' sheaves bowing to Joseph's sheaf. Another dream was of the sun, moon and eleven stars bowing down to him. These dreams enraged the brothers.

Hate stirs difficult people to treat us the way that they do. Their hearts are filled with jealousy and envy. They lack compassion and restraint and instead plot ways to foil our plans. Hatred caused Joseph's brothers to want to murder him, but one brother stepped in and persuaded them to sell him as a slave instead, taking Joseph far away to Egypt.

Years later, when his hateful brothers appeared before him to purchase food during the famine, Joseph immediately recognized them, but did not reveal his identity. He said this to them when he revealed his identity: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

The brothers were shocked and terrified that Joseph would punish them for what they had done. But he didn’t. His response that God was using it for His good plans, showed that Joseph had not allowed any of the difficult people to stop him from living his life to the fullest. The difficult people could not ever interfere or stop what God had planned for Joseph

The difficult people in your life, the ones who unintentionally or even deliberately mean evil against you cannot ever succeed in usurping God’s plan for your life. Every heartache, every road bump, every plan detour - none of them are out of the ability of God to use it for good.

I love the words: “But God” in this verse. It was only because of God that many were able to survive the famine. In your life, cling to the promise of this verse. Those difficult people in your life cannot succeed - why? Because of these words: “But God.”

We all deal with difficult people. How you live out your dreams despite those evil hearts will give life to those around you who are struggling with their own difficult people. Let this be our focus as we go through our day, each time those difficult people try to trip us up: “You mean evil against me, but God means it for good.” No difficult person or their plans are more powerful than God. God is on your side. God has given you every one of your dreams. God has given you this life to live for Him. So go into your today with this attitude: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)

Dear Lord, 

Thank you for being with me as I face difficult people today. Keep my eyes on you as I look for you to make it all good. Keep my focus on the dreams and plans that you have for my life. Give me your words to speak in response to the difficult words. Keep my heart from becoming discouraged and bitter. Lord, let the calling you have placed on my life be a blessing and bring encouragement to the lives of others who are struggling. 

In your name, I pray, 

Amen