Build Each Other Up.....By John North

 Build Each Other Up

By John North

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Heavenly Father, help us to sharpen our brothers and sisters like iron. May we all grow in spirit together, encouraging one another with your words. Amen.

Don’t only work on your own spiritual life, also build up the spiritual lives of those around you!

The Bible is full of guidance on how we can grow much faster if we share in each others’ spiritual growth. When we get together with other believers, we can play a major part in helping them walk more closely with the Lord.

God wants you to learn to use your times with your brothers and sisters in Christ to encourage them spiritually, to motivate them in their times with God and in prayer, to discuss ways to more effectively share Christ with others, to serve them and help them. We miss out on so much potential growth when we only ever just “hang out” together.

Hanging out can be very restorative and stress relieving. But if we simply add a relaxed spiritual discussion to our hanging out, we will leave that time together encouraged in the Lord. And if we add a brief prayer time at the end, we will deepen our spiritual relationship with each other and the Lord even more.

Who will you see today that you could ask about what God is teaching them, or pray together, or share about what you got from the Word today? Ask God to use you when you get together to strengthen them spiritually.

Declaring God's Glory.....Craig Denison Ministries

 Declaring God's Glory

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

In response to knowing the heart of God we are called to share the wonders of his invisible nature with a world in desperate need of him. God has chosen to use us to reveal himself. He’s filled us with the Spirit and empowered us to proclaim the good news of salvation and restored relationship with our Creator. May you discover this week that you were made to share God’s heart. And may you find joy and passion in God’s longing to use you in powerful and unique ways.

Scripture:

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31

Devotional:    

To declare the glory of God is to put all things in their proper place. Chaos and struggle are always the result of humanity trying to gain glory for ourselves. God alone is worthy. God alone was made to be above all else. And God alone can handle the weight of receiving glory.

1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” We were made to declare the glory of God. We were made to proclaim through word and deed the majesty, splendor, and worthiness of the God of heaven and earth.

Proclaiming God’s glory to the world always begins by taking a look at our own hearts. We can’t declare that God is above every other name if we’re still on the throne of our hearts. We can’t proclaim his excellencies and then seek to gain success, approval, and affirmation from others. Declaring God’s glory starts with our own humility. It begins with living a life of sacrifice to the one who’s given up everything for us.

When we remove ourselves from the throne of our own hearts we are set free to magnify Jesus. It’s when we set our eyes on our Savior King that we are freed from the weights and pressures that come from living selfishly. And in this freedom we find the life we were always meant for—a life of continual, incredibly satisfying worship.

In Revelation 19:6-8 we see a beautiful picture of heaven at the marriage supper of the Lamb. At this feast a great multitude cries out saying:

Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure.

One day all of creation will see Jesus for who is and give him the glory he is due. One day everything will be set right, and we will discover the abundant life that comes from living for God’s glory alone. But you have an opportunity to give God glory today and lead others to do the same. You have an opportunity to live with your eyes set on heaven and experience the abundant life that’s already available to you. Choose today to place God on the throne of your heart and live a lifestyle of worshipping your worthy King. May your time of guided prayer be filled with a revelation of Jesus’ worthiness and an empowering to declare his glory in all you do.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the glory of God. Allow Scripture to fill you with a desire to place God on the throne of your heart and live for his glory.

“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11

“For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” Romans 11:36

2. Is Jesus enthroned upon every part of your heart today? Are there any areas in your life that you are living for your own glory—to build your own kingdom? Take time to confess those areas and receive God’s forgiveness and grace.

3. Ask God how you can declare his glory on the earth today. How can you live to see Jesus lifted up and seen for who he truly is? How can you lead others into a lifestyle of worship?

God doesn’t want glory to satisfy some selfish need. He knows that he alone can handle a throne. He alone can handle adoration and worship. And when he is magnified it is absolutely the best thing for all of creation. It’s for this reason Solomon writes in Psalm 72:19, “Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and Amen!” May the prayer of Solomon be our prayer today as we seek to glorify God in all we do.

Extended Reading: Psalm 8

Stirring Up the Spirit of Joy for Our Kids.....BLYTHE DANIEL

 Stirring Up the Spirit of Joy for Our Kids

BLYTHE DANIEL 

“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NLT)

When I was growing up, my mom modeled joy to me. It was written all over her face and still is. It wasn’t because things always went her way. In fact, it was often quite the opposite.

Because of her mom’s sharp words and anger outbursts due to anxiety and addiction, my mom didn’t fully experience joy in the way that a child longs to experience joy in their home. She learned over time that her mother’s approval and words over her did not dictate her level of joy. She discovered that joy is what you choose to focus on.

When my mom became a mom, she brought joy from above for my brother and me. It was as if she grabbed hold of a balloon that had temporarily lost its way in the sky, bringing delight and celebration back to us.

My mom brought me joy in the hardest moments. When girls whispered around me but didn’t talk to me, I felt left out, but Mom consoled me and showed me that my heart was worth much more. Mom helped me to see what I could be thankful for as she spoke to me. I needed to possess joy and not allow others to diminish the joy the Lord put in my heart.

Now, with my children, I’m passing down what I hope is a handful of hope and joy on days where balloons seem to have escaped in their childhood. I get to show them how to invite joy into their lives. Children don’t always have the skills to overcome defeat, but they can take hold of joy.

We know that children can’t follow what they don’t see. As moms, we need to give them something bigger to rejoice in — not their friends, not their activities or successes, but the very goodness of Christ, who defines joy from the Father.

Recently I experienced the joy shown by two elementary-aged sisters at church — one blind, using a white cane, and the other with eyesight, walking with forearm crutches — who leaned into each other to get to the front of the room to worship God. It undid me. They showed joy in spite of their circumstances. It made me think about their mom and the joy she possessed to raise them in love. The girls carried the joy that Christ offers and held on to His love as they held on to each other.

How I daily grasp joy and bring it fully into our home sets the tone for how my children pivot their joy. As women, we are joy-setters in our homes. If it doesn’t start with us, it will not trickle down to our children. I hope you’ll join me in grabbing hold of joy through the following ways:

1. Invite joy into your life. It is an outward expression of our inward hope in God. Make it your mission! Joy comes when we invite it in, when we see it way off in the distance and call it home.
2. Model the spirit of joy for the people in your life, especially your children. Joy isn’t something we decide to wear on a particular day, putting it on, and taking it off when things don’t go well. Rather, joy is a firm place in our hearts that flows through every area of our lives — what we say, what we do and how we act.
3. Every day, remember to make the spirit of joy the center that you frequently revisit. No one can shake your joy without your permission. Joy is rooted in rejoicing. So when we choose to rejoice in God and with God, even in short sentences, alone or with our children, the gifts of joy find their place in our hearts and minds.

4. Don’t wait for joy to come knocking on your door — open your heart and home to it always. It is hard for children to anticipate having joy even in disappointment. But if we are strong role models of joy, our children will see that we can welcome joy and sadness in the same breath and bless our children with words that point them to the only One who will not disappoint.

Paul wrote to the church of Thessalonica, saying to respect each other, encourage the timid, help the weak and be patient with everyone. (1 Thessalonians 5:12-15) He shared this right before the verse that says we are always to be joyful and thankful, and we are never to stop praying: “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

When our children can wake up and find us on our knees or with our Bibles open, may they know that this is indeed where our joy comes from.

Lord, help me always to be joyful. Help me to laugh with my kids. Help them see that joy is contagious. Help me to remember to smile, especially on days when I am weighed down with life’s problems and worries. Help me to choose joy even in the hardest of situations. Even when life seems impossible, help me to find and live my life with great joy. Help me to make joy my mission so that I can reflect that joy to my kids. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Developing Patience.....Dr. Charles Stanley

 Developing Patience

Dr. Charles Stanley

James 1:1-4

When people confide to me that they are praying for patience, I often ask what else they're doing to acquire a calm and gentle heart. Patience isn't so much something believers receive as it is an attribute that they develop over time and through experience.

Think of patience as a muscle that you have to use in order to see it build. To that end, believers should recognize difficulty as an opportunity to flex their patience. The human instinct is to cry out to God in bewilderment when tribulation comes knocking. We blame. We resist. We complain. What we don't do is say, "Thank You, Father--it's time to grow in patience!" People aren't trained to think that way, but according to the Bible, that is exactly how Christians are to respond.

James tells us to consider trials a joy (1:2). But we often fail at this, don't we? Humanly speaking, praising the Lord for tribulation is unnatural. However, doing so begins to make sense to believers when they cling to God's promise that good comes from hardship (Rom. 8:28). We are not waiting on the Lord in vain. We can praise Him for the solution He will bring, the lives He will change, or the spiritual fruit He will develop in us.

Accepting hardship as a means of growth is a radical concept in this world. Even more extreme is the believer who praises the Lord for the storm. But God's followers have cause to rejoice. Tribulation increases our patience so that we can stand firm on His promises and await His good timing.

A Spirit of Power.....by Ryan Duncan

 A Spirit of Power

by Ryan Duncan

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9

Sometimes, the world can be a scary place. Scratch that, sometimes it can be downright terrifying. War, sickness, corruption, injustice, death, every day brings something new to worry about. As Christians, we know God has a plan for our lives, but we also know that doesn’t make us immune to pain and suffering. So how can we possibly go about our lives when faced with so much uncertainty?

We might start by looking at the apostle Paul. Paul knew what it was like to live in uncertainty. Throughout his life he was blinded, beaten, shipwrecked, exiled, and imprisoned on multiple occasions. The temptation to give in, and let fear ruin him, must have been enormous. Yet, look what he writes in his letter to Timothy,

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” – 2 Timothy 1:7-10

Yes, there are many frightening things out in the world, but God did not give us a spirit of timidity. God gave us a spirit of power. His Holy Spirit lives in us, and it reminds us in that still, small voice to be brave even in the face of danger. Paul knew that his life would be hard, and that in following Christ he would likely lose it, but that knowledge didn’t take away his courage. Instead, he strove to live in a way that glorified God.

None of us know what the future may hold. We might find ourselves facing challenges we never thought we’d have to endure. When that happens, we must remember to have courage like Paul. If we do, we will be able to meet whatever comes and not be ashamed.

Intersecting Faith and Life: Take time to examine the life of Paul. Remember, he did not rely only on himself, but on God and those around him for support.

Further Reading

Psalm 31:24

A Prayer for When You Feel Weary and Burdened.....By Debbie McDaniel

 A Prayer for When You Feel Weary and Burdened

By Debbie McDaniel

"Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest." - Matthew 11:28

For many of us, activity and busyness come naturally. We’re on the go, we’re in a hurry, it’s what we’re all about. We seem to be rewarded for how much we can accomplish, especially in short amounts of time. We live in a culture that praises movement, that places value on the busy. We tend to get impatient with those who are too slow about anything.

Nothing wrong being active or on the go. Except for this one thing.

We often never stop.

And it’s there – in the slowing down - that often can feel almost unnatural, in a society that moves too fast. Like we’re supposed to be doing something more but just haven’t figured it out yet.

We rub shoulders every day with people who are burdened, weary, or lonely. Sometimes we may notice, but many times we don’t. We’re just too busy or overwhelmed ourselves. And to be honest, many days, “we” are those people - the burdened, the weary, the lonely. Just needing someone to notice. To slow down. To take time.

We desperately need Christ every day, to bring joy and hope to our own lives and to those around us. Without Him, we will most certainly run dry. For we’re not meant to run on our own, our strength can’t carry us through every hard struggle and hardship we may encounter. But He promises rest and peace for our souls even in the midst of weariness and burdens.

Slowing down takes work. Stopping and just breathing deep – takes practice.

Maybe that’s why God says it so clearly, “Be still and know that I am God.” Psa 46:10

Breathing in His grace today. And remembering to take time to slow down…

Peace.

Dear God,

Thank you that your yoke is easy and your burden is light. Thank you that you promise to give the worried, the hurried, the pressured, and stressed out - rest and peace for our souls - if we'll just come before you. Thank you that you already know all that concerns us, and you care. We’re so grateful for your reminder that we don't have to carry it all on our own. Forgive us for the times that we’ve tried to fix things in our own power, for not taking the time to rest, or coming to you first with our needs and burdens.  Thank you for the refreshing that comes from your Spirit, filling us with joy, covering us with a shield, leading us forward with hope. Equip us to be those who take notice of others who seem weary and burdened too. Help us to slow down, to take the time, to point others to you.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.