Keep Calm in Chaotic Moments.....By Meg Bucher

 Keep Calm in Chaotic Moments

By Meg Bucher

“ There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”  - 1 John 4:18 (ESV)

“How was your day?!” I routinely asked my two daughters as they flung open the car doors and clamored with chatter. My older daughter suddenly became serious as she set her book bag down and clicked her seatbelt.

“My head really hurts…”  and that’s when I caught sight of blood dripping down my sweet girl's face.

I admit I reacted rather loudly, which sent her calm demeanor into a frantic set of questions. “What -what is it- is it bad- can you see it?”

As we prayed on the way to the ER, I knew I needed to lessen the emotions in the car with a dose of calm. I prayed out loud, asking God to bring us peace and thanking him for being a good, loving God. And he was there in the car that day, as our evening was re-routed from dance class to the ER. It was pretty bad. A staple in the head bad. As I look back on that day, I'm so thankful that God gave me the clarity I needed to speak peaceful, truthful words to my girls.

1 John 4:18 reminds us why fear is unnecessary. Christ conquered it. What is there to be afraid of, when our God is bigger than all of our fears? Our reactions in frightful seasons say a lot about what we believe about Jesus. When fear threatens to snatch our focus, we need to steer our thoughts to a solid plan of action.

Here are three steps to take to stay calm in chaotic moments.

First, take control of the initial reaction. Somewhere in that heart of hers, my girl found the courage to pick herself back up off of the floor after her head slammed into the metal fire extinguisher box, and muster up enough composure to make it to the car pick line. Likewise, when panic hits our hearts, we must take control of the reaction and replace it with calm action.

Second, get to safe arms, fast. In my daughter, that was me in the car pick up line, right outside. She knows she can count on me to rescue her. It’s our goal, as parents, to eventually point that bridge right to God. Likewise, when chaos rains around you, run fast to Him before your feelings make you frantic.

Third, trust our circumstances in the hands of Love. My daughter sat on the ER bed with her legs crossed, patiently waiting for the medicine-laced cottonball atop her head to numb the hurt. When the time came to put the staple in, she just wanted my hand. Likewise, when we realize our lives are in God’s hands, we start to understand that He will get us through anything…even if it’s home to Him.

New hardware in place, she looked at the doctor and asked,

“Can I dance with this in my head?”

“Well, sure,” he answered …“when is dance?”

“Right now,” she stated matter of factly, “I’m late.”

Today, meditate on the truth that perfect love casts out fear. Decide today to recite this verse to yourself the next time fear begins to creep in and chaos tries to derail your faith.

The Reality of God’s Presence.....Craig Denison Ministries

 The Reality of God’s Presence

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview: 

God’s presence is real, full of love, and completely transformational. It takes what was broken and brings healing. It takes what was lost and guides us to our rightful place in the Father. It satisfies the weary, brings light to the darkness, and pours out the refreshing rain of God’s love on the dryest, deepest parts of the soul. Scripture contains story after story of God coming down to meet God’s children where they are, and your heavenly Father has the same heart for you as he did them. He longs to make the reality of his presence known to you. He longs to refresh you with his nearness. You were created for encountering God, and you will never be satisfied until you continually live in the experience for which you were created. Allow your desires to be stirred up to encounter the living God this week as we read powerful stories of God’s people encountering his manifest presence. May you respond to God’s word by seeking out that for which you were made: continual encounter with your heavenly Father.

Scripture:“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!” Psalm 139:7-8

Devotional:    

It’s a troubling truth in Christianity today that many believers don’t know about or aren’t experiencing continual encounter with the real, manifest presence of God. The Bible contains story after story of life-changing, world-altering encounters with the reality of God’s presence. From Moses and the tent of meeting to the disciples at Pentecost, we continually read about God supernaturally encountering his people in real, transformative ways. Jesus died so that we might walk in communion with our heavenly Father not only in heaven, but here on this earth. Biblical characters modeled what it was to experience God consistently in both the New and Old Testaments. God, in his desire to have restored relationship with you, has made the reality of his presence fully available to you. Through the death of Christ there is nothing separating you from him. Before we dive into different stories of God’s manifest presence on the earth, let’s take time to focus on the biblical basis for encountering God. Open your heart and mind to the truth about God’s nearness and allow your faith to be stirred for all the ways your heavenly Father would transform your life through encounter with him.

Psalm 139:7-8 says, “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!” Acts 17:26-28 says,

And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’

Scripture is clear that God is omnipresent and his presence can be tangible to us. David describes God’s presence this way: “In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).

The sons of Korah wrote in Psalm 84:1-2, “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.” Then in verses 10-12 they declare,

For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!

There is no doubt in looking at Scripture that God’s presence is real, good, and available to us. Rest in the truth of that for a moment. You can consistently enter into the tangible presence of your heavenly Father anywhere and anytime. Have faith today that God created you to experience him. Encountering his presence is made possible entirely by his grace, so it is available apart from any good or bad thing you do. But, know that God will never force his presence on you. He only fills up what is open and ready to receive. He sweetly calls you to meet with him and waits for you to make space in your life to receive what he longs to give.

There is no more life-giving pursuit you can embark on than the pursuit of God’s presence. Spending time resting in him is meant to be the satisfaction that lays a foundation for you to live the life of abundance made available to you through Jesus. Your role in encountering God is simply seeking him. If you will make time to encounter him, open your heart, and have faith in his word, then you will discover the wellspring of life, joy, love, and transformation that is the presence of our heavenly Father. 

Deuteronomy 4:29 says, “You will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Seek and find the presence of the living God today as you meditate on his word and pray. 

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the availability of God’s presence. Allow your faith to be stirred up in response to God’s word.

“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” Psalm 145:18

“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!” Psalm 139:7-8

“And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’” Acts 17:26-28

2. Now meditate on the goodness of God’s presence. Allow your desires to be stirred as you read about the wonders of encountering the living God.

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11

“How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.” Psalm 84:1-2

3. Open your heart to receive his presence. Ask the Spirit to make known God’s nearness. Seek his presence and have faith in his word that when you seek him you will find him.

“But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Deuteronomy 4:29

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

In his book The Knowledge of the Holy, A.W. Tozer wrote, “With our loss of the sense of majesty has come the further loss of religious awe and consciousness of the divine Presence. We have lost our spirit of worship and our ability to withdraw inwardly to meet God in adoring silence.” May his statement not be true of you. May you discover the majesty of your God. May you be a child of God who consistently spends time in the presence of the Father. May you be a believer who is empowered with the very presence of God himself working in and through your life. Grow in your pursuit of his presence this week. Commit to earnestly seeking him and allow this week to be transformational in the way you spend time with God.

Extended Reading: Psalm 84

A Faith Worth Passing Down.....Dr. Charles Stanley

 A Faith Worth Passing Down

Dr. Charles Stanley

2 Timothy 1:3-5

The most precious thing we can pass down to children is our faith--the confident conviction that God is who He says and will do all He has promised. Timothy's strong relationship with Christ didn't materialize out of thin air; it grew as a result of his mother and grandmother's example.

Here are ways we, too, can hand down a rich legacy to the next generation:

1. Teach practical biblical principles. Kids need to know God's views on material wealth (Ps. 24:1), meeting needs (Phil. 4:19), and direction in life (Prov. 3:5-6).
2. Model character through lifestyle. How we live--whether with transparency, peace, and perseverance, or with fear, anxiety, and self-reliance--loudly communicates what we believe about God.
3. Serve God by serving others. Actions show that our faith is real (James 2:26). If we want kids not to develop a self-centered perspective, servanthood is key.
4. Intercede for them. Children won't forget hearing us pray regularly for them.
5. Communicate love. Young people need to know we love them the way God loves us--unconditionally rather than based on what they do or don't do. Spoken words of love breathe life into their hearts. And as we affirm them for trusting God, they see that we value their spiritual growth.

As parents, we must be intentional about leading and inspiring our sons and daughters to follow Christ. But even those without children of their own can leave a legacy. The example to follow is Paul: though neither married nor a natural parent, he was a spiritual father to many (1 Cor. 4:14-16).

The Reason We Sing.....By: Emma Danzey

 The Reason We Sing

By: Emma Danzey

Psalm 47:6 says, “Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises!”

Sing Praises
Have you ever heard the voice of a young child singing throughout the day just because he or she can? The sweetness of a little voice can easily bring a smile to any face. Even if the child is completely tone-deaf, it is still precious for that parent to hear the melody of the son or daughter. This is similar to how God must feel when we sing praises to Him. We worship Him and use the voices He gave to us out of pure delight and joy in our Creator.

As kids begin to grow up, something unfortunate happens. They become more self-conscious and aware of their own singing level. The house that was once filled with noise and musical tunes is now full of silence. How often have we allowed our praises to the Lord to snuff out because we begin to grow more like the world and ignore the child-like faith we are called to live out?

The Hebrew word, zam·mə·rū— means sing praises. Part of the joy of a believer in Jesus is the gift of singing. We see this modeled in people throughout the Scriptures. In the Old Testament, we see Moses, Miriam, and king David. In the New Testament, we read of Paul and Silas singing in prison, and the disciples of Jesus singing at the Last Supper. We also see singing as an important act of worship in Revelation. This means that the future Heaven will be filled with singing.  

Some people do not have the ability to sing for various reasons, and they can worship God with the song in their hearts and in their own ways. That too pleases Him greatly.

Singing When We Don’t Feel Like It
Something very difficult to do is to sing when you don’t feel like it. However, God commands our worship and deserves it. Some days, singing might be the last thing that we feel like doing. We might be in the midst of heartbreak, loss, or sadness. However, the Lord can strengthen us through songs of praise. Many times when we feel as if we have nothing to bring to God, we have everything that we need, a humble spirit, and a willingness to worship.

We see this found in many Psalms of David. He was a man with many highs and lows in life. He was a sinner and he was a man after God’s own heart. He was a shepherd and he was a king. He was also a musician. That harp was one of David’s favorite instruments. He played the harp to soothe others, and I assume it also calmed his own spirit as well. Music is very therapeutic. It can sound the emotions we have bottled up, it can express what we are unable to say clearly. The Lord knew when He created music that it would be a tool for proclaiming victory to Christ, a comfort to those who mourn, and a unifier for the church body.

Many times we see the psalms of David begin with a burden and then turn into praise. Our singing to God can help us to rid ourselves of our emotions or thoughts and refocus our attention on what truly matters and Who has us. Many times people in the Scriptures would sing and play instruments in battle. I am sure they may not have felt like singing at that moment, however, they chose to worship and use their musical abilities as a weapon against the enemy. We are in a spiritual battle today and can do the same in our lives. 

Sing praises to our King
This verse brings up the importance of God as our King. Just like a person might bring a song as a gift to royalty or do some type of presentation, we can offer our voices as a blessing to the Lord. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. We have been brought into His presence and are given the joy of having His Holy Spirit live within us. We can celebrate that we do not have to work hard to get a moment with the King, our King came down to us. We get to worship a personal God, who loves us and pursues us. 

1 Chronicles 16:9 says, “Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.” 

Part of the responsibility in singing is witnessing that Jesus is Lord. When we sing a song, it can hold such power and testimony within it. I can think of a few songs rather quickly that have made a personal impact on my walk with God or in my journey in life. When the church comes together and sings praises, we are a light shining brightly for the community around us to see. We should never underestimate the power and witness that singing has for others. Jesus can use a voice and a message from a song to help open the eyes of a blind person to the truth of the gospel.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
How are you singing praises to God? Are you unashamedly lifting your voice for Him and His glory as King? If not, how can you begin to sing again and let go of anything holding back your worship of Him?

Further Reading:

• Psalm 9:11
• Acts 16:25
• Revelation 5:12

A Prayer for When You Have a Bad Day.....By Betsy de Cruz

 A Prayer for When You Have a Bad Day

By Betsy de Cruz

“Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man? The steadfast love of God endures all the day.” – Psalm 52:1

We’ve all had days when it seems like everything goes wrong. Remember the children’s storybook Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day?

Here’s the abbreviated adult version: You drop your kids off at school late, arrive to work late yourself, and while you speed through your morning tasks, your child calls because he forgot his lunch. Then your 4:00 pm meeting goes an hour overtime, and on the way home traffic stops due to an accident. You don’t have time to stop for groceries after all, so you pray like crazy for the kids not to have eaten that last frozen pizza.

Some days it seems like the world might be out to get you.

On days like these, Psalm 52:1 encourages us to remember that no matter what happens, the steadfast love of God will last all day long. Even when we run out of patience and strength, God’s love for us never runs out.

David faced literal enemies when he penned these words. The preface to the Psalm informs us that Doeg had just betrayed him to Saul. Yet even while fleeing for his life, David declares, “The steadfast love of God endures all the day.”

Later in this Psalm he asserts, “I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever” (Psalm 52:8).

Friend, no matter what problems you’re facing, you can rest assured God’s love will outlast them.

Most of us do not have a literal enemy out to kill us, but we might have a co-worker who seems out to get us, or a boss who is never satisfied, or a child driving us crazy, or crazy in-laws who make every holiday stressful.  God’s love will outlast them all.

God’s love can get you through any day. In all circumstances, you can trust His steadfast, unwavering, never-ending love. You can trust it forever.

If you’re having a hard day, stop and tell your Heavenly Father about it. Ask Him to fill you with a fresh outpouring of His love and assure you of His faithful presence with you. Even if life seems stressful at the moment, try smiling. Smile and remember your Heavenly Father treasures you.

God’s steadfast love will last all day long. God will love you as you fall into bed at night, and He will still love you when you wake up in the morning.

Let’s pray:

Lord, during difficult times when it seems like everything is against me, help me remember your lovingkindness is with me every moment of every day. Thank you for your great love. Thank you for demonstrating your love for me by sending your one and only beloved son Jesus to die on the cross in my place.

Thank you for pouring your love into my heart through the Holy Spirit, whom you have given me so I am never alone. Lord, no matter what happens today, I can trust in your steadfast love and mercy.

As I pray over my problems one by one, help me remember your love and faithfulness will outlast them all. I trust that you can make any circumstance work for my good. Your goodness and mercy will follow me today and all the days of my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.