The Baptism of Jesus... Craig Denison Ministries

 The Baptism of Jesus

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:“And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’” Matthew 3:16-17

Devotional:   

The baptism of Jesus lays the foundation on which you and I can return time and time again to experience the abundant life made available to us at salvation. Matthew 3:16-17 says, “And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’” Through the baptism of Jesus the Spirit of God powerfully enters into the scene of humanity. The Holy Spirit’s always been moving and working, but through Christ the way was paved for him to fill us and rest on us. Through the baptism of Jesus, we can all be baptized with the Spirit (John 1:33, John 3:5).

Peter says in Acts 2:38, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” And Romans 6:4 tells us, “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” At salvation the Spirit descends on us and fills us. He is the promise of God for our eternal life. He is our Helper, Teacher, and Comforter while we are here on earth. And he is the one who leads us into the abundant, new life made available to us through Christ.

You see, just as the Spirit rested on Jesus, through his presence in our lives we have untapped resources of unconditional rest. God desires that we would rest in him as he rests on us. He desires for his children to find the only consistent source of peace available to us through the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Where do you need rest today? What trouble, situation, thought, or person is stealing your peace? The Holy Spirit wants to descend on you today as he did on Jesus. He wants to guide you into the rest of your heavenly Father. Isaiah 40:28-31 says,

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.

You have the one who never faints or tires and gives power and might dwelling within you as a follower of Jesus. You have an inexhaustible resource of joy, strength, renewal, and rest readily available to you in the Spirit. All that is required of you is to make space in your life to enter into the rest God longs to provide you. Allow him to lay a foundation of his presence in your life by spending time simply being with him, and he will transform you into a person of the Spirit who fellowships and receives from the Spirit constantly. Learn to listen to his voice, follow his guidance, and enjoy his presence today.

Wherever you need rest today the Holy Spirit is waiting to provide it for you. As you pray, make space in your heart and day to rest in him as he rests on you.           

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the Spirit’s desire to descend on you as he did on Jesus. Allow your faith to be stirred to have a real, tangible encounter with the Holy Spirit.

 “And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’” Matthew 3:16-17

“I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’” John 1:33

2. Reflect on your own life. Where in your life do you need rest today?Where do you need a fresh encounter with the Holy Spirit? What trouble seems to plague you? What brokenness needs healing and peace?

3. Ask the Spirit to descend on you and bring you rest. Ask for him to make his presence a reality to you. Follow him as he guides you into his presence. Worship, pray, and read the word. Do whatever will guide you into an encounter with the presence of God. God longs to bring you rest. It’s his desire that brings his presence, not your ability to feel him. He makes himself known when we open up our hearts and wait on him. Spend time waiting on his presence and resting in his love.

“And he said, ‘My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’” Exodus 33:14

“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

“For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.” Jeremiah 31:25

May you discover today the path to continual encounter with the Holy Spirit. He isn’t a God who separates himself into different sections of your life. You are created to live in continual, tangible relationship with your heavenly Father. You are created to find consistent rest in his loving presence. When you begin to feel the burdens of the world weighing you down and robbing you of the abundant life that is yours in Christ, take a minute and receive his presence again. Find consistent times throughout your day to press into the heart of God and discover his continual, new, and refreshing presence that’s available to you anytime and anyplace. Don’t allow a mediocre day to be enough today. Press into the Spirit for more and find all that God intended for your life.

Extended Reading: Isaiah 40

 

Living Undistracted in Our Relationships...BOB GOFF

 Living Undistracted in Our Relationships

BOB GOFF 

“Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.” Proverbs 17:9 (NIV)

A handful of sand has about 400,000 grains of sand in it. If you live 85 years and meet about a dozen people a day, you’ll encounter this number of people during your life.

When you think about it, it’s just a handful of the 7.8 billion people who are all here on earth. With all of these people on the planet as we spin through the universe, there are bound to be a few friends who will let us down at some point. What should we do when that happens?

Relationships can be tricky. One thing we all have in common is that we are all balancing many relationships. So what do you do when things go sideways with someone you consider a friend?

A hope without a plan is just a wish. Don’t wish for better relationships; have a plan for what to do when they become difficult. Having an action plan for relational difficulties is one way we can foster love, as Proverbs 17:9 says: “Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.” 

Here is an exercise I do when someone’s words or actions rub me the wrong way. I ask myself these three questions:

1. What is the most generous explanation for what they are doing?
2. What is the most realistic explanation for what they are doing?
3. What is the most optimistic explanation for what they are doing?

Answer these three questions for yourself with a boatload of humility and honesty, and you’ll have a terrific go-to plan to right the ship rather than scuttle the valued relationships you are in.

1. What is the most generous explanation?

It’s hard to be generous with your thoughts when your feelings have been deeply hurt. I get it. It happens to all of us. Ask God to help you find a more generous, honorable explanation for the odd and off-putting behavior, mean words, rumors or other offenses that come your way.

Keep this in mind — evil seeks to distract you as a means toward the end of destruction. (John 10:10) Evil feeds on distraction, and distraction is like unhealthy carbs for relationships. Put distraction on a diet of the most generous thoughts and assumptions you can muster about the motives behind your friend’s mess-up by finding the most generous explanation you can think of. Maybe they thought they were being helpful. Perhaps the wound they inflicted was actually a failed attempt at expressing concern.

2. What is the most realistic explanation?

Most people do things for a reason. It could be a silly reason, an unidentified bias or a simple misunderstanding. Put the hurts aside for a moment and ask yourself: What was really going on? What was the most likely reason this misunderstanding happened, and why was the unkind word said or repeated? Was there an underlying insecurity or sense of marketplace or relational competition? 

Once we come up with a few realistic, honest and dispassionate explanations, we can do the heavy lifting required to find a way forward. Grace never seems fair until you need some.

3. What is the most optimistic explanation?

The most optimistic explanation is the forward-thinking, next-time approach the Scriptures hover over quite a bit. Think of Peter, while the rooster crowed, denying he had even heard of Jesus. (Luke 22:60) It wasn’t long before Jesus called Peter a rock. (Matthew 16:18) The reason is simple: Jesus saw who Peter was becoming, not who he had been.

Perhaps we can do the same. Think about what your relationship might look like at some point in the future. Pick a direction for the future of the relationship; hang a target on it, and keep pointing in that direction.

Paul told his friends in 1 Corinthians 13:13 that there will only be a few things that will outlast everything else: faith, hope and love. Don’t let unresolved conflicts distract you from your faith, rob you of your hope, or interfere with your ability to give and receive love. Instead, have a plan in place to understand the conflict from a few new and different angles, and lead with the kind of love and grace you would like to receive.

Lord, we ask for Your help to foster love in our lives so that we may live undistracted by disagreements or hurt feelings. Give us the strength and humility to be generous, realistic and optimistic about others’ intentions, and help us to heap grace on others as You have so lavishly heaped it on us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

When a Fellow Christian Stumbles...Dr. Charles Stanley

 When a Fellow Christian Stumbles

Dr. Charles Stanley

Galatians 6:1-5

The Lord doesn't want the members of His body to live in isolation; believers are intended to function as a loving family who actively care for each other. One of our responsibilities as part of God's household is to come alongside a brother or sister who has stumbled. Paul specifies that those "who are spiritual" are to restore the fallen ones to fellowship with the Father and the family. "Spiritual" doesn't mean some elite group of pious leaders; it refers to any Christians who are living under the Spirit's control. A key element in this process is the attitude of the one who seeks to restore a fellow Christian.

A Spirit of Gentleness: This isn't a time for harshness, anger, judgment, or condemnation. Our goal is not to heap pain and guilt upon a hurting brother or sister but to show mercy and forgiveness (2 Cor. 2:5-8).

A Spirit of Humility: Those who have a superior attitude look down on a fallen brother and think, I would never make those mistakes. But the humble know their own vulnerability. Instead of judging others, they examine their own lives in order to recognize and deal with areas of weakness.

A Spirit of Love: When we love others, we'll willingly sharing their burden. This requires an unselfish investment of our time, energy, and prayer on their behalf.

How do you react when a fellow Christian has stumbled? One of the ugliest human traits is our tendency to feel better about ourselves when another person misses the mark. Instead of sharing the latest gossip about a fallen brother or sister, let your heart break, and come alongside to love and help.

You Can Find Power in His Word...By Kay Arthur

 You Can Find Power in His Word

By Kay Arthur

“For the word of God is alive and active…” - Hebrews 4:12

How would your life change if you committed to meeting with God every day?

The writer of Hebrews tells us the Word of God “is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

God’s Word is power. God watches over His Word to see that his will is accomplished (Jeremiah 1:12). His Word is His plan, and His plan is something He makes happen. And so He promises, “So will My Word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). God’s Word never fails! The writer of Hebrews says the Word is “active” (in other words, it has energy and power, Hebrews 4:12).

According to 2 Timothy 3:16, God’s words are “God-breathed” — not in-spired, meaning some kind of vague power or ghost breathed into man’s preexisting words, but literally breathed or spirited out of the mouth of God. So as 2 Peter 1:21 tells us, these words did not originate in the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

The Word sanctifies (purifies, cleanses) — “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). No wonder the apostles gave themselves to undistracted prayer and the Word of God (Acts 6:4)!

Take time this month to read Psalms 119 and mark every occurrence of the word "word" and its synonyms. You’ll see the truth, power, life, and treasure aspects of God’s Word shine forth. It’s a lamp for our feet, a restraint on our sin, a sustainer, a comforter, a reviver; it’s wisdom in our mouth for answering those who reproach us. Just think, Beloved, what would happen if we breathed the Word, lived it, and proclaimed it when we were jostled, stabbed, or shot at by the world. It would make a lasting difference! Do you believe the Word of God is living and active?

A Prayer to Love God’s Word...By Kristine Brown

 A Prayer to Love God’s Word

By Kristine Brown

“Jesus answered, ‘It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” - Matthew 4:4 NIV

I’ve heard it said that the Bible is God’s love letter to us. His love for us reaches so deep, he gave his most precious gift – his Son – so we could have eternal life with him.

God’s Word expresses that deep love in verse after verse. But the truth is, some of those verses are harder to accept than others. We make a commitment to try and read the Bible every day but stop short. We struggle when we get to those parts we’d rather skip over. Because some of what God has to say makes us feel uncomfortable.

God is a good Father to us. And good parents provide for their children. They love and cherish them, knowing at times those children will do things they shouldn’t do. Things that are bad for them. In love, the parent will offer correction that’s sometimes hard to hear. In a huff, a child may even question her parent’s love. But the love of a mom or dad runs deep. They’re willing to do whatever it takes to guide their most precious gifts on the right path.

In the same way, God’s love for us reaches beyond what we can imagine. His love letter wouldn’t be complete without the kind of love that keeps us safe and away from sin. Hebrews 12:2 teaches us this truth, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”'

As we draw closer to God, we will understand this love and in turn develop a love for reading his Word. We will realize the meaning of Jesus’ words when he spoke saying we wouldn’t live on bread alone, but on every word God gave us. (Matthew 4:4)

Loving to read the Bible can be a struggle at first. But as we commit to spending time reading it and seeking to hear his voice through the pages, we will feel that longing in our spirits. We will develop an indescribable love for God’s Word. Let’s pray right now and ask God to help us develop a love for the Bible.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Isaiah 40:8 says, “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” This beautiful verse shows us how precious your Word is. We come to you in prayer today and ask for your help developing a love for that Word. We know we can trust every verse written in it.

Thank you for giving us the Bible as an expression of your unending love for us. Forgive us Lord for not reading it more often. Sometimes we let distraction get in the way or put it off until tomorrow. But we come to you with renewed commitment today, because we know as we read about your love, we will in turn grow in the love we have for more of your Truth.

Lord, your son Jesus taught us the importance of your Word. He said, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4) Let your Holy Spirit give us a hunger for more time reading, praying, and seeking truth. May that hunger fuel a deeper love for the Bible.

Thank you Father for loving us so much that you provided guidance for us in the form of a love letter. May we never take it for granted. Thank you for your Word, your mercy, and your love.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

What to Do When Worry Comes...By Betsy St. Amant

 What to Do When Worry Comes

By Betsy St. Amant

Colossians 1:16-17 (ESV) For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.  And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

My teen daughter went to a concert in Dallas a few nights ago with her best friend and her best friend’s mom. This was a Big Deal, as you probably remember your first “real” concert and how cool it was—and how cool you felt! I was excited for her—but not so much for me. As a mother, I struggle with anxiety, especially when I’m away from my kids. I think we all do in some form because mothers are wired that way—to nurture, to protect.

Sometimes, though, that natural, God-given wiring can glitch a little into full-blown anxiety. When my daughter left on this trip, I expected the worry to come. I anticipated it, even. I knew that having worrisome thoughts did not mean it was a premonition of disaster. It was simply anxiety, it was normal, and it would pass. I was all fired up to walk this out well and overcome my typical patterns of worry. The plan was that after the concert, the three of them would drive back to the friend’s house in town and crash for the night, then I’d pick up my teen the next morning after they’d slept in and recovered. 

After the concert was over, they texted me as expected to let me know they were in the car and heading home. It was around 10:30 p.m., and it would be a good three-hour drive. I knew the mom in charge was trustworthy and competent (and a good friend of mine!), and I had no reason to worry. In fact, you might even say I basked in the fact that I wasn’t worrying at all as I tracked my daughter’s progress down I-20 on a phone app. I marveled at how non-panicky I was as I watched them inch their way down the gray highway line on my map. I was doing so great!

At 10:45, they told me they were heading to a well-known truck stop/souvenir shop to gas up and get snacks, and they would let me know when they arrived safe and sound back at the friend’s house. After monitoring their progress on my app for about an hour, I finally fell asleep around 11:30. At 12:30, I abruptly woke up. I immediately checked my app, but it wasn’t updating. No matter how many times I refreshed the page, it simply would not give me my daughter’s location after 11:30 p.m.

That’s when the worry struck. I knew, deep down in the logical part of my heart and brain, that nothing was wrong, that she was probably just in a bad service area, or that her phone had run out of charge after spending hours taking video and photos of the concert. I texted the mom, who was driving and likely not going to see the text anyway and waited. Nothing. 

That’s when the not-so-logical part of my heart and brain immediately assumed that surely, they’d all three been kidnapped at the gas station and their phones smashed. That was the only remaining option. (Illogical fears make so much more sense in the middle of the night!) I tried to go back to sleep, but my thoughts refused to stop churning and generating various new disasters that could explain the silence. (Sometimes, it’s really difficult to be a fiction author with a good imagination!)

Finally, I remembered I also had the best friend’s phone number, so I shot her a quick text. Within three minutes, she wrote back. All was well. They were sugared up and halfway home. Oops. 

It’s easy to trust God when we feel in control, isn’t it? When the apps are working and we can watch what’s happening from afar when we have information exactly when we want it, and when all is going according to plan. It’s a lot harder to trust when we’re stripped of our resources and suddenly very aware of how much we’re not in control. 

I was no longer proud of myself. And then I realized (thank you, Holy Spirit!) that my pride was based on illusion, anyway. All those hours prior, I wasn’t overcoming anxiety—I was simply believing I was in control. Everything was going my way. That’s a huge difference! It wasn’t that I was trusting God—I was trusting myself and technology and communication. Oops again. 

Colossians 1 reminds us that in Christ, all things hold together. They’re not held together in smartphones. Or in tracking apps. Or in padded bank accounts or thriving romantic relationships or in corporate ladder climbing. In today’s world of upgraded technology, instant communication, and easy access, it’s tempting to trust in the wrong things. Where is your trust today? 

If you struggle with anxiety and worry, you’re not alone. And for believers, there’s no condemnation in Christ, so don’t beat yourself up over those middle-of-the-night fears. Instead, learn from them. Create a resource of Scripture that you can go to when the worry strikes (because it will). Reassure yourself that God is in control, and that’s exactly how it should be. After all, at the end of the day, I don’t think you and I truly want that responsibility! He’s much better at it than us. And He doesn’t even need an app. 

Intersecting Faith and Life:
Do you struggle with control? What Scriptures can you keep handy to help you remember that God is in control—and it’s much better that way? If your phone, social media, or the news is a tool that increases your anxiety, consider stepping away from it for a while and immersing yourself in the Word instead. You’ll be amazed at how much peace and clarity that simple step can bring!

Further Reading:

Matthew 6:34 (ESV) “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

1 Peter 5:6-7 (ESV) Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Isaiah 41:10 (ESV) 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.