God Prunes Us in His Love...Craig Denison Ministries

 God Prunes Us in His Love

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview: 

The absolute, most important single act of the children of God is making space to encounter our heavenly Father in the secret place. Abiding in God is the foundation on which every other aspect of the Christian life finds success. It establishes roots which enable us to receive all that we need to bear the fruit of the Spirit. It guides us to constant refreshment and revival in God’s presence, thereby supplying and sustaining the abundant life God intends for us. My prayer is that you would be marked by wonderful, satisfying, and fulfilling encounters with the presence of God as we look at John 15:1-17 this week. Make room in your heart and mind to rest in the love of your heavenly Father as we look at the different ways we are to abide in true vine of God.

Scripture:“Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:2

Devotional:    

The world teaches that discipline is about shaming us into acting perfectly. Discipline from the world usually comes from a place of selfishness rather than love, a pursuit of perfection rather than godliness, and intends to lead us to the appearance of morality rather than molding and shaping the heart. For this reason, we so often run away from the discipline of our heavenly Father. But, Hebrews 12:5-6 says, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” God loves us, so he disciplines us. He has such incredible plans for us that he must mold and shape us into children ready and equipped for authority, influence, and the power of the Spirit. His discipline is always intended to lead us to abundant life, not to tear us down or shame us. As we look at God’s desire to discipline us, allow his love to open your heart and lead you into the process of pruning intended solely to refine, help, and produce fruit in you.

John 15:2 says, “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” The only way for us to bear more fruit in God is to allow him to prune us. The pursuit and cares of the world are like weeds that crowd out and steal nourishment from the good, fruitful branches rooted in God. God’s plan is to prune, heal and transform us into children who live in the world but are not of it (John 17:14-19). He longs to tear down the strongholds of pride and sin that have kept us from experiencing the fullness of his promises. And he plans to lead us to a lifestyle of important and eternal fruit which will fill us with the fullness of joy.

So how do we allow God to prune us? How can we engage in his process of healing and transformation? It all starts with seeing the depth of his love for us. Psalm 103:2-4 says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.” God’s process of discipline is so different than the world’s because it is all rooted in his unconditional love for us. In order to consistently engage in his loving discipline, we must consistently encounter his love. We have to spend time with the all-loving heart of our heavenly Father to separate his discipline from the unloving discipline of so many of our earthly fathers. His discipline is always solely for our benefit and completely to our good. In order for us to fully give ourselves over to his discipline, we must have continual revelation of the depth of his love for us.

Next we have to choose his ways over the ways of the world. We have to sacrifice what we thought mattered for what he says matters. Romans 12:1 says, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” His discipline will be painful because it will lead you to look different from the world you grew up in. He will take our living sacrifice of the world’s opinions and transform us into children who solely value his opinion. Most of us have valued the ways and opinions of the world so highly that living apart from them feels completely foreign and frightening. So we must choose to trust God over what we have understood to be important or valuable. God will lead all of us to a lifestyle of humility in opposition to the world’s values of pride and success. He will lead all of us to a lifestyle of loving others rather than getting all we can out of others. He will lead all of us to a lifestyle of dependence on him rather than self-empowerment. And he will most certainly lead all of us to a life of relationship with him as our highest priority over the opinions and friendship of others. Every piece of the pruning process is difficult. But, every time you agree with and follow the Holy Spirit through the process you will come out more satisfied, joyful, free, empowered, and fruitful than you were before. Hebrews 12:11 says, “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” After you throw off the weight of the world you will wonder how you ever lived under its burden.

Engage with your loving heavenly Father in the process of pruning. Open your heart and allow him to tear down the walls that have been keeping you from experiencing the flood of abundant life and works he has planned for you. See his love and respond to it by sacrificing your ways of thinking and living. He has plans to heal, transform, and free you today if you will simply follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit through the pruning process.           

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s desire to prune you. Reflect on how God’s discipline is always rooted in his love. Compare God’s desire to discipline you to the world’s desire. Separate his desire from other discipline you have received in the past if it wasn’t done with his heart.

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” Hebrews 12:5-6

“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11

“Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.” Proverbs 13:24

2. Open your heart to the Spirit and ask him to tear away any parts of your life that are not bearing the fruit of God. Follow his leadership as you think about parts of your lifestyle that aren’t filled with the abundant life God desires. What does he want to change about your perspective, time, or relationships? What is he asking you to do or give up so that you might live more freely, empowered, and fruitfully? Take as much time to listen to the Spirit as you need.

“He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.” Titus 3:5

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.” Psalm 103:2-4

3. Agree with his pruning and follow through with whatever he is leading you to do. Make plans to cut out of your life anything he has revealed to you. Call a friend and ask for accountability to hold you to the discipline God has for you. Commit to engaging in the process of discipline on an ongoing basis so that God can continually transform any areas of your life that are hurting you rather than guiding you to abundant life in your heavenly Father.

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” Romans 12:1

One of the greatest gifts of the Holy Spirit we can receive is a desire to be disciplined and pruned by our heavenly Father. May we all have the heart of the Psalmist who wrote in Psalm 51:10-12,

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Extended Reading: Hebrews 12

Good Reasons Not To Fear...KAREN WINGATE

 Good Reasons Not To Fear

KAREN WINGATE

“The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1 (NIV)

During my husband’s consult appointment for a routine medical procedure, the nurse practitioner ordered a second, more uncommon test.

Upon reading more about the potential diagnosis the test could confirm, I felt annoyed. Why couldn’t my husband take better care of himself? Why was the medical staff so insensitive about such a serious test?

God enacted a heart-check of His own: Why are you angry?

My quick response surprised me and annoyed me more: I’m afraid.

I knew I was not supposed to be afraid — doesn’t the Bible say so 365 times? But the heart-check continued: Why are you afraid?

My answers made me squirm. I’m afraid of losing my husband. I’m afraid of living life without him. I’m afraid of being responsible for everything if he is incapacitated.

I suspect we have all faced fear at some point in life, and what we fear varies for each of us. Fear often springs from past memories or the unknown future. We may not even realize what we fear until we get into a dangerous situation. Then fear has a name, and we scramble to figure out how to cope and shake it off.

The Bible — in addition to telling us not to fear 365 times — often gives reasons for God’s instructions. I love that! It’s like God knew we would ask why and how.

Psalm 27 specifically explains why we don’t need to fear even the most dangerous situation: “The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).

David, the writer of this psalm, had good reason to struggle with fear. The Philistine army stood in front of him, and jealous, murderous King Saul was at his back. Yet David gave three reasons why confidence in God’s character can strengthen us to face any fear we feel.

1. God is our Guide. “The LORD is my light …” (Psalm 27:1a) Light illuminates a dark path, showing us where to step and what to avoid. When we cry to God for help, He shares His wisdom with us so we will know how to avoid danger and bad decisions that could make the circumstances worse. (James 1:5-6)
2. God is our Rescuer. “The LORD is my … salvation—whom shall I fear?” (Psalm 27:1a) If we do find ourselves caught in a bad situation, God has the power and willingness to save us from harm. We may wonder why God allowed us to get so far into the mess in the first place, but when He rescues us, we can have no doubt it came from Him.
3. God is our Protector. “The LORD is the stronghold of my life …” (Psalm 27:1b) A stronghold is a place fortified against attack. For David, it could have been a series of caves where his men could stay hidden and safe from storms, wild animals and the pursuit of King Saul. His stronghold probably held a strong defense line of well-trained soldiers, weapons and other supplies. For us, God Himself is our secure location. His power acts as a heavenly shield against any spiritual enemy that seeks to destroy us.

Whatever you might face — storm, sickness or strife — you can live in confidence that God stands ready to help you move past your fear through His guidance, salvation and protection. He can handle whatever fear you face.

Thank You, Father, that You are bigger and stronger than anything in this world. I can lay aside any fear because You are with me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Dangers of False Teaching...Dr. Charles Stanley

 The Dangers of False Teaching

Dr. Charles Stanley

Galatians 1:6-9

The Word of God is truth that's living and able to penetrate human souls (Heb. 4:12). Consider how powerful Scripture is: it can change hearts, save lives from eternal condemnation, and give hope to the hopeless.

Is it any wonder, then, that the Bible is a battlefield of Satan? The Devil will do his best to destroy its message and truth. In fact, this has been our Enemy's continuous goal since he chose to turn from God.

Our heavenly Father has graciously let us know in advance the outcome of this ongoing battle: Truth will prevail. But while the Lord has the ultimate victory, Satan can gain ground among individuals. His tactics are dangerous and deceptive to the unsuspecting. For this reason, we should carefully guard against his attacks, which are hard to recognize unless we are prepared.

False teaching is one of Satan's preferred tactics for leading us astray. At first glance, such instruction often seems to align with Scripture, but do not be misled by the deception. Two things are essential for standing firm against these slippery falsehoods: to be well grounded in the truth of God's Word and to listen to His Spirit. Only then can we recognize the error and avoid the pitfalls of Satan's lies.

The Enemy longs to mislead believers so they'll be ineffective for the kingdom. He also wants to keep all unsaved souls far from salvation through Jesus Christ. Friends, prepare for battle. Grow in the knowledge of truth, and lean on God's Spirit to guide you moment by moment.

God Is Right Next to You (Psalm 16:8)...By: Anne Peterson

 God Is Right Next to You (Psalm 16:8)

By: Anne Peterson

I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. - Psalm 16:8

I woke up and started reading in the Word. We’re encouraged to do this as Christ-followers. It prepares us for the day. To me, it’s like nourishment. My daily bread. Little did I know one particular day how much I would really need it.

Just a short time later, I received a phone call. Our nephew’s son was on his way to the ER. There would be surgery. Something needed to be done about an infection that was invading the body of the sweet three-year-old.

I immediately went to God’s throne room, as all the verses I had read that morning bombarded my mind. The verses assuring me that God had this under control. His control. God knew beforehand I would need his assurance. Yes, I knew he would never leave me. And he’s always made good on that promise. Psalm 16 reminds us that God is always before us, in all things. And he is also right in the thick of it with us. Because of that, we will not be shaken.

God hears us. In Psalm 16, David reminds us why he prayed to God. David tells us that he prays because he knows God will answer. God bends down to listen as we pray.

David, who is called a man after God’s own heart, tells the Lord to bend down and listen. And I know I can do the same. And the good news is, all of us can. In Matthew 10:29, God tells us that he knows when even a sparrow falls. And he uses those tiny little birds to make a point. He assures us we are worth much more than sparrows.

God cares about what we care about. We know this is true when we read about how God gave us his most precious Son. Nothing can ever compare with that, so how can we think our requests will not be acknowledged?

And yet, we sometimes hear the whispers of the enemy of our soul, who tries telling us that God is finished, tired of listening to our prayers. This is a lie. A bald-faced lie. A desperate measure Satan will use to try and get us to stop talking to God. Satan knows the power that is available when any child of God is on his or her knees.

We are living in a crazy world. People are scared, not knowing what will happen to their families and friends. But God is still sovereign. While he is up above, he is forever watching us here on earth. As Psalm 16 tells us – he is also at our right hand. He is with us and also before us in all things.

God loves his children. So much that he provided a way for us to someday live with him forever. God will never tire of hearing our prayers. He tells us we can come boldly to his throne of grace and obtain mercy when we need it.

Here is a poem I wrote about taking God’s hand. I pray it blesses you today.

Take His Hand

I do not understand my life,
it’s difficult for me.

Some questions have no answers,
at least, that I can see.

And yet, with every year I’ve grown,
there is a truth that God makes known.

I do not have to understand,
but simply take my Father’s hand. - Anne Peterson

A Prayer to Put First Things First...By Maggie Meadows Cooper

 A Prayer to Put First Things First

By Maggie Meadows Cooper

"...Martha was distracted..." And then Jesus said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one.” (Luke 10:40-42)

“Mrs. Cooper was a real gentlewoman, refined, cultured, and lovable-a character who lived and radiated her religion. Her home, church, husband, and children were the most important things in her life, for she was a person who always put first things first."

I found this description of my great-great-grandmother a few years ago, and while there are many special women in my family line, she was the matriarch. Her painting hangs in my dining room, and I was told about her for as long as I can remember. This is the most beautiful description of her I've heard though..."she was a person who always put first things first." I wish the same could be said of me, but I know that wouldn't always be true.

Facebook. Dishes. HGTV. Text messages. Laundry.

Chocolate. Sleep. Email. Online shopping. Home projects.

All things that I sometimes allow to take precedence over “first things.”

And what are “first things”? Relationship with Jesus, Spouse, Children.

It's not hard. But it is.

And y’all, it makes me think about Martha. You know, Mary's sister...Mary who sat at the feet of Jesus while her sister Martha busy-bodied around and fussed about her lazy sister who wouldn't help her? You know the one.

You usually hear people down on Martha, but there is something about her that we can't overlook. There is clear evidence that she loved the Lord. She wanted to please Him. And she believed in Him. So why did she have trouble putting Jesus first? Because of one simple thing.

"...Martha was distracted..." And then Jesus said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one.” (Luke 10:40-42)

Sound familiar? It does to me. I am the queen of distraction. I want to keep focused and stay away from things that take my mind off Jesus, but this world is so stinkin' busy. It is an ongoing battle for me, and I’m fairly certain that I’m not alone.

So, if you have ever allowed distraction to keep you from putting first things first, here are a few things that to help you focus on the One who matters most:

1. Post Scripture everywhere. The kitchen sink, laundry room, bathroom mirror, dashboard, desk at work, etc, wherever you spend your time, write Bible verses on sticky notes or index cards and put them up as reminders to keep your focus on Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:16)

2. Choose friends who will hold you accountable and encourage you. I have some great ladies in my life who will speak truth in love. I don't mean friends who will tell me what I want to hear, but ladies who love me in spite of myself, and will tell me the hard truth if I need it. If you don't have those kinds of friends in your life, pray for the Lord to bring them to you, and when He does, don’t be afraid to ask them to walk this walk with you! (Titus 2:4)

3. Be careful what you allow your mind to focus on. TV, the internet, acquaintances, etc. are all things I watch carefully for myself and my children. The Bible is very clear that bad company corrupts good character, and what you take into your heart will eventually come out in your life and words. (Luke 6:45, Proverbs 4:23)

Let’s pray now for hearts and souls that put first things first:

Dear Jesus,

Thank you for loving me, even as a distracted mess some days. I so want to be a believer after Your own heart. Please help me to study Your Word and hide it in my heart. Send me friends who are believers that will speak Truth into my life as they hold me accountable to living a life for You. And help me focus on things that are worthy of You. Help me love my family well and show them who You are. Oh Lord, help me to choose you above all else, so that one day, all will be able to say that I was a believer who put first things first.

In Your Mighty Name,

Amen.

 

Call on Jesus Because He Cares for You... By Clarence L. Haynes Jr.

 Call on Jesus Because He Cares for You

 By Clarence L. Haynes Jr. 

“The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” – Matthew 20:31

If you are not familiar with the whole story here is the skinny. Jesus is leaving Jericho and two blind men were on the side of the road. When they heard Jesus was coming by, they shouted out for Jesus’ help. The crowd told these men to shut up and be quiet. Despite the size of the crowd and their rebuke, these men ignored them and shouted even louder. When they shouted louder, Jesus heard them and came to help them.

When my son was born, he had to go into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) because of some issues he faced after birth. If you have never experienced this, it takes you on an emotional roller coaster ride. Your child is born, you can hold him briefly, but then he is whisked away and put on machines to help him breathe. You can imagine the myriad of emotions that you go through, from the excitement of your child entering the world to concern wondering if he is going to make it. As a parent, especially of your firstborn child, this is a ride you don’t expect, nor do you want to stay on very long. If there was ever a time to yell stop the ride I want to get off, this was it. 

For the next few days, we went back and forth between home and the NICU. As parents who believed in God, we did what we knew we should do, we prayed. Just like the two blind men shouted for Jesus’ help, we did the same thing. Yet, as we prayed nothing seemed to happen and the situation was left unchanged. This went on for nine days. After nine days, with no apparent progress being made, in my fatigue and frustration, I shouted to God even louder and said God you must come and change this situation. The next day my son came home.

I am not sure what you are facing today. You may be in the middle of a desperate situation like mine or the two blind men. First off if you have not done so yet, you need to call on Jesus to help you in this matter, because he cares for you. But what if you have been praying, calling, and shouting out the name of Jesus for help and nothing has happened yet. What do you do? In your case, I encourage you to keep shouting. When these men heard Jesus was coming, they cried out to him and even when the crowds rebuked them, they shouted even louder. You must do the same thing.

One of the greatest challenges in prayer is we get overwhelmed, discouraged, and tired. Prayer is easy when you pray once and get the answer. However, that does not always happen. When the answer is not immediate, prayer can sometimes feel useless. In these moments, the temptation is to stop praying, to stop calling on the name of Jesus, and just give up. Should you find yourself in this place, I implore you please don’t quit. Even though the situation tries to tell you to shut up, shout even louder. 

Whatever you are facing today, put a bigger shout on it. You may feel the desire to be quiet thinking Jesus is not going to stop for you. Here is the remedy to that, shout even louder. Don't stop calling upon the Lord regardless of how much everyone around you and everything in you is telling you to be quiet. Keep on calling on his name. It may feel like God is not listening, but he is. Jesus hears you and he will come to help you in your time of need. Many times, we stop short right when we are on the doorstep of the answer to prayer. Imagine if these two blind men had listened to the crowd and stopped shouting. They would have remained blind. However, they ignored the crowd and they kept shouting, Jesus heard their cry and came to help them. He will do the same for you. I encourage you today, whatever you are facing don't let it silence you. It doesn’t matter how bad it looks, make sure you keep on shouting because Jesus hears and he is coming to help.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
When you pray and the answer does not come right away that should not be the end of your faith but the beginning of it.