Our Sin and the Holiness of God..Craig Denison Ministries

 Our Sin and the Holiness of God

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

Living an unveiled lifestyle is the way in which we experience the fullness of what’s available to us in our restored relationship with God. It’s a powerful lifestyle of faith, direct encounters with our heavenly Father, and life transformation. It’s when we live our lives in light of the perfect sacrifice of Jesus that we begin to experience all his death was purposed to bring us. God longs for his children to walk in intimacy with him directly connected to his wellspring of love for us. May you experience a more tangible, loving, and powerful connection with your heavenly Father this week.

Scripture:“But he shall not go through the veil or approach the altar, because he has a blemish, that he may not profane my sanctuaries, for I am the Lord who sanctifies them.” > Leviticus 21:23

Devotional:

Our heavenly Father is both entirely full of love and completely holy. And in the greatest tragedy of all time, our sin caused the love and holiness of our God to be at opposition with one another. His greatest desire was for unadulterated, perfect relationship with us. And with Adam and Eve that longing was fulfilled. He could enjoy communion with us without separation. But when sin entered the grand narrative of human history God’s unshakable, holy nature could not allow him to walk in perfect communion with us any longer. Our sin caused a rift between us and him that his love could not yet overcome.

So great is the holiness of our God and so great was the depth of our sin that a veil was placed between us and our heavenly Father, a veil signifying the horrific separation of God and man. In a description of the veil, Exodus 26:31-33 says, “And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it. And you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold, on four bases of silver. And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil. And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy.”

Only one man, chosen to go before God as Israel’s representative, was allowed to pass through the veil once a year on the Day of Atonement. And so great was God’s holiness and our sin that if anyone else was to enter, the power of God’s holiness would kill them. In Leviticus 16:2, God commanded Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat that is on the ark, so that he may not die. For I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat.”

In order to appreciate the power of Christ’s sacrifice, we must acknowledge the status from which we have been redeemed. In Luke 7:47, in reference to the depth of a prostitute’s love for him, Jesus says, “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” You have been forgiven much regardless of what lifestyle you have come from. So great was the chasm your sin created that you were incapable of communion with your Creator. Without the sacrifice of Christ you would have no restored relationship with God, no Holy Spirit dwelling within you, and no grace, mercy, or total forgiveness.

So that you might greatly love your heavenly Father today, spend time in prayer focusing on the depth of your sin, which has been sacrificially redeemed by the love of Jesus Christ.     Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the depth of your inherited sin. You were, by nature, completely separated from the love of your heavenly Father.

“We all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” > Ephesians 2:3

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” > Romans 6:23

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” > Romans 3:23

2. Take time to reflect on what your life would be like without relationship with your heavenly Father. What would it be like to be without God’s grace and forgiveness? What would it be like to be without his presence for all of your days?

3. Take time to thank God for the abundance of his goodness. Worship him for his sacrifice. Love him greatly in response to the depth of your sins.

“I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise; I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word. On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.” Psalm 138:1-3

“So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.” Psalm 63:2-4                 

“The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.” Psalm 145:8-9

Seeing our sin in light of God’s holiness is a difficult but wonderful reminder of how greatly God has loved us. Jesus sacrificed everything when we were deserving of nothing. May you live today in response to God’s unmerited favor and grace on your life.

Extended Reading: Romans 5

Our Gifts for His Kingdom..Dr. Charles Stanley

 Our Gifts for His Kingdom

Dr. Charles Stanley

1 Corinthians 12:4-7

Many people hear the word "serve" and feel that they do not have the necessary qualities to make a difference in others' lives. This is true - apart from God. But He has gifted each of us in unique ways with a purpose in mind. His plan for us involves using these talents to serve Him for the good of others.

Satan would like us to believe otherwise. Our Enemy wants us to notice what others are doing and then to feel inferior. For instance, I have heard women say, "I am just a homemaker." They see people preaching and singing in the choir and wish they could accomplish something so great for God. Friends, there could be nothing further from the truth. An enormous responsibility rests with those who train their children in righteousness.

In fact, the Holy Spirit has gifted each believer for specific work in God's kingdom. Scripture explains this idea by a comparison with a human body: each person has gifts and purposes that make the entire system function well. But if the heel wants the eye's role, the whole being will lose balance.

Each part is crucial, even though some are less noticeable than others. Truthfully, those with less apparent talents have an advantage because pride and self-sufficiency may be less of a temptation.

Notice how Peter defined himself: "a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ" (2 Pet. 1:1). He was no longer a man motivated by self-interest. Once He followed Jesus, he saw himself as a servant of God. We, too, are called to serve the King of Kings with whatever abilities we are given.

How to Live Fear Free in a Fearful World..by Lynette Kittle

 How to Live Fear Free in a Fearful World

by Lynette Kittle

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care.” - Matthew 10:29

If you’re feeling anxious, fearful, or distraught over current headlines, you’re not alone. An unstable and volatile world is causing people to feel vulnerable at home, in school, at work, in travel, and as they go about their daily activities.

Still Scripture encourages you to not be afraid of those who kill the body (Matthew 10:28). God doesn’t want you to live a fearful life and urges you to “Have no fear of sudden disaster” (Proverbs 3:25).

So how is it possible to live fear-free in a fearful world?

Since God has not given you a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7), it’s up to you to choose to trust Him no matter what you’re facing, to walk around assured He is with you, and to believe His promise that, “Never will I leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

In life-threatening situations, you can be assured God is with you. Scripture describes what Stephen experienced when he came under attack, how  “Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to Heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:55).

God was with Stephen in the darkest of circumstances and when he died, he passed into new life. Like him, your life in Christ is eternal as explained: “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory’” (1 Corinthians 15:54).

You belong to God and your life is safe and secure in Him. As Jesus said in John 11:25, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die.”

The Apostle Paul understood God’s eternal provision for life when he stated, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

Even if threats of death increase in the world, you don’t have to live a fearful life because nothing, not even death, can separate you from His care. Romans 8:38, 39 states, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Whatever situations life may bring, resist the urge to be afraid. As Stephen did, look to God, being assured He is with you knowing, “He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart” (Psalm 91:4).

A Prayer for When You’re Facing Unwanted Changes.. By Betsy de Cruz

 A Prayer for When You’re Facing Unwanted Changes

 By Betsy de Cruz

“And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.” – Mark 2:22

I don’t like change. I drag my feet every time we move to a new city. I feel nervous about starting a new job, and even the thought of changing churches makes my heart lurch. I just wish everything could stay the same, thank you very much.

When my husband felt called to plant a new church, I didn’t want to leave the fellowship we’d already grown to love. When God called us to return home to America after 16 years on the mission field, I felt like staying put. Most recently, when my husband wanted to move to a new city, I resisted until God spoke to me loud and clear.

Predictability feels comfortable and reassuring.

Change feels scary. And I am not a fan of it.

Yet sometimes God wants to do new things in our lives, and before He does, He may call us to make changes that feel unfamiliar or even downright uncomfortable.

When Jesus told the parable of the wineskins, he was responding to the Pharisees. They didn’t like that Jesus was eating with sinners and that His disciples weren’t fasting. (See Mark 2 for these stories.) 

The Pharisees clung to their old ways of doing things, yet God was doing something new. Through Jesus, God opened a new and living way for us to enter into relationship with Himself. Beggars, sinners, and outcasts could become God’s children through faith in Christ. But the Pharisees missed it.

Friend, if you’re struggling with unwanted change in your life, consider whether you might be clinging to old ways while God wants to do something new. Maybe you don’t like your new school, city, job, or relationship status. It feels uncomfortable, even painful when we have to let go of the old to move forward. 

May I encourage you to hold tightly to your Heavenly Father’s hand? He has good plans for you, and He will guide you through it all. Just for today, choose to believe God has a hopeful future in store and take the next step forward. Then tomorrow, do it again. Before long, you’ll see His plans for good unfolding before you.

Let’s pray:

Lord, I don’t like change because it makes me feel uncertain and insecure. Forgive me for holding on to my own ideas of what security looks like. Help me remember you are my firm foundation when the winds of change are rocking my boat. Give me the grace I need to hold your hand firmly as I take steps into unknown waters.

Father, I want to be open to you and your plans. Give me wisdom to follow your leading and help me be open to new things when they feel uncomfortable. God, help me follow you even if your ways seem unfamiliar.

Lord, when my path feels uncertain, help me follow you with courage and joy. I rejoice in your rule over my life, and I praise you because you are my faithful Heavenly Father. I know your plans for me are good.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

God Is Your Salvation in the Battles You Face..By Jessica Van Roekel

 God Is Your Salvation in the Battles You Face

By Jessica Van Roekel

“The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.” (Exodus 15:2 NIV)

I needed help and I needed it yesterday. But the days kept stretching out, one after the other, never changing, always the same. I struggled through a fog of doubt and disbelief. I clung to faith by my fingertips, knowing that rejecting God would make life darker than my present. I was desperate for God’s light to shine, but what I really needed was saving.

After my third child was born, the Enemy whispered that God didn’t care about my struggles. The taunts came as I struggled with resentment at the time my three little ones under the age of five demanded from my sleep-deprived self. The whispers became especially loud when I responded with impatience or, worse, a raised voice. I felt the Enemy closing in, but before me lay an impossible sea of overwhelm.

Moses and the Israelites faced a similar problem. After years of slavery, God sent Moses as their deliverer. Through a series of devastating plagues, Pharoah finally relented and let them go. The Egyptian people gave the Israelites gold, silver, and clothing on their way out of town. The Lord led them the long way because he knew if they crossed through the Philistines' country, they might change their minds about their freedom because they were not ready for war. Instead, he brought them to the sea. And their enemy came up behind them.

As the Israelites left Egypt, they were armed for battle (Exodus 13:18) and marched boldly (Exodus 14:8), but when they saw their freedom threatened by the sea and the enemy, they were terrified. They accused Moses of bringing them to the desert to die. Their bold hope evaporated at the first sign of struggle. Cries of doubt rang through the camp. They couldn’t see beyond their impossible to God’s salvation.

I couldn’t see God’s salvation either while taking care of the needs of my three littles when my own emotional storm threatened to overtake me. It was day after day of opening my Bible and reading the words, desperate for encouragement, but it was like the words slipped off my heart instead of sticking. Week after week I got my babies ready for church and sat through worship and teaching, wondering when I would sense the Lord nearby. But one day, on a regular, mundane, messy morning, I opened my Bible, and God’s Word pierced my heart like a pinprick of light in the darkness. My impossible sea of overwhelm parted before me and I began walking through to the other side.

The Lord saved the Israelites that day. As Moses stretched his hand over the sea, the Lord drove the sea back with a strong wind and the Israelites walked across the sea on dry ground. But first, they needed to be still, to stop fretting that the Lord had abandoned them. Moses instructed the Israelites to not be afraid, to stand firm, and to see the Lord save them.

What impossible situation are you facing today?

You might be hemmed in by disappointment and loss. Rejection could be dodging your every step. Maybe it’s a behavior or thought pattern that keeps you spinning like a merry-go-round. The troubles facing you seem too great, but God is greater, and he is mighty to save. You could be doing all the right things like the Israelites did when they walked boldly dressed for war and still be quaking on the inside when faced with odds not in your favor. God longs to be your salvation.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
Take a page out of the Israelites' book and be still. Stand strong and do not fear. We stand strong when we choose to believe in God’s ability in the face of challenging circumstances. We still our hearts by refusing to let worry rule our responses. We choose trust over fear. It helps to remember God’s faithfulness. If he does not give up on his unruly, undisciplined, uncommitted people, the Israelites, then he will not give up on you. Keep trusting him. Keep following him. Lean into his loving-kindness and watch him become your salvation. In him, you will find the strength and courage to face your impossible because he can do the impossible, like part a sea and make a safe passage for you.

Further reading:

• Exodus 13:17-14:22