The Omnipresence of God.. Craig Denison Ministries

 The Omnipresence 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: “Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars.” Psalm 84:3

Devotional:

The presence of our God is everywhere. He moves, lives, breathes, and works all around us. Psalm 84:3 declares the extensiveness of our heavenly Father’s presence in saying, “Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars.” Psalm 84 proclaims that even the birds of the air find their home before the altars of the almighty, living God. Even the birds of the air come before God’s presence as they lay their young in the canopies. The psalm begs the question: if the birds come before their Creator while simply existing here on Earth, how much more available is the presence of our heavenly Father to us, his children? How much farther does his hand reach to us who are now covered by the powerful sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ?

There is nowhere we can run to and escape God’s reach. David writes in Psalm 139:7-12, “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! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,’ even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.” The God of all comfort, of all mercy, of all forgiveness, and of all love surrounds you right now. And as a child of God, his Spirit now dwells within you.

Prior to Jesus’ death, God’s people did not have constant access to the fullness of his presence. The nature of his holiness and our sin created an insurmountable crevasse between us and him. But through Jesus’ death, we now have access to God’s nearness any time, any place. The veil between God and us has been torn, and we can now live our lives constantly experiencing the manifest presence of our heavenly Father.

Where do you need God’s presence to fill you today? Where do you need comfort, peace, or patience? Where do you need to be loved, held, liked, or wanted? Your heavenly Father is waiting to run out to meet you as the father did with the prodigal son. He’s waiting to throw you a party where you are his guest of honor. He loves you, likes you, wants you, and now, he has you. There is no better experience in life than connecting directly with your heavenly Father. May you open your heart and experience all that he longs to pour out over you today as you spend time encountering him in prayer.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the omnipresence of God. Renew your mind to the availability of his tangible presence.

“Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars.” - Psalm 84:3

“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! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,’ even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.” - Psalm 139:7-12

2. Now ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his presence around you. Ask him to show you his face. Ask him how he feels about you and what he wants to do in, around, and through you today. Open your heart and mind to him. Tear down any walls you have built up between you and him.

3. Rest in the glorious presence of your heavenly Father. Take time to allow his presence to go deeper and deeper. Ask him to make you increasingly aware of his goodness and nearness.

“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. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise!” - Psalm 84:1-4

We are created for direct connection with our heavenly Father. Experiencing him is meant to be our lifeblood. Walking and talking with him is the absolute most important part of life. From this type of relationship with God comes purpose, ability, grace, and love for others. This connection is what fuels us to live life here fulfilled, satisfied, empowered, and open to the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Fight for your relationship with God above all else. Let nothing come before time spent with your heavenly Father in experiencing his goodness. May you live, breathe, move, and work in the presence of God today.

Extended Reading: Psalm 84

The Surprisingly Good News About Bad News..ASHERITAH CIUCIU

 The Surprisingly Good News About Bad News

ASHERITAH CIUCIU

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16 (NIV)

“Did you hear the news?”

I pried open my eyes in the early morning light, my husband’s face peering earnestly over me.

“Russia invaded Ukraine.”

The news settled like a brick on my heart, and I pulled the covers back over my head. This can’t be happening. But it was.

Over the following weeks, I obsessively read updates about the situation in Ukraine — the country that bordered my homeland. Both my husband and I grew up in Romania, and while I was grateful the conflict remained far from my relatives’ homes, my heart ached for displaced families, bombed hospitals and senseless casualties.

We seem surrounded by bad news these days, not just out there but also in our local churches, in our homes and in our own hearts.

It’s the late-night text about changes in church leadership.
It’s our loved one’s painful symptoms that evade a diagnosis.
It’s the online notification that someone else got what we wanted so badly.

We live in a broken world, and try as we might, we can’t hide from heartache under a blanket, in the pantry or in a Netflix binge. Those coping mechanisms will never bring us peace because peace comes in the form of a Person: Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

That’s the good news about bad news: It paves the way for us to run to Jesus. Simply put, when our world feels like it’s falling apart, we get to fall into the arms of Jesus, the One who welcomes us every single time.

And the Prince of Peace will never turn us away. Just look at how Jesus responded to those who came to Him needy and broken:

• When “important people” marginalized little children, Jesus welcomed them, embraced them and spoke a blessing over their lives. (Matthew 19:13-15)
• When a rich young ruler was trying to find his way, not realizing how spiritually needy he was, Jesus looked at him with love and compassion. (Mark 10:21)
• When a gentile mother pleaded for her sick daughter, Jesus commended her faith and healed her daughter immediately. (Matthew 15:21-28)
• When a widow mourned the death of her only son, Jesus was moved with compassion. Then He reached out and raised the widow’s son from the dead. (Luke 7:13)
• When Lazarus died, even though Jesus knew his death was temporary, Jesus still wept over the devastation and pain caused by death. (John 11:35)

These stories reveal that Jesus knows what it means to be human. He knows what it’s like to live in a broken world. He knows what it feels like to be disappointed, hurt and betrayed. He is the Man of Sorrows, well-acquainted with grief. After all, He is Emmanuel — God with us.

That’s why He invites us with open arms: “Come to me …” (Matthew 11:28, NIV). Because when we bring our burdens to Jesus, He takes on our burdens. Whereas our friends can offer a listening ear and a sympathetic shoulder to cry on, Jesus offers us His very self.

He is our Great High Priest who is always making intercession for us, who walks with us through pain and who gives us His own Spirit as a promise of what’s to come. He doesn't leave us helpless and hopeless. And that is good news indeed.

We can prayerfully “approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). This is the privilege of prayer as rest: We get to rest in God's presence, not because there’s nothing wrong in the world but because we trust in the One who makes all things right.

No matter what is weighing you down today, take it to Jesus. He’s waiting for you with open arms.

Precious Jesus, Your love is too marvelous to comprehend. Thank You for continually making intercession on our behalf. It is because of You and Your perfect sacrifice that we dare come before the Father with what's on our hearts. And I do that now. [Take a moment to put into words what's weighing you down.] I trust You with the good things and the hard things. And I love You too. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Requirements of Waiting..Dr. Charles Stanley

 Requirements of Waiting

Dr. Charles Stanley

Psalms 25:3-5

Waiting for God's timing is neither passive nor idle--it takes discipline and commitment. I can think of four basic requirements for successful waiting.

Faith. The Lord's ways and timing are nothing like ours (Isa. 55:8-9). From a human standpoint, He usually does things in a totally different way than we expect. But as we trust Him more, we'll discover that His approach isn't so strange after all. And when we live in harmony with God's will, His timing starts to make sense.

Humility. To wait for the Lord, you must be convinced of your need for Him. Submission to His divine will requires humility--you cannot charge ahead with your own plans and at the same time be fully surrendered to God.

Patience. Are you willing to remain in your current position until you receive clear divine direction? Pausing for clarity from God does not mean that you disengage and allow circumstances to fall apart around you. Waiting upon the Lord is a deliberate decision that requires patience.

Courage. Waiting for God often takes courage, especially when there is pressure to act. If you're not careful, you might stop listening to the Lord and follow other advice. So keep your ear attuned to the voice of Almighty God, and you won t go wrong.

Waiting upon the Lord is one of the wisest, most important decisions we make in life. And contrary to popular assumptions, it is an active endeavor that requires faith, humility, patience, and courage. When you rely upon God and wait for His timing, the various facets of life fall into place.

When We Get Too Weary..Anne Peterson

 When We Get Too Weary (Galatians 6:9)

By Anne Peterson

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. - Galatians 6:9

Let’s face it, we all get weary. Wiping the sleep out of our eyes, we know that we’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing. A pandemic was one of the worst things some of us have been through. It is scary to see the infection numbers and the rising count of those lost. Even though we know, at least here in America, that following the guidelines is helping. We are doing what is good. But even that can be taxing.

And sometimes, we look around and see others who are not following suit. And inside of us rises similar feelings like that of the prodigal son’s brother. Here he had been the obedient one and yet, when his prodigal brother returned, he saw his father run to him. Put a robe on his back and a ring on his finger (Luke 15: 11-32).

Sometimes it’s hard to do the right thing when everyone is not complying. And sometimes, like Peter who saw John coming and wondered what John’s position would be with Jesus (John 21:20-22). Instead of just doing what we know we should be doing, we start wondering about others.

What do we do when we get weary? When we think we can’t keep going? The answer is to go to the one who never tires or grows weary (Isaiah 40:28).

God tells us that he will strengthen us and help us (Isaiah 41:10).

He tells us when our strength starts waning, he will renew it and we will soar like eagles (Isaiah 40:31).

And when we think we can no longer do what is asked of us, like Paul we can recognize the source of our strength (Philippians 4:13).

We rise and go through the motions, often feeling helpless. But we must remember that God is sovereign. We are not in this alone. God has promised that he would never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6). And God is not a man that he should lie (Numbers 23:19).

We are not alone. So do not grow weary in doing good.

With Me

I told the Lord, “This journey’s long,”
He said, “I know the length.”

I told Him, “But I’m faint and weak.”
He said, “I’ll give you strength.”

No matter what my words—God heard;
He listened patiently.

But what has meant the most is this,
my Father walks with me.

-Anne Peterson

A Prayer for Unity..Emma Danzey

 A Prayer for Unity

By Emma Danzey

Colossians 3:14 says, “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

Hearing about the divisions, hatred, and evil in this world causes heartbreak and high anxiety. It stirs up anger and confusion and brings us to our knees over the sin in this world. As believers in Jesus, we are to seek unity through Christ. We do this by putting on love. Among our own churches and in the ways that we live, others will see the beauty and the oneness of the family of God, all are welcome to come.

Today’s verse emphasizes putting on love. In a culture that has much hate and hurtful actions toward one another, we can stand out for Christ in the ways that we love. This is not a love that comes from our own might, but the perfect love from the Spirit of God that pours out onto others. By the words and actions through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can show the perfect love of Jesus to this hurting and broken world.

Let's Pray:

Our Loving Savior,
We acknowledge today that we are incapable of perfectly loving others. It is only through the help of your Spirit that we can live in this way. You have sacrificed yourself for our sins when we were your enemies and you brought us into your family. We boldly ask that you would give us the kind of powerful compassion on those who are our enemies on this earth. We pray for those who persecute us, we pray for those who belittle and humiliate us, we pray for those who are living out sin and violently hurting the innocent. Lord, give us strength to model You even in these kinds of situations. 

Father, we mourn the evil, the hatred, the racism, and the divisions in this dark world. We mourn that even among our own body of believers that there is brokenness and separations due to sin. We ask that you would help us to be the example to those around us watching. We pray for reconciliation, for unity, for hearts that are humble, and for welcoming attitudes to invite others in. Where we have formed cliques because of personal preferences, remove them. Where we have outcasted people for their struggles, forgive us and help us know how to minister to them. Where we have pushed away from other cultures because of preferences, forgive us and enable us to be selfless for the sake of unity.

God would you help Your people to live like the believers in the early church. Acts 4:32 says, “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.” Empower us to genuinely care for the needs of our brothers and sisters. Open our eyes to those You have placed around us to encourage and walk with in life. Help us to be selfless so that we can share what You have entrusted to us. Give us the ability to be one in heart and mind. The enemy is after the people of God and desires to divide and cause confusion, Jesus help us to be united in You. Help us to stand firm on the truth of Your gospel and be dedicated to Your Holy Word. Thank you for the victories that You are providing and will provide for us.

Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Creator God, You have made all people in Your image. We pray against prejudices and against pride. Help us to see others as You do. Help us to remember that Jesus gives an even playing field to all. We are all sinners in need of a Savior and You have paid the cost. Give us your loving and caring attitude for those who are different from us, and help us find common ground at the cross. Help us to invite all people to hear the good news of salvation through Jesus alone.

We praise you and thank you for this gift of unity that You equip us and call us to. Amen.

God Will Never Unfriend Us..Anne Peterson

 God Will Never Unfriend Us

By Anne Peterson

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” - John 15:13

I remember the day he hurt me. I could tell you every detail. Do you know what this shows? It shows I still had some forgiving to do.

Hurting people hurt people.
This was a stretch for me to think about. Because I had come from a physically abusive home, I had not learned this yet. All I thought about was what I was going through. But as an adult, I understand that statement. When someone hurts us, we could make many choices.

We could:

1. zap the person right back.
2. retreat.
3. hand the situation over to God
4. forgive the person who hurt us.

Getting to number 3 and number 4, could take time. I don’t believe forgiveness is possible apart from the Lord. Not if it’s genuine.

God understands our hurts.
When Jesus came to earth, he was not welcomed by all. At the end of his ministry, one week he was welcomed into a city, with everyone laying palm branches down for his entry on a donkey. They shouted, “Hosanna! Glory to God in the highest.” They honored him.

The following week they shouted, “Crucify him!!”

Jesus was spit upon, slapped, his beard was ripped out, he was beaten, and they nailed him to a tree. Why? He claimed to be God. 

Jesus is God. But even though Jesus is God, when he died on that cross, he was fully man. He felt every ounce of pain. Including one we’ll never feel. 

God forsook Jesus when he bore our sins (Matthew 27:46).

God promises us that He will never leave nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). 

People will let us down.
God tells us we should not trust in princes (Psalm 146:3). We trust others and expect they won’t hurt us. But sometimes they do. I finally realized others will hurt me, and sometimes it’s unintentionally. I learned this when I hurt someone I love very much.

God will work in His timing.
One thing that has always surprised me in my walk with the Lord, is that God doesn’t need my help. It’s the Holy Spirit who convicts people, it’s not our job. Sometimes, instead of waiting for God to work, we run ahead of him. God tells us to keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25). When my husband was in the military and marched in formation, he was told to look at the soldier to the left and right of him, to keep in step with them. Sometimes I try to run ahead of God, and other times, I have gotten behind him and tried to push him to go faster. It doesn’t work.

It’s not up to us to hurry God’s work. But we can pray. Prayer softens hearts. Not only the hearts of those who hurt, but our hearts as well. God needs to keep our hearts soft, or bitterness will harden them. This happens when we replay our offenses over and over in our minds. I have done this. I know my hurts by heart. It’s like I’ve stored them in little Ziplock bags to keep them fresh.

Give God your hurts.
Giving our hurts to God is not simple. Instead of replaying what happened to me, I hand that hurt, to the Lord. Just like I’m told to cast down imaginations (2 Corinthians 10:5). I picture myself handing my negative thoughts to the Lord, knowing He will hand back to me, the thoughts which are worthy of my time and energy. 

There’s also a checklist that the apostle Paul gives us (Philippians 4:8). Are our thoughts pure, true, noble, right, etc.? The one that often stops me is praiseworthy. Many of my thoughts concerning those who have hurt me are not praiseworthy. 

Thankfully, I can still work on that area.

Forgiveness is key.
When we forgive others, we will see God working. Not only in us, but also in them. But if we hold onto resentment, things may stay as they are. We are not in charge of how long this process will take. It’s not up to us. But I can say when I do choose to forgive someone, God gives me grace, and that enables me to wait well.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
Writing these words today is easier than living them out. Has someone hurt you so deeply you can’t seem to let go of your hurts? Can you even picture yourself forgiving this person? The good news is that the things that are impossible with man are possible with God (Luke 18:27). Jesus said so. 

I’m so thankful God will never stop working in us (Philippians 1:6). God’s love toward us is unfailing (Psalm 103:17). No one loves us greater than God does. He will never unfriend us.

Lord, we thank you that your love is never ending. God, we know that’s true because you loved us when we were yet sinners. And you’ve promised you would never leave us nor forsake us. Thank you, Lord for your love. We pray for anyone reading this devotional. We pray that they would realize how kind and loving you are. And we pray this in your Son’s precious and Holy name. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

My Thoughts (‘a poem’)
God, my thoughts keep taking 
me where I don’t want to go.
And they turn into worries
long before I even know.

Please help me take 
them captive, Lord,
so I can learn to choose,
the thoughts I should be thinking
and the ones I need to lose.
- Anne Peterson © 2021

Further Reading: 
Do a Bible study on the Philippians 4:8.