Seeking God through His Creation..Craig Denison Ministries

 Seeking God through His Creation

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

Learning to seek the face of God is the foundation for experiencing the amazing life Jesus died to give us. We have available to us through Christ all the wonders, excellencies, and satisfaction we can fathom. God has granted us grace upon grace, mercy upon mercy, affection upon affection, and love upon love. When we pursue him through all the avenues available to us, a door is opened in which we discover all our heavenly Father longs to give us. May you grow in your pursuit of God this week as we study various ways we’ve been given to seek his face.

Scripture:“You are the Lord, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.” - Nehemiah 9:6

Devotional:

Every part of creation, from the smallest of insects to the mountains in all their grandeur, proclaims the unspoken glory of God. Every living creature, rock, grain of sand, and mountain stream was created for a specific purpose. In the lilies of the field and the birds of the air, we discover God’s faithfulness and provision (Matthew 6:28-30). With every sunrise we are reminded of Jesus’ imminent return (Psalm 19:4-5). And with every gust of wind we are beckoned to live our lives as people of the Spirit (John 3:8).

Job 12:7-10 says, “But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.” Are you allowing God to teach you through his creation? Are you taking in the unspeakable mystery and majesty found in the work of God’s hands? Or are you merely passing by these beautiful, intentional poems written on the pages of leaves, blades, and dirt by the hand of your heavenly Father?

Psalm 19:1-4 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.” God is always speaking to you. Every piece of creation declares to you the depth of God’s love, power, faithfulness, and nearness. Will you afford yourself the opportunity to stop and listen? Will you make space to open the eyes of your heart to receive the beauty, creativity, and love of your heavenly Father faithfully displayed before your very eyes?

To seek God without taking notice of his creation is to miss out on one of the most tangible and beautiful ways he speaks to us. It isn’t too mystical or “out there” to ask God to show you his intent behind his creation. It’s wholly Christian to spend time looking at and reflecting on the work of God’s hands. Children of God across thousands of years have used creation to learn about their Creator. Scripture is filled with revelation received by God speaking through his creation. He has made everything as he did for a perfect and beneficial reason. May we be children who seek God through every avenue available to us. May we be believers who have the faith and patience to learn about our heavenly Father by the work of his hands.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s desire to speak to you through his creation. Allow Scripture to renew your mind.

“But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.” - Job 12:7-10

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat.” Psalm 19:1-6

2. Take some time to reflect on creation around you. It could be a flower, water, animal, or whatever you see.

“You are the Lord, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.” - Nehemiah 9:6

3. Now ask God to teach you about his creation. What does he want to reveal about you and or himself?

“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” Psalm 8:3-4

A. W. Tozer said, “God dwells in His creation and is everywhere indivisibly present in all His works. He is transcendent above all His works even while He is immanent within them.” May you go about your day with the knowledge that God is near to you. May creation declare to you the limitless love of your heavenly Father.

Extended Reading: Psalm 104

Story-Shaped Women..IVA MAY

 Story-Shaped Women

IVA MAY 

“Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.” Romans 15:4 (NLT)

When my daughter was 3 years old, her grandparents gave her a video player and a handful of Disney videos. Cinderella was her favorite. I didn’t realize the impact that Cinderella’s story had on Jennifer until the day a salesman knocked at our screen door.

Jennifer was sitting in timeout (due to bad behavior) near the screen door when the salesman approached.

He asked, “Little girl, is your mother at home?”

Jennifer replied with “No, but my mean, wicked stepmother is!”

We are designed for story. Stories leave fingerprints in our minds and upon our hearts.

Until I read through a chronological Bible, it had never dawned on me that the Bible tells one big story. No individual book or narrative stands alone; all are part of the bigger story.

As I read the Bible chronologically, I identified patterns and made connections that I would have otherwise missed. For example, stories about courageous women permeate the big story:

• The promise God made regarding Eve’s seed (Genesis 3:15) animates the story of the entire Bible. It’s as if God refused to redeem humanity without going through a woman’s womb.
• The book of Joshua begins with the story of the faith and redemption of Rahab, a notorious Canaanite harlot. (Joshua 2:1-21; Joshua 6:22-25) God’s promise to Abraham to bless the nations began with a woman with a sordid past.
• God turned sorrow into redemption through Naomi and Ruth’s story, embedded in the Judges story. While Israel did what was right in their own eyes, God worked below the radar to give them a king after His own heart. He did this through two widows.
• The story of Hannah’s infertility marked the transition from the time of the judges to the Kingdom Era. (1 Samuel 1:1-2:21) God opened Hannah’s womb to bear a son, who anointed the first two kings of Israel. She had no idea that God would catapult her son into His story in this way.
• Huldah’s counsel regarding the recently discovered Book of the Law found among the idols and rubbish in the temple invigorated both King Josiah’s faith and Judah’s revival. (2 Kings 22:14-20; 2 Chronicles 34:22-28) Her role in national revival is preserved in Scripture.
• God positioned Esther as a queen, and Mordecai as an influencer and intercessor, for the Jewish exiles. God used a woman to preserve His people in exile.
• Mary the mother of Jesus, and the many women spread throughout the Gospels, Acts and the Letters, show God’s delight in women!

In our key verse, Paul refers to the value of understanding the Old Testament story and the many cherished stories within: “Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled” (Romans 15:4).

The story of Scripture teaches us, offers us hope and encourages us — all while we wait for the final chapter of Scripture to unfold in history.

Because God created us, He knows the impact a story can have on our hearts and lives. God wove His story throughout the Bible, knowing that we would see our reflection in it, and not only that but see His love for women just like you and me. How beautiful it is that we can be wholly shaped and transformed by the story of God’s Word.

And sister, the best news is: Who God was for the women of the Bible, He is for me and you!

Heavenly Father, I thank You for weaving the lives of women throughout Your story. I thank You for the hope that wells up in my heart as I consider that who You were for women of old is who You are for me. Thank You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Trap of Discouragement..Dr. Charles Stanley

 The Trap of Discouragement

Dr. Charles Stanley

Habakkuk 1:2

Do you feel stuck in discouragement? If so, you are not alone.

At some point everyone experiences dashed hopes. Disappointment—an emotional response to a failed expectation—is the normal initial reaction. But allowed to linger, it can turn into discouragement, which hovers like a dense cloud. When that’s the case, there is no sense of joy or contentment, no matter what you do.

The circumstances that trigger these emotions may be unavoidable, but the way we respond is a choice. We can either let sadness overwhelm our souls or face the situation with courage and bring it before the One who can help us.

Living in discouragement will divide the mind, making it hard to focus on anything besides our pain. Then as anger becomes habitual, we’ll look for someone to blame—whether God, people around us, or ourself.

Frustration that isn’t handled well may develop into depression, which in turn can estrange us from others—people do not enjoy the company of someone who’s bitter and defeated. This isolation leads to a low self-esteem. Finally, in a fog of discouragement, we can make poor decisions based on crushed emotions instead of truth. Obviously, choosing this self-destructive path is not God’s best for our lives.

Though we’ll all face disappointment from time to time, believers are not to wallow in it. Instead, God wants us to trust Him with everything—even our unmet expectations and deepest sadnesses. Remember, there is divine purpose for everything He allows to touch His children’s lives (Rom. 8:28).

The Lost Word..Brent Rinehart

 The Lost Word (2 Chronicles 34:15)

By Brent Rinehart

“Then Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan” (2 Chronicles 34:15)

It’s hard to imagine a church, body of believers or even an individual Christian who loses interest in God’s Word. How does one set aside such an important book? How does a people lose touch with God like this?

Whenever I read this story about the reign of King Josiah in Judah, found in 2 Chronicles 34, I’m in awe. Josiah became king when he was only eight years old. I have two small children, so that fact in and of itself is enough to make you pause. But, the story gets better.

Both his father (Amon) and his grandfather (Manasseh) did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. But, his great-grandfather Hezekiah was a good king who “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord” (2 Chronicles 29:2). Based on the math, it was about 86 years between Hezekiah’s reign and Josiah’s. In the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t that long. But, it was long enough for an entire nation to fall away from God so far that even the Book of the Law couldn’t be found in the Temple.

Any of us who have started a New Year’s Resolution that never made it out of January understand that it’s way harder to form a new positive habit than it is to break one. Many times, my best intentions are derailed by a missed day here and there that turns into a week or a month.

How did the Book of the Law come to be put aside after the reign of King Hezekiah? It probably started small. A day here and a day there. Like a slow fade, people slowly begin to forget about God’s law. People relied less on His Word, because they didn’t even know what was in it. Before you know it, generations have fallen away and followed their own ways instead of God’s.

It is tempting to solely apply the truths in this account to what we see in the secularization of America, with good reason. But, when I read this passage, I think about myself. I recall those New Year’s resolutions that fall so quickly to their ruin. The exercise schedules that never truly get off the ground. The healthy eating plans sidelined by my love of Chick-fil-a and ice cream.

A healthy relationship with God mandates a healthy appetite for His Word. “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119: 103). The Bible is God’s main method of communication with His children. We should crave hearing from Him. If we aren’t reading His Word regularly, we run the risk of slowly falling away until we are no better than the Israelites who couldn’t even find the copy of the Book of the Law. They eventually found it buried under piles of ruin the other kings had let become of the Temple.

What things in my life – what rubbish – is keeping me from God’s Word?

We need the comfort, direction and rejuvenation that comes from reading God’s Word daily. A dusty Bible is a recipe for a doomed life. A lost Bible is what will lead to a lost soul.

A Prayer Against Discouragement..Emma Danzey

 A Prayer Against Discouragement 

By Emma Danzey

John 16:33 says, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

The last thing that we feel like we can do in times of discouragement is to take heart. That task seems far too daunting for us. We know we are weak and the thought of overcoming and claiming victory feels distant. However, this Scripture reminds us that it is not by what we do, but what Jesus has already done that we can walk out of discouragement and into the peace of God. 

Have you had a disappointment lately? Has there been a failure in your life that you cannot seem to get past? Have you been hurt or let down by others? The Lord knows your heart. He does not want us to stay in pits of despair, but to walk with Him even down unknown paths. He is trustworthy and we can praise Him today for carrying the weight of our burdens for us.

Let's Pray:

Dear Lord,
Thank You for claiming victory over sin and eternal death. Thank You that we can have peace today because of the security that we have in You and Your sacrifice. We share that we have many burdens and trials, but You have told us to take heart because You have overcome this world. We lay down our discouragements before You today. We ask that we would take every thought captive to You and that we would stand against the attacks of the Devil and our flesh. You are sovereign and we can trust Your perfect plan. Help us not to walk defeated, but to walk confidently with hope and encouragement that You love us and go before us. You are our hope.

God, You say in Isaiah 40:31 "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Would you renew lost hope in us today. Would you please renew our strength. We are weary without Your help. God help us to soar, run and walk without getting tired because our energy and our foundation is in You our Great God. When we are tempted to look at temporary ways to ease our discouragement, help us to look to You for eternal help. When we are struggling with physical, emotional, or spiritual weariness, renew our souls and bodies. When we need Christian community to lift us up, Lord, please come alongside us and send Your children to help us and send us to look out for the needs of others

In Philippians 4:19, You say that You will supply every need of ours according to Your riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Help us not to doubt Your ability to care and provide for us. God we are Your children and You love us. Help us not to be discouraged about our present difficulties or worries of the future. Help us to think back on all of the many times when You have been faithful. Give us endurance through the discouragement to remember that You provide a way out. Guide us with Your Word and enable us to be confident in Your promise to supply our every need because of Jesus. We confess that we have not trusted You and fully relied on You as our God. We confess that we try to do things on our own, but that we need You to be Lord over our lives in every area. Lead us out of the temptation to be discouraged and help us to move forward trustingly to Your joy and peace.

God our Rock, we glorify You as our steady. Thank You for Your consistency and faithfulness to us. We pray that You would purify our hearts and minds to be steadfast on You. We pray that we would look to You and not to mankind for approval. God, You are our hope and our great reward. We love you and celebrate You today. Amen.

Watch What a Willing Heart and a Yes Can Do..Rachael Adams

 Watch What a Willing Heart and a Yes Can Do

By Rachael Adams

“‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May your word to me be fulfilled’" (Luke 1:38).

I met my husband, Bryan, on the first day of college. We were in the same orientation group, and I remember eyeing him from across the circle of freshmen as we played icebreaker games under an oak tree. Nearly four years later, on the night before my graduation, he got down on one knee under that same oak tree and asked if I would marry him. With tears in my eyes, I enthusiastically said yes! 

After a year-long engagement, we stood under a church steeple in front of God, family, and friends. To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part—we said yes to all. 

Though it was easy to say yes in that moment, it has proven to be more difficult to keep saying yes over the course of our married life. Not because I don’t love Bryan, but because my selfish, sinful nature gets in the way much more often than I’d like.  

My Christian walk has mirrored my marriage. It was easy to say yes to God and begin a relationship with him. Saying yes to spending eternity in heaven, unconditional love, unlimited forgiveness, and unmerited grace wasn’t a hard decision for me. Jesus did all the hard work, I simply had to receive and trust in what he promised. What has proven to be more difficult is to keep saying yes to him for the rest of my life. It’s easier to say yes to God when things are going well and life is running smoothly. But when he asks me to do something uncomfortable or inconvenient, the yes may not come as enthusiastically as before. Yet, it is precisely during these times that our answers to God’s call should be a resounding yes.

There are many biblical examples of people saying yes to God’s call to action despite the personal sacrifice it would require, but the one person who stands out in my mind is Mary, the mother of Jesus. God chose her for one of the most important acts of obedience he has ever asked of anyone. She was just a young unmarried girl with a willing heart. Even though she risked being publicly ridiculed and rejected by her family and future husband, when Gabriel appeared and announced that she would conceive a child by the Holy Spirit, Mary responded, "I am the Lord’s servant...May your word to me be fulfilled" (Luke 1:38). Her yes helped bring the Savior into the world. And aren’t we so grateful? 

Mary didn’t stop with just one yes. After she said yes to the angel, she kept on saying yes to whatever God was doing in her life. She said yes to traveling to Bethlehem to give birth in a stable. She said yes to letting Jesus leave home to preach the Good News. And, she said yes to the agony of letting him say a yes of his own and be crucified on the cross. 

If we want to be used by God like Mary was, it’s important we know his voice so that we can discern what his personal direction is for each of us. After all, what God asks me to do may be very different than what he asks you to do. Once we know what he is leading us to do, we simply have to trust that he has our best interests in mind and be willing to do what he asks, even if we don’t understand why at the time. Watch what a willing heart and a lifetime of yeses can do. 

Intersecting Faith and Life:
If you have never said yes to God by putting your trust fully in Jesus, there is no better time than this very moment. To say yes, you can say a simple prayer like this: Lord, I admit I am a sinner. I need and want your forgiveness. I accept your death as the penalty for my sin, and I recognize that your mercy and grace is a gift you offer to me because of your great love, not because of anything I have done. By faith, I receive you into my heart as the Son of God and as Savior and Lord of my life. From now on, help me live for you. In your precious name, Amen.

If you have said yes to God as your Lord and Savior, ask him to reveal your next step of obedience. Then say yes.

Prayer:
Lord, I give you my yes. I commit everything I have and everything I am to you. I surrender and submit to your will. I am willing to follow wherever your Spirit leads. Amen.

Further Reading: 

Luke 1, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 5:8, Romans 10:9-10, Romans 10:13