Jesus is the Model..Craig Denison Ministries

 Jesus is the Model

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

Loving others is one of the most important and difficult commands Jesus gave us. We are a messy, broken, needy, and sinful people. We constantly deal with our own wounds and those of others. Because there is no perfect person, the foundation for loving others must be based outside of the merit or worth of others. The foundation for love must come from the God who is love. As believers we must be constantly tapped into the love and grace of our heavenly Father so that we can love others selflessly and powerfully. May you receive the love of your Father and be empowered to love others this week as we look to grow in our obedience of Jesus’ command to love people.

Scripture: “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.” >1 John 3:16

Devotional:

Everything Jesus did was done out of his perfect love for the Father and us. Every word, healing, prayer, and action was done out of unconditional devotion. Ephesians 5:1-2 says, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Scripture commands us to love others the way Christ did. Jesus is our model for living. And God never commands us without perfectly equipping us. If we are to “walk in love, as Christ loved us,” we must believe God will fill us up with the ability to love as Jesus loved.

The concept of living like Jesus always seemed unreachable. It often reminded me of motivational posters that read, “Reach for the moon—even if you miss you’ll land among the stars.” But God’s word is not an unachievable suggestion. His word is perfect and true. And Scripture says in Romans 8:29, “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” God’s plan is to conform us into perfect reflections of Jesus’ love. His plan is to fashion us into disciples who live, work, and love as he did.

We can live our lives in obedience to God’s command to love others for one reason alone: our heavenly Father is near, alive, and active in us. The same God who empowered Paul, Peter, John, Stephen, David, Daniel, and Esther lives in us today. Romans 8:11 says, “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” And the Bible says that the fruit of the Spirit who dwells within us as believers is love. We can love like Jesus because his Spirit longs to produce the fruit of love deep within us. He longs to love people through us. He has a perfect plan to use you to reveal to a broken and searching world the unfathomable riches of Jesus’ love.

If we are to look to Jesus as our model, we must first believe that God can and will help us. We must believe that the Spirit is perfectly capable of taking what was dust and fashioning it into the likeness of the Son. Secondly, we must spend time allowing the Spirit to move in and through us. We must make space in our lives to be loved by God so that we can be used by him to love others. I can offer nothing of value that I haven’t first received from my heavenly Father. I can do nothing great unless God has done something great in me. 1 John 2:6 says, “Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” We have to be children who abide in Jesus so that we can walk in his ways.

God longs to love you and help you love others today. He longs to meet you and heal the wounds and insecurities that have kept you from loving others well. He longs to empower and transform you to live like Jesus. Run to him with open arms, and allow him to do a mighty work in you as you enter into guided prayer.   

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s desire for you to love like Jesus. Remember that God doesn’t command you to do something you are incapable of doing. Allow Scripture to fill you with desire and faith for what God has for you.

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” >Ephesians 5:1-2

“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” >1 Peter 2:21

“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” >Romans 8:29

2. Where do you need God to do a mighty work in you today? Ask the Spirit to reveal what areas he wants to heal today. Ask him to guide you to a wound or insecurity he longs to speak to and love.

3. Receive the love of your heavenly Father. Allow him to heal and empower you to love others. Ask him to transform you into the image of Jesus and fill you with his heart for others around you.

“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” >Luke 6:27

“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” >1 Peter 4:8

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?” >Matthew 5:43-47

It is impossible to be consistently loved by God and not love others. His love has this incredible ability to heal us and empower us at the same time. His heart is always to love us while helping us to love others. As you grow in your relationship with your heavenly Father, allow him to use you in increasingly powerful ways. Allow him to make you selfless and servant-hearted. Allow his love to make you more like Jesus. May you discover the joy and peace that comes from wholeheartedly loving others today.

Extended Reading: 1 John 3

Missed Exits: Turning Up the Voice of God..SHALA W. GRAHAM

 Missed Exits: Turning Up the Voice of God

SHALA W. GRAHAM

“And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” Isaiah 30:21‬ (NRSV‬‬)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Last summer, a colleague picked me up from the airport to take me to a conference. We had a long stretch of highway to drive, with Google Maps ready to lead the way to the conference location.

We laughed and talked as we rolled down the road … Then something didn’t look quite right.

“We missed the exit!”

No problem. I’d missed exits before, even with Google Maps giving me a play-by-play. But here’s the thing — my colleague had issues connecting her phone to the audio in the car, so we couldn’t hear the lovely voice that gives the directions well in advance. Google Maps was silent! And because we were in a more rural area, the next exit to turn around and get back on track was several miles down the road.

Thankfully, we weren’t in any rush, so the detour was just a minor inconvenience. But how often do we miss the exit or the on-ramp because we either can’t hear the directions or we simply aren’t paying attention?

This is what happens when we don’t hear the voice of God directing us or we’ve turned down the volume to prioritize another voice in our lives.

In Isaiah 30, we see the people of Judah being warned not to rebel against the Lord by depending on Egypt to help them instead of relying on God. Isaiah also spoke a prophetic blessing over them if they would just return to God for help:

“Truly, O people in Zion, inhabitants of Jerusalem, you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when he hears it, he will answer you. Though the Lord may give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself any more, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it’” (Isaiah 30:19-21, NRSV).

What a blessing it is to have the Holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts if we trust in Jesus today! Like our personal GPS, He says, “This is the way; walk in it.” But we have to tune in. We have to make sure we are connected to the Spirit of God. We have to intentionally seek out His voice and presence.

One of my favorite ways to seek God is through worship. So many of my favorite worship songs are simply scriptures set to a tune. As I proclaim biblical Truth in those songs, it becomes my prayer, and the Holy Spirit stirs in me to communicate with God and receive what God is saying. In those moments, as I submit my will to His, I can hear God affirm in my spirit what is needed of me. It’s like an internal check in my heart that feels so crystal clear.

It’s like when you look into the eyes of a friend, and though no words emerge from her mouth, you simply know everything she is communicating. You feel her words, and you stand in that truth with her.

As I worship, the peace of God rests over my spirit and guides me to confess, not worry about, the mistakes and wrong turns that plague me, even if I know I’ve "missed an exit" by trying to follow my own route for my life. There is grace for course correcting.

Father, help us cancel out the noise of this world and the enemy. Forgive us for being distracted or neglecting to plug in to hear Your voice. We don’t want to keep missing the exit. We want to get to where You want to take us. We’re tuned in. We’re listening. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Need for Friendship..Dr. Charles Stanley

 The Need for Friendship

Dr. Charles Stanley

2 Timothy 4:9-22

Independence is a prized attribute in our culture, but biblically, it isn't a worthy aspiration. Nowhere in Scripture will you find the erroneous quote, "God helps those who help themselves." The very fact that the Lord formed the church--a community of believers--should tell us that He did not create people for self-sufficiency or isolation.

When we place faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit indwells us so we can have a fulfilling relationship with the Lord and satisfying friendships with one another. In God's design, a close, committed biblical friendship between two believers serves to build both toward Christlikeness. Look at any of the saints in Scripture, and you will find evidence of reliance upon a close friend or confidante for support. Paul, in particular, spoke freely and often of his dependence upon dear companions and encouraged others to form intimate partnerships as well (2 Tim. 2:22).

It's interesting to me that our modern culture seems to be headed in the opposite direction. The farther our nation drifts from God, the more pervasive our self-sufficient attitude becomes. Neighbors treat each other with suspicion instead of congeniality, and that mindset has invaded the church as well. We're hesitant to give to others, which in turn makes us reluctant to receive.

Scripture tells us to love one another, bear our brothers' burdens, and confess our sins to fellow believers (John 13:34 ; Gal. 6:2; James 5:16). In other words, we're to give ourselves away to others and receive from them in return. That's how church members can stimulate one another to Christlikeness.

A Simple Way to Think about Sanctification..David Powlison

 A Simple Way to Think about Sanctification

By David Powlison

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:23

The word sanctification is a five-syllable abstraction for the very human process of growing up and simply being and becoming human. When we think about how flourishing humanness is described in Scripture, it operates in two dimensions. One is that we learn how to walk with our Savior. A shorthand of this would be that we become increasingly childlike toward our Father whom we trust.

Then there's a horizontal dimension, that we become increasingly like our Savior. In a whole variety of ways—how we talk with people, what our priorities are, what choices we make, how we approach money, relationships, and decision making—we actually become helpful to others.

I like that shorthand: childlike toward our Father and helpful toward other people.

The 3 Tenses of Sanctification

One word of clarification that's helpful in defining sanctification is that it actually has a past tense, a present tense, and a future tense.

The Bible uses the word sanctification most often in the past tense: it says that you are a saint, that you have been made holy.

The present tense refers to our becoming holy, becoming childlike, becoming helpful—becoming both wiser in walking with and more conformed to the image of our Jesus.

And then sanctification has a future tense. On the last day when the battle is done and the race is run and we see him face to face, then we will be like him.

A Prayer for Finances..Emma Danzey

 A Prayer for Finances

By Emma Danzey

Matthew 6:24 says, "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

Finances are the number one stressor in many people's lives. It can start out as a concern to provide or to have enough to live, but then can easily turn into greed if we let it. Just like Matthew 6:24 points out, we cannot worship God and money. We are called to glorify the Lord in all things, including finances. However, the enemy knows our weaknesses and our temptation to idolize dollars. We must be on our guard to watch our hearts and protect them from the trap that so many fall into. 

Whether we are tempted with not having enough or having excess, we are called to keep our hearts in check through Christ. One of the most common traps of idolatry to fall into is the love of money. Anyone is susceptible to this, so we must be aware and put on the armor of God to withstand the attacks from the enemy. Whatever your struggles when it comes to finance, let’s take some time to bring it before the Lord in prayer. 

Let's Pray:

Dear Lord,
We praise You for Your provisions. We recognize that all we have comes from You. In Psalm 24:1, You tell us that the earth is Yours and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to You. We thank You for being our Creator. Thank You for giving us Your great love. 

God, please forgive us for seeking money as our security. It cannot buy salvation, only Jesus gives us freedom. We pray that you would realign our hearts and perspectives in any way that they need to be corrected. Remind us that You are sovereign and that just as You provide for the ravens, You will take care of us too. Help us not to be anxious but to seek first Your kingdom. 

This world is full of uncertainty, whether that be the stock market, inflation, or career struggles, but in the unknowns, help us to put our full faith in You as our Provider. Help us to be faithful to work hard and be faithful to You because You have been so faithful to us. Protect us from the temptation to fear. 

Proverbs 23:4-5 says, “Do not wear yourself out to get rich;  do not trust your own cleverness. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.” We pray against the temptation to overwork and place our hope in money. Help us to remember what has eternal value and impact. Protect us from a life of chasing riches; instead, give us the endurance to chase after You.

God, we pray against unfruitfulness in our lives. Mark 4:19 says, “But the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.” We pray that we would not be worried with the things of this world but with eternal things. Help us not to be deceived by the world, but be filled by Your Holy Spirit and live out of the fruit of the Spirit. 

Ecclesiastes 5:10 says, “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.” Father, protect our hearts from loving money. Guide us to be fully satisfied in Your love for us. Give us spiritual eyes to see what is significant and what is not. Help us to have discernment in financial decisions. May we honor You with our choices. Give us the courage to trust in You over our own material possessions. Help our hearts not to be so wrapped up in the physical that we miss the spiritual. 

God our Provider, our Jehovah Jireh, we love you and thank You for being all that we need and caring about every detail of our lives. We surrender to You and entrust our finances to You for Your glory and purposes. Amen.

What Is the Longing of Your Heart?..Clarence L. Haynes Jr.

 What Is the Longing of Your Heart?

By Clarence L. Haynes Jr. 

“Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” – 2 Timothy 4:8

Every year in the months of May and June, kids start counting down the clock. They begin marking off the number of days left before the school year's end. For most kids, it’s been a long year spread out over ten months, and there is a general excitement because they know the school year will be over soon and it will be time for summer vacation. I have yet to find a kid who hates summer vacation. This event gets repeated every single year as we move out of spring and into summer, and the kids long for the two months off. 

I want to ask you a simple but very pointed question today, what are you longing for? Most of us are past school age, and unless we work in the educational system, we don’t get two months off. Yes, we can enjoy our vacations and time to relax while taking a break from work, but that time can feel so short, and before you know it, you are back at work. This brings me back to my question, what are you longing for? In this verse in 2 Timothy, as Paul is nearing the end of his life, he mentions a longing that has been shut up in his heart for his years on earth. The longing for Christ’s appearing. To give you more breadth as to what this verse means, look at it in a couple of different translations.

“In the future there is reserved for me the [victor’s] crown of righteousness [for being right with God and doing right], which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that [great] day—and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved and longed for and welcomed His appearing.” – AMP

“At last the champion’s wreath that is awarded for righteousness is waiting for me. The Lord, who is the righteous judge, is going to give it to me on that day. He’s giving it not only to me but also to all those who have set their heart on waiting for his appearance.” – CEB

“And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.” – NLT

As you consider my initial question, let me use these other versions to ask some follow-up questions.

• Are you longing for and welcoming his appearance?
• Is your heart set on waiting for his appearance?
• Are you eagerly looking forward to his appearing?

Sometimes it is so easy to get caught up in the busyness of life or caught up doing what God has called us to do. Sometimes we get caught up in life's pursuits or focus on God's blessings. While there is nothing wrong with these things, sometimes they crowd out what our true longing should be. More than anything else, our desire should be for Christ and for his presence. We should be longing for his appearing and until that happens, we should be longing for his presence. There is nothing more valuable or precious in this world than Jesus. He should be what our hearts are desiring. Not because he is going to bless us with some gift or some other blessing, but simply because we get to be with him. Jesus is the prize of this life. Jesus is the prize of our salvation. Jesus is the prize of heaven and eternity. 

Paul knew he was going to receive a crown of righteousness for doing the work and living the life God called him to. However, I believe greater than the desire to receive a crown was the longing in his heart to see his savior. So I ask you again, what is the longing of your heart? My simple prayer for you is that you would pursue and desire Christ more than anything else. Blessings are fine but set your heart on the blesser because in him you will find everything your heart is desiring.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
It is so easy to focus on the blessings God has given us. I would challenge you not to let that be the emphasis but focus on the fact that he has given us himself. This is the greatest blessing of all.