Loving Family..Craig Denison Ministries

 Loving Family

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: “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” >Exodus 20:12

Devotional: 

One of the most direct examples of the kingdom of God on the earth is the family unit. God longs to use the love between family members to tell the world of his love as the Creator and Father of all. As believers, we must choose to continually love, forgive, help, and pursue strong relationships with those God has given us as our family.

You are not a member of your family by mistake. Psalm 139:13 says, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” God formed you perfectly for your family. He had plans for you and your family before the formation of the heavens and the earth. And he has placed your family on the earth intentionally and purposefully. He has incredible plans for a family that will pursue love for each other and walk in his eternal purposes.

Your heavenly Father knows the follies of your family. He knows their weaknesses, trials, and temptations. But he also longs to empower you with grace to love them. He longs to use you to restore your family to him so that you might experience the wonders of God-filled family relationships.

Scripture is filled with commandments about the family unit. Exodus 20:12 says, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” >Ephesians 5:22 says, “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.” And later in Ephesians 5:25 it says, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” >Proverbs 17:6 says, “Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.” 1 Timothy 5:8 says,“But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” And Leviticus 25:35 says, “If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you.” God clearly values the family unit.

The commands of Scripture are not suggestions based on how your family has treated you in the past. They are loving commands from your Lord who has the absolute best plan in store for you behind every word. God knows that there are wounds from your family. He knows that loving them can be difficult, especially when your love isn’t reciprocated. But he is calling you to a lifestyle of grace-filled love for those he has specifically given to you. He will provide for you all the courage, strength, power, and grace you need. He longs to help you love your family into restoration. Have patience with them. Pray constantly for them. And love them as your Lord Jesus has loved you: passionately, faithfully, and gracefully.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s command to love your family. Allow Scripture to influence the way you view the importance of loving your family.

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” >Exodus 20:12

“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church.” >Ephesians 5:22-29

“If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you. Take no interest from him or profit, but fear your God, that your brother may live beside you. You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.” >Leviticus 25:35-38

2. Pray for your family. Pray for each family member specifically, and ask God to meet and bless them. As you pray for them, allow the Lord to fill you with grace and love. Allow God to fill you with the knowledge of how he feels about them.

“Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints . . . .” >Ephesians 6:18

3. Ask God to empower you to love your family well today. Ask him to give you a creative way to love them. Pursue forgiveness in your own heart as well as with your family. God will help you do what you have felt is impossible. He will fill you with the strength to love your family well.

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” >Philippians 4:13

As you grow in your pursuit of loving your family well, look to Jesus as your model. He loved all those around him perfectly. Sometimes he would speak the truth in love. Other times he would rest with those who simply needed to be around him. Other times he would provide for their physical needs. The Holy Spirit will give you wisdom into exactly how to love your family if you will open your heart and ask him for it. May your family be blessed by the love of God working through you today.

Extended Reading: 1 Corinthians 13

On Wailing and Worship..KAREN EHMAN

 On Wailing and Worship

KAREN EHMAN

“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth.” John 4:24 (CSB)

I stood and worshiped one Sunday morning while burning tears of grief cascaded down my face. My heart was overflowing with fresh sorrow due to several recent losses in my life.

My worship and pain might have seemed a contradiction. Is it possible to express deep worship while simultaneously revealing intense sorrow? Jesus’ personal encounter with a New Testament woman seems to say worship and wailing can coexist.

One day around noon, a Samaritan woman went to draw water from what was known as Jacob’s well. That’s when she met Jesus, and a conversation ensued.

Jesus began to mention certain details about her life — including the fact that she’d had several husbands and was now living with a man to whom she was not married. His keen insight into her life situation — seemingly without having any prior knowledge — caused her to believe she was talking to a prophet. (John 4:16-19) Well, if there’s a prophet standing in front of you, you’re going to seize the opportunity to ask any questions you have, right?

So she asked Jesus about worship, inquiring if she should worship on the mountain, where her ancestors did, or in Jerusalem, where others said was proper. Jesus replied, “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).

The Greek word used here for “spirit” is pneúma and means “spirit (Spirit), wind or breath.” While it sometimes indicates human breath, the most frequent translation of pneúma in the New Testament is written with a capital “S” — Spirit — meaning the Holy Spirit.

The Greek word for “truth” is alétheia. This indicates words that are honest, sincere and straightforward. When we take worshiping in Spirit and couple it with being entirely truthful, we can get two actions that — although they seem opposite — intertwine perfectly together …

Wailing and worship.

Wailing and worship can hold hands. We observe this in over 50 of the psalms penned in Scripture that are classified as psalms of lament, in which the authors cry out to God in times of overwhelming distress or deep despair. The psalmists typically ask God for intervention to deliver them from suffering, sorrow or an enemy. Then these petitions often end with expressions of faith and worship as the author places his trust in God.

But it’s not only in the Bible where wailing and worship hold hands. They can in our lives today.

We can worship both in Spirit and in truth. We can worship God through the power of the Holy Spirit, who leads and guides us. We also can worship in truth. This is no candy-coated worship, full of clichéd spiritual phrases. No, we can be honest, candid and straightforward with God, even going so far as to lament and wail, telling the Lord all about that which is causing pain in our lives. We may do this audibly as we pray to God in a secluded place. We might do it through writing out our sentiments in a journal. Or we can listen to some worship songs about crying out to God, echoing the words in our hearts as we do.

Pour out your heart to Jesus, raw emotions and all. He sees your situation. He understands your pain. And — best of all — He loves you with a deep and unconditional love that will never, ever end.

Heavenly Father, I want to worship You both in Spirit and in truth. Empower me to be authentic in my time alone with You. May I pour out my heart to You, praising You in reverential worship as I do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Power of Patience..Dr. Charles Stanley

 The Power of Patience

Dr. Charles Stanley

Hebrews 6:9-15

Picture yourself waiting in a checkout line that hasn’t moved for ten minutes. Many of us would feel frustrated. We live in a generation that expects instant results.

Everyone struggles with some degree of impatience. We’re born with this trait—think about a three-month-old who wants milk in the middle of the night. The inborn reaction is to fuss at the first hint of discomfort and to keep at it until the need is met. Patterns from our old “flesh” nature make this a continual battle for most people, but one that is very worthwhile to fight.

Let’s consider the biblical definition of patience. It can mean both longsuffering and perseverance, or not giving up and yielding under pressure. In either case, it reveals itself when we are willing to wait without frustration while suffering or experiencing some strong desire. In other words, we accept difficult situations without giving God deadlines. What’s more, patience means accepting what the Lord gives, on His timetable—or what He chooses not to give. This quality results in inner peace and lack of stress. Meanwhile, we should pray, obey, and persist as we seek God’s direction.

The danger of impatience is that we might miss the Lord’s perfect plan and His blessing. Only when we trust our Father’s will and timing can we rest peacefully.

What causes you stress? Carefully examine whether you are taking matters into your own hands or releasing the circumstance to almighty God. Listen to Psalm 37:7, which says, “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him.” Seek His way and His timing. Anything else can be destructive.

John 3:16 Must Be More than a Slogan for Christians..Denise Larson Cooper

 John 3:16 Must Be More than a Slogan for Christians

By Denise Larson Cooper

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16

Many Christians can recite this verse from memory, "For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." In some ways this verse has become so familiar that people rarely give thought to its meaning anymore. As we do with so many Bible verses that we like, we deposit this one into our emotional bank of good feelings and withdraw it when we need it. We relish the warm fuzzy feeling we get from knowing that God loves the world. For many people John 3:16 reads like a Hallmark card sent from God. In fact, when some Christians speak of the Gospel they use a play on the words of the Hallmark corporate slogan: "God cared enough to send His very best."

But John 3:16 is not a message of sentiment. When God sent His Son into the world, He was not having an emotional response to the tragedy of sin. God, "in the beginning," (Genesis 1:1) had already made up His mind that sin would be dealt with in the work of His son, Jesus Christ. Basically God gave us a piece of His mind in the sending of Christ. And Christ made up His mind to complete God’s work of salvation in the world on the cross. He explained to His disciples that “He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things” (Matthew 16:21). John 3:16 reveals the mind, will and divine purpose of God. His love for us does not stem from a warm feeling He had for the world. God chose to love us. He decided to love us. His love is an act of His will, and the way He chose to love us was through His Son.

In this verse we see the specifics of God’s plan for salvation. Sometimes, it’s in the little words that Christians can extract the greatest meaning. The meaning of the word “For” is such a word here. When we look closely at this little word—we find a big meaning: "in order to save" (Dictionary.com definition 20).

From all eternity, God's intention has been to save the world. And the ball of salvation and redemption was already rolling at the first dawn of the universe. Revelation 13:8 states that the book of life belongs to “the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.” Hebrews 4:3 asserts, “And yet His work has been finished since the creation of the world.” And the Gospel writer John reveals, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God” (John 1:1).

The Son did not become the Savior in reaction to Adam’s sinning and being swallowed up by death. The Son was already Savior before the world began. Jesus willingly and joyfully took on the means of salvation. Through His Son, God created and redeemed the world on the first day of creation. The light of the new day was the dawn of redemption. When Adam sinned, redemption was already offered to the world. But the world rejected the offer.

To save the world from sin and death God chose to make His Son the Savior, and His Son gladly complied with His Father’s will. Now the world needed to know that salvation through the Son was possible. So the truth of Christ’s sacrifice had to be made visible in the world. In making visible the plan of salvation, God voluntarily placed His Son in the body of a man, Jesus Christ, and placed Him in the enemy territory of the fallen world. He was “Immanuel, God with us” (Matthew 1:23).

Out of His love for the Father, Jesus Christ, willingly placed Himself into the hands of the enemy, who is sinful humanity, to go to the cross to carry out the divine will of God. Everything for salvation that had been on the mind of God on behalf of fallen humanity was now going to be made visible for all the world to see. Humanity could witness this choice of love that the Father had made to redeem all of creation from human sin.

This intentional plan was the way God chose to love the world. To let His Son become a man and die on the cross as an atoning sacrifice for all human sin. Jesus carried in His body the sin of every human who ever had or would live, so all who believe in Him could receive forgiveness, mercy and redemption.

John 3:16 reveals the mind of God and His loving choice to save the world from sin and death through the Godman, Jesus Christ, who has redeemed us through His life, death and resurrection.

A Prayer for a Miracle..Victoria Riollano

 A Prayer for a Miracle

By Victoria Riollano

"I took my troubles to the LORD; I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer." - Psalm 120:1

I fell down a flight of stairs.

After visiting a church only twice, I found myself face-first and legs contorted down seven thick concrete stairs. My scream was so loud people came running from every corner of the church to pray for my swift healing. Yet, no matter how loud or passionately they prayed, my leg continued to throb. Moments later, I would have to be carried out to the car and driven home by the pastor’s wife. My embarrassment would be the least of my worries this evening. The night ended with incessant pain and sobbing tears, which landed me in the ER and to a specialist. A quick look at my x-ray made it clear that I had broken several things my tibia, fibula, and ankle. The breaks were so severe that I was told I would need metal rods inserted into my leg to be able to walk and heal. The prognosis came with a year of being unable to walk properly and a life of discomfort. At only twenty-three years old, with a small infant at home, I was devastated. How would I take care of my child? How much pain would I experience? Why wasn’t I healed when the church members gathered in prayer?

Yet, in a moment of despair, I felt an insatiable urge to pray to the Lord for answers. In a gentle small voice, I heard the Lord say, “Get a second opinion.”

I couldn’t shake it, and I felt like the Lord had healed me somehow. Days later, I got a second opinion. The new doctor wanted to be thorough and made a last-minute call to give me a second x-ray. I will never forget when he entered the room and his shock. There was a major difference between my previous x-ray and my current one. Many of the injuries from days before were no longer present. I had been healed. No surgery would be needed, only a few months of physical therapy and a walking boot! Needless to say, the church, my family, and I were ecstatic. I was a walking miracle.

At this moment, I was reminded of the miracles of the Bible. I had heard the stories of the blind men seeing and the lame men walking. However, many of these stories seemed a distant reality. I had never experienced them for myself. Yet, the Lord had healed me. He had astonished the doctors and proven that he has the final say.

The verse found in Numbers 23:19 rung clearly in my heart.

“God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”

The Lord delivers on every promise. He is not fickle; he doesn't change his mind toward his creation. Yes, the same God who healed the woman with the issue of blood and healed the emotional wounds of Peter after his denial still heals! He is a God who is present in our suffering and available to us when we call out in our time of need. Our response to this marvelous God is to seek him in our time of need and believe. Though the healing may not come as quickly as we desire, we can believe he has our best interest at heart. In due season, the Lord will deliver on His promise. And the beauty of it all is the victory of every believer is that even if we aren’t healed on Earth, we have an eternal security of heaven where every tear will be wiped away! 

Let’s pray.

Lord, I thank you for your healing power. There are areas of my physical and emotional health that need you more than ever. Father, I pray for a miracle. I pray that you would bring the peace, comfort, and faith as I await your glorious unfolding of my story. I believe in you. I trust in your word and believe that you can radically change things in my life. Thank you, God, for all that you have done and continue to do. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Be Strong and Courageous..Amanda Idleman

 Be Strong and Courageous

By Amanda Idleman 

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." - Joshua 1:9 

God gave Joshua this command as he was being called to take a huge leap of faith. Moses had died, and the Israelites had not yet made it to the promised land. Joshua had spent many years as Moses’ assistant but now had to step up to lead the Israelites into the land of Canaan. Joshua was commanded to have boldness by God. God’s words to Joshua actually highlight his weakness. They point to Joshua’s need for strength, bravery, confidence, and faith through this unsure time. God graciously spoke directly to Joshua’s inner fears. This mighty leader needed encouragement.

In order for Joshua and the Israelites to make it to the promised land, they had to physically walk forward into a new place. It was then that the people were able to experience the fulfilled promise of God. Breakthrough requires a step of faith. Sometimes it’s physically moving from one place to another. Other times it’s doing the work to find healing through counseling or through forgiveness. It can be a stretching gift. It’s saying ‘yes’ to the unknown, even when you are afraid because you know the Holy Spirit is leading you forward. You trust him with the outcome. 

In order to see God’s plans come to pass in our lives, we have to be willing to partner with him. God uses those bold steps of faith to bring Heaven down to Earth! Thankfully, God promises to be with us every step of the sometimes very scary way. His word days in Joshua 1:5, “ I will not leave you nor forsake you.” You are never alone, out on that limb! 

Without those faith-stretching moments that propel us forward, we may never get the chance to see the fullness of what God has for us in our lives. God promises to be with us, but he doesn’t promise that things will be easy. I like to call these 'trust falls' into God’s arms our sloppy starts! We don’t have all the answers, yet we enthusiastically lunge forward toward God’s best for our lives. God may be asking you to embrace a ‘sloppy start’ in order to get unstuck in your spiritual life. God doesn’t require perfection for him to move in our lives, but he does ask us to present ourselves to him as living sacrifices for his will to be done. 

Notice that in the passage from Joshua, God doesn’t say move forward Joshua and I promise that everything will work out perfectly. God’s commands were aimed at Joshua’s character. He knew the strength Joshua needed to be faithful to God’s plan. 

Are you waiting for God to tell you the end result before beginning?

As people, we want assurances. We are willing to act if we know what we are getting. God usually does not work this way. He tells us how to be; he may even show us how to start, but usually doesn’t tell us what is going to come. This can make being a Christ follower very frustrating! We feel God moving us toward a new direction for our lives, but our fear holds us back because in our minds, the fear of failure is something that keeps us from moving. 

Yet, we serve a God that calls us to be faith-filled, not successful. The goal is to get to the end of our lives and hear “well done good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23), not “way to go, you won at life, you made the money and enjoyed success.” Living a life with faithfulness as the goal and not success as our primary goal is radical. 

Intersecting Faith and Life:
Where in your life is God asking you to take a step of faith? What is holding you back from entering his promised land for your life? How has God asked you to be ‘strong and courageous in the midst of so many scary unknowns? Write a list of how God is speaking to you about these things. Pray over it and begin to take one step forward toward God’s best for your life with his help. 

Further Reading

• Joshua 1