A Prayer for the Lord to Give You His Words..Maggie Meadows Cooper

 A Prayer for the Lord to Give You His Words

By: Maggie Meadows Cooper

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’” – Mark 11:1-3

I don’t know about you, but it seems I have had many interactions lately where I just didn’t know what to say. Wanting to comfort friends going through hard things, watching the national news and trying to answer my children’s questions, or facing my own fears and not knowing how to express them. All of these scenarios seem to abound lately. And in my own strength, I struggle to find the words. It’s a delicate balance as you try to comfort without saying too much, speak truth in love, and put yourself out there, in a way.

But today, as I was listening to the story of Jesus’ Triumphant Entry in Mark 11, I felt like the Lord spoke to my heart. We see the donkey, the palm branches, people shouting praises to God as they look at Jesus with adoration...the whole scene just lifts your spirit! But there’s one detail that might be overlooked.

When Jesus sent two of His disciples into Jerusalem, he told them that they would see a young donkey tied up and that they should bring it to Him. But then, He goes one step further. Because the Lord knows our hearts, and goes behind and before, He must have already realized they were wondering what they would say if they met opposition. So He told them in verse 3, “If anyone asks, “What are you doing?” just say, “The Lord needs it and will return it soon.”

So they went. And sure enough, as they untied the colt, some bystanders asked what they were doing. But instead of stumbling over their words in fear or worry, they simply spoke the words Jesus gave them to say. And they were “permitted” to take the donkey (v.6), thereby fulfilling the prophecy from Zechariah.

I have to believe that without the Lord’s words, that scenario might have ended much differently. Not necessarily because of the words themselves, but because of the power and the direction behind them. So often through scripture, we see that when the Lord directs the speech and steps of those who need Him, they are successful in completing their tasks. Moses, Jonah, Jeremiah... so many who were used in mighty ways because the Lord’s words and directions were with them, even when they were imperfect themselves.

Oh sweet friends, as you face the day before you, don’t set your feet on the floor without asking the Lord to give you His words today. Maybe you know what you’re facing, maybe not, but as we begin to make a habit of praying before we speak, our words become more meaningful, more powerful, and ultimately, more Christ-like than they could ever be in our own strength.

Let's pray:

Dear Lord,
Thank you so much for always being available. I come to you today asking for wisdom. More than anything, I want to shine a light for you through my words and deeds. So before I open my mouth, please give me words to bring peace, healing, and restoration where needed. Words to comfort, teach, and bring understanding. And most of all, words that point others to You. Oh Jesus, forgive me for the times I have spoken without seeking your guidance first, and from this moment forward, help me to look to you.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen

Loving the Church..Craig Denison Ministries

 Loving the Church

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 all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” >John 13:35

Devotional:

The words of Jesus in Matthew 6:9 radically changed the way God’s people are to relate to him. Scripture says, “Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name.’” Through Jesus,  we now come before God as his child. And because God is our Father, fellow believers are now our spiritual family. Other disciples of Jesus are our brothers and sisters. And church is now a spiritual family reunion designed to be centered around the love and goodness of our Father.

1 John 3:1 says, “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” We have been brought into fellowship with one another because God loves us. We are children of God because he longs to have the relationship of a father and his children with us. In fact, God created the family unit to be an earthly reflection of God’s heavenly family.

And Scripture is clear that it is incredibly important that God’s children love one another. Colossians 3:12-15 says, “Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.”

For the church to work as “one body,” its members must commit to loving one another as Christ has loved us. Church requires selfless acts of grace, love, honor, and respect. It requires sacrificial commitment. But the result is a glorious union founded on and fueled by the depth of God’s love.

And the world will come to join our family as we increasingly love one another. Jesus said in John 13:35, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” The world isn’t enticed by rules and regulations. And it assuredly isn’t enticed with drama, quarreling, bickering, slander, and division. The world needs real, loving relationship with God and his family. The world needs love.

May you be a child of God committed to the people of God. May you receive and give the grace of your heavenly Father to all those he has brought into your spiritual family. And may you love your brothers and sisters in Christ so that the world might know the love of the Father when it sees you. Allow God to fill and empower you to love the church well as you enter into guided prayer.         

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s desire for you to sacrificially love the church.

“And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.” >Colossians 3:14-15

“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”>Romans 12:10

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you,that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” >John 17:20-21

2. Reflect on your heart for the church. Allow God to fill you with a greater desire to love others in the family of God. Repent for any ways in which you have made church about anything other than loving God and his children.

3. Ask God to empower you to sacrificially love others in your church. Ask him to fill you with grace and love for his children. Spend time resting in his presence and taking note of his heart for his people. Allow his heart for the church to become your heart.

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” >Ephesians 2:19-22

God has placed within you a love that can change the trajectory of human lives. May loving others increasingly become a natural extension of your relationship with God. May you be filled with his heart for others daily as you spend time with him. And may he use you in powerful ways to bring his kingdom to earth everywhere you go.

Extended Reading: Ephesians 2

Where To Look When We’re Prone To Wander..BETH KNIGHT

 Where To Look When We’re Prone To Wander

BETH KNIGHT

“Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” Proverbs 4:25-27 (NIV)

I knew the margin for error was small; one slight drift to the left or right, and damage would ensue. So I glued my eyes to my rearview mirror and clutched my steering wheel with a white-knuckled grip.

For years, I’d avoided parking my minivan in our garage, fearful I might back into our narrow garage door opening. However, my scorching-hot driver’s seat, courtesy of the Georgia summer heat, persuaded me otherwise that day.

With determination, I inched my car backward when suddenly a loud “Mom!” disrupted my focus. As I glanced over my shoulder at my son in the back seat, a cringe-worthy crunching sound alerted me — I had wandered off the straight and narrow path, drifting toward destruction.

I had no idea I had turned the steering wheel slightly toward the right; a misplaced focus caused a subtle yet dangerous drift. My face burned with shame at the damage I’d caused.

Like the old hymn says, I’m also “prone to wander” in my spiritual life. More than anything, I desire to walk wisely and live faithfully for Christ. Yet I easily drift toward the desires of my flesh and cares of this world.

King Solomon understood the propensity of God’s people to stray, so he pleaded with his sons in Proverbs 4 to pursue God’s wisdom at all costs. He ended the passage with three instructions:

1. “Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you” (Proverbs 4:25). What I fix my eyes on is what I will follow. So, to walk wisely, I must keep my eyes on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of my faith. (Hebrews 12:2) No news outlet, self-help book or social media influencer will suffice.
2. “Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways” (Proverbs 4:26). Ephesians 5:15-16 says, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil” (NIV). Carefully living out my faith presents a divine opportunity to proclaim Christ.
3. “Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil” (Proverbs 4:27). Psalm 119:9 reveals we can keep our feet from evil by living according to God’s Word. But a determined will isn’t enough; wise living is only accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit and prayer.

When I detour from these instructions, I feel mashed up and broken, just like my dented-in car door. Thankfully, God’s grace is sufficient to repair what is broken and redirect my steps.

Precious friends, distractions will come. But distractions needn’t completely derail us if we’ll keep our eyes on Jesus.

So, when suffering and tragedy discourage, look to Jesus. When divisions and disunity dishearten, look to Jesus. When tempted to compare yourself to others, look to Jesus.

Come what may — just keep looking up.

Heavenly Father, when distractions surround me, help me keep my eyes on You. By Your grace enable me, and by Your Spirit empower me, to walk wisely for Your name’s sake. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Basis for Discernment..Dr. Charles Stanley

 The Basis for Discernment

Dr. Charles Stanley

Hebrews 4:12-13

Since spiritual discernment is the ability to see life from God's perspective, it requires that we know how He thinks and acts. The Bible is His unchanging, infallible revelation of Himself. However, the Lord doesn't simply give us a list of facts about His character and ways. All throughout the pages of Scripture, He illustrates who He is and how He operates.

Although the Bible is ancient, it's not a dead book. It's alive and as fresh as if He were speaking directly to you. The stories may have taken place centuries ago, but the principles and applications are current and relevant. It's our instruction book about how to live. Guidance for decisions and discernment about situations are found from Genesis to Revelation.

God's Word is active and piercing. The words don't simply sit on the page. They penetrate our hearts and judge our thoughts and motives. This convicting quality is why some people don't like to read the Bible. But self-discernment is essential if we don't want to keep making the same mistakes over and over again. Some Christians live on a surface level, never understanding why they react to situations the way they do. But if we'll approach the Word of God with an open spirit, it will bring to light our hidden motives and reveal unrecognized sins.

Spiritual discernment involves seeing not just our circumstances but also ourselves from God's perspective. Have you learned to embrace the piercing sword of Scripture, or have you avoided doing so because it makes you uncomfortable? Remember, God's Word cuts only so that it can heal.

How God Empowers Believers for Spiritual Warfare..Debbie McDaniel

 How God Empowers Believers for Spiritual Warfare

By Debbie McDaniel

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace, in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:11-17).

God reminds us not to go into the day without being prepared and equipped for battle. He tells us to take up his full armor in order to stand against the enemy’s schemes. Each piece has a specific purpose and is designed for our protection and covering. Just as a soldier would not go to battle unprepared, we also should be fully ready for the attacks we will face.

God arms us with the sword, the Word of God, to stand against the enemy’s lies. He equips us with strength, wisdom, and discernment through His own Spirit to stay strong in the battle. He invites us to spend time in His Presence, through prayer and worship, pressing in to know Him more.

As we grow to know God’s Truth more and more, understanding what is real, we also grow to know more what is false. We’re able to quickly discern when something’s not right. We are stronger to stand against it in the powerful name of Jesus. He never leaves us to fend for ourselves in a dark world, but reminds us He is constantly with us, fighting for us, even when we cannot see.

When we belong to Christ, the enemy never has the final word over our lives. We are secure in God’s hands.

Press on – courageous and free – never held back by fear or defeat. The battle belongs to the Lord, and He has the final victory!

A Bump on a Log..Meg Bucher

 A Bump on a Log

By Meg Bucher

“He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.” - Philippians 3:21 NLT

Bump on a log. It’s an old saying but an accurate description of how I felt. The pounds were piling on, and I was running out of wardrobe options. “You’re fine,” my people reassured me.

“No, you have not gained weight,” my husband promised. 

But I knew something had changed, and it wasn’t my lifestyle. When bloodwork revealed the reason for all the extra pounds piling on, I was relieved! Not only did I have an answer, but a solution. On this earth, our bodies are constantly breaking down. And it’s not always because of our age. Diagnosis happens at all ages and stages. Physically and mentally, we are going to feel like bumps on a log some days, for we are constantly reminded of which side of heaven we are residing on. The side with the sin problem ... the curse of it is leaving us subject to sickness, weakness, disease, and death.

Before the pandemic, many professionals were concerned about the downturn in the mental health of the world. Post-pandemic, we have drifted into a mental health pandemic of sorts. There isn’t one of us who wasn’t touched by the isolation, sickness, confusion, restrictions, and loss the pandemic brought us. And now, we are all left reeling to find our next steps in a life which feels more extreme and out of control than ever before.

“He will bring everything under his control,” Paul wrote. The world we live in is hurting, physically and mentally. Many are spiritually bankrupt and have nothing to put their hope in, no reason to hope. Our job, as Christ followers, to love people is incredibly important. Always has been. Always will be. Hope is not lost, though it sure seems to be some days.

We, as Christ followers, are not sheltered from the suffering, but rather we walk through it alongside everyone else. The difference is the Hope we have in Jesus. The hope which guarantees our struggling physical bodies and minds battling with anxiety and depression will soon be exchanged for “glorious bodies like His own.” Let’s not walk through life telling each other, “you’re fine.” Look, a lot of us are not fine. But tons of us have an everlasting Hope pulling us through and illuminating the beauty of the world and the people around us. Hope allows us to recognize God and see the good, no matter what our circumstances are.

The NIV translation of Philippians 3:21 reads: “Who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.” Our complete hope lies not in the power of doctors, medicine, counselors, or pastors to change our circumstances. God will heal through those and many other giftings, but the anchor of our Hope is found in Christ, alone. God loves us so much that He gave His only Son to die so we would not have to suffer forever. Jesus willingly gave His life to give us hope. There is no greater love story than the love the LORD has for us.

The Voice paraphrase of Philippians 3:20-21 reads: “But we are citizens of heaven, exiles on earth waiting eagerly for a Liberator, our Lord Jesus the Anointed, to come and transform these humble, earthly bodies into the form of His glorious body by the same power that brings all things under His control.”

Intersecting Faith and Life:

When we have to spend time in the hospital, it’s hard to think about anything else but getting home. Being away from our family and our community makes us feel home-sick. The longing we feel for our earthly home is rooted in the pull of eternity in heaven on our heartstrings. God is powerful. Creator of all, fully in control of this world which seems so chaotic- will transform us. In fact, for all who have given their lives to Christ, the transformation has already begun.

It’s OK to feel like a bump on a log here on earth, as long as we don’t allow those feelings to become facts. Each day has a purpose, the easy and the hard, the good and the bad. Let us seek God each day, undistracted by our brokenness and laser-focused on the Hope we have in Him. He’s never broken a promise. Transformation is coming. 

God Bless, and glory up.

Further Reading:

• 1 Corinthians 15:35-58
• 2 Corinthians 5:1-10