Joy in Every Circumstance..Craig Denison Ministries

 Joy in Every Circumstance

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

As children of the Most High God, we are to be marked by contagious, unceasing joy. Through the Holy Spirit we have access to an unending supply of joy that comes from the wellspring of restored relationship with our heavenly Father. God longs to fill us with his joy that we might live the abundant life Jesus died to give us. He longs to make us children fashioned in the image of our Father that we might share his unending joy to a world without hope. May you discover the greater portion of joy available to you through the Spirit as you encounter the heart of your Father this week.

Scripture:“Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.” Psalm 126:5-6

Devotional:

The joy of the Lord available to us in the Holy Spirit transcends all circumstances, relationships, and possessions. It is an internal joy fed to our hearts by the wellspring of joy the Father has toward us. God longs to make us a people marked by his joy. He longs to fill us with the knowledge of how thrilled he is to be our Father. He longs to make us a joyful people in every circumstance and season. 1 Peter 1:6-9 says,

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

We can have joy in the midst of trial and tribulation because we have a genuine faith that this life is not all there is. Our hope reaches far beyond the confines of this fleeting age of sin and separation from God and looks toward the day when we will live in perfect, face-to-face relationship with our Creator. Every trial and tribulation is an opportunity to cling to the truth that this world is not our home and to be filled with joy at the thought of what awaits us on the other side of this life.

James 1:2-4 says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” While God may not cause the various trials we face, he most certainly uses them to cause our joy to find its source in him alone. Our heavenly Father knows that if we place our joy in the fleeting and fickle circumstances of this life our lives will be an emotional rollercoaster rather than a reflection of how consistently good he is.

Your heavenly Father has a compassionate heart toward the problems you face. He never desires for you to act or try and drum up faith that everything will be all right. He longs to meet you at the very core of your trial and fill you with abundant joy that’s rooted in his love alone. He longs to guide you through the tough seasons of life that try and rob you of your allotted portion of joy. He longs to make your faith steadfast and sure so you can meet the tribulations of this world head-on with joy. Run to your Father today with every weight and problem. Ask him to guide you to the still waters that your soul might be restored. And receive all the joy he longs to give you today as you encounter his deep and powerful love for you.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s desire to fill you with joy in every circumstance.

“Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.” Psalm 126:5-6

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4

2. What trial or tribulation are you facing that God longs to use to strengthen your faith with joy? Where does God want to meet you today that you might live with the joy of his love rather than the weight of the world?

3. Ask God to guide you to the source of joy for your circumstance. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you proper perspective about your life. Open your heart and allow God to come and love you where you’re at.

“Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” Psalm 51:12

May Mother Teresa's words spur you toward a lifestyle of joy today:

“Joy is prayer – Joy is strength – Joy is love – Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls. God loves a cheerful giver. She gives most who gives with joy. The best way to show our gratitude to God and the people is to accept everything with joy. A joyful heart is the inevitable result of a heart burning with love. Never let anything so fill you with sorrow as to make you forget the joy of the Christ risen.”

Extended Reading: James 1

Running on Empty..MEGHAN MELLINGER

 Running on Empty

MEGHAN MELLINGER

“Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” Genesis 2:3 (NIV)

Today, I feel like a car that’s run out of gas.

I’ve been speeding through life without stopping — hustling and hurrying my way through every invite on my calendar and every person in my life. Sure, I saw the “low fuel” alerts, but I ignored them and just kept going.

And going.

And going.

And now I find myself running on empty, overwhelmed and anxious, wrapped up in blankets, candy wrappers everywhere, flipping through every verse my Bible's concordance has on “rest.”

And then a verse I’ve read many times before strikes me differently:

“By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done” (Genesis 2:2-3, NIV).

The day God poked holes in the night sky? Good. The day God created the narwhals? Good. The day God created man and woman? Very good. (Genesis 1:16-31) But the day God stopped and rested from His work? That day was different. That day was set apart. That day was holy.

Rest is so significant that God declared one day of the week for it.

But what does true rest look like? How do I break the daily grind of performance and productivity to honor a day of rest?

Jesus offers us examples of resting without staring at a screen or eating a whole stuffed-crust pizza in one sitting (guilty!). He shows us rest that is restoring, not mindlessly distracting.

After He served and saved the masses:

1. Jesus spent alone time with the Father.

Away from His work and His people, Jesus talked with His Dad. There was praying and pleading, rejoicing and praising, listening and waiting. It was quality time together with the One who loved Him the most.

2. Jesus spent quality time with His closest friends.

Throughout Jesus’ ministry, we see Him sharing food, emotions and time with close friends and family. While Jesus had many followers, He intentionally took time away from the masses for quality time with a few people.

To us, shifting from 100 miles per hour to a complete standstill may feel wrong. It feels counterproductive and is countercultural. It feels almost impossible to cut out 15 minutes a day, let alone a whole entire day, to rest. But it is necessary. It is life-giving, joy-filling and soul-restoring.

It is a day that has to be different from the rest.

Our rest day is our holy day.

A day of rest in the presence of a heavenly Father who loves us more than anything, and a day shared with friends who know us better than anyone. Now that will fill up our tanks.

From the beginning, we were never designed to be constantly on the go. God didn’t rest on the seventh day because He needed to — He did it because He knew we would need to.

Jesus, help me to choose the holiness of rest over the pressure of busyness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Handling Difficult Circumstances..Dr. Charles Stanley

 Handling Difficult Circumstances

Dr. Charles Stanley

Philippians 3:8-11

The apostle Paul understood how to handle tough circumstances. Even while he was confined in a prison cell, he kept his eyes on Christ and trusted firmly in the Savior. Therefore, despite being in chains, he was able to celebrate the Lord’s work in his life. In fact, the epistle he wrote from jail to the Philippians was filled with rejoicing (1:18; 2:18; 3:1).

Focusing on Christ is neither a natural reaction nor an easy one. Our instinct is to dwell on the situation at hand, searching for solutions or stewing over the pain and difficulty. As a result, troubles look scary and overwhelm us with a sense of defeat.

However, fear and defeat cannot live long in a heart that trusts the Lord. I’m not saying you’ll forget what you’re going through, but you can choose to dwell on His provision and care instead. He is the Deliverer (2 Cor. 1:10). He is the Healer (Deut. 32:39). He is the Guide (Prov. 3:6).  The believer who lays claim to divine promises discovers that God pushes back negative emotions. In their place, hope, confidence, and contentment take up residence (Phil. 4:11). You aren’t going to be happy about a difficult situation, but you can be satisfied that God is in control and up to something good in the midst of trouble.

The Lord’s principles and promises don’t change, no matter how severe or painful the situation is. Focus on Christ instead of the circumstances—God will comfort your heart and bring you safely through the trial. Then you can answer Paul’s call to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil. 4:4).

Who Does God Call?..By: Lynette Kittle

 Who Does God Call? 

By: Lynette Kittle

Today’s Bible Verse: “Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth” (1 Corinthians 1:26).

Here is a question I have been considering as of late: have we forgotten the kinds of people whom God calls and reveals His power in and through? Does it seem like many of us are looking to the cultural standards around us to decide who is qualified for spiritual leadership?

The world around us believes more in educational degrees, prestigious titles and awards, and those who seem polished and cultured. They are quick to disqualify or overlook those who lack certain bells and whistles.

For those who don’t fit into the world’s standards of importance, it can make them feel like they don’t quite measure up. But be encouraged because God loves to call those deemed unqualified, underestimated, and overlooked by people to accomplish His will. Often God calls the weary, worn out, and even the way out to move through on earth.

How God Chooses

It seems more and more that believers are adopting the standards of the world inside the Church. But God sees deeper than outward appearances and achievements. He’s much more concerned with the condition of our hearts than the degrees hanging on our walls.

1 Samuel 16:7 explains how people look at the outward appearance of men and women, but God looks at the heart.

How many times have you heard individuals criticizing, maybe even making fun of, or laughing at ministries or individuals who aren’t using the highest technology or presenting themselves in the most polished way when presenting the Gospel?

Some believe God only works through the cultured and refined. 1 Corinthians 1:27 gives us a different standard of assessment: “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”

People who criticize who God calls are assessing their efforts on worldly standards instead of God’s vision for spreading His truth. 1 Corinthians 1:28 goes on to explain how he works. “God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him."

Think of John the Baptist (Matthew 3:4) – Elijah (1 Kings 17:5-6), Zacchaeus (Luke 19:2) and more unlikely individuals described in the Bible. They didn’t fit society’s vision of an influencer, and still, God chose to reveal Himself through them.

God Empowers Us

God doesn’t want us boasting in how many degrees we possess, what technology we use, or in our polished looks. Rather, as 1 Corinthians 1:31 tells us, “Therefore, as it is written: 'Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.'"

God chooses to work through our weaknesses, so that those who see and hear us know the power demonstrated through us is from God and not us. 2 Corinthians 4:7, explains, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”

A Prayer to Lay Down One’s Life..Victoria Riollano

 A Prayer to Lay Down One’s Life

By Victoria Riollano

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

True love comes with sacrifice.

I will never forget the first time I walked into Walter Reed Bethesda Military Hospital. As a military spouse, I have always heard of this hospital. It was the hub where presidents are cared for and where military members who have been severely injured would find care. Yet the truth is, I wasn’t prepared for what I would see when I arrived. I had no idea how many men and women I would see who had been amputated, had severe scars, who struggled with mental health issues, and who had sacrificed during their military service. More and more, I started to realize why those who served in the armed forces were true heroes. Even more so, I knew from the depths of my soul that many of my daily privileges were due to these brave men and women. 

Yet, this immense thankfulness that I felt every time I entered the building was not just refreshing for me emotionally but reminded me of a deep spiritual truth. Just like the love of one’s country draws military members to action, our God has already done the same. His great compassion and love for us have allowed us to live in freedom, knowing that we will receive the ultimate victory, eternal life. He sacrificed Himself so that I could be free from the bondage of the law and sin. Even more so, because of His choice, I knew that I no longer had to carry the weightiness of my own guilt and shame. I was free to know that even though I hadn’t been perfect and didn’t deserve grace, He did it anyway. He gave of Himself despite the fact that I certainly wasn’t worthy. He paid the price for my freedom. My response to a God who was willing to give it all is pure thankfulness and showing others this same love. 

I love how Jesus says it in John 15:12-13 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

My prayer for you today is that you would recognize the depth of this love God has for you and that this love will be a reminder of how we should love one another. May we be willing to serve and care for the needs of others, knowing that our God has done the same. There is no greater love than this! May we always be mindful of the great love that He has had for us that He would give His life for us. And may this love compel us into action and intentional service to the world around us.

Let’s pray:

Lord, I thank you for loving me. Your death and resurrection on the cross were the ultimate sacrifice for me. God, help me to never take your love for granted. Help me to see your love as a motivator to lay down my life for you and those around me. Teach me how to have eyes to see the needs of others and to be willing to share my resources and support in a way that would bring you honor. Show me Lord how to love and give the way that you would call me to. I thank you for your heart for humanity. You, Lord, are my hero. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God Is Our Confidence..Jessica Van Roekel

 God Is Our Confidence

By Jessica Van Roekel

“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that I will seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his shelter in the days of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock” (Psalm 27:4-5 ESV).

At different points in my spiritual journey, I’ve needed to reorient my heart’s confidence in the Lord. Distractions abound and take the form of disappointments and discouragement. I grow weary of trying to work in peace with those who seek to destroy it. Difficult situations stretch on without an end in sight, and I lose sight of God. Friends turn to enemies as they seek to destroy my reputation. It’s in these moments that I reach for the Psalms and remember how God fights for me and fills me with confidence.

The title of Hebrews chapter 11 is called “By Faith” or “The Hall of Faith” and contains many stories of faith in action. Faith is “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen,” coupled with obedience. Abraham left the land of his ancestors to journey to a new land at the command of God. This journey of his led him into a foreign land filled with unknown enemies. His life serves as a reminder that we are not to look for unending security in this present world but that we are traveling through on our way to God’s city and home for us in heaven.

Yet, the present world is hard, and eternity seems a long way off, so what can we do? By faith, we can believe that God responds to us when we sincerely look to him. He gives us his presence—his very self to us—and his joy becomes interwoven into our lives so that we can face our difficult circumstances with confidence. God’s promises apply to our hearts and can carry us through the hard parts of life.

Through faith, we pursue a deeper relationship with God so that we grow in our desire for his presence, power, and purpose in our lives. Our confidence isn’t in getting what we want in this life but in getting more of God in our lives. He is the reason we can stand in front of our enemies and say, with confidence, “I believe the Lord is with me and because of him I can stand.”

God is our confidence. He is our shield and refuge. In him, we find hope in the face of a hopeless situation. Because of God, we can remain at peace when those around us attack. It is God who hides us when we run toward him instead of away. He is our rock and refuge, an everlasting God who has no beginning and end.

True enduring faith that grows our confidence involves trusting God in every circumstance, even the bone-crushing disappointing ones like an unwanted diagnosis or a friendship gone awry. Confidence grows when we take God at his word and remain loyal to him when things don’t go our way. We can move forward when we choose to make God our refuge and believe that he will lift us up in his way and time.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
What’s difficult for you right now? What’s the hard thing standing in the way of confidence in the Lord? Sickness, anxiety, depression, and division seem rampant in society. The problems appear too big yet continue to grow. God longs to be your confidence. Take him at his Word. Spend time with him each day, meditating on his goodness and righteousness. Let him minister to the hurt places in your heart by opening it to him and receiving his care. He hears your heart and longs for you to make him your confidence.

Further Reading:

• Psalm 27
• Hebrews 11