Living Without Expectation of Perfection..Craig Denison Ministries

 Living Without Expectation of Perfection

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

Offering forgiveness to others is one of the most difficult and important aspects of the Christian life. The Bible clearly commands us to forgive others. God longs to fashion us into his likeness that we might model the love we’ve been shown to a world with no concept of mercy. He longs for us to offer grace and forgiveness to the undeserving as we have been offered grace and forgiveness when we were undeserving. May you be filled with courage and boldness to offer forgiveness to those in desperate need of grace. And may God’s love shine through as you enter into your calling as a minister of reconciliation.

Scripture:“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” >Romans 3:23

Devotional:

One of the most vital aspects of offering continual forgiveness is living without expectation of perfection from others. You will never meet a perfect human. All of us suffer from the same sinful, broken condition. And as believers, our lives are a reflection of God’s grace transforming what was once wholly sinful into pictures of his love. Even in this reflection, we will never experience perfection until we pass from this world to the next and live in perfect, uninhibited relationship with our heavenly Father.

Psalm 103:10-14 offers us insight into the expectations of God in regards to our sin. May the perspective of our heavenly Father be our model for forgiveness:

He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.

God offers us continual love, grace, compassion, and forgiveness because he knows that we’ve come from dust and will return to dust once again. He knows the sins and symptoms of brokenness that entangle us. And he offers us forgiveness for our sin and grace to live righteously in the future. If we are ever going to live in the fullness of life available to us, we must learn to be like our Father. We must learn to live without an expectation of perfection from anyone. It isn’t pessimistic to view everyone as imperfect. Rather, it’s a perspective that will allow us to love and enjoy others to the fullest.

Our heavenly Father longs to guide us to a lifestyle of forgiveness because he longs for us to live with the fullness of joy. Our God’s greatest delight is relationship with his people, and it was in forgiveness by the death of Jesus that restored relationship was made possible. We are made in the image of our Father. We are created to enjoy fellowship with one another, uninhibited by the bitterness and resentment that comes from unforgiveness. We are made to have our hearts open and full of love for one another. But in order to live the abundant life, we must free ourselves from placing others on a platform of perfection they will never attain.

Take time in guided prayer to allow God to fill you with his perspective. Allow him to set you free from the expectation of perfection for others. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” May you become like your heavenly Father: filled with love, grace, and forgiveness for all those who fall short of perfection around you.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the nature of our imperfection as humans. Allow God’s word to fill you with grace for the sins and mistakes of others.

“Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.” >Ecclesiastes 7:20

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” >Romans 3:23

2. Who have you been elevating to the status of perfection? Whom do you need to offer grace to who didn’t meet your expectations?

3. Ask the Lord to fill you with grace, mercy, and forgiveness for others. Ask him to give you his perspective. Allow the Holy Spirit to lead you to a greater portion of joy and life today as you free others from the expectation of perfection.

“He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.” Psalm 103:10-14

Along with freeing others from the expectation of perfection, if we will offer ourselves the same grace and mercy that our heavenly Father does, we will experience new levels of joy and freedom. While God has offered us a path to total freedom from sin, he has the fullness of compassion for our weaknesses. Don’t strive for perfection in your works, but instead pursue a deeper relationship with the God of love and grace. You weren’t created to live perfectly in your own strength, but to know the love of the Father and allow him to empower you for the life to which you have been called. May you free yourself from the burden of perfection today and pursue greater intimacy with your heavenly Father.

Extended Reading: Psalm 103

Free To Live in Control of Our Desires..CHRISTINA PATTERSON

 Free To Live in Control of Our Desires

CHRISTINA PATTERSON

“‘I have the right to do anything,’ you say—but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’—but I will not be mastered by anything.” 1 Corinthians 6:12 (NIV)

“What do you wish mommy would do less?”

I reluctantly asked my kids this conversation-starter question we found in a children’s magazine.

Without a second of hesitation my son answered, “Be on your phone.”

My heart sank. God had already been gently sending signs that the time I spent on my phone was excessive, and my son's honest answer woke me up to this truth even more.

When I was tired, I reached for my phone. When I was bored, I scrolled through social media. When I was anxious, I looked for a distraction in my email. My phone was my not-so-secret security blanket, and God wasn't the only one who noticed.

As I prayed to break this unfortunate habit, the Lord led me to 1 Corinthians 6:12, which says:

“‘I have the right to do anything,’ you say—but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’—but I will not be mastered by anything.”

In this scripture, the Apostle Paul taught the church at Corinth the importance of self-control. As believers, we have a lot of freedom, but we should not use that freedom to make decisions that compromise the lives Christ died for us to have.

You may be thinking, I often use my phone for good things — to send encouraging emails, text a friend “Happy Birthday” or even pay my tithes. Me too! And those things are good — but still, the amount of time I spent on my phone and my reasons for doing so were certainly not always beneficial, fruitful or necessary.

This was a matter of self-control. Would I control my phone, or would it control me? God's call to practice self-control grew increasingly louder.

On one of my anxious social media scrolls, I saw a post from a friend that asked, “If you don't control yourself, who does?” Yes, God was making His message clear in every way He could.

Whether scrolling social media, making excessive trips to the pantry or growing that pile of packages at our door, we lose control when our wants rule us more than our God does. We are called to walk by the Spirit, not to be mastered by our desires.

How do we break the habits that are not beneficial to free living in Christ? Here are a few steps we can take together:

1. Seek God. (Matthew 6:33) We can pray to God for the strength to help us. Often our lack of self-control is rooted in a deeper need. Ask God for revelation as to what that need may be and for healing in that area.
2. Set boundaries. (1 John 2:17) Don't give complete control to any desire. Set limits on how much and how often you indulge in any activity that may become excessive. Start small and work your way up to more boundaries as necessary.
3. Give yourself grace. (2 Corinthians 12:9) God isn't revealing your shortcomings because He wants to condemn you. He's doing it because He wants to free you. Don’t waste time beating yourself up if you get off track. Focus on God's grace and allow His love to motivate you to keep walking toward freedom.

When we make choices out of self-control and not our feelings that come and go, we find the power to live freely for God.

Self-control is a gift the Holy Spirit gives to all believers. It’s not something we need to earn, but it’s something we must make the daily decision to use. And as we do, the Spirit releases us from the lesser things of this world and leads us to free living in Christ.

Dear heavenly Father, please lead me by Your grace and the power of Your Spirit to put down lesser things that distract me from Your purpose. I pray for the strength to resist the urge to find satisfaction from this world — I know only You can offer true satisfaction. Thank You for providing for all my needs. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Abusing God's Patience..Dr. Charles Stanley

 Abusing God's Patience

Dr. Charles Stanley

Romans 2:4-5

Have you ever ignored the press of conviction upon your heart? Maybe you rationalized your wrongdoing with the thought that if God were really upset, He'd put a stop to things by disciplining you. Psalm 50:21 reminds us that the silence of heaven does not mean approval. Remaining in sin is an abuse of the Lord's patience.

When God seems slow to react, we might hope He's overlooking our transgressions--we'd like to continue in sin because the momentary pleasure is more appealing than obedience. But thankfully, the Father knows our weaknesses, our innate carnality, and the state of our spiritual growth, and He therefore measures His response. Motivated by love and a desire to gently restore His children to righteousness, God refrains from doling out immediate punishment. Instead, He waits for the Holy Spirit's proddings to impact the believer's heart. The weight of conviction is actually an invitation to turn from wrongdoing and return to godliness.

However, we're a stubborn people. There are times when we persist in sin because the sentence against an evil deed isn't executed quickly (Eccl. 8:11). In this dangerous situa-tion, it's possible to immerse ourselves in sin and harden our hearts against the Lord. Then the Holy Spirit's call to repentance falls on spiritual ears rapidly going deaf.

As we learn and understand more about God and His ways, we are increasingly responsible to live righteously. The Lord is not slow; He's patient. Do not abuse His patience with callous disregard for His statutes. Repent and be holy in the sight of the Lord.

Praying for God’s Will, Not Our Own..Joe McKeever

 Praying for God’s Will, Not Our Own

By Joe McKeever

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “We do not know how to pray as we should” (Romans 8:26).

When we pray, we say, “Not my will, but Thy will be done.” And we say, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” We want what we want, but more than anything, we want His will. He knows what is best.

So, when we come to pray, we trust Him to answer in the way of His choice, not ours.

If we cannot pray and leave the answering of that prayer to the Father, accepting whatever He chooses to send as His will in that situation, we will quit praying. Some have quit praying.

If we cannot keep believing in God when He delays answering our prayers, we will quit praying. Many have quit.

If we cannot keep trusting when God disappoints us with the answers He sends, we will quit praying. And many have quit.

God knows what He is doing. God has His own plans. He wants our faith in Him to be strong and steadfast, to endure the hard times and to be pure in the good times.

God is at work this very moment. He will do things in His own way and He will take His own good time about it.

Do not be surprised if God’s answer to your prayers is not what you asked or wanted or expected. But what you said you wanted above all was His will to be done.

Think of Joseph: Joseph is thrown into the pit by his brothers (Genesis 37:24). Joseph is sold into slavery by his brothers and taken to Egypt (Genesis 37:28). Joseph is betrayed by his mistress and abandoned by his master and thrown into prison (Genesis 39:20). Joseph is still in prison two years later, betrayed by fellow prisoners who had promised to help him (Genesis 41:1). Joseph is made ruler over the land of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself (Genesis 41:41).

God had been on the job all along, using these tragic circumstances to prepare His man for the pivotal assignment He had for him. Joseph trusted the Lord throughout all these ups and downs–mostly downs–and God exalted him.

If we cannot walk by faith and believe by faith–a redundancy, of course–we will stop praying.

A Prayer for Healing..Emma Danzey

 A Prayer for Healing

By Emma Danzey

Psalm 103:2-3 says, "Let my whole being bless the Lord and never forget all his good deeds: how God forgives all your sins, heals all your sickness."

This is a beautiful Bible verse. May all we are give honor to the Lord and not forget what He has done. He has forgiven all of our sins through Jesus, and He has healed all of our sicknesses. But what do we do with this? We still sin daily and continually need forgiveness, and we still have brokenness and sicknesses that need to be healed.

Today, as we pray for healing, may we remember that this promise in Psalm 103 reminds us that there is great healing coming for all who place their faith in Jesus. It is significant. It is valuable to hold on to the fact that even though there is suffering in this world, it is temporary and our spiritual freedom and healing are eternal. Though we may ask for physical or emotional healing, we can stand confident that no matter God’s plan and answers, He has spiritually revived our former hopeless souls.

Let's Pray:

Dear Lord, we bless Your name. We thank You that You are God our Healer, Jehovah Rapha. We call on Your name over the healing of our loved ones. For those who are physically sick and broken, for those who are hurting and in pain, and for those who are feeling weary and tired from illness. We know that in all things You work together for the good of those who love You. 

We ask that Your name be glorified through these people, and we go on their behalf, interceding for an earthly healing to take place. Please restore their bodies to health and ease and remove their pain. Give them new energy and joy. Help them to have a sense of Your comfort and closeness in their suffering. Bless them with gratitude in the every day. Help them to experience Your miraculous work. Guide their doctors and those who are helping them on their journeys to better health. 

You told us in Psalm 147:2 that You “heal the brokenhearted and bandage their wounds.” We pray over those who are emotionally and mentally wounded. God we pray for supernatural healing of the mind. We ask that you would heal the trauma and the past hurts in their lives. Would You bless them with minds that are renewed by Your Spirit. Help them to not live in shame, but to live in confidence that You use the broken and You delight to invite them into Your kingdom work. Bless them with godly counselors and wise doctors. Help them to experience your refreshing power to ease their anxieties and depression and replace it with peace and hope. We pray that You would mend up the hearts that are broken and speak love over those in grief, rejection, or abandonment. Reveal Your power and Your presence to them. Help them to overcome the thoughts that are attacks from the enemy. Help them to take thoughts captive to Christ. 

We pray over the healing of the nations. In Revelation 22:2, You say that “On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” Father, we pray for the healing of the nations. We know this only comes through You, Jesus. We ask that You would heal relationships, heal countries around the world, and heal those who have been so easily divided. We ask that You would be moving in incredible ways to bring unity where there has been separation and hurt among the church body. Please restore and reconcile the brokenness. Rebuild what has been torn down that is over You. Remove the sinful ways of the church and reveal Your plan for Your Kingdom. We pray that all people from all nations would have opportunities to know that You love them and that You are the Savior of the world, Jesus. 

Thank You for being the Healer. Thank You for being our Great Physician. Thank You that You can even use our brokenness and sicknesses to bring about great purposes for the kingdom of God. Amen. 

Before I Formed You, I Knew You..Emma Danzey

 Before I Formed You, I Knew You

By Emma Danzey

Jeremiah 1:5 says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

Jeremiah’s Call
In Jeremiah 1, we read the sweet words of our Creator God telling Jeremiah that He knew him before He formed him. This is the beauty of our relationship with the Lord. He made us each individually. In Jeremiah 1, Jeremiah refutes God’s call on his life. He blames his age and abilities. Within his insecurities, the Lord reminds him of the confidence that is found in Him. Even though Jeremiah felt inadequate, the Creator made him to accomplish this task. The Lord was giving Jeremiah the words to say and leading Jeremiah to walk by faith. 

How often does the Lord do this with us? We come up with excuses as to why He has the “wrong person for the job.” Yet, He knows us better than we know ourselves. He has called us to Himself and purposed our lives to share His love with the world. We can easily tell ourselves that we are disqualified when in fact, it is our Maker who has not only qualified us but Who has already given us victory in Him.  

Before You Were Formed in the Womb, I Knew You
I think this is the most spectacular verse. It reminds us that even before we were conceived, God knew us. There is a comfort in being known. We desire to be known. I remember the feeling of being fully known with the good and the bad when I got married. It was a wonderful experience that pointed to the greater love that Christ has for us. He made us, and He knows us better than we even know ourselves. He knows our darkest moments and our brightest days. He chose to come to sacrifice His life so that we could live with Him forever. There is great love found in our Creator. We are like the beautiful masterpiece of art that the painter made and adores. Before we were formed, we were known.

Before You Were Born, I Set You Apart
A follower of the Living God was set apart before birth. He knew us before we were born, He knows us now, and He knows who we will become. Jeremiah was given these exact words, and they echo into the lives of believers everywhere. We have gone from being enemies to our Creator to now being His beloved children and friends. We do not look like this world when we live for Christ. We are set apart because of Jesus. This means that we will look different, and that is a good thing. We have to be careful not to compare our journeys to the paths of others. Whatever path God has for each of us is unique to us. 

I Appointed You As a Prophet to the Nations
Although this was a specific calling and promise to Jeremiah, we can learn from it. We are not Old Testament prophets, but we are disciples of Jesus. We have been given a similar calling in Matthew 20:19-20, which says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Anyone who gives his or her life to Jesus will be saved and invited into the family of God. Then, he or she will be given a new life and a new purpose. There is a beauty in being called to use our unique individual gifts to share the hope that we have in Christ. 

Intersecting Faith and Life:
How is God calling you to share the gospel of Jesus with the world? How can you rest in being born with a purpose? In what ways can you allow the Lord to remove your insecurities with HIs confident plan for your life? 

Further Reading:

• Psalm 139:15-16
• Mark 16:15
• Acts 1:8