God’s Heart to Meet with Man: the Woman Caught in Adultery..Craig Denison Ministries

 

God’s Heart to Meet with Man: the Woman Caught in Adultery

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

Throughout Scripture we see countless examples of God meeting with man and countless lives being transformed as the result. These examples are in Scripture to stir our faith and fill us with a desire to meet with our Creator. When we read about the life of David, we should be filled with a longing to live as he did, centered around meeting with our heavenly Father. When we read about Gideon or Moses, we should long to know our God as they did. When we read about Jesus coming down to us or his heart for the woman caught in adultery, we should respond by pursuing encounters with our Savior. And when we read of Pentecost and Jesus’ second coming, we should seek out the fullness of God’s presence available to us on this earth in preparation for the age that is to come. May your heart be filled with a wholehearted desire to pursue meeting with God this week.

Scripture:“Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7

Devotional:

The story of the woman caught in adultery is one the most powerful depictions of God’s heart to meet man in the midst of sin and show grace. Scripture says,

Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” John 8:2-11

When I find myself in the midst of sin, my first instinct is to run away from God. For some reason we seem to hold this belief that God is like us: that he loves us like we love ourselves. I assume he’s even more ashamed of me than I am of myself. I assume he’s distanced himself from me in my sin. I assume that he can’t be near to me or that his grace surely isn’t strong enough for my sin this time. But Jesus’ actions when presented with the woman caught in adultery completely obliterate my worldly perceptions of his grace.

Imagine the fear this woman feels. Imagine the horrific embarrassment and shame she feels being caught in the act of terrible sin and dragged before Jesus, God incarnate. Put yourself in her position. Feel the piercing glares of onlookers. Try and hear the terrible judgements being hurled your way by these religious leaders.

Now imagine Jesus standing before you, drawing in the sand as he did that day. Imagine what he would say to you in your sin. He doesn’t seem surprised. He doesn’t seem worried. He doesn’t even cast judgment on you. Instead, he shows you the fullness of grace for your sin.

God longs to cast away all the lies the accuser would speak to you. He longs to cause all the judgments you speak over yourself and that others have spoken over you to flee in light of his powerful grace. Jesus stands before you today with nail-pierced hands having fully paid the price for each one of your sins. He’s ready to empower you to “Go, and from now on sin no more” by his love and grace. Receive his love today. Allow him to meet you in the midst of your sin. Run into his arms instead of away from him. And live empowered to experience the fullness of his presence and total freedom from sin.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s heart to meet us in our sin as displayed through the woman caught in adultery.

“Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, ‘Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?’ This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, ‘Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.’  And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.’” John 8:2-11

2. Where are you closing off your heart to God as the result of your sin? Where do you feel unloveable? Where have lies and accusations caused you to withdraw yourself from God rather than run to him?

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1

3. Take time to receive the grace, forgiveness, and love of your heavenly Father. Confess your sin to him and rest in his loving presence. Be filled with the power of his grace that you might walk in freedom today.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

May 1 John 2:1-2 fill you with faith to run to Jesus with your sin rather than away from him in shame or judgment:

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

Extended Reading: Romans 8

           

How You Can Encourage Your Husband When He’s Struggling With His Faith..LISA JACOBSON

 How You Can Encourage Your Husband When He’s Struggling With His Faith

LISA JACOBSON 

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (ESV) 

I don’t know why I hadn’t picked up on it earlier.

One Friday evening, I looked up to see my husband walking by with his shoulders slumped and his stride too slow. He moved as if burdened by some great weight, and it was all he could do to carry it across the floor.

My heart ached to watch his heavy steps as he made his way to the other side of the room.

How did I not notice this before? My excuse is that we were caught up in such a swirl of troubles — challenges at church, a struggling child and a work deal fallen through — that I’d not stopped to realize the full effect it was having on him.

But if pressed, I’d probably have to admit I was too caught up in my own concerns of that difficult season to consider what might have been his own concerns.

I couldn’t ignore the signs any longer. Yes, we still said grace before our meals and rarely missed church on Sundays, but there was a noticeable lack of enthusiasm on my husband’s part.

Clearly, my man was not in a good place, and my heart went out to him. What can I do to bolster his spirits? To help strengthen his faith in this trying season?

Maybe you’ve asked some of these same questions and more.

So what does a wife do when her man is downcast? When he seems rather lost or wavering? Maybe he’s stopped reading his Bible or attending church. Perhaps he never did those things in the first place. And for this reason or possibly others, you’re worried about where your husband might be in his spiritual journey.

Oh, friend, few things make a married Christian woman feel more helpless than watching her husband struggle with his faith.

I’m sure you’ve tried everything — subtly placed his Bible on the bedside table, asked if he’ll go to church with you this coming Sunday or urged him to try the new men’s Bible study. But despite your best efforts, he’s shown little interest in these spiritual pursuits. Naturally, you’re anxious for him — and yet you are not as powerless as you might feel.

Although it’s true we cannot walk in faith for another person, we can still minister to our husbands in their wrestling places. We can do as 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says: “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”

You can begin by calling out to God on your husband's behalf. More than a basic “pray for him,” this means true supplication — crying out to the Lord to bless, heal, convict and move him. Your husband might be encouraged by knowing his wife is lifting him up, even if he is not in a place where he feels like praying for himself.

When a man is discouraged, he is often down on himself most of all. So this would be the perfect time to affirm the good you can see in your husband that he might not be able to see for himself. Express your appreciation for the everyday tasks he does for you, and remind him of those unique qualities you love about him. Instead of pointing out what he isn’t doing well, point out any positives, no matter how small.

And never underestimate the power of your faithful example in your husband’s life. An understanding smile, an encouraging word and a joyful song on your lips — even while going through trials — can have a stronger influence on him than might be immediately apparent.

You can have a tremendous impact on your husband by shining the love of Christ — sometimes quietly and other times exuberantly — in your home.

Dear heavenly Father, I want to encourage my husband in his faith. Please give me discernment and insight on what he needs from me right now — what I should say or not say, what I can do or not do. Please, oh Lord, bless, heal, convict and move him! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

From Ordinary to Great..Dr. Charles Stanley

 From Ordinary to Great

Dr. Charles Stanley

Acts 4:13

Anyone who studies God's ways soon realizes they are quite different from man's. Worldly wisdom says that extraordinary people and abundant resources are needed for great tasks, yet the Lord often chooses the small and insignificant to achieve His purposes on earth.

For example, Christ selected a rather unimpressive group of men as disciples, yet after being filled with the Spirit, they "turned the world upside down." During His ministry on earth, Jesus fed thousands with a child's meager lunch, and He viewed the widow's two small coins as a greater offering than all the other generous donations (John 6:5-12; Luke 21:2-3).

God specializes in using people who aren't naturally qualified to accomplish His tasks. Moses was a verbally impaired 80-year-old shepherd who liberated a nation. After Gideon hid from the enemy, God made him a valiant warrior. David was the overlooked youngest son who killed a giant with a small stone and became Israel's greatest king.

God isn't looking for impressive people; He wants willing ones who will bow the knee in humble submission. Being weak and ordinary doesn't make you useless. Rather, it positions you for a demonstration of divine power in your life. He takes insignificant ones and delights in making them great.

Have you ever considered that your lack of ability, talent, or skill is the ideal setting for a great display of Christ's power and glory? If you are willing to submit to His leading and venture into the scary yet rewarding territory of faith and obedience, He will do great things in and through you.

How Jesus Turned a Set-Up into an Unforgettable Act of Forgiveness..Meg Bucher

 How Jesus Turned a Set-Up into an Unforgettable Act of Forgiveness

By Meg Bucher

“They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bend down and started to write on the ground with his finger.” John 8:6 (NIV)

“Let’s draw on the driveway!!!” my littles yelled.

Rainbows and unicorns and “I love you, mom"s littered the driveway.The next afternoon I trudged out back towards the cool oasis of the house on a hot summer day with a handful of mail, those driveway drawings jumped into my frame of sight.

What did Jesus know about how often we look at the ground?

More often we look down in distracted thinking, or to avoid eye contact. We’re too busy to converse or too choosy to associate. Whatever the reason may be, Jesus proves in today’s text that even when we are trying to avoid His eye contact, His message will still catch our eye. The Voice paraphrase of John 8:6b-11a reads:

“Jesus: Let the first stone be thrown by the one among you who has not sinned.

Once again Jesus bent down to the ground and resumed writing with His finger. The Pharisees who heard Him stood still for a few moments and then began to leave slowly, one by one, beginning with the older men. Eventually only Jesus and the woman remained, and Jesus looked up.

Jesus: Dear woman, where is everyone? Are we alone? Did no one step forward to condemn you?

Woman Caught in Adultery:  Lord, no one has condemned me.

Jesus: Well, I do not condemn you either; all I ask is that you go and from now on avoid the sins that plague you.”

As the others looked down at the ground, none wanting to answer Jesus’ question, whatever He wrote or chose to illustrate on in the dirt that day convicted every last accuser to abandon judgement. Can you hear His holy finger moving the dirt in a quiet, captivated crowd, awaiting for Him to side with them and stone this woman? The quiet turned to shock as their eyes possibly widened followed by slow-shuffling steps fading away from the scene.

“This was all set up as a test for Jesus; His answers would give them grounds to accuse Him of crimes against Moses’ law. Jesus bent over and wrote something in the dirt with His finger.” John 8:6 (VOICE)

They thought they had her. But Jesus found a way to love this woman, forgive this woman, and illustrate compassion only God is capable of giving. All the while, according to the NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, following the Roman rule for stoning to unravel the set-up. “If Jesus as a prophet of restoration insists on following Biblical teaching about stoning, as his critics may expect him to, he can be accused to the authorities as the undermining Roman order …before announcing sentences, Roman judges would write them down…” 

There can be much speculating about what Jesus wrote or illustrated in the dirt that day because the text doesn’t give us that many clues, but the overriding lesson of forgiveness was clear.

Father, Praise You for forgiveness! Thank You for grace! We confess the wrong that we have done and the convictions we have placed upon others. Forgive us, and strengthen our hearts to be compassionate like Jesus’.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

A Prayer When We Struggle to Forgive..Rev. Kyle Norman

 A Prayer When We Struggle to Forgive

By Rev. Kyle Norman

“Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” - Colossians 3:13

What do we do when we find it hard to forgive? How do we cope when everything in us wants to define another by the hurt they have caused?  How do we forgive when we feel that the offending person simply doesn’t deserve it?

Recently, I had this question posed to me by a parishioner. Their teenage son was having a hard time forgiving the people who wounded him in the past. He had good reason to. His father was not a nice man, and his grandmother, who lived with him for the first 12 years of his life, moved away without any notice; he simply returned home from school one day, and she was gone. Both these events occurred years ago, and yet the lingering effects are tangible in his life. “He just can’t forgive,” his mother lamented.

We sometimes think forgiveness is about pretending that a hurt or an offense did not take place. “Forgive and Forget,” we say. But when deep harm is done, it stays with us. We can’t forget, and because we can’t forget, we mistakenly think that we are not able to forgive. 

Forgiving someone who has wounded us is not about sweeping things under the rug, or pretending that the offense did not happen. Forgiveness is about refusing to let the hurt control our lives. The fact is, if we sit in unforgiveness, we continue to define ourselves by the hurt. We may say that we have moved on, but that wound still holds sway over us. Thinking about the person or the event causes negativity to rise within us. We hold grudges. We desire revenge. And often, a deep but vibrant bitterness takes hold.

Unforgiveness is a prison that traps us in shame, resentment, and hatred. Furthermore, the energy that it takes to hold onto those feelings eventually turn inward. They sap our strength and darken our spirits. Perhaps it is for this reason that Jesus commanded us to forgive those who have sinned against us (Matthew 6:12). Jesus commands us to forgiven, not because the offending person has earned it but because the act of forgiveness frees us. Forgiveness frees us from the burden of holding a grudge. Forgiveness frees us from the toxic bitterness that eats away at us. 

In Bread for the Journey, Henri Nouwen writes, “Forgiveness allows us to claim our power and not let these events destroy us; it enables them to become events that deepen the wisdom of our hearts. Forgiveness indeed heals memory.”  When we take the step to forgive another, we are the ones who get healed. We become restored.

Are you going through a time where you find it difficult to forgive? Are you harboring feelings of resentment or bitterness?  Are these feelings ones that you would love to rid yourself of? Jesus doesn’t want your life to be dominated by sin, whether that is your own sin or someone else’s. These are burdens that you are not meant to carry.

What might it look like for you to stop carrying the weight of the other person’s sin? Forgiveness is about giving everything to God. We release the person and whatever they may have done into the hands of Jesus. This allows us to put away the desire for revenge or recompense. We no longer feel invested in the other’s destruction. We never overcome evil by evil; we only overcome evil by goodness, mercy, and love. This is the way of Jesus.

Let’s Pray:

Gracious and Almighty Father,
I thank you for the gift of forgiveness in my life. I recognize that your mercy and grace to me are completely unearned; they are gifts given in your steadfast love. I also know that it is because I have been forgiven that you call me to forgive. 

But, Lord, I am having a hard time offering forgiveness. Ongoing feelings of pain and resentment rise within me. I want to rid myself of these feelings, but I find they stick with me. And, in the darker moments of my life, I wish that revenge and wrath be visited upon the one who hurt me. Lord, I am so tired from holding this burden. My spirit is exhausted from holding onto this grudge.

Help me to be free from these feelings of malice, anger, hatred, and bitterness. I wish to be filled with your love, joy, peace, and gentleness. So, I place before you today the person who hurt me and the hurt that they caused. I hold them before your cross as the place where you crucify all the hurts and evils of this world. 

As I release the other person into your care, I ask that you come to me anew. May your Spirit heal me, restore me and transform me. May your mercy fill my memory, and your grace flow in my heart. And may you give me the bold strength to forgive; This I pray for the praise of Christ Jesus my Savior, Amen.

A God Who Provides..Lynette Kittle

 A God Who Provides

By Lynette Kittle

“In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty" - Psalm 37:19

Has chatter of possible future food shortages caused you to feel anxious, stressed out, and worried? Are headlines causing you to store up staples, basic supplies, and favorite foods to help get you and your family through possible lean times? If so, it’s okay to create a storehouse but make sure it isn’t motivated by fear but led by God’s wisdom because “The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked" (Proverbs 10:3).

God Takes Care of His Own
Even if a worldwide famine occurs, the Bible gives multiple examples of God taking care and providing for His people during times of lack. Luke 4:25-26 explains how during a great famine in the land, God sent the prophet Elijah to a destitute widow in Zarephath with a son to feed at the most desperate time in her life when she was running out of resources, including food.

Although she wasn’t expecting Elijah, when seeing her at the town gate, he told her to bring him water and bread. Most likely surprised by his bold request, she explained, “I don’t have any bread-only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it-and die” (1 Kings 17:12). 

But Elijah didn’t skip a beat in his response to her, insisting, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land” (1 Kings 17:13, 14).

Although Scripture doesn’t explain why in her desperate situation, she followed Elijah’s instructions, she did. “She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family”(1 Kings 17:15).

And because she did, she and her son were well fed throughout the famine.

Food Shortages No Problem for God
Another example is found in 2 Kings 4:38-40, describing a great famine in the region of Gilgal. But like a Food Network Star, the prophet Elisha stepped into action, instructing servants to put on a large pot and cook some stew.

However, with no resources on hand, they went on a scavenger hunt to find wild herbs and gourds, gathering as much as they could and cutting them up for stew. Unfortunately, they soon discovered with their first bitter bites they didn’t know what they were doing and began crying out in fear of the deadly dish. Still, calm, cool, and collected, “Elisha said, ‘Get some flour.’ He put it into the pot and said, ‘Serve it to the people to eat.’ And there was nothing harmful in the pot” (2 Kings 4:41).

Although we’re not recommending gathering and preparing poisonous herbs and gourds for a meal, we can trust God to provide healthy and hearty food for us even in the greatest times of need. 

God Excels In Multiplication
As well, Elisha also saw God increase 20 loaves of bread to feed more than 100 men, along with leftovers. (2 Kings 4:42-44). Still, in today’s setting, many of us think it’s all up to us to make ends meet and don’t believe we can ask God to stretch our resources. Likewise, in John 6:9, Andrew asked Jesus, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

Undaunted by the task of feeding a hungry multitude with such a small amount of food, “Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish” (John 6:11). We, too, can trust God to cause our food to feed more than expected especially when we read how the amount supplied wasn’t just a nibble because everyone ate as much as they wanted, and as John 6:13 describes, the leftovers alone filled twelve baskets

Bible teacher Marilyn Hickey writes in her book, It's Not Over Until You Win, how when the 3,500 KFC lunches ordered for her 2008 Cairo Egypt training conference wouldn’t be enough to feed the 5,000 who actually showed up, God didn’t let anyone go hungry. With no human explanation, all attendees received meals, along with 1,200 leftover lunches, distributed afterward to the community.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
If you’re spending sleepless nights worrying about a possible food shortage or currently experiencing a lack due to rising costs, ask God to help you turn to Him and trust Him to provide for you in miraculous ways.