His Love Has Set Us Free.. Craig Denison Ministries

 

His Love Has Set Us Free

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

1 Corinthians 13:13 says, “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” The greatest of all aspects of the Christian life is love. Love is to be at the foundation of all we do, all we are, and all we hold on to. If we focus on love and allow the Holy Spirit to strip everything else away, what will be left is a life of blessed simplicity rooted in face-to-face relationship with our heavenly Father. As we spend time this week looking at the simplicity of love, I pray that all the weighty, frivolous things of the world that rob you of an abundant life fall away in light of the glorious goodness of God’s unconditional and wholly available love for you.

Scripture:“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do.” Romans 8:1-3

Devotional:

What does it look like to be totally free in Christ Jesus? What does it look like to live in the world, but be free from the constraints, demands, burdens, and stresses of living for the world? Scripture proclaims to us a life more abundant, purposeful, and free than what I am now experiencing. The Holy Spirit quietly but clearly beckons me to choose him throughout my day that I might know what it is to live in constant communion with him. God clearly has a plan for us far greater than anything we have yet experienced. And he longs for today to be a day marked by the freedom of life that only comes through a transformational encounter with his presence, truth, and love.

God’s love has set us free from everything that would entangle us to this world. His love sets us free emotionally, spiritually, and practically. His love broke the chains of sin and depravity as Jesus breathed his last breath on the cross. His love broke through to earth as he tore the veil from top to bottom signifying the availability of his presence for all. His love broke through in each of our lives as we said yes to crowning him King and accepted his free gift of eternal relationship with him. And his love breaks through every morning as surely as the sun rises, declaring to us the availability of a day filled with his nearness and love.

Scripture says in Romans 7:4, “Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.” And in Galatians 5:22-23, Scripture says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” God longs for our lives to be marked by the presence of the Holy Spirit. He longs for us to bear his fruit that we might enjoy all that restored relationship with him affords us.

Romans 8:1-3 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do.” God’s love has set us free from “the law of sin and death” that we might live by the law of “the Spirit of life.” His love has made a way for us to be fully known and fully loved. But the choice is still ours today. Will we submit ourselves to this new law marked by the fruit of his presence, or will we choose to resubmit ourselves to the law of this world as if the death of Christ was for nothing? Choose abundant life today by opening your heart and experiencing the nearness of the Holy Spirit.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the freedom of life available to you through Christ. Allow Scripture to stir up your faith and desire to live differently today.

“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.” 1 Peter 2:16

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1

2. Where have you been choosing the law of the world over the law of freedom? Where have you been living for the things of the world instead of choosing life in the Spirit of God?

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do.” Romans 8:1-3

3. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you submit yourself fully to “the law of the Spirit of life.” Ask him to reveal his nearness that you might know his love today. Take time to rest in his presence and bear the fruit of communing with him.

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

What would it be like to live free from condemnation as Romans 8:1 tells us? What would it be like to live free from the burden of man’s opinion that we could simply enjoy how God feels about us? May the Lord help you today to experience the life that comes only by choosing freedom. May he guide you into a lifestyle of continual encounters with his love. May your days be marked by the fruit of knowing him personally. And may you exhibit to the world how wonderful it is to know and experience restored relationship with the Lord of all.

Extended Reading: Galatians 5

Shepherd Our Hearts..SARAH FREYMUTH

 Shepherd Our Hearts

SARAH FREYMUTH

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Psalm 23:1-3 (ESV)

It strikes me in the middle of the night, sits me straight up in bed, stark awake.

Anxiety doesn’t get the not-so-subtle hint it’s not welcome here. But my subconscious knows something’s up. I’m heading out of town for work and away from my familiar surroundings — my home and husband. How will I manage alone, left with my constant thoughts and suffocating fears?

Three times during the daylight hours earlier, Psalm 23 was brought to my attention. And now as I sit here, shifting under the sheets, I recall the lines, close my eyes and go with the Shepherd.

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:1-3)

Beside those quiet waters, can I truly find my Comforter, the One who can quiet those overflowing waters in me?

Can He be trusted to be tried and true in the swirling streams I fall into? Will He pull me out and place me softly on green pastures?

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.” (Psalm 23:1-2a)

The Lord is my Shepherd. In my weakness, He is strong. He is my protector. He is my peace.

He leaves the flock of 99 to come for the one lost sheep. (Matthew 18:12-14) Deliberately, He seeks us out.

He comes for us.

He restores our souls.

The Lord is my Shepherd, leading me beside still waters, singing over me with the sweetness of His voice. He guides me with His wisdom, keeps me close and comforted when I walk that dark valley. I fear no evil because I know He is with me. (Psalm 23:4)

But have I really eradicated fear from my mind and heart? My feelings show otherwise. When I worry, I fall away from the fold and find that I am wandering alone in the shadow of my mind. I lose sight of the Shepherd as I'm stalked by my thoughts, and panic closes in.

But His feet find their way to my side, and He enfolds me in His arms. Stands in the overwhelm, runs His fingers through my hair and stays embraced with me until the cries subside and I realize He is close. He is close — the One who saves me for His name’s sake, for His righteousness, so He will never let me go.

His ways bring goodness and mercy that follow us along the road, a guarantee to continue and cling to Him. This is the way we hear His voice singing again so we remember the melody. This is His heart holding ours. These are His steady words with us when we are unable to speak.

We can make the decision to journey on and choose to trust that our Shepherd has His staff to still our thoughts and chase away the fear.

We can say to Him, Shepherd our hearts, Jesus. Shepherd our minds, leading us away from the fears and worries that have joined us on this journey.

His comfort is our guide, and His presence is strength enough to quiet the waters. May we find Him in the mayhem of our mess, the mundane and the miraculous.

Lord, thank You that You are my good Shepherd. Thank You that You are never far from me and that You keep a close eye on my troubles, tears and hopes. Please shepherd my heart and mind, and help me trust You to lead me in paths of righteousness for Your name’s sake. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

God Works Within Us..Dr. Charles Stanley

 God Works Within Us

Dr. Charles Stanley

Ephesians 3:20-21

Let these words slowly sink into your understanding: “able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think” (v. 20). What an amazing description of God’s ability to work within us.

Yet so often our focus is mainly on what we want Him to do around us: If He would change this situation or fix that problem, then my life would be better. But He invites us to think and ask bigger—He wants to change us!

The Holy Spirit has more than enough power to transform lives from the inside out, but working change within is usually a slow process. Spiritual fruit takes time to grow and mature. That’s why we need patience and faith to believe He is working even when we don’t see the results right away. God is never in a hurry and will never give up on us.

The Lord has a purpose for your life, and He is constantly working to achieve it. Although He has an individualized plan for each one of His children, He also has an overarching goal—to conform every believer to the image of His Son Jesus Christ. In order to accomplish this, He may have to bring us through some struggles and heartaches. It might make no sense to us, but God knows exactly what He’s doing.

What would you like to see the Lord do within you? As you read the Scriptures, look for qualities that God considers precious, and ask Him to work them out in your life. Then rely on His wonderful promise to do even more than you have asked or imagined.

Tuning into God’s Voice..Meg Bucher

 Tuning into God’s Voice

By Meg Bucher

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “Don’t listen to what that prophet or dreamer says! The Eternal your God is testing you to see whether you really do love Him completely, with your whole heart and soul.” - Deuteronomy 13:3 (VOICE)

I sat on the beach, digging my toes into the sand and lifting them up to watch it all fall back onto the shoreline. There’s no telling how many grains of sand have been in between those toes over the years. And there’s no way of knowing how old each grain is. Where its started. How it got there …stuck between my toes.

Residing and vacationing by the water, we’ve carried a lot of sand away from the beach over the years in shoes, wagons, buckets and mini-vans full of sandy little butts. We all carry a lot of sand away from the shore.

But one grain of sand stuck in our teeth gets our attention, doesn’t it?

That one single grain stands out from all the other grains we’ve dragged around and played in… tossed about and formed into sand castles…

God’s voice is like that grain of sand. Unmistakable and hard to shake once we’ve turn up the volume on the voice of hope and love in our lives. We may be one person in huge world, but to Him, we are that grain of sand, too. Unmistakable. The one He calls His own… His friends… the one He loves.

Today’s verse begs us to listen to that single grain of sand.

In listening to Jesus we learn what love is, and how we get to know Love.

He walked out many days on this earth in sandals …with sandy toes. He’s not as far removed from understanding us as we realize …even when we do realize who He is. To listen to Christ is to believe and follow. To believe Him is to accept Him as our personal Savior. All it takes is a simple prayer and a willing heart. That one prayer, like one grain of sand among millions, will singly change life forever. A prayer just like this…

Father, praise You for Jesus. Thank You that He came to earth and died for me. Forgive me, for I have sinned, but through Jesus I have the hope of forgiveness. Today, as I accept Jesus as the Savior of my life, I pray for Your blessing to follow Him until the day you call me home to heaven.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

A Prayer to Trust That God Goes Before You..Alisha Headley

 A Prayer to Trust That God Goes Before You

By Alisha Headley

“I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. (Isaiah 45:2)

As Christians, the word trust is thrown around all the time. If anything goes wrong, we are encouraged, with Scripture verses, to simply trust in the Lord, and everything will work itself out. Yet, things don’t always work themselves out. Trusting doesn’t always come so simply. How are we to really trust when everything around us is out of control?  

We might trust momentarily, but when things don’t change or continue to get worst, we feel that it’s time we can handle it, and we step in the lead and put God to the side. 

What if we began to do the opposite? What if we took today’s verse and trusted that he has gone before us and is leveling out what’s ahead? What if we began to step aside? Instead of getting in front of God, what if we got behind Him and let Him take control and lead the way?

Oftentimes, we get in the way of the Lord doing His job. We try to change our husband, our kids, our job, other people, or our situation when the Lord is already at work. He’s working even if we don’t see it yet. Even when the world and road ahead look dim and blocked, God is paving a clear path. He hears you. He sees you. He is sovereign. (Colossians 1:16) He is the author of this story called life and knows the beginning from the end. 

As today’s verse promises, God is always one step ahead of us. He goes before us, behind us, and remains beside us. And he will never ever leave nor forsake us. ( Deuteronomy 31:8 )

No matter the mountain we have up ahead, God is already climbing it. No matter the storm, He is already calming the wind. No matter how unknown the journey ahead, God has walked a few steps forward. No matter the impossible route, He is parting the sea. As today’s verse says, He is breaking the barriers ahead and flattening out those things our physical eyes might not see as He goes before us.

Let’s walk in confidence today, knowing that no matter what our day, month, or future looks like, we can trust that God is already one step ahead.

Let’s pray.

Dear God,
Thank you, Lord, that you have been sending us your promises from the very beginning of time. Thank you for your faithfulness, as you give the definition of faithful a true meaning. You have never and will never break a promise. Time and time again throughout all Scripture, you promise to lead us and guide us, to never leave us, nor forsake us. Thank you that you have already paved the way, and wherever we are sitting in this very moment, you are near us and one step ahead of us. 

Whatever we are facing, Lord, we can trust that you know what’s next and are protecting us along the way. We ask that in those moments where doubt creeps in that you would remind us of today’s verse. When fear creeps in of what is going to happen, remind us that you are in total control and that you have already gone before us, you’ll be with us during it, and you’ll go behind us. Thank you that you are trustworthy for these beautiful promises to help navigate us through this life. 

In your mighty name, we pray,
Amen

The Reason for Hope..Emma Danzey

 The Reason for Hope

By Emma Danzey

1 Peter 3:15 says, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

But in Your Hearts Revere Christ as Lord
The word revere is often not used in today’s modern language. It means to have deep respect. 1 Peter 3:15 tells us to reverse Christ as Lord in our hearts. Before we can even get to the hope that we have with others, it has to be personal to us. How has Christ saved you from sin? In what ways has His sacrifice blessed you? What impact has the sealing of the Holy Spirit had on you?

We have a heart of reverence for Jesus when we have been personally blessed by His gift of salvation. Jesus has taken our hearts of stone and given us hearts of flesh. Ezekiel 26:26 says, “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” When we have had a personal encounter with Jesus, and we invite Him into our hearts, His Spirit transforms us, and we worship Him as Savior and Lord.

Always Be Prepared to Give an Answer to Everyone Who Asks You to Give the Reason for the Hope That You Have
As Christ-followers, it is vital that we are always prepared to share the hope that we have in Christ. This means that we are well equipped with knowing our God and His Word. By spending time with Him in prayer and in Scripture daily, we are strengthening our own faith and confidence in our relationship with Him and then able to communicate more effectively the hope that we have in Jesus.

The truth is that there are people around us every day who will not be in heaven without the saving grace of Jesus. We can ask God for hearts of compassion to share the gospel with them. When they ask us why we do certain things or say certain things pertaining to Christ, these are open doors to sharing the hope that we have in Jesus. We so often shy away from “controversial” topics when in reality, we are not loving well unless we do share this hope that we have. Who are we to withhold the key to eternal life from others based on our own comfort levels or pride? We need to ask God to help us to have confidence led by His Spirit to be able to share authentically and purposefully with those around us. In our homes, At our schools, in our jobs, in our communities, we are walking representatives of Christ. We are His ambassadors. 

But Do This with Gentleness and Respect 
Approach matters. I was having a conversation just today with a friend about how our approach to sharing the gospel makes a difference in the willingness of someone else to listen. We both talked about the importance of genuinely loving and asking questions. Our culture is getting closer and closer to post-Christian. This means older tactics of sharing faith do not necessarily speak as effectively to this generation. We need to be able to shift our evangelistic mindsets with the unchanging message of the gospel. The message should never change, but the method of sharing might. Scripture makes it clear that however we share with others, we are called to do this with gentleness and respect. The guy in the suit yelling on the street corner repels me, and I’m a Christian. How much more does he push away those who do not know God? However, the person who loves, befriends, genuinely cares, and does life with another who shares with others about the hope of Jesus is a fragrant aroma to a world in need. May we be this person as we share Christ. It does not mean we do not share hard truths, but we do so in love.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
How has Christ transformed your heart? How can you be better prepared to share about Jesus with those around you? In what ways have you not been loving in your approach to evangelism? How can you be gentle and respectful in your sharing?

Further Reading:

• 2 Corinthians 2:15
• 2 Corinthians 5:20 
• Ephesians 4:15