The Prince of Peace.. Craig Denison Ministries

 

The Prince of Peace

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

One of the most powerful marks of a believer is transcendent peace. This world offers us no reason to be peaceful. It offers us no reason to be without stress, burdens, cares, and total frustration. But we serve a God who offers us peace in the midst of any circumstance. We serve a God in whom all true peace finds its source. May you discover the heart of your heavenly Father to bring you peace this week.

Scripture:“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

Devotional:

We serve a God who is the author, giver, and sustainer of peace. Isaiah 9:6 prophesied about Christ by saying, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” In order for us to fully grasp and live with the peace promised to us in Scripture, we must first understand the peaceful nature of our God.

The pages of Scripture are filled with declarations about God’s peaceful nature and desire for peace on the earth. 1 Corinthians 14:33 says, “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.” Romans 14:17 says,“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” And Philippians 4:9 says,“What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

God longs to bring us peace as his children. He longs to make us like himself in that we would have peace in the midst of any circumstance. Nothing robs God of his peace. Nothing can take it away. Peace is within the very nature of our Creator. And when we come to him, open our heart, and receive his presence we naturally become like him. Seeking true peace is synonymous with seeking the presence of God because he is peace.

2 Thessalonians 3:16 says, “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.” What it takes for us to have peace “at all times in every way” is to simply fellowship with “the Lord of peace.” When we meet with God we position ourselves to receive all the abundant life he has to give. In encountering a peaceful God the weight of the world seems to lift off. In discovering his unconditional love the stress of continually seeking love from others falls away.

We serve a God who has peace for us right now. We can cast all our cares and burdens on his shoulders. He can handle all the cares of the world because he is Lord of them all. Take time to meet with the God of peace today and receive the peace that surpasses all understanding.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the peaceful nature of God. Allow Scripture to reorient your understanding of who God is and how he feels about you.

“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.” 2 Thessalonians 3:16

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

2. Where are you without peace today? What situation, person, or concern is robbing you of peace?

3. Receive the presence of God and the peace that comes with encountering your heavenly Father’s heart. Cast your cares on his shoulders and receive the peace that comes from trusting in the goodness, nearness, capability, and availability of God.

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Oftentimes peace comes by choice. The things of this world affect us wrongly when we view them apart from a heavenly perspective. Paul writes in Philippians 3:8, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” Don’t allow the stresses of this life to rob you of a heavenly peace found in trusting God. Take heart that God will bring you peace and joy in the midst of any circumstance if you allow him to. May Romans 15:33 serve as a benediction and peaceful foundation for the rest of your day today: “May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.”

Extended Reading: John 16

Our Growth as Christians..Dr. Charles Stanley

 Our Growth as Christians

Dr. Charles Stanley

Galatians 2:20

There's a goal to the Christian life, which God expresses this way: "For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son" (Rom. 8:29). This refining process is called sanctification. And there are several identifiable stages en route to this goal, but sadly, most believers are unfamiliar with them. Let me offer some definitions so you can identify where you are on the journey and understand what to expect.

Salvation is the first stage of the Christian life. This describes our redemption from sinfulness through Jesus' atoning sacrifice. What results is forgiveness of sin, which lets us have a relationship with Almighty God.

Next, God gives us opportunity to serve (Eph. 2:10). We were created to do good works in Jesus' name.

But at some point, we notice something isn't working. This is the start to stage three: frustrated inadequacy. This unpleasant but necessary part of the journey can last varying amounts of time. Without it, we'd undoubtedly experience self-sufficiency and pride. But we should recognize this difficult phase as beautiful because it leads us into the best part of our spiritual lives: total dependency upon Jesus as Lord of our life. And we will be fulfilling our ultimate goal: becoming a reflection of Christ.

Sadly, many Christians don't reach a point of complete reliance on the Lord. Pride, discouragement, and distraction can ruin focus and perseverance. Paul reminds us to fix our eyes on the goal of maturity in Christ (Phil. 3:14). Learning to die to self is painful, but ironically, it's the only true way to life.

How to Search Earnestly for God..Jennifer Waddle

 How to Search Earnestly for God

by Jennifer Waddle

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: And they returned and sought earnestly for God. Then they remembered that God was their rock, and the Most High God their Redeemer. Psalm 78:34-35

Millions of Christians, all over the world, would give anything to have the religious freedoms we have in America. Not only to hold the Living Word in their hands, but to read and share it freely, would be like winning the lottery to them.

Here, in our westernized culture, with Bibles gathering dust on bookshelves, and Bible apps stored away on our phones, I’m afraid we’ve lost our fervor for the precious and holy Word of God.

Meet Earnest—also known as eagerness and wholeheartedness—a forgotten virtue of the Christian faith. The earnestness to get up each day and meet with God in worship has been replaced by to-do lists and agendas. An earnestness to share the Gospel within our circle of influence has been hindered by tolerance and complacency.

I am writing these things to myself as well, sadly realizing how much earnestness has escaped my busy, daily life; how the zeal I once had for Christ has been overshadowed by worldly desires and restless temptations.

But now, more than ever before, we have an amazing opportunity to rekindle an earnestness for the Word of God; to read and to study, to share and uphold, and to shine the light of God’s truths in dark places. For the Word of God truly is living and active, able to penetrate the deepest intents of the heart.

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

Meet Earnest—the attribute that ushers in an excitement for the things of God—and rekindles our tiny flame of faith into a raging fire of conviction and motivation.

My prayer for Christians everywhere, is that we will awaken anew to the life-giving truths of the Bible and yearn for them as for daily bread. I ask, in the precious name of Jesus, that we will pick up that Bible, dust it off, and open it as often as we can. I ask for the Holy Spirit to continue His work in us to reach a hurting and confused world, with the only absolute truth there is. And, lastly, I pray for an earnestness, to once again declare God’s Word—a lamp for our feet and light for our path. (Psalm 119:105)

A Prayer for a Heart Full of Worship..Emily Rose Massey

 A Prayer for a Heart Full of Worship

By Emily Rose Massey

 “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17, NIV).

What does it mean to give God glory? The word “glory” bears with it the idea of the greatness of splendor of God as it pertains to the Old Testament. In the New Testament, the word “glory” is translated to mean “honor, dignity, worship, and praise.” When we put the two together, we see that glorifying God means acknowledging His greatness and giving Him all the worship and honor, and thanksgiving in all that we do and say. God’s glory is the essence of His nature- we bring Him glory when we revel in His divine essence. 

How often are we consumed with mundane activities that we forget who we are doing them for? I believe if we lose the motivation that we are doing it to glorify God, we are prone to grumbling and complaining, much like the children of Israel. We become ungrateful, and our hearts begin to grow hard and cold toward God. We begin to simply “go through the motions” in life, and soon we are looking to other things to satisfy a longing in our soul that only living a God-glorifying life can satisfy. We were made to worship God, and He gave us the gifts and abilities in which to do that every day. 

In Colossians 3:17, the apostle Paul sends an encouragement in his letter to the Church as Colossae: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (NIV).

He was reminding the Colossians that their ultimate purpose on this earth was to give God glory by showing God’s love and walking in peace with one another and doing all things with a heart full of gratitude and worship unto the Lord.

Worship simply means “ascribing worth.” It is what/who you give your time, your devotion, your affection, your finances, your heart, your praise, and thanksgiving. We have all been created to worship. Ultimately our Creator, but since the fall, many people worship creation and/or themselves. This is idolatry, which is sinful. Worship is not just singing to the Lord or playing music unto Him (although that's important); It is making it a priority in our life to spend time with Him in the Word and in prayer daily. Worship is denying yourself and saying "yes" to God every single moment of your life- walking in obedience by God’s grace through the power of the Holy Spirit. Every time we obey God and say "yes" to Him, we give Him glory. When we love God with all that we are, our hearts can't help but overflow with His love for others by sharing the Gospel with them or pointing them to His truth to know Him more. Worship is a daily lifestyle. We can worship God in the simplest ways just by doing whatever it is just for Him and with a good attitude. Let us ask the Lord to help us daily have a heart full of worship so that He may receive all the glory through our lives.

Let’s pray:

Father God,
I know it is easy to get stuck in the routine of life and forget why we are here on this earth or who we are living for. Our flesh wants us to walk in pride and boast of our own strength and abilities, but we know that You are the One who gives us the breath in our lungs and our talents and abilities. Help me remember to stay humble and point others to you in my words and deeds. Holy Spirit, would You please fill my heart with gratitude so that I can give You the worship You deserve? I want to glorify God in all things. Please help me embrace the “less of me and more of You” mentality and walk in obedience daily, looking to You for grace and strength so that others may learn how to love You as I love you. You are so good and faithful, Father.
In Jesus’ name, amen.

Learning to Be a Follower and Leader..Laura Bailey

 Learning to Be a Follower and Leader

By Laura Bailey

“Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.” - Luke 9:23 NLT

Are you a leader or a follower? Which would you say if you were asked? Do you identify as one over the other, or perhaps both, depending on your circumstances? A quick internet search and over 15 million quizzes, articles, and resources can help determine whether we tend to be leaders or followers. Why the interest in this subject? 

Culturally leaders have been praised for bold words, brave actions, and boundary-pushing agendas. However, as Christians, we see numerous times to follow Christ, who walked humbly and elevated others. Does Scripture encourage us to be followers or leaders? It tells us to engage in both roles! 

We see the importance of being a disciple of Christ throughout the New Testament. Jesus tells us, “ whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow me (Luke 9:23 NIV). So we must do three things: deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. All commandments seem like a follower, so where do believers have the opportunity to lead?

Jesus tells his disciples that their job is to lead the charge in making more disciples, baptizing them, and teaching them to obey God’s Word. Check out Matthew 28:18-20, “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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.”

For many Christians, we’ve heard the verses above; perhaps we have them written on a shirt or created a pretty post on social media with the scripture. But, we need to go deeper than just rote memorization; faith coupled with action, the call to follow Christ.  We need to do the deep heart work and ask, how does following Christ change how I live and equip and encourage me to fulfill the great commission to go and make disciples?

There are so many things competing for our time; for many of us, God has not called us to full-time ministry. But, He does invite us into a more profound commitment to serving Him. Being a disciple isn’t always easy. Jesus tells us it will be pretty tricky- but the reward is great. 1 Peter 2:19-25 outlines what it looks like to live godly lives. It also tells us three things; we should expect to suffer because Christ suffered, Jesus is our example, and He trusted himself to God, we were once lost sheep, but now we are under the protection of the Good Shephard.

Faith is not always easy, and happy obedience isn’t, at least for me. But just as Jesus had a greater plan for the disciples 2,000 years ago, He has a plan for us. He is working all things for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28). While the original twelve disciples had particular roles, our jobs are no less important. We still exist for the same purpose, to know God and make Him known as we follow Christ and lead others to our  Lord and Savior.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
Take time today and ask yourself, is God calling me into a deeper discipleship commitment? Perhaps you must first ask, have I had a personal encounter with Christ? If the answer is yes, are you prioritizing a relationship with the living God? And, lastly, are you walking in faithful obedience to what God has called us to do for Him and His Kingdom?

Further Reading:
Matthew 5:13-14