God Longs to be Encountered..Craig Denison Ministries

 

God Longs to be Encountered

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

One of the most scandalous truths of the gospel is that our Creator longs to be encountered by his creation. God longs to meet with us. His greatest desire is for relationship with us. I can’t fathom why God in all his holiness and goodness makes himself available to us, but it is the powerful truth of Scripture. God is pursuing each of us with his relentless love, seeking out those who might respond to his open invitation by opening the door of their hearts to him. My prayer is that in response to God’s desire to meet with his people we would be those who say yes to centering our lives around his nearness. May your week be marked by the reality of God’s presence and love.

Scripture:“The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.” Psalm 14:2

Devotional:

We serve a God who longs to be encountered. Our God is not distant. He is not a recluse. Every morning there is an open invitation set before us to encounter the peaceful, tangible presence of the living God. In fact, it’s because of God’s desire to be encountered that Scripture so often commands us to seek him. He is not a God who hides, but he is also not a God who forces himself on us. He quietly beckons us to a life marked by his nearness, asking us to seek him that our heart might be open and receptive to him.

1 Chronicles 16:11 commands us, “Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!” And Revelation 3:20 says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” May we be a people who center our lives around God’s longing to be encountered. May we seek him with all we are.

I’ve lived so much of my life as if I’m on my own. I was without a true revelation of just how close God is to me. I was without a true knowledge that the God I serve longs to be known by me. You see, the foundation for my spending time with God was that I should, not that he actually desired relationship with me. As soon as I got a glimpse into the heart of my heavenly Father to simply love me and enjoy me, I was hooked.

No matter who you are or what you’ve done, you serve a God who longs to meet with you. He is knocking on the door of your heart today, asking you to simply let him come in. He is quietly beckoning you with his love, simply speaking to you, “Don’t shut me out.” God has an incredible life filled with an ever-increasing awareness of his love for you. He longs for your heart to be wrapped up in his presence when the world rejects you, speaks lies to you, or tries to pull you away from the comfort of his love and peace.

Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Seek the presence of your heavenly Father today in faith that he longs to be encountered. Trust him at his word that he will reward your seeking with the wonders of his nearness. Seek a deeper, more intimate relationship with him in light of the truth that he is always fully available to you. May your life be ever filled with communion with your loving heavenly Father.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s desire to be encountered. Allow Scripture to stir up your faith to meet with God.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8

“And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.” 1 Chronicles 28:9

2. What have you believed about encountering God that doesn’t line up with his heart and his word? Where do you feel like you can’t encounter God? What parts of your life are absent of his presence and the fruit of his nearness?

3. Seek the presence of God today. Take time to open your heart and in faith trust that you can encounter God. Commit yourself to centering your day around his presence and doing nothing apart from an awareness of his nearness.

“The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.” Lamentations 3:25

“The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.” Psalm 14:2

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” James 4:8

How amazing is the heart of our heavenly Father that he longs to be encountered! Through the powerful sacrifice of Jesus we can live in communion with God. Jesus paid the highest price for us to simply have close relationship with our Creator. Let us not be a people who forsake the sacrifice of Jesus. If God would send his only Son to die that we might live in relationship with him, it must be absolutely the best thing in this life. Taste and see how good your God is today. Let him into all you do. May your life be filled with the presence of God as you open the door of your heart to the reality of his nearness.

Extended Reading: Revelation 3:14-4:11

The Nature of Conviction..Dr. Charles Stanley

 The Nature of Conviction

Dr. Charles Stanley

John 16:7-11

Jesus assured His disciples that it was to their advantage that He go away so that the Helper could come (John 16:7)--God sends Him to convict people of their sin. Since the Holy Spirit is unlimited by time or space, He can reach out to every individual on the planet. However, His work differs with regard to believers and unbelievers.

With regard to unbelievers, God's Spirit penetrates the heart and brings awareness of wrongdoing. He reveals that according to God's holy standard, they have sinned and stand condemned by their transgression. Unbelief is the greatest sin against God, so every prick of the heart is meant to point out their need for the Savior.

As for believers, the Holy Spirit deals with them on the basis of their relationship with Jesus Christ and convicts us of disobedience to Him. In other words, He makes us aware of specific sins and the Lord's attitude about them. But He also prompts us to be accountable before Christ for our wrongdoing by confessing it and repenting.

Convicting believers of sin is an important part of the Holy Spirit's job, but He is equally delighted to make them aware of the Lord's approval. God commends righteous living, obedient actions, and loving acts done in His name.

While conviction is often uncomfortable for unbelievers and believers alike, it's a beautiful demonstration of God's love. He desires to bring us into the center of His will and keep us there for our good and His glory. The Holy Spirit's work makes that possible, if we choose to follow His promptings.

God Hates a Lying Tongue ..By: Amanda Idleman

 God Hates a Lying Tongue (Proverbs 6:16-19)

By: Amanda Idleman

Today’s Bible Verse is  Proverbs 6:16-19: “There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.”

Truth is a central part of the Christian faith. We are to be truth-seekers, truth-tellers, and truth believers. As Christ-followers we are called to follow Jesus who is described as the way, truth, and the life (John 14:6). Truth is central to our quest to follow and honor God.

The enemy of our souls is described as the “father of lies” (John 8:44). The Devil pulls us away from Jesus by distorting our realities in order to steal, kill, and destroy our lives. When our lives are stuck in the mire of falsehoods we cannot experience all of who God is. We need the truth of the Gospel at work in our lives to live as free people. Freedom and the piercing power of God’s truth go hand in hand.

If truth is a fundamental part of who God is, it follows that lying is naturally something that he is against. God desires us to see the world clearly. He does not want us to get ensnared by wrong thinking and the brokenness that comes when falsehoods enter our relationships.

The Bible uses strong language around God’s stance on lying. Proverbs 6:16-19 says, “There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.” The Bible leaves very little wiggle room to debate on how God feels about lying. The language of Proverbs is black and white… God hates a lying tongue.

God’s Word goes even further to emphasize how lying is something that God is against. Psalm 101:7 adds, “No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no one who utters lies shall continue before my eyes.” Deceit keeps us from being a part of God’s house. Honest living is central to being part of God’s eternal family.

Ultimately, truth is so important because God cares most about the state of our hearts. If we are willing to deceive for our own gain, we know that our hearts are sick. Matthew 15:18-20 says, “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.” God wants to set us free from the evil that keeps us chained up so we can live free lives. Freedom is found when we live with integrity. This occurs when our insides and our outsides match.

While God offers his abundant grace and forgiveness for all our missteps, that does not mean that there are no consequences for our actions. Proverbs 19:5 says, “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape.” Lying comes with consequences. The most natural and obvious one is that it breaks trust with those we are in a relationship with. It is hard and often heartbreaking work when we must repair the bridges that get burned when we choose to deceive the people around us.

None of the brokenness we all must work through in our lives is too great for God to repair. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” If you have struggled with telling the truth or are navigating a situation where trust has been broken, we have the hope of God's miraculous restorative power to lean on.

God is faithful to make a straight path for us when we trust in him (Proverbs 3:5-6). Surrender your thinking, relationships, and worldview to the Lord. Allow him to bring freedom from deceit through the gentle power of the Holy Spirit at work in your life! God’s word boldly proclaims that the truth will set us free (John 8:31-32). This is a promise you can cling to with confidence.

A Prayer for Parenting Teenagers..Heidi Vegh

 A Prayer for Parenting Teenagers 

By Heidi Vegh

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” - Proverbs 3:5-6

I am smack dab in the middle of parenting two teenage boys. It feels like only yesterday that they were my sweet, snuggly, innocent babies. They needed me, and I felt like their mommy. Today, it's hard to feel anything but their lunch maker and room cleaning nagger. I feel like they are slipping through my fingers, and I am powerless to stop them. I feel out of control most days when it comes to phone time, homework, chores, eating habits, etc. They are gaining more independence, but with that comes a level of anxiety for me as their mother. I still long to control all that they do, but I know that I need to begin to let go in certain areas, allowing them to make their own mistakes and experience the consequences of their poor choices. 

Teenagers are at a sensitive time in their development when their prefrontal cortex is stretching its legs and seeking to understand who this person is and what they will become. This is the decision-making part of the brain, and as it is still developing in these teen years, it goes without saying that they are doing things that make me want to pull my hair out. When teens appear to be rebelling, it can easily be them striving to find independence. This pulling away and desire for space is a natural part of growing up. 

Teens struggle for acceptance among peers, and as parents, we need to remind them that they are loved and accepted just as God created them, not because of how they look, what they drive, or the toys that they possess. We need to pray against the negative influence they are most assuredly receiving from their peers. We need to be the loudest voice in their life, filling their hearts and minds with the truth of God’s Word and combating the enemies' lies that are pouring into them daily.

Teens are desiring to be in control of their own lives. They want to have a say in what they do and how they do it. If we try to force things on them, this will only lead to the rebellion that we are trying to avoid. These are natural and normal parts of development for both boys and girls. The more we understand what is going on with our teens emotionally, physically, and hormonally we can begin to develop compassion for their behavior and react with love instead of annoyance and pour out acceptance and grace instead of anger and punishment. 

This is easier said than done, but I believe that God created teens with a purpose in mind, knowing full well that they would need to go through these stages to become the person He created them to be. Let's not fight against the natural process of maturation in our teens but instead partner with the Lord to assist their growth with love, spur on their independence and give them opportunities to make good choices. 

Let’s Pray

Dear God,
I lift my teenagers to you. Please give me wisdom as I parent them through these tumultuous years. I feel as though I am losing my grip on them as they are seeking independence and control of their own lives. Please give me grace when I notice that some of their choices do not bring life. Give me your words for each specific situation, and give me the ability to react with grace and love. Please protect them from the schemes of the enemy and put a hedge around their hearts and minds that would deflect anything coming at them that is not from you.

Help me to encourage them in their walk with you, and help me to speak truth and life over them every day. Help me remind them how much they are loved by me and by you. Help me to teach them that they will only reach their full potential if they include you in their life. Help me to cultivate an environment where they feel free to make choices but in a space that is bound by love and protection. Help me to let them go in the most supportive way possible without being overprotective or overbearing. 

I surrender them to you, Lord, and ask that you lead and guide them as they continue to mature and grow. Show them the right path for their life and protect them from choices that may be detrimental. Breathe your life over them every day in all their activities, and show me how to love them in the best possible way. Thank you for the privilege of parenting my children, and please strengthen our relationship every day.
Thank you, Jesus, for the gift of motherhood. Amen. 

What Really Matters..Meg Bucher

 What Really Matters

By Meg Bucher 

“For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.” - Phil 1:10 NLT

Motherhood pushes the fleetness of time into overdrive. When the fall rolls around and my daughters get ready to go back to school, my social media feed is flooded with memories from all the other first-day-of-school pics over the years. How can time go so fast? How can we love other little humans so much? With each passing year, I become more aware of the pressing urgency to pass wisdom down to them. My instinct is to prepare and protect them. I understand the urgency in Paul’s prose. I want my daughters to understand what really matters and to live pure and blameless lives. I do the best I can to articulate love into every area of their lives, but I know as surely as my days are numbered on this earth, my words fall short. The author of Hebrews wrote:

“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially not that they day of his return is drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:23-25 NLT) 

Just because we don’t always get it right doesn’t mean we should give up. Persistent faith in the Lord will carry us through the days which break our hearts and give us words when ours our depleted. “I want you to understand what really matters,” Paul said. What really matters? “We ought to pray for moral discernment so we can maintain Christ’s perspective on what really matters,” The Life Application Bible says, “In every situation, consistently choosing the best course of action will yield tremendous benefits for us and those around us. Always think about what will be of lasting value.”

Intersecting Faith and Life:
The pit in my stomach starts to swirl when the Lord is convicting me to be cautious or alerting me to take action. The decisions we make in our everyday lives can either lead to pure and blameless lives or heaped in the consequences of incorrect choices. Paul’s adamant to get his message across. Every decision matters. We cannot walk through life without pausing to perceive what is happening around us. To know what really matters takes mature discernment. Discernment is the acuteness of judgment and understanding. To discern is to “perceive by the sight or some other sense or by the intellect.” 

Our decisions affect the people God has purposefully placed in our lives to love. When we consider the effect our decision will have upon others, we are more cautious than if we were just thinking about ourselves. The author of Hebrews wrote: 

“You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.” (Hebrews 5:11-14 NLT) 

When my daughters were young, I read a devotional book with them every night. I cherished the conversations we would have and loved hearing their little voices pray to their big God. Over time, though, I knew they needed to grow beyond just a devotional at bedtime. The next step for them became the kids' program at our local church. They looked forward to going every Sunday and eventually jumped into volunteering and serving as they got older. Now they are teens, and they are active in their local youth group. I miss bedtime devotions with their tiny voices praying to their great big God. But I love watching them grow into their faith on their own accord. This past year, my oldest daughter went on her first mission trip.

In our everyday lives, God is faithful to meet us where we are at. He wants us to understand what really matters.   

Further Reading:

• 1 Samuel 2:26
• Jeremiah 12:2