Vision for Others.. Craig Denison Ministries

 

Vision for Others

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

We serve a God of boundaries. In his limitless capacity, endless creativity, and boundless existence he still chose to create boundaries. He still had vision for what was good, right, pleasing, and perfect. And as children made in his image, we are to live, think, and create as he does. In a world marked by busyness from seemingly infinite opportunities, it’s important now more than ever for us to create boundaries. May you find freedom and joy this week as you receive vision and set boundaries under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

Scripture:“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Philippians 2:4

Devotional:

One of the greatest joys in life is the gift of serving others. Often in the busyness of work, family, and society we draw boundaries around ourselves so tightly that we don’t make room to love others well. God’s desire is to shepherd us to a place of inward abundance, not only that we might live in the fullness of life, but also that we would be empowered to give of ourselves to others. Philippians 2:4-8 says,

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

In his humble, loving sacrifice, Jesus set before us the perfect example of loving others. God might not call all of us to physically die for the sakes of others, but he absolutely leads us to a lifestyle of dying to self that we might live for the kingdom of God. Loving others always requires sacrifice. The gift of love is never free. But in pursuing a lifestyle of looking to the interests of others we’ll discover an eternal purpose more fulfilling than any fruit selfishness could produce.

Often, in reading or hearing exhortations centered around serving others, I find myself feeling more and more weighed down. I know that I’m called to love people. I know that I’m called to give of myself. And in response to these emotions I typically engage in a few more activities, find myself empty and burnt out, and subsequently give up on the notion of living sacrificially. But after years of going through this cycle I realized that I was giving, not from a place of love, but out of coercion. I was giving, not as a response to receiving the unconditional love of my heavenly father, but to earn the affection of a Christian community that often admires actions over motives.

But we serve a God who looks at the heart. The call of God on our lives to love others well is designed to flow from a place of fullness and satisfaction. God doesn’t ask us to give what we don’t have. If you’re not in a place of health and abundance, the first step is to ask for the leadership of the Holy Spirit in how he wants to shepherd you to a place of restoration and rejuvenation. The world doesn’t need burnt-out givers. God doesn’t ask us to die to ourselves if we don’t have life to begin with.

God has amazing plans to use you to further his kingdom today. And those plans are filled with acts of love and sacrifice. But before you can love others, you need to know that you are loved. Before you can sacrifice for others, you need to know that Jesus sacrificed for you to a far greater measure than you could ever hope to reciprocate. And in response to God’s love and sacrifice, ask him for ways you can love others well. Create boundaries in your life in which you can consistently give of yourself. Seek to look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.

May you find profound joy and purpose in loving others today in response to God’s great love for you.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s unconditional love and overwhelming sacrifice.

“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 1 John 4:9-10

2. Reflect on God’s call for you to love and sacrifice for others as a response to his example.

“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.” 1 John 3:16

“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:4-8

3. In what ways can you love someone well today? Who is God calling you to sacrifice for? In what ways can you give of yourself for the sakes of others? Journal any people or actions who come to mind and commit to the Lord to see them through in his grace.

Inward abundance and rest aren’t always necessarily marked by the emotions of happiness or a feeling of energy. Sometimes God asks us to give even when we’re weary. Just as Paul walked back into Lystra after being stoned to continue sharing the gospel, we have to get up after being knocked down. Inward abundance is living with an unshakable and unbroken sense of God’s love. It’s experiencing transcendent joy that can only come from a God whose goodness surpasses the quality of our circumstances. If you will seek to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit you will know when it’s time to rest and time to act. You will know when it’s time to retreat with him and time to go out. His leadership will not fail you and his grace will always sustain you. Inquire of the Lord today and discover both restoration and purpose in his steadfast love.

Extended Reading: 1 John 3

Trusting God in the Midst of Uncertainty..ALICE MATAGORA

 Trusting God in the Midst of Uncertainty

ALICE MATAGORA

“I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.” Psalm 77:11-12 (NIV)

It was 3 a.m. and I was wide awake. No, the trouble wasn’t my newborn; she was sleeping blissfully in her room. It was an old companion of mine — anxiety.

About a month earlier my husband and I had made some significant decisions with our work, decisions that we felt were clearly led by God and that, at the same time, we knew could result in us being asked to step down from our current roles and even relocating. For two weeks, we saw a possible path forward that would ensure our job security and we prayed persistently for God to make it happen.

Then we received word that the way was shut.

God, what now? Will we lose our jobs? What if we have to move? Why let us hope at all if You knew the answer would be no?

Did we hear from You right, Lord?

Sometimes I wonder if Mary the mother of Jesus had thoughts like these after saying "yes" to carrying the Son of God. It’s easy for me to read through Mary’s encounter with the angel Gabriel — who told her God had chosen her, a virgin, to give birth to Jesus — without a second thought. I know the rest of her story. I forget Mary didn’t know what was next when she said, “May your word to me be fulfilled” (Luke 1:38b, NIV).

What if Joseph, her fiance, would divorce her? Would Mary lose any hope of financial and social security in a husband?

What if Joseph would be dishonorable and accuse her of sexual sin she never committed? Who would believe her, and would she ever get married as a seemingly “shameful” woman?

Did she ever doubt along the way to the cross, when it seemed darkness would prevail as her son was crucified? Did Mary ever wonder, God, what now? Did I hear from You right, Lord?

Here’s what I think:

My baby is going through a wonderful (and stressful) season of stranger anxiety that involves screaming whenever someone unfamiliar holds her. This happened recently as her pediatrician examined her at a routine checkup. But then I reached for her hand and murmured words of comfort — and she stopped crying and bravely endured through the rest of her checkup, never taking her eyes off me.

In the few months she’s been alive, my baby girl has already experienced my faithfulness to respond to her needs, to comfort her when she cries and to protect her from harm. Even while being held by a stranger in a new environment, she could persevere because she knew her mama was with her and she is convinced her mama is good.

In the same way, I wonder if Mary was able to trust God because she could recall His faithfulness in her life. She said, “the Mighty One has done great things for me …” (Luke 1:49, NIV). Perhaps as a result of her experiences of His faithfulness, she knew God was with her and was convinced her God was good, and that gave her all the courage she needed to persevere in the midst of incredible uncertainty.

Throughout the Bible, God calls His people over and over again to remember His faithfulness in their lives. And it’s no wonder — because we are so prone to forget! I am so prone to forget.

But when uncertainty causes us to doubt, may we be women who pause to remember the goodness of God in our lives; who draw strength from His Word; and who remain steadfast in Immanuel, God with us, who always has been and always will be on our side.

Lord, help us to recall Your faithfulness in our lives that we may have the courage to persevere in the midst of uncertainty, with our eyes fixed on You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Our Best Friend Is Jesus..Dr. Charles Stanley

 Our Best Friend Is Jesus

Dr. Charles Stanley

John 15:9-17

Years ago the Sunday School teachers in my church would teach preschoolers a little chorus that included the line, “My best friend is Jesus.” As those children grew into adulthood, they naturally put aside juvenile songs like this one. But sadly, they also frequently seemed to grow out of the idea of Jesus being a friend.

As believers learn more about God, they rightly elevate Him to be the Lord of their lives and acknowledge Him as sovereign ruler over all the earth. It is easier to think of One so high and mighty as Creator, Savior, and Lord than to “lower” Him to the position of Friend. But Jesus makes a point of telling His disciples that He is both a transcendent deity—the Son of God—and their companion (John 15:15).

The offer of friendship extends to modern disciples as well. Like the original twelve followers, we are privileged to say that Christ laid down His life for us in a supreme act of love and devotion (v. 13). What is more, His Spirit reveals the truth of Scripture to our hearts so that we can learn more about God and His ways. In other words, Jesus has made known to us the things He heard from His Father. A man doesn’t tell secrets to slaves; he tells them to his friends (v. 15).

Teaching children to sing of their friendship with Jesus is a wise idea. But I wonder when some grown believers will learn to sing of that special relationship again? May we never become so religious, so pious, or so full of our own maturity that we will not say, “My best friend is Jesus Christ.”

Why We Need Forgiveness..Sue Schlesman

 Why We Need Forgiveness

By Sue Schlesman

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

How do you know when your spiritual slate has been wiped clean? What if you haven’t said the right words? What if you’re not truly convinced you needed to ask for forgiveness in the first place? And how do you even know if forgiveness works?

Thankfully, the Bible fully explains the importance of forgiveness and the process for gaining forgiveness from God.

Forgiveness from God is essential for relationship with God.

Because God is holy, He cannot be in relationship with sin. When we live with unconfessed and unforgiven sin, we are unholy. But when we confess and turn from our sin ( 1 John 1:9), God forgives us. Jesus’ death on the cross made Him the substitute for the punishment we deserve ( 1 Peter 2:24). Therefore, God sees Jesus instead of our sin ( 2 Corinthians 5:21) when we repent. Until we confess our sins to God and ask Jesus to be our Savior, we will never fully experience God’s forgiveness ( Romans 10:13).

Forgiveness of others is essential for forgiveness from God.

Admitting our sins before God and getting His forgiveness might be easier than from people with whom we have conflicts. But God says that forgiving others is mandatory if we want forgiveness from Him ( Matthew 6:14-15). If we won’t forgive other people, God won’t hear our prayers ( Psalm 66:18).

Forgiveness from God doesn’t require anybody else doing anything for you.

Salvation by Jesus Christ gives every believer direct access to God. Jesus taught His disciples to pray directly to God in Matthew 6:9-15. You don’t need to be anywhere special or do anything special. It doesn’t even matter if the person you apologize to apologizes back. Forgiveness is a personal transaction between you and God Almighty.

So how do you ask God to forgive you? Is there anything too horrible for God to forgive? Well, King David was called “a man after God’s own heart,” and he stole a man’s wife, got her pregnant, and killed her husband. We’re talking adultery at best (and rape at the worst), plus murder. Paul killed and tortured Christians before repenting and becoming the world’s greatest missionary. You can be forgiven, also. Read David’s prayers of confession and notice his confidence in God’s forgiveness in Psalm 32 and Psalm 51.

Nothing feels better than rebuilding a severed relationship with God or another person. Confession and forgiveness can erase anger, despondency, hurt, bitterness, depression, vengeance, and anxiety. All it takes is a little humility and courage.

Walk into the Presence of God This Christmas...Meg Bucher

 Walk into the Presence of God This Christmas.

By Meg Bucher

“Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10:22 NLT

Sincerity is a beautiful quality. Defined as “freedom from deceit, hypocrisy, or duplicity; honesty in intention or in communicating; earnestness.” God’s intention through Christ Jesus was birthed of sincere love for us. Christmas reminds us of His arrival on earth. He humbled Himself, was born as a human baby, and fully experienced what it was like to walk in our shoes. “The Word became human and made his home among us,” the apostle John wrote of Jesus, “He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.”  (John 1:14 NLT) 

Jesus was sincere and genuine. The author of Hebrews gives us a powerful word on how to make sure the countenance of our hearts is sincere and genuine, too! We find accountability in the Word:

“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” Hebrews 4:12 NLT

With sincere hearts, we can boldly come right into the presence of God. His sincerity sees us long before we turn to Him, and he delights when we genuinely come to Him.

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By His death, Jesus opened up a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.” Hebrews 10:19-20 NLT

We walk into the presence of God by the sacrifice of our Savior, Christ Jesus, our “great High Priest who rules over God’s house.” (Hebrews 10:21 NLT) Jesus, who genuinely meets us in our suffering and in our celebrations. Sincerely, He came to accomplish His Father’s will …to make a way for us. God’s love for us is real, deep, genuine, and sincere. This Christmas, walk into the presence of God.

Intersecting Faith and Life:

“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 now that the day of his return is drawing near.” Hebrews 10:23-25 NLT 

The reality of Jesus’ sacrifice is the blessing we get to live in today! Guilt and shame do not come from the Lord. He is not out to trick us or hide anything from us. He is right here, right now, with us. He loves us with a powerful sincerity which defeated death itself. “We have significant privileges associated with our new life in Christ,” the Life Application Bible explains, 

“(1) We have personal access to God through Christ and can draw near to him without an elaborate system (10:22); 
(2) we can grow in faith, overcome doubts and questions, and have deepening relationships with God (10:23); 
(3) we can inspire and cheer one another on as believers (10:24); and 
(4) we can worship together (10:25).” 

As we celebrate the first tiny cries of Christ, born in Bethlehem, let’s embrace the gift of sincerity this Christmas, and walk into the presence of God. 

Prayer

Father, 
Praise You for Christmas. For the sincerity of Your love for us, to send Your one and only Son, Jesus, to earth …not just to sacrifice His life for us …but to live and breath as we do. Thank You, Jesus, for taking on humanity so that You could genuinely relate to our plight on a daily basis. We love You so much for who You are, and what You have done and continually do for us. Christmas reminds of You, Jesus, but everyday You are near. May our lives shine as brightly as the star which led the wisemen to You, Jesus, and bring glory and honor to God. Let Your will for our lives be the way we choose to walk, Father. 

In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Further Reading 

• Isaiah 49:2
• Ephesians 6:7
• 1 Peter 1:23

 

Hail the Incarnate Deity..Dr. Charles Stanley

 Hail the Incarnate Deity

Dr. Charles Stanley

On that still winter's night, something was up... something extraordinary... something supernatural. The shepherds raced to the City of David and found their Savior, just as the angel had said... swaddled and lying in a feeding trough. This was the Promised One, the Messiah! God had finally come to dwell with His people, but in such an unexpected way.

Just who was this holy Child the shepherds gazed upon? Make no mistake: He was incarnate deity. The newborn Jesus existed in eternity past as God the Son. He was coequal, coeternal, and coexistent with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. However, Jesus relinquished the privileges and the pleasures of His existence in heaven when He took upon Himself the limitations of humanity (Philippians 2:6-7). In emptying Himself, Jesus voluntarily set aside the prerogatives and prerequisites of life as He had known it, an existence He had enjoyed; He released His right to that kind of life, saying to the Father, "I will go."

Go where? To Bethlehem. He took "the form of a bond-servant, and [was] made in the likeness of men." Allow yourself to picture what the shepherds saw. There He is, the baby. Do you see His ten fingers and ten toes? His button nose? Can you hear the cries? There's humanity. In this holy infant is the beginning of an earthly life. Look deep into His eyes and see the beginning of life itself.

Later, this divine man, completely unique in His nature and in the perfect life that He lived, "humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." Isn't that amazing? Of all ways to die, He died on a cross—the most humiliating and painful kind of death.