The Savior King..Craig Denison Ministries

 

The Savior King

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

What a gift we have in the Christmas season. God himself took on flesh and dwelt among us that we might find eternal relationship in him. His coming serves as a continual reminder of his grace and pursuit of us who are lost without him. As we look to Jesus this week to celebrate who he is and what he’s done, may you find life-giving hope and foundational joy.

Scripture:

“But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are his,’ and, ‘Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.’” 2 Timothy 2:19

Devotional:

Sometimes as believers we’ve known Jesus to be our Savior for so long that we fail to dive in to all it means for us and thereby miss out on all the wonderful fruit salvation is meant to bear in our lives.

Jesus died, not just to usher us into heaven at our death, but that we might find salvation from the things of this life that don’t flow from the heart and hands of the Father. God’s will is that we would walk in fullness of life all the days of our life (John 10:10). He has peace for us instead of anxiety (2 Thessalonians 3:16). He has an eternal purpose for us instead of frivolous pursuits (Ephesians 2:10). He longs to fill our hands with good gifts instead of the fruit of anxious toil (James 1:17). And he has a new nature and newness of life instead of the sins and cares of who we were before Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

So the questions in response to God’s truth become: what are you waiting for? What’s holding you back from all of these amazing things God has for you? What’s keeping you from walking in newness of life today?

Experiencing the fruit of salvation begins with a clear revelation of what God does and doesn’t want for you. Without faith to hold on to the promises of God, we easily fall victim to the lies and temptations of the enemy. Now that Satan has no hold over our eternal destiny, his pursuit is robbing us of all that’s available to us in God that he might both hurt us and the heart of God.

But we serve a King who was not only Savior on the day of Calvary, but comes to us each day offering us salvation from the things of the world. The Holy Spirit inside each of us has the will and ability to deliver us from anything not found in the will of God that Jesus’ sacrifice might bear its full fruit in our lives. And in spending time in dedicated communion with God, studying the Scripture to find what’s been allotted as our portion in Jesus, and seeking to follow the moment-to-moment leadership of the Holy Spirit, we find the power we need to experience all God has for us.

Seek today to understand God’s heart for you. Look for promises you can hold on to about his character and will. And in response to a revelation of God’s will, have faith and vision to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit into fullness of life. May today be marked by the life-giving fruit of salvation in Jesus.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the life available to you through salvation in Jesus.

“For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’” Acts 17:28

“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

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10

2. Spend time looking at your own life with the Holy Spirit. What in your life isn’t in God’s heart for you? Where are you not experiencing the fruit of salvation in Jesus?

“For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.” 1 Corinthians 2:11-12

3. Bring to God the parts of your life that aren’t in his perfect will. Allow him to cast vision over your life. Let him fill you with faith to live the life he longs to give you.

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” John 16:13

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

God is a god of the journey. He doesn’t expect perfection from us. He knows we are dust. He’s just after your heart that you might go through this life together. Don’t miss out on opportunities for relationship by running from the heart of God when you realize your own imperfection. Don’t miss out on an opportunity to experience grace by trying to hide your sin. Allow God into everything you are and do. Journey with him that you might experience the wonders of a god who loves you just as you are. Find joy in experiencing right now the eternal relationship afforded you by your Savior King.

Extended Reading: 2 Corinthians 5

 

That Prepared Me for This..BINU SAMUEL

 That Prepared Me for This

BINU SAMUEL 

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.” Zechariah 4:10a (NLT)

My team at work is the best! I sincerely appreciate what every one of my co-workers brings to the table. Our most recent hire came to us with no previous pharmacy experience, but he had enthusiasm and a desire to learn, so we brought him on.

Every day, he shows up on time and ready to work. He’s flexible. He’s energetic. He’s efficient. He’s bilingual. You should see the way customers’ faces light up when they hear the words “habla español?”

After one of the most head-spinning, most overwhelming and busiest workdays EVER, I had to ask him, “What’s your secret? How do you stay so calm?”

His response made me laugh and got me thinking.

“Yesterday was nothing compared to when I used to work at Burger King at my university. The lunch hour there was crazy!”

Burger King? While fast food restaurants and pharmacies are both fast-paced and high-energy workplaces, who would’ve thought that a job in a totally different industry would have prepared him for this?

God uses everything we go through to teach us and equip us. Every humbling and exhausting experience either prepares us for the next humbling and exhausting experience or prepares us for a mountaintop experience where we appreciate God’s sovereignty in a whole new way.

We see this throughout Scripture.

How was Moses prepared to lead over a million Israelites out of Egypt?

After killing an Egyptian man to defend an Israelite slave, Moses fled to the desert and worked under his father-in-law, Jethro, tending sheep. Caring for flocks of sheep prepared him to care for God's people.

Long before Moses was born, Joseph was put in charge of a prison before he was put in charge of a nation.

Later, at the end of the Israelites' Babylonian exile, Nehemiah’s role as a cupbearer to the king granted him the favor and the resources needed to pursue his passion of rebuilding Jerusalem’s wall.

Zerubbabel was also a leader after the exile. He was involved in spearheading the reconstruction of Jerusalem’s temple. There was an overwhelming amount of work to be done, and it was easy to be discouraged.

But God spoke through the prophet Zechariah: “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand” (Zechariah 4:10a).

Friends, the work God desires to do in us has to start somewhere!

We’ve all had days and seasons of life where we have wondered, How could this be preparing me for anything? 

But it always does.

God uses ALL things — clueless sheep, prison walls and even hungry college students — to equip us, prepare us and launch us into His will for our lives. Sometimes that means humble beginnings build our character for future roles God has in store; it also means knowing we never have to be “promoted” to serve God. After all, Jesus spent His time on earth as a humble carpenter and traveling minister, “for even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve” (Mark 10:45, NLT).

Even if it looks small right now, let’s be faithful where we are and submit our desires to God. I believe we will be amazed at the mighty work God can do in and through us!

Heavenly Father, thank You for never wasting a single moment of our lives. Even when times are difficult, help us to remember You will work things out for our good and for Your glory. We submit our lives into Your loving hands. Please give us the strength to live according to Your Word. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Contagious Joy.. Dr. Charles Stanley

 Contagious Joy

Dr. Charles Stanley

1 John 1:1-4

Jesus calls us to be His “witnesses.” When some Christians hear this word, they worry that they need exceptional skill or charisma in order to share the good news with others. Yet to witness is not to merely speak of the “plan of salvation” to someone. The word literally means to see, hear, or know by personal presence and perception; to testify; bear witness to; give or afford evidence of. When John wrote that he was sharing what he had experienced first-hand, he was saying, “I am full of joy because of the experience of knowing Jesus, and I want to invite you to share in that joy!”

When you’re in love with someone, you are excited about the relationship and time spent together. Likewise, when you’re in love with Jesus, you can’t keep to yourself the joy that comes from knowing Him—it just spills over, bearing witness and strengthening other believers. In fact, as you give testimony of who God is and how He’s working in your life, it makes no difference whether you speak quietly or with great exuberance: in their spirit, Christians will pick up on the deep, genuine gladness in your heart that goes beyond natural happiness. And people who don’t yet know the Lord will find themselves hungering for the relationship you have. In that way, they will be drawn to His Spirit in you.

Witnessing is not a matter of eloquence or talent. It’s an overflow of the personal relationship with Jesus Christ that is conforming you to His image. As you allow the Holy Spirit to increasingly express His life and power through you, contagious joy will be “fruit” of His indwelling presence.

God's Dream for You before You Were Born..Lynette Kittle

 God's Dream for You before You Were Born

by Lynette Kittle

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”—Matthew 1:21

Expectant parents often have high hopes and dreams for their babies. Some dream of their daughter or son becoming the President of the U.S.A., a New York Times best selling author, or an Olympic athlete.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, didn’t have to guess God’s plan for her son. Before Jesus was conceived, she was told His heavenly Father’s purpose in Him being born. Jesus was coming to save people from their sins.

Although the angel Gabriel told Mary God’s plan for Jesus’ life, she could only imagine how it would be accomplished in His life. Hearing the plans, she must have had hopes and dreams in how it would be fulfilled. Most likely her thoughts did not envision Him being crucified on a cross.

Like Jesus, God was overseeing your life before you were born. “For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

As Jeremiah 29:11 explains, God has hopes and dreams for you, too. “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

If you believe you alone are in control of your life, Proverbs 16:9 gives another perspective. “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”

As well, Scriptures explains:

• “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21).
• “Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps” (Jeremiah 10:23).

Or, maybe you feel like you’ve been stumbling through life and are missing out on what God has planned for you? If so, Psalm 37:24 assures that although you may stumble, you will not fall, for the Lord upholds you with His Hand.

If you’ve made choices or had things happen to you that have caused you to feel hopeless, Romans 8:28 assures you that it’s not too late for His purposes for your life to be fulfilled, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”

As Psalm 37:4 encourages, “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”

Choose to delight in God because, “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him” (Psalm 37:23).

A Prayer of Anticipation..Laura Bailey

A Prayer of Anticipation 
By Laura Bailey

"The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:35) NIV

The first Sunday after Thanksgiving, my mother would attach my favorite Christmas pin to my jacket, "Jesus is the Reason for the Season," it read in bright red and green script. The pinning of the small button each year on my lapel marked the official start of the Christmas season. There was nothing remarkable about the button, it didn't light up, and there was no sparkle or glitter, just a few words on a white background. Still, with the pin placement each year, my anticipation heightened, and my excitement bubbled over!

One day I asked my mother why she always waited until after Thanksgiving to bring out my special pin. She explained that it was the first Sunday of Advent when we celebrated Jesus' birth and anticipation His second coming. What started as a cute button place to bring a little Christmas cheer became a powerful reminder to keep Jesus at the center of my Christmas celebrations. 

As the years passed and I entered my teens, I abandoned wearing the Christmas pen and, unfortunately, also lost much of my joy for the holiday season. What once was magical became ordinary, anticipated events turned predictable, and celebrating Christ's birth became another thing on the chaotic Christmas calendar. Last Christmas, now in my late thirties, while decorating for the season, I found my pen nestled in a box that held Christmas memories of old. I felt the immediate conviction of the Holy Spirit, urging me to remember that Jesus is not only the reason for this season but every season.  

I think about Mary after the Angel visited her telling her that she would conceive and give birth to the Son of God, Jesus ( Luke 1:26-38). After she got over the initial shock, she was filled with joy and anticipated the arrival of the Savior of the world. Mary would have been very familiar with the prophecies in the Old Testament and would have been eagerly awaiting their fulfillment. We read in Luke about her visiting her cousin, Elizabeth, and how the baby in Elizabeth’s stomach lept for joy in anticipation of the birth of Christ ( Luke 1:39-45). In the months leading up to Jesus' birth, though not easy, Mary experienced all the usual pains of carrying a baby, delivery, and after the birth, but Mary and Joseph were filled with such anticipation and excitement!

We, too, can experience the season's excitement like Mary those many years ago. As believers, we thank the Lord for sending his Son and eagerly wait for the second coming of Jesus. As we enter the Advent season, may we keep Christ at the center of our hearts and celebration as we remember that He alone is the reason for the season.

Let's Pray: 

Heavenly Father, thank you for how you love your children, extending grace and mercy when we don't deserve it. Thank you for always being there, never leaving or forsaking us, even when we turn away from You. We live distracted lives; we confess our divided hearts and wayward spirits. We call on the Holy Spirit to bring us closer to you. May the words of our mouths and our actions profess our gratitude and love for You. 

Thank you for giving us the best gift, Jesus. We are undeserving, but you made way for your children to be redeemed. Help us to remember that You alone deserve our glory, obedience, and worship; guide us and lead us as we prepare our hearts and minds for Advent. Keep in the forefront of our celebration the words of Isaiah 9:6, "For to us a child is born, to us, a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Thank you for the many blessings in our lives; above all, we thank you for eternal life. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Called to Grow...Meg Bucher

Called to Grow
By Meg Bucher

“We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” - Hebrews 6:11-12 NLT

Growing pains hurt. Physically, we don’t all grow at the same time or rate. I remember looking up at all of my peers as, one by one, they all started to sprout up before I did. Emotional growing pains are inevitable throughout the entirety of our lives, but the most pragmatic during our teen years and early adulthood. The definition of growing pains also includes: “difficulties attending any new project or any raid development of an existing project.” The global pandemic caused growing pains as we scrambled to figure out how to carry on with life when so much of it came to a violent halt. Amidst all of the growing and changing, our everyday lives reveal what God has called us to do. 

God put each of us here on purpose, with purpose. “We don’t choose our callings; by definition, we’re called to them,” Ivan Mesa explains in an article he wrote titled, “3 Things Your Calling is Not,” for TGC, “Repeat: God calls us; we don’t call ourselves.” The author of Hebrews wrote:

“When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” Hebrews 6:13-14 NLT

 Abraham’s calling didn’t make sense to him at first, but through the growing pains of life, he obeyed God. Finding our calling in life requires us to listen, obey, and seek the Author of the master plan. He is faithful to guide us, not hiding in the shadows.

Intersecting Faith and Life:

“For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.” - Romans 11:29 NLT

God created each of us to bring glory to Him through the unique purpose He has planned for our individual lives. Although wealth and success can be blessings we enjoy from the Lord as we work hard at what He has given us to do, a lack of prosperity by the world’s standards by no means signals failure to follow God in our calling. When we find ourselves getting caught up in the expectations of the world, it’s so important to remember the call on our lives wasn’t meant for us. 

We can’t lose God’s call on our lives. Each day, as we seek the Lord and obediently do the next right thing, we move closer to what He has for us. Even when we know early on what we are meant to do, the work of walking in the will of God continues until the day we arrive home to Him. The VOICE paraphrase of Romans 11:29 reads: 

“You see, when God gives a grace gift and issues a call to a people, He does not change His mind and take it back.” 

A Prayer for Growing Pains

Father, 
Today I pray for all ages and stages of people who are experiencing growing pains. Will you bring comfort, peace, and direction to their lives like no one else can? Replace the goals of the world with Your plan for their lives. Help them to know which choice to make next and what step to take which will lead them on the path of Your will for their lives. 

Help us to put our faith in You, God, every day. When we’re tempted to count the days ahead, remind us -only You know how many we have to live. You know Your purpose for us. Help us to rest in You, God. 
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Further Reading 

• Proverbs 31:8-9
• Micah 6:8
• Mark 16:15
• 1 Corinthians 7:17
• 1 Peter 4:10-11