Sensitivity in Busyness..Craig Denison Ministries

Sensitivity in Busyness

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

The Christmas season is a powerful and unique time of year to remember that Jesus came to make a way for us to be near God. In his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus built a bridge between us and God allowing us to have continual, unhindered communion with our Creator. But God can’t force us into nearness with him. Even as believers filled with the Holy Spirit, we can choose to live as if God is still far off. So this Christmas season, may we choose to open our hearts to the living God that we might experience fullness of joy in his loving presence.

Scripture:

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-17

Devotional:

In Ephesians 5:15-17 Paul writes, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Do you ever feel like your days are evil? Do you ever feel like the busyness of your life rules you?

Society today loves busyness. We love to fill our plates to the brim and find purpose in what we’re doing rather than why we’re doing it. We speak ill of our own lives, as if we have no choice in the ways we spend our time. We talk about how church, work, family, and friends all pull from us as if the word “no” didn’t exist. And the season of Christmas can be even worse! With finishing work up to be able to take time off and the stress of family, parties, and expectations, Christmas can be one of the busiest times of the year.

Maybe God would have you set better boundaries this season. Or maybe he would have you do everything you’re doing. Only you and the Holy Spirit can know. But regardless of how busy you are, the key to walking in the joy and peace of God is sensitivity.

Even in the most rushed times of life, God is there, beckoning you to let him in to all your doing and feeling that you might do life with him. Even in difficult relationships and too much work, God has wisdom and truth for you that you might have a better perspective on life.

Through the power of the Spirit you can take ownership of your life. By God’s grace you can walk wisely and make every moment a chance to see God’s kingdom come both in your life and the lives of others. Your ears have been opened to the voice of God by the filling of the Spirit. Your nature as a believer is one filled and fed by the very presence of God. You have life within you, the glory of God manifest as the fruit of Jesus’ sacrifice.

Take time today to hear the voice of God. Find God’s heart that you might be sensitive to what he’s saying and where he’s leading, even in the busyness of today. May you find rest for your soul that transcends your circumstances as God fills your every moment with his loving-kindness.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the availability and importance of being sensitive to the Holy Spirit.

2. What truth would God have you know today? What perspective would he give you on your life? Ask him for wisdom and vision. Take some time to listen to God.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” James 1:5

3. Rest in the presence of God. Discover his nearness that you might stay connected to him throughout your day today.

“But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.” Psalm 73:28

God longs to be a refuge for you. He longs to be a shelter to which you can run when life overwhelms you from any and all fronts. He longs to speak peace over your heart when storms arise. He longs to wrap you up with wisdom and love that you might walk a path laid out before you by the leading of the Holy Spirit. Peace and joy are yours in the Spirit if you will grab hold of him today and trust him with all you are. May you be sensitive to who God is and all he’s doing—even in the midst of busyness.

Extended Reading: Psalm 91

Lift Our Eyes..SARAH FREYMUTH

Lift Our Eyes

SARAH FREYMUTH

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2 (ESV)

Dusk is coming, but instead of letting it slide through the windows of my apartment, I am drawn to seek more of the sun. I’m tired physically, mentally and emotionally — but I don my down jacket and scarf, slip out the door and put my feet to pavement.

It’s an unusually warm day for this time of year in Wisconsin, so I take advantage of the fleeting good weather and head to a tiny park that consists of one small but steep hill.

It’s been a long season full of unanswered questions, loads of waiting and a plethora of uncertainties. There have been times I’ve prayed and pleaded with God only to get no answer, and I’ve felt alone and unheard.

But this week, Psalm 121 has been ringing in my mind. I’ve been drawn to it, read it many times, and remembered God as Helper and Keeper.

My boots transition from the pavement to patches of grass and snow as I enter the park. All the while, I repeat portions of the psalm to myself, breath crisp and clear:

“I lift my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2).

The sun’s lowering behind clouds, but there’s enough color left to know there’s a sunset coming. I begin my climb up the hill, which is already slick with packed-down snow and a layer of ice. After slipping in my boots, which are designed more for comfort than functionality, I cling to the snowy fence posts and haul myself slowly to the top, where I watch the sky churn raspberry, blazing orange and soft red as the sun breaks through the clouds.

Rays of orange light spike through the charcoal and purple clouds into the still-bright blue sky. Worship music in my earbuds, I stand with hands outstretched, knowing I’m meeting with the God to whom my eyes have lifted. I watch and worship the God who’s spinning colors effortlessly.

My situation doesn’t change or immediately clear up, but as I stand and worship, simply being in His presence helps remind me that He is over all things, that He is the maker of heaven and earth.

“The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.” (Psalm 121:7-8, ESV)

We may be weary from things that don’t seem to change — health struggles, strained relationships, job challenges, loneliness from a need for community — but we can lift our eyes to the Lord, who will not allow us to stumble. He who provides beauty in a sorbet sunset atop a small hill surely sees us, His children. He invites us to rest in His unchanging grace, soak in His strength, and be still and know He is with us.

When we pause and take in the magnitude of His glory, we get to remember how faithful He has been to us in the past and trust He is taking care of us today.

When we lift our eyes to the hills and set our hopes higher than our eyesight, the Lord comes into view.

He is above our challenges and pain, yet He personally resides within us, drawing us close, whispering to our hurting hearts. Let’s lift our eyes to the hills of hope and look to where our help comes from: God, who makes a way and holds us steady.

Father, I am surrounded by circumstances that overwhelm me. I am sinking in my pain and concern, but You see all that’s happening. I lift my eyes up to You and remember that You are my Helper and Keeper. Thank You that You are faithful. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Christmas Memories..Dr. Charles Stanley

Christmas Memories

Dr. Charles Stanley

Luke 2:1-20

The first Christmas I remember was when I was three years old. My aunts and uncles came to visit, and when they opened the trunk of the car, I discovered that it was full of presents—and all of them were for me! I’m sure you, too, can recall memories from past Christmases, whether good or bad. There’s just something about that day that sticks in our minds.

You can be sure that all of the people who experienced the first Christmas never forgot it. Joseph remembered the weight of responsibility on his shoulders as he cared for Mary during their journey and searched for a place where she could give birth. And we can imagine that the shepherds often replayed in their minds the scene of glorious angels and the sight of the newborn Messiah. But Scripture mentions only one who “treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart” (v. 19). Mary had carried this baby in her womb for nine months, but now she saw what no one else had ever seen—the face of God!

What was it like to see deity displayed in the body of a newborn baby? Though we can never see what Mary saw, we can each remember when we first recognized our Savior—the moment we realized He died for us.

This Christmas, take time to remember when you first met Jesus. What was going on in your life? How did you feel after accepting His offer of forgiveness? How has your life changed since that day? Now imagine what it will be like when you finally see Him face to face in heaven.

The Manger Was a Clue..Paul David Tripp

The Manger Was a Clue

By Paul David Tripp

For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. - Isaiah 53:2-5

In truth, that beautifully decorated tree, those gorgeously wrapped presents, and all that tasty holiday food, which make us happy during the Christmas season, are poor representations of the world into which Jesus was born and what his everyday life would be like. Jesus didn’t show up for a celebration. He wasn’t here for a vacation. His world wasn’t well decorated, and he surely wasn’t well fed. He came to a world that had been dramatically broken by sin, and his calling was to expose himself to the full range of its brokenness. This is where the details of Christ’s birth are important. It means something profoundly important that the cradle of his birth was a feeding trough in a borrowed barn. You are meant to pay attention to the fact that he wasn’t in a palace, attended to by servants. It’s important to notice that the first smells that entered his infant nostrils weren’t oils and perfumes, but animal smells.

These seemingly unimportant details set up a sharp contrast between our celebrations at Christmas and the true conditions of the Messiah’s entry into our world. Most of us would be in a complete panic if we had to birth a baby in such conditions. But none of this was an accident. These conditions were God’s plan. They announce to us that the Messiah came not to be served but to serve (Matthew 20:28). Since he came to rescue sufferers, it was essential that he suffer too. And his suffering wasn’t reserved for the cross; it started the moment he was born. Everything he suffered was on our behalf. He would suffer but not lose his way. He would suffer and not quit and walk away. He would suffer and not grow bitter and angry. He would suffer and not respond with vengeance. He would suffer without thinking, desiring, saying, or doing even one wrong thing. He exposed himself to our world, to live as we could not live, so that as the righteous One, he could pay the penalty for our sin and give us not only peace with God, but a ticket to a future where suffering would be no more.

Jesus suffered because he did not demand what was his right; he endured what was wrong so that we may be right with God.

The manger of his birth is a clue to what he came to do and what every day of his life would be like. The way God chose to rescue sufferers was by becoming a sufferer himself. Every moment of his suffering was done with us in view. Every dark moment of physical, relational, societal, and judicial suffering had a high and holy purpose to it: our salvation. You see, Jesus came to suffer because he came to be our Savior.

There’s nothing wrong with the shiny ornaments and bright lights. Your celebration of what Jesus willingly did for you should be a festival of overflowing joy. So celebrate the blessings you’ve received, the best of those being the gift of Jesus, by passing that blessing on to others with gifts of love. Eat wonderful food, but let it remind you of the lavish spiritual food that God feeds you with every day because of the willing sacrifice of his Son, Jesus.

A Prayer to Look to The Lord as Everlasting Father..Chelsey DeMatteis

A Prayer to Look to The Lord as Everlasting Father

By Chelsey DeMatteis

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” - John 10:28-30

The word “everlasting” for a long time was one that had me thinking of hard seasons, slow seasons, and seasons of my life that seemed as if they’d never end. But, God. He has redeemed this word for me because, truly the only thing everlasting is Him. No season, no hurt, no pain, not even the victories we will see as a human on this side of heaven will ever last forever.

I don't know what place you find yourself in today. Maybe you're exhausted, running on autopilot; perhaps you feel like you've been in "survival mode," as my friend put it, to get through the rest of this year. Maybe you're on that mountaintop rejoicing with Jesus for the victory He's brought you. Or perhaps you're just coasting and feeling grateful that life is good. Whichever season you find yourself in, I pray you know what God’s true everlasting promise means. It’s not circumstantial; it’s not for a span of time. It’s eternal; it’s everlasting.

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” - John 10:28-30

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” 1 Peter 5:10
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” - John 3:16

The true everlasting promise from our "everlasting Father" is eternal life with Him. Picture it as best as you can; nothing ever separates us again from our Creator. No sin, no death, just us.. with God the Father and His son, Jesus, seated as His right hand.

Isaiah 9:6 is a promise. Isaiah was prophesying what was to come, who Jesus would be, and what a gift He is to those who are His. As Christmas draws near and the season of Advent begins, I pray your heart is tethering itself to this scripture. Ponder the goodness of God and the gift of His Son. Remember Jesus’ humble beginning and all that He would endure for us.

If you've never accepted Christ, I want to invite you this Advent to ask Him into your heart as your Lord and Savior with this prayer.

Let's pray:

"Father, I know that I have broken your laws, and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me. I believe that your Son, Jesus Christ, died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to lead me in obedience and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen."

*If you took this step, be sure to get connected to a biblically sound church in your area.

Lord, thank you for giving us the opportunity to live in an everlasting covenant with you. What a gift it is to be known and loved by our Creator. I pray for a heart that seeks to obey and serve wherever and whenever your Spirit leads me. Thank you for being my Everlasting Father. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Confidence in Knowing God Is Enough..Aaron D’Anthony Brown

Confidence in Knowing God Is Enough

By Aaron D’Anthony Brown

“Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?” (Matthew 6:26)

What Do People Mean by 'God Is Enough'?
There’s one phrase that used to boggle my mind, even annoy me. God is enough. It was incredibly frustrating to hear during bouts of loneliness when I not only prayed but strived to change my life into what I wanted. Somehow or another, I ended up short. And yet, I kept hearing that phrase. God is enough.

When I consider those low seasons, the apostle Paul comes to mind, a man who at one point lived with what he called a “thorn in the flesh.” Much like any sensible person, he tried to rid himself of this thorn through prayer. Presumably, the thorn was too great a task for his own efforts. Thus, he enlisted the help of God. But God didn’t answer Paul’s prayer by doing what he asked. Instead, the Lord indicated something else.

“Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.’” (2 Corinthians 12:8-9)

Paul learned God is enough. What is your thorn in the flesh, or what have you lacked during the low seasons? Some of us live through periods of wanting more, even believing that we need more - finances, relationships, children. What helps us get from one end of the hardship to the other is remembering that God is enough. No matter how tired we may feel about hearing that statement, we are being told the truth. God is enough. Enough for what, you ask? God is enough for us to be content. Here’s how we can find confidence in knowing God is enough.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
Despite the admonitions from others, despite the Sunday sermons, and despite our own Scripture readings, we vacillate between trusting God and not trusting God. We sometimes believe God is enough, and sometimes wonder. To have confidence, we must build in reminders for ourselves, preparing for those days when we will forget, and further strengthening ourselves when we know.

Here are some steps you can take today to build your remembrance.

Memorize Scripture
While we may take time to read Scripture, reading is not the same action as memorizing. Anyone can take a cursory glance at the text, and even carry on a conversation about what they read. Memorizing requires more effort. Memorization also provides us the benefit of building our confidence. How do we know we can trust God? Well, we can recall speaking instances in the Bible speaking this very truth. If you’re in a season of struggling with money, being able to recite those verses to yourself will uplift your spirits. The same applies to loneliness and other areas of struggle.

Record God’s Blessings
The elation of being delivered from one adversity can sometimes fall by the wayside when we are brought into another trial, and subsequently forget how God just blessed us. One solution is to keep a record of God’s blessings through a journal or some other form of writing. Jot down what your heart longs for, then later once the prayer has been answered, write when and how God came through. Refer to your manuscript as needed, or even better, refer to your writings out of habit to keep your mind and heart uplifted.

Encourage Others
One way to maximize our suffering is to shift our focus to solely ourselves. Our problems gain stature when all we do is focus on them. In just the opposite way, turning our focus to others helps to minimize our suffering. This is why people who are struggling are encouraged to volunteer or find someone to serve. Doing so not only raises our spirits but serves as a reminder to the other person and us, as to how God provides. This is especially felt when we encourage other people through Scripture. Reminding them of God’s word is a reminder to ourselves too!

Keep Reading the Bible
During one long and dreary season of life, I read through the Book of Job. Later in life, when another season hit, I figured there was no point in reading that book again because it wouldn’t make a difference. Wrong. Even if you have already read a certain verse, passage, or book, make reading a habit. Then keep the habit alive when life is good and when life is bad.

Reading offers the reminders we need and the ones we didn’t know we need when life gets tough. God is enough, and Scripture confirms this. There were characters in Scripture, people like Job, who encountered a number of terrible circumstances. God sustained them. They were not immediately delivered, but eventually, they came out okay. And he can sustain us too.

We need to be confident in knowing that God is enough.

For Further Reading

What Christmas Is About..Greg Laurie

What Christmas Is About

Greg Laurie

Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. —Isaiah 9:7

As we look at our world today, we realize that part of the promise of Isaiah 9:6–7 has not yet been fulfilled. The Son has been given. The Child has been born. But He has not yet taken the government upon His shoulders. We do not yet have peace with judgment and justice. But the good news is that there will come a day when Christ will return. He will establish His kingdom on this earth. And it will be the righteous rule of God himself.

Before Jesus could take the government upon His shoulder, He had to take the cross upon His shoulder. Before He could wear the crown of glory as King of Kings, He had to wear the shameful crown of thorns and give His life as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. The first time, a star marked His arrival. But the next time He comes, the heavens will roll back like a scroll, all of the stars will fall from the sky, and He himself will light it.

Christ came to this earth. God came near to you so you can come near to Him—to give your life purpose and meaning, to forgive you of your sins, and to give you the hope of heaven beyond the grave. Christmas is not about tinsel or shopping or presents. Christmas is not about the gifts under the tree. Rather, Christmas is about the gift that was given on the tree when Christ died there for our sins and gave us the gift of eternal life.

Biblical Musings of a Prodigal Son

Featured Post

How to Set Your Mind on Things Above: 6 Ways to Let Go of Earthly Things

1/2 Hour of God's Power