Solitude with Emmanuel..Craig Denison Ministries

 

Solitude with Emmanuel

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:

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

Devotional:

One of the greatest privileges of the Christian faith is solitude with God. Engaging in solitude with our Creator is a life-giving celebration of his heart. Our God isn’t after what we can do for him. He’s not after fixing us. He’s all about having us. He’s all about being with his people in restored, unhindered relationship.

Isaiah 7:14 prophesies about the birth of Christ saying, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Immanuel means, “God with us.” How amazing is it that the King of heaven and earth would desire to be called “God with us” and that our Creator would want to be known as one who would write himself into the story of his creation in such a way as to be tangibly, truly present.

When we take time to get alone with the Father apart from any other agenda, to simply open our hearts and be with him, we declare to ourselves and to God that our lives are centered around him. When we make space to hold off on questions (and reading, learning, and growing) to simply rest in his nearness, we discover that God is far better and far more loving than we ever could have guessed.

Solitude with God is a place of abundant joy. It’s a place of peace and encounter that no other spiritual discipline can bring. It’s a source of perspective and freedom in times typically marked by frivolous pursuits and stress. And it’s a cornerstone of Christian spirituality: a pursuit of God that casts aside every ulterior motive to simply and purely be with God.

John 1:14 says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” The heart of Jesus is marked by grace and truth. He sees you as you are. He knows exactly what you need. Take time to discover the grace of God to speak to you as you simply open your heart and listen. Trust in his perfect love and leadership by sitting at his feet and letting him say everything, or nothing at all. Fix your eyes on Jesus today and enjoy the simplicity of solitude. May your heart be filled with peace and joy as you encounter Emmanuel, God with us.

Guided Prayer:

1. Begin a time of solitude by meditating on the availability of God’s presence.

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14

“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!” Psalm 139:7-8

2. Take time to receive the presence of God. Sometimes it helps me to take deep breaths as a symbol for breathing in the presence of God and breathing out all my cares and weights.

“Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” Genesis 2:7

3. Rest in the nearness of Jesus. Decide not to ask questions or wonder about the things going on in your life. Instead, simply enjoy the goodness of God.

“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” Mark 1:35

One of the greatest markers in my life for how I’m doing is how consistently I am getting time to simply enjoy God. Loving and being loved by God is foundational to every other aspect of the Christian life. It’s only in experiencing God’s love that I can effectively love others. It’s only in enjoying God that I am able to fully enjoy family and friends. Sometimes the simplest of things are the most powerful. May your heart be light today as you find joy in the simplicity of solitude.

Extended Reading: Psalm 139

Walking Counts When It’s Hard To Run Your Race..KIA STEPHENS

 Walking Counts When It’s Hard To Run Your Race

KIA STEPHENS 

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us …” Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)

Everything about me looked like I was a serious runner.

Leggings, earbuds and my cellphone armband communicated to all onlookers that I was in the habit of exercising regularly. The elastic in my pants firmed up my otherwise wiggly cellulite, making me appear more toned. I felt good, looked the part and had a bright idea: Why not run today instead of walk?

The sun beamed on my face, the morning air was refreshing, and the songs on my playlist made me feel alive as I jogged to the beat. I was a runner … at least until my body began to tell me otherwise.

Initially, it was a subtle change: My legs started to ache, my skin started to itch, and my breathing became uncontrolled. Soon, I was completely out of breath and aching all over. Everything in me wanted to quit, but quitting was not an option. I had a self-imposed goal to run my entire route.

I did not want to break the commitment I made with myself, but my ambitions were more than I was capable of achieving that day. Reluctantly, I gave myself permission to alternate between running for as long as I could and walking when I needed a break.

Sometimes we need to offer ourselves this same type of grace in our faith race.

There are seasons in our lives when we look and feel spiritually strong. We faithfully have daily quiet time, attend Sunday services, forgive quickly, serve in multiple ways, adhere to spiritual disciplines and fellowship with others.

Then we experience unexpected obstacles we must overcome that leave us exhausted, out of breath and ready to give up. The author of Hebrews offers us encouragement for those seasons in our lives.

Hebrews 12:1 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us …”

This scripture comes after spiritual “giants” — Abraham, Sarah, David, Samuel and countless others — are commended for their faith. These people are the spectators of our faith race and a part of the “great cloud of witnesses” referred to in Hebrews 12. Because of the foundation they laid for us, the author of Hebrews says we can “throw off everything that hinders” and “run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

My faith race this year has been one filled with many challenges. I wish I could say I immediately threw off my hindrances, sins and the things that entangled me, but there have been times when all I could do was just keep moving forward.

Hebrews 12:1 tells us quitting is not an option. Instead of quitting, we must learn to give ourselves grace.

I opted to run my faith race for as long as I could and to walk when I needed to. Walking does not equate to failure. It simply gives us the grace we need to persevere.

Walking may mean that for a season …

1. We are intentional about resting more and serving less.
2. We spend time with God instead of doing things for God.
3. We pray prayers that are filled with more tears than words.

I am convinced walking will not disqualify us. God doesn’t ask us to sprint at top speed through our faith race; He asks us to persevere. God encourages us to choose a pace we can sustain over time. Sometimes this requires spiritually walking.

When we walk, we are still moving and believing in God, completing the race marked out for us and building up our endurance so we can eventually run again. Each of us has a God-appointed race only we can run. When life gets hard (and we know it will), may we focus on Jesus and walk with perseverance until we can run the rest of the way.

Dear God, thank You for giving me models for how to run my race with perseverance. When life gets hard, help me to keep going. Show me what it looks like to adjust my pace while continuing to persevere. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Learning Obedience through Suffering..Dr. Charles Stanley

 Learning Obedience through Suffering

Dr. Charles Stanley

Hebrews 5:7-8

Have you ever wondered why Jesus had to suffer so much when He came to earth as a man? One might expect that the Son of the living God would live a comfortable life and die a peaceful death. After all, wouldn't His blood have paid for our sins whether it was shed painlessly or torturously?

But Jesus took on human flesh and came to earth not just to die for our transgressions but also—with the exception of sin—to identify with us in every area of our lives. And that includes suffering (Heb. 2:17-18). How would a Savior who had no experience with pain help us when we hurt? Also, when it's difficult for us to obey the Lord, we need the help of One who learned obedience from the things He suffered.

Unlike us, Jesus didn't move from being rebellious to becoming obedient. Rather, He learned by personal experience the pathway we have to walk when God calls us to do something difficult or painful.

In His humanity, Christ struggled with the assignment that lay before Him: death on the cross. Even though the Father heard His cries, the plan was not changed, and Jesus walked through all of it in complete submission, just as He had done with every divine "assignment" throughout His earthly life.

The only reason you and I have salvation is because Jesus always did what pleased His Father—had He rebelled in that one area, all hope for lost humanity would be cancelled. If His obedience in suffering resulted in such a great benefit, just imagine what is in store for us when we do what God wants.

What Does “Immanuel” Mean? .. Meg Bucher

 What Does “Immanuel” Mean? (Matthew 1:23)

By Meg Bucher

“They will name him Immanuel (Hebrew for “God is with us”).” Matthew 1:23 (MSG)

When the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, he learned that Mary was "with child through the Holy Spirit" and would give birth to a son named "Immanuel" (Matthew 1:18 Matthew 1:23). "Immanuel" is a Hebrew word meaning "God with us" and expresses the wonder of the incarnation, that God "became flesh and made his dwelling among us" (John 1:14). Immanuel explains how God came for us, is here with us, and is coming back for us through Jesus. Jesus appeased the ardent anticipation of our hearts. The questions have been answered. The gaps have been filled. Hope is available for the world to receive.

Christmas Presents vs. the Presence of Immanuel

“Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret.” Mark 7:24

In a world where everyone has access to us, it can be a blessing to go unnoticed. Jesus knew the peace woven into the observatory silence of slipping through a crowd or standing at the back of a room. He was not an audience seeker, yet people followed Him by the droves.

When the busyness of the holiday seasons threatens to derail our perspective, we can reset our agendas by sitting in His presence. Make time to seek Him in Scripture. The best way to lose Christmas spirit is to make it all about what we’re getting and giving. Focus on the right Gift ignites the Spirit of Christmas.

A present is something presented, while presence represents the part of space within one’s immediate vicinity (Merriam-Webster). How many Christmas presents do we forget about, return, or get rid of each year? Christ’s presence is always available and applicable to our lives.

“That’s not fair!!!!!!!” My youngest daughter wailed. “You got a Lego girl the last time you opened up a square …that’s NOT FAIR!!!!”

Their argument over an Advent gift I’d given them to share put the never-enough nature of humanity on display. In the thick of presents about to hit many homes; and the dread of those who don’t have gifts to give; it’s vital to pull the true light of Christmas into focus.

Matthew 1:23, the first of many verses that connect the Old Testament with the new, fulfilled a verse written approximately 800 years earlier!  The treasures tucked inside spanned an eighth-century gap, until God whispered, “it’s time.”

Isaiah, whose name means “the Lord saves,” penned, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14 NIV). Matthew, whose name means “gift of the Lord,” recorded his words within 50-70 AD: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us’)” (Matthew 1:23 NIV).

How does the Lord save? Through the gift of Jesus. We’re not always assured the final witness to inspired words. A sign normally fulfilled within a few years took 800, unraveling the scope of God’s timing.  

Does it feel off-putting to revolve an entire season around door-buster deals?  Beyond ancestral traditions and surrounding customs, the Creator of our souls seeks to spend time with us. Our minds will remain elusively angst until we seek the proof we need to believe and unlock our hearts. Presents don’t fulfill human hearts; souls are satisfied by the presence of Jesus. Savior. Immanuel.

A Prayer to Remember..Lynette Kittle

 A Prayer to Remember

By Lynette Kittle

“Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering" - Hebrew 13:3

During the holidays, probably more than any other time of the year, people are drawn to remember and help those who are suffering. At the same time, many struggle with thinking of those in dire situations, feeling guilty for enjoying festivities. So how do we handle the suffering of others throughout the holidays? Is it okay to enjoy the festivities when so many in the world are suffering? How do we remember individuals being mistreated and still celebrate with our family, friends, and community?

As Christians, we know God is close to the brokenhearted, to those who are suffering (Psalm 34:18). He doesn’t forget them in their distresses, nor ever leaves or forsake them even in the darkest, deepest pits of despair (Hebrews 13:5). At the burning bush, God revealed to Moses His heart for those who suffer. “The Lord said, ‘I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering” (Exodus 3:7).

If you’ve ever wondered if God sees the misery, hears the cries, and is concerned with suffering, the answer is ‘yes.’ Still, it’s hard for us to understand how such a loving, compassionate, and giving God could ever even allow any suffering in the world.

When Suffering Entered the World
Adam’s sin brought suffering to all humans. Sadly ever since then, the world is a place of suffering with no one escaping it. Romans 5:12 explains, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people because all sinned.”

Not even Jesus escaped suffering and is often referred to as the “Suffering Servant.” Suffering is a result of sin entering the world, yet, some, like Job’s friends (Job 1-42), saw it as God’s punishment. True, many do suffer consequences from their own sins, but Jesus, who was sinless, suffered to the point of physical death. His suffering was willingly and for our sakes, to break the power of sin’s curse over our lives. Although most of us usually don’t willingly invite suffering into our lives, becoming more like Jesus usually involves suffering at some level. So if or when it comes, how do we respond?

How to Respond to Suffering
Even in suffering, we are called to trust God and seek to do His will. 1 Peter 4:19 urges, “So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” Because God remembers those who are suffering, it’s on His heart. As He cares for those in distress, He calls us to remember them, too, as if we are right there suffering with them. Although our suffering experiences may not compare to or be at the same depth or level as theirs, our hearts are kept softened when we remember and pray as God leads us.

Let’s Pray:

Dear Father,
Because there are so many in the world suffering today, we ask for Your help in remembering them in thoughts and prayers. We thank You and praise You, dear Lord, for never leaving or forsaking them (Hebrews 13:5), especially in their distress, offering each one Your comfort and strength in their suffering.

Our hearts are grateful for your faithfulness and nearness to those who are afflicted and cast down this holiday season. Thank you for Your presence with the countless individuals caught in the middle of wars, genocides, persecutions, imprisonment, and more. We ask for your divine protection over their hearts, minds, and bodies, sending Your word to heal and deliver them from destruction (Psalm 107:20), and to relieve their suffering by encouraging, uplifting, and refreshing their hearts.

Lord, help us to remember them. Let us willingly keep our hearts tender towards them and what they are going through. Although we may not understand the depth of someone’s suffering, let us be compassionate, caring, generous, and prayerful towards them at this time of the year and all year long.

Father, move upon our hearts and minds to reach out to them in ways that will encourage, sustain, and refresh them during the darkest of days.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I Am the Way..Emma Danzey

 I Am the Way

By Emma Danzey

John 14:5-6 says, “Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’"

I have heard John 14:6 many times in my life and loved it, but never really pondered much about what was asked in the previous verse 5. Today as we look at Jesus as the Way, may we not forget the need for redemption, the need for direction, and the need for knowing how to be reunited with the Father through Jesus.

“Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’”

Thomas has some high and low moments, like anyone in the Scriptures. He, unfortunately, got the title “Doubting Thomas” from the church because of his lack of faith in some scenarios; however, in this passage, even in his questioning, it leads to a wonderful answer. Thomas poses the question to Jesus, how can they know the way when they do not know where He is going? This is a valid question. Although Jesus was essentially telling them, He spoke in a way in which the disciples did not understand quite yet.

It is important for us to see that Jesus invites our questions. He is not unhappy with us just because we come to him with uncertainty. He welcomes us to Himself to provide the answers that we need. Sometimes those answers are unclear in the moment to us, but as we live and follow Christ, they became more clear. God could have explained to us many times part of His will, but without His Holy Spirit, we have no understanding of the spiritual. Thankfully, we have been given this gift as believers on this side of the resurrection. The disciples in this passage had yet to experience the Holy Spirit’s power and revelation in their lives.

Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life.’

I love this because Jesus answers point-blank. He does not speak in a parable or in some hidden form; He tells Thomas that He is the way, He is the truth, He is the life. When Thomas and the other followers of Jesus were looking for a way to the Father, Jesus told them that He would be the way. He was telling them that He would be the way to eternal life.

This is such a beautiful gift. Still, to this day, we do not have to wonder how to be forgiven for our sins or how to receive eternal life in heaven with God. Jesus has told us plainly in John 14:6.

“No one comes to the Father except through me."

When people ask the question of how to get to heaven, John 14:5-6 is a great place to take them. In a world that tries to say, “All paths lead to the same place” or “your truth is your truth,” we have to pray and share the reality that if Jesus is the Savior of this world, He has made it clear that no one can come to Heaven and be with the Father except through Him. This is good news. Before Jesus, there was no hope and no way to have eternal life except the future hope of a Messiah and animal sacrifices to reveal faith for what was to come and cover sins. Now, we have confidence and peace that we can be sealed forever as His children.

Hebrews 10:23 says, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”

Intersecting Faith and Life:
What question are you asking God today? How can you press into it like Thomas instead of avoiding it? The Lord values your questions and desires that you would come to Him. How has Jesus proven to be the Way in your life? How can you share this good news and hope with others who do not know Him this week?

Further Reading:

Matthew 7:13-14

John 10:9

Acts 16:31