Carrying the Presence of Christ.. Craig Denison Ministries

 

Carrying the Presence of Christ

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:

“By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.” 1 John 4:17

Devotional:

We have the privilege as Jesus’ disciples of carrying his presence with us into the world. God in his love has chosen to use us as agents of awakening. He’s commissioned us to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). And in 1 John 4:15-17 we gain an insight into the way in which God would have us make disciples:

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.

“As he is so also are we in this world.” What a powerful statement! God’s plan for the world is to form and fashion us into those who reflect his goodness to others. The hope of the world rests in Jesus’ mercy and grace as proclaimed through our lives. And the only way in which we carry Jesus with us into the world is by abiding in God and allowing him to abide in us.

Do you know that you can abide in God? And not just in spending time alone with him! 1 John 4 teaches us that when we abide in love, when we love others, we are abiding in him. You see, abiding in God requires us to be where he is. It requires us to yield to his leadership and heart that we might join him throughout our day where he is already at work. Sometimes abiding requires time spent in solitude, the word, and worship. Other times abiding requires action.

Where is God at work in your midst today? Who is he pursuing and how can you join him? Who is he drawing to himself and how can you help him? If you want to be with God today, join him in seeing his kingdom of love advance. If you want to abide in the presence of Jesus, decide to live like him, empowered by his Spirit. You don’t have to live perfectly. You don’t have to be anything other than who you are. God in his power and grace has created you for a specific purpose to reveal a specific aspect of his heart to the world. Simply choose to let him in to all you are and do today that your day might be filled with his life-giving presence. Choose to carry his wisdom, love, and grace into relationship with others that in your communication, emotions, and actions you would proclaim his character.

Take time in guided prayer to find rest and purpose in the presence of Christ.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s command to abide in him. Allow Scripture to fill you with desire to center your life around the presence of God.

“Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.” 1 John 4:15-17

2. Ask God for a revelation of his nearness. Take time to rest in his presence that you might be empowered by the Holy Spirit.

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8

3. Ask God for specific ways in which you can love others today. Pay attention as he puts people or circumstances on your heart. Pay attention to how he would have you engage others today. Ask him for his grace and power to love others well today.

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

In 1 John 2:6 John writes, “Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” What good are words or desires if we don’t put action to them? What does all our talk mean if we never do something about it? The kingdom of God is one that doesn’t separate faith and works. James writes, “Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works” (James 2:18). Choose today to put action to what’s in your heart. Don’t hold back your love for others. Don’t refrain from encouraging and loving other people, even if it’s abnormal behavior for you. Step into situations and bring the presence and will of Christ. May your day be marked by the powerful anointing of the Holy Spirit to love others as Jesus did.

Extended Reading: 1 John 4

The Significance of the Insignificant: A Christmas Story..MEGHAN MELLINGER

 The Significance of the Insignificant: A Christmas Story

MEGHAN MELLINGER

“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.’” Luke 2:10 (NIV)

Imagine for a minute that you’re a shepherd in the Middle East long ago. Others would say you’re no one of any real significance, and you own very little. You don’t sleep in a bed; you sleep on the grass next to your sheep.

Being a shepherd isn’t a glamorous profession, but it’s a necessary one. Especially in this ancient context where sheep are essential for God’s people — not for warm sweaters and blankets but for sacrifices. For every one of your mistakes, mess-ups and hang-ups, sheep (or certain other animals like cows, turtledoves or pigeons) pay the price.

Sheep are born to die.

And as a shepherd, you always have job security because there is always a demand.

But imagine for a minute that one night you awake to a total stranger hovering above you, glowing.

“… Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” (Luke 2:10)

The angel tells you a baby has been born in the nearest village. But not just any baby — the Messiah, the promised Savior you’ve been waiting for.

But why you? Why didn’t the angel tell someone more notable, more worthy, more prestigious, first? Why a lowly shepherd like you?

You hurry to find a baby not born in a palace to the royal family, wrapped in the finest silks. No, you find a baby born to a young virgin mother and her carpenter fiance, wrapped in simple cloth in an animal trough.

You marvel at the scene before you. An unwed mother, who the law says should be stoned to death for conceiving a child outside of marriage. A humble carpenter, who believes his fiancee when she says she became pregnant via divine intervention, not traditional conception.

This isn’t the picture-perfect-Christmas-card image everyone expected of our long-awaited Savior. There’s no wealth or power or showy fanfare here at the birth of the promised almighty King — just farm animals and social outcasts.

Why would such a significant baby be born in such an insignificant way? Why would such significant news be told first to such insignificant people?

Look closely — the symbolism here is rich like chocolate cake: shepherds beholding the birth of a new Lamb. The Lamb of God. The all-powerful Savior, born to die for them. Not just for the elite, the rich, the other half. The Lamb of God came for the lowly, for the weak, for the shepherds sleeping next to the sheep.

The sheep on the hillside were born to die for some, but the Lamb of God was born to die as the final sacrifice for all.

The most powerful One came in the humblest way so that all are invited to know Him.

This isn’t just good news — it’s the best news we will ever receive.

The shepherds in Luke 2, like you and me today, may have imagined themselves as no one of any real significance. But because of one holy night, we now know the Significant One.

Jesus, I’m in awe of how You humbled Yourself for me, coming to earth to meet me in my insignificance. The simple details of Your birth paint a greater picture of Your radically inclusive love. Help me to spread this Good News! In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Clean Feet, Clean Heart..Dr. Charles Stanley

 Clean Feet, Clean Heart

Dr. Charles Stanley

John 13:3-15

Israel can be a dusty place, and sandaled feet get filthy walking to and fro. In ancient times, a person entering a home removed his sandals and cleaned his feet. Or if the homeowners were wealthy, servants would do the washing. This distasteful but necessary task fell to the worker of lowest position in the household.

Imagine the disciples' surprise when the Son of God put Himself in the role of a lowly servant and knelt to wash their feet. The need for such a service was great, as they had been traveling for some time. But not one of them offered to do it.

Jesus did more than fill a need; He offered an object lesson. As He explained, "I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you" (John 13:15 nlt). Some churches have incorrectly interpreted this as a command to make foot washing an ordinance. But it's possible to clean someone else's skin without contemplating the significance of Christ's actions.

In fact, the act itself is not the main point; attitude is what counts. Jesus desires that we be willing to humble ourselves to serve others. He is looking for men and women who will ignore pride, position, and power in order to do whatever must be done, wherever it needs doing, and for whoever requires assistance.

Jesus performed His greatest and most humble acts of service within 24 hours of each other. He washed dirty feet using two hands that would be pierced by nails in less than a day. The message here is that every task God gives us is important to His kingdom.

What Does “Noel” Mean?..Meg Bucher

 What Does “Noel” Mean?

By Meg Bucher

Today's Bible Verse: “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” - Luke 2:11

Noel, another word for Christmas, reminds us to stop and sing of the hope we have in Jesus. Noël, the French word for Christmas, came from the Latin word natalis, meaning “birth.”

A “Christmas Cactus" only blooms during the Christmas season. I forget to water it most of the winter, re-pot it in the spring, and continue to forget about it. But my plant continues to survive beyond my ability to care for it. Annually, the first week of Advent (Christmas), it begins to flower. It’s in a pot of fairly dry dirt… on my desk… in Northern Ohio… and it’s a cactus. Yet God says, “it’s time.”

Noel is a birthday! We define time as an appointed, fixed, or customary moment or hour for something to happen, begin, or end. (Merriam-Webster)Behind every human being is a baby in a womb whose life began to God’s whisper, “it’s time.” We can trust the Author of Life, and the proof is Jesus. In the town of David, God said, “it’s time,” and born was the Savior of the world. Jesus, born to hold, nurture, and love us; came to us as a vulnerable baby boy who needed to be held, nurtured and loved.

“He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him.  He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.  But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.” - John 1:10-13

Each morning, I faithfully clean and prepare my glasses for the day with special cloth and spray. It’s worth it to me. I appreciate the view. Guess what? They’re shatterproof, too. My vision is protected.

When Zechariah lost his ability to see God clearly, his speech left with it. He doubted the vision he saw. He questioned the message. At his son’s birth, his speech returned. Jesus restored our hope with His. Might something we were previously unaware of be blocking Him from our vision?

The b-side of birth lies beyond God’s creation of our physicality. He built the possibility of hope into our DNA. A gift of grace allowed by the sacrifice of the baby boy born in the town of David. The opportunity to break free and follow Him home. The power of purpose as our feet tread the dirt of this Earth. When Christ is our personal Savior, the silence is lifted and our vision realigned… like getting new pair of shatterproof glasses. In a fresh hug of friendship defined, we are born… again. Believe. See…

“Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel… born is the King of Israel.”

“Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel… born is the King of Israel.”

-The First Noel Christmas Carol

Take time to sing in celebration! Jesus was born to save us. It’s not just any birthday celebration. Christmas is the love of the Father and peace of the Son that transcends the encapsulation of time. Birth is the emergence of a new individual from the body of its parent (Merriam-Webster.) God said, “it’s time,” and like the wind blows when He says and the seas calm at His hand, Heaven came to earth embodied in His Son. We not only get to partake in this love story …we are the center of it. Can you see it? Noel! It’s time.

A Prayer for Understanding this Christmas..Meg Bucher

 A Prayer for Understanding this Christmas.

By Meg Bucher

“Like newborn babies, you must crave spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.” - 1 Peter 2:2-3 NLT

The Holiday Season brings an expectation of family, friends, and shared experiences which lead to happy memories and cherished traditions. Though this is true for so many of us, it’s not true for all of us. The holidays can add pressure to people who have not experienced what many claim as normalcy for this time of the year. In the verses above, we are reminded of the importance of spiritual maturity. As we grow up in our faith, God is faithful to provide wisdom and insight into each individual situation. This is how we learn to see from His perspective. 

Family is important. We are all purposefully placed by a purposeful God. It’s not always easy to find, or embrace, those people. For multiple reasons, we often have trouble connecting with each other. If we consistently turn outward to see each other, God will faithfully allow us to see our families and friends as He does. Being a part of the family of God is the precious gift we all get to embrace this Holiday Season, no matter what our memories, traditions, or expectations are. Being God’s children is an awesome reality we are all welcome to receive through Christ Jesus. 

Let's pray for the spiritual maturity to turn to Him and grow up in His truth and wisdom. 

Father, 
We know You place people around us purposefully, but we don’t always like those people! They are not always the ones we want to spend time with. Please help us to see them through Your eyes, Father. For those who have difficult family dynamics, can You reach in as only You can and heal odd angles and mend old conflicts? Can You blanket families in forgiveness and compassion, so they can enjoy each other’s company this Holiday Season and beyond?! 

Father, for those of us who do not have family around for the holidays, can You reach down in comfort and help us to reach out to the community You have surrounded us with? Give us the courage to connect and share our time and our holidays with those You have faithfully placed around us. 

Lord, cover our homes with peace this season and always. Join together families who have been separated by conflict and years of unforgiveness and bitterness. Heal friendships that have been split apart by misunderstanding and hurt. Heal in a miraculous way, God! You can! And we pray You are willing, this Holiday Season, to make it obvious the miraculous healing is by Your hand. 

Work through us as You will, Father. Let us open our doors and set our tables in great expectations of the fellowship You will bless us with this season. Bless every meal and mealtime conversation. Help clarify miscommunications and motivate apologies. Father, we pray for miraculous reconciliation between families, friends, and relationships this Holiday Season! And we pray every single movement of Your Spirit upon our lives brings You glory! Let it bring people to believe in You, Jesus. 

Help us to set aside extra time to spend in prayer, worship, and Your Word so our hearts are ready and prepared for every and all conversation and opportunity to love others in Your Name, Jesus. 

Give us the spiritual maturity we need to love You and each other obediently and willingly. 

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Escaping the Trap of Anger..Emily Rose Massey

Escaping the Trap of Anger 
By Emily Rose Massey

“Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity” (Ephesians 4:26, NASB). 

The other day, a post from a mommy blog with the title “We’re Allowed to Be Angry” caught my eye in my Facebook feed. The headline caption read: “Maybe it’s not ‘mom rage.’ Maybe it’s that mom is doing everything for everybody else and is having her needs met less than everyone else in the house.” Essentially, the short blog was highlighting the fact that the overwhelming demands and expectations put on mothers are deserving of anger. Understandably, this article was not written by a believer, so the advice given to justify moms being angry when life gets challenging would not be biblical. Although it was a bit disheartening to read the comments on this post, I am thankful that I do not have to run to mommy blogs for insight on how to navigate the challenging seasons of motherhood, especially when it comes to my emotions that can lead me to sin. Instead of justifying my anger and outbursts in the trenches as a mom, I can run to the Scriptures to find direction and wisdom.

In the book of Ephesians, the Apostle Paul makes an interesting and helpful correlation between anger and the schemes of the enemy: “Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity” (Ephesians 4:26, NASB). 

The Lord created us with a ray of emotions and understands that it is completely normal to experience overwhelming feelings when we are stressed, disappointed, offended, rejected, and hurt- especially anger. Here, in Ephesians chapter four, we read that being angry is going to happen, but that is not the issue. The issue arises when we do not control our emotions and allow our anger to consume us so much that it causes us to react to that anger in sinful behavior or actions. For me, when I struggle with this sinful behavior the most, I can often allow myself to burst by yelling at my children, slamming doors behind me, or saying hurtful words toward the ones that I deeply love. When I allow myself to lose control in those situations, the enemy is given an opportunity to cause destruction in both my own life and other's. If anger is not controlled, it can lead to more destructive behavior. Jesus even tells us in the sermon on the mount that anger toward a brother is equivalent to murder (Matthew  5). God is after our hearts, and He does not want anger to remain in them and breed more sin. 

Intersecting Faith and Life:
Obviously, I see how my flesh and the enemy can lure me into those kinds of sinful behaviors when my emotions get the best of me, but I don’t have to take the bait. Anger will inevitably come, but I can choose to process those emotions with the Lord and with those whom I am feeling angry toward. It is not healthy to go to sleep angry either, so it is important to settle those frustrations quickly so that reconciliation and peace can be found. When anger leads us to act out sinfully, we are given an opportunity to run to the throne of grace and receive Christ’s mercy when we repent for our sins. God is faithful to forgive us and strengthen us with His grace to overcome every temptation to lash out in anger. May the Lord help us renew our minds with His Word and give us the patience we need to endure frustrations with self-control. Anger will present itself in our hearts, but we do not have to be trapped by it. The Lord will provide a way of escape, so let us look to Him for help to handle those overwhelming feelings.

Further Reading: 

• James 1:19-21
• Ecclesiastes 7:9
• Proverbs 15:18