Resurrection Culture Part 1..Craig Denison Ministries

 Resurrection Culture Part 1

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

We serve a God of powerful transformations. All throughout Scripture God takes those whom the world deemed the lowest, the hopeless, and the helpless and uses them to change the world. You are not beyond transformation. God longs to break off that which inhibits you from experiencing fullness of life. He longs to heal you, deliver you, and set you free. May your life be forever changed as we spend time discovering God’s heart for transformation.

Scripture:“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.” John 11:25

Devotional:    

Through the resurrection of Jesus, we have been given the opportunity to live life in a new way. Romans 6:4 says, “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” The power of the resurrection is not just over our deaths, but over our lives. God didn’t just pay for our freedom for all of eternity, but for right now—for this very moment. He’s calling you and me to live a resurrected lifestyle. He’s ushering us into a resurrection culture.

Romans 8:9 says, “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 even says, “From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Your life is changed because of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Because Christ rose from the dead, you have been raised from spiritual death.

Too often we are content to live our lives apart from the present reality of new life in Jesus. Too often we are satisfied living according to the flesh when we have been given a whole new way of living according the very Spirit of God who dwells within us as believers. Romans 8:1-2 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” We have been freed from condemnation through the new law of the Spirit ratified by the death and resurrection of Christ. “There is therefore now no condemnation.” Let that sink in for a minute. Through the grace of God, not by anything you could ever do, you have been freed from condemnation. The only one who could ever truly condemn you is now your heavenly Father. You are the child of the only Judge, and he has offered you continual and uncompromising pardon because of his love for you.

And past being pardoned from condemnation, Romans 8 tells us that we have now been crowned as co-heirs with Christ. Romans 8:16-17 says, “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.” Because of the life we have been given in the Spirit, we are “fellow heirs with Christ.” I’m not sure we even fully understand all that means for us. So often we live as if we are forced into submission to the world. We live according to the principles of the flesh rather than life in the Spirit. You have been freed from slavery to sin. You have been freed from the condemnation of the world. Christ defeated the enemy at the cross, and through him you have obtained total and complete victory. You are now crowned with Christ and given his authority to see heaven come to earth through your life.

And most importantly, Romans 8 concludes by telling us of the incredible love available to us in our resurrection and victory with Christ. Romans 8:37-39 says, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” There is nothing you or anyone else could do to separate you from the love of God. Through Christ’s resurrection, you have been offered unchanging and unshakable love. Living life in the Spirit is living with the constant knowledge that you are and will forever be loved.

Spend time today allowing the word and presence of God to stir up your desire to live according to the Spirit rather than the flesh. We’ll look tomorrow at how we can practically live this new life available to us, but for today simply allow God to reveal his unceasing love for you.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the life available to you in the Spirit. Allow your desire to walk in fullness of life to be stirred up by God’s word.

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:1-2

“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.” Romans 8:16-17

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-39

2. Reflect on your own life. Where are you still living your life according to the flesh? Where do you feel condemned or unloved? Where do you feel conquered rather than a conqueror?

3. Ask the Lord to guide you into life in the Spirit today. Life your live with a renewed mind according to God’s word.

As you go throughout your day, know that you have the choice to live your life differently. You are not bound by the way you’ve lived your life in the past. There is “newness of life” available to you every single day through the power of the Spirit working in you as a believer. Yield to the Spirit’s leadership and live in light of the freedom purchased for you by the death of Jesus.

Extended Reading: Romans 8

Dear God, I’m Not Ready for This..JENNIFER DUKES LEE

 Dear God, I’m Not Ready for This

JENNIFER DUKES LEE

“Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.” Psalm 23:4a (NLT)

I remember the day the hospice workers walked into my parents’ living room. They were wearing half-smiles — the kind of smiles that let you know they cared but they also knew what was ahead.

Dad was in his recliner, chin resting on his fist, taking it in. I watched him as my eyes blurred with tears, and I whispered to God, I’m not ready for this valley.

That day, Dad started hospice care for congestive heart failure. Together, our family descended into an unavoidable valley that stretched out long. Dad received hospice care for nearly five months until his home-going in September.

Many times during those months, I thought back to my living-room confession: God, I’m not ready for this valley.

We’re never really ready for any kind of heartbreak. We are often unprepared, unsteady and uncertain of God’s will as we descend into our valleys.

That's why we can relate to an Israelite named Gideon. His people had been oppressed by hostile invaders, and one day an angel of the Lord paid Gideon a visit, offering empowering words: “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior” (Judges 6:12, NIV).

Gideon shot back a pointed question: “But if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us?” (Judges 6:13a, NIV).

I love Gideon’s honesty because his question is one many of us have asked: God, if You’re with me, why has this happened? 

Life isn't a walk in the park. It's more like a trek through the mountains — on top of the world one minute, in the valley the next. But the same God who gives you the mountaintop view doesn't let you walk alone in the valley.

In Psalm 23, David paints a picture of those valleys, and then he shows us how to endure them. “Even when I walk through the darkest valley,” David wrote, “I will not be afraid” (Psalm 23:4a).

How can we live unafraid? David answers with these six words: “for you are close beside me” (Psalm 23:4a).

This is the with-ness of God, always present, always close. He has never guaranteed that we will avoid valleys, but He guarantees that we won't walk through them alone. God isn’t simply in the valley as a spectator to your life. He is close beside you.

Take a look at Psalm 23. Go ahead, open your Bible. Read verses 1-3, where David speaks about God: “The LORD is my shepherd … he leads me beside peaceful streams … He guides me along right paths” (NLT).

Then notice a shift in verse 4. David descended into the valley, and that’s the exact moment when David stopped talking about God and started talking to Him: “I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me” (emphasis added).

The Lord became very personal right when things got hard. Not in the moment beside still waters but in that sky-darkening moment of dread in the valley.

That’s how it was for me. Looking back on those months with Dad, I’m aware that God was with me in a Psalm 23 way. The valley I dreaded was the exact place where I came to experience God’s presence most.

On this side of heaven, we may never get answers to Gideon’s question: If God is with us, why did this happen?

But in your distress, know this: God is with you. You have a God who willingly chose to enter into your pain by becoming human, and He has pledged His faithful presence to you every step of the way, through every valley, until you meet Him in heaven. He’s not going anywhere.

Lord, help me trust Your promise that You are close beside me — through every heartbreak, illness, hardship and valley. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Believer's Journey to the Cross..Dr. Charles Stanley

 The Believer's Journey to the Cross

Dr. Charles Stanley

John 12:23-27

We all know that Jesus walked the road to Calvary, but did you know that believers also journey to the cross? We've all been positionally crucified with Christ, but those who hunger for Him participate in a deeper experience of this reality. Jesus lovingly takes their hand and leads them to the cross. Even though this is the last place anyone wants to go, it's the only way to partake of God's best for our lives.

The trip to the cross is not one you take with family and friends. It's a lonely journey with just you and Jesus. He strips away everyone and everything you've depended on so that you'll learn to rely only on Him. While we're at the cross, He uncovers layer after layer of self-deception until we begin to see ourselves as He does. Soon our self-centeredness, inadequacy, and failures are laid bare.

The cross is a place of brokenness, but it's necessary because there's no other way we'll ever bear fruit. If we hang onto our lives and refuse to take this journey, we'll be like a grain of wheat that is never planted and never grows. But those who willingly die to themselves will produce an abundance of spiritual fruit. The only way Christ can live His life through us is if we've allowed ourselves to be crucified.

God doesn't want you to be content with just your salvation. There's so much more He desires to give you and accomplish through you. Are you willing to take the road to the cross with Him? Yes, it's painful, but the rewards in this life and in eternity far outweigh any suffering you will experience.

Practicing Gentleness in Faith..Lynette Kittle

 Practicing Gentleness in Faith

By Lynette Kittle

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” - 1 Peter 3:15

Sadly, gentleness is often overlooked and undervalued in today’s culture. We’re pushed to be tough, assertive, and independent. Society sees these qualities as strong and powerful, whereas gentleness is viewed by many as weak and powerless. Yet looking at Scripture, we find the opposite to be true. Gentleness is listed as one of the fruits of the Spirit, and a potent force in dealing with the enemy (Galatians 5:22). Most individuals probably don’t consider gentleness to be a potent force, but Proverbs 15:1 explains, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

When confronted with anger, a shouting match, argument, or debate may not be the most helpful way to address and resolve it. Rather, Scripture tells us how a gentle approach is more effective than anger in diffusing an emotion as volatile as wrath.

How Does Gentleness Work?
The concept of gentleness being powerful and working more effectively than matching anger with anger, may seem foreign to many. It’s not what we see in the news, on award shows, or even at church congregational meetings.

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17)

It can seem like such a mismatch to us when it comes to wrath versus gentleness. Still, from Proverbs 25:15, we discover, “Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.” Likewise, Proverbs 15:4 describes gentleness in speech, a gentle tongue, is like a tree of life offering to heal whoever hears our words. We can purposefully practice gentle comments and responses to others knowing our words have the ability to touch a person’s heart with the gentleness of Jesus.

What is considered weak by today’s standards is more powerful than the strongest emotions. As 1 Corinthians 1:27 explains. “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”

What Does Gentleness Overcome?
Have you ever seen the power of gentleness calm even the harshest of hearts? Wherever it is expressed, it has the power to bring peace to the situation. Instead of “reacting” to anger with outrage, the present culture’s go-to response, God urges us to stay calm. Ecclesiastes 10:4 says, “If a ruler’s anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can lay great offenses to rest.”

More importantly, Jesus uses the word gentle to describe Himself in Matthew 11:29: “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” He is our example. Where anger stirs up strife and tension, gentleness brings relief and rest. Jesus offers his gentleness to each one of us: “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). As Christians, Philippians 4:5 urges us to let our gentleness be evident to all.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
How are you doing in the gentleness department, especially when it comes to your faith? Consider taking a look at how you’ve been responding to others. Find ways to be gentler to those you interact with regularly, along with new people in your life. Ask God to help you have a gentle heart like Jesus in every situation, especially when confronted with another’s anger or hurt.

Is Satan Behind Your Facebook Page?..Topher Haddox

 Is Satan Behind Your Facebook Page?

By Topher Haddox

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.” ( Psalm 19:14)

I believe that social media can be an effective platform for the spread of the gospel. There are plenty of Christ-centered resources in the online community that I use on a daily basis to help me grow spiritually. But if we’re honest, we probably spend a small portion of our time advancing our spiritual growth, while the rest is spent on aimless scrolling. We spend hours a day consuming endless information, pictures, and videos without any safeguard for our minds. For Christians, I’ve found that this is dangerous territory. This potentially turns the mind into an open plain, with Satan prowling through the grass like a lion, waiting to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

Here are four ways the enemy tries to devour you through social media:

Satan wants your marriage.

It starts with a like here, and a like there. She’s only a friend. You justify the innocent interaction of the like button because it doesn’t cross any solid lines. You gradually push the boundary line further and further back. Maybe the likes and comments lead to private conversations. Remember, sin is never satisfied with the amount of you it has.

Sooner or later you are hiding conversations from your spouse. Before you know it, you’re involved in a mental, perhaps even a physical affair.

Satan wants your pure thoughts.

We live in a pornographic culture and it is almost impossible to avoid while scrolling. Couple that with the ease of giving into lustful thoughts and it’s a disaster for holy living.

Satan will whisper that it’s okay to look because there’s no harm. Who’s going to know? It can be your little pet sin. But it won’t stop there.

Keep your heart pure and fixed on the Father. Get rid of anything that might hinder that. It’s absolutely worth it, and deadly if you don’t.

Satan wants your time.

Psalm 1 tells us the blessed man meditates day and night on the Word of God. How can we know what to pray unless we meditate on His Word? How can we read the Word, much less meditate on it day and night if we’re constantly scrolling through social media? We’re simply choosing the pleasures of this world rather than spending time with the God of the universe. It’s that simple.

Because we’re not pursuing God like we should, we get bored and are attempting to fill the void with constant entertainment.

Satan wants your worship.

Social media can train us to worship the idol of self. We essentially create mini shrines of ourselves, striving for praise via the almighty like.

You can’t be self-absorbed and have compassion for others. If the enemy can keep us distracted by keeping our faces buried in a screen, then we won’t be able to see the hurting world around us. We certainly won’t be missions-minded if we’re consumed with our own lives.

In 1 Corinthians 10:31, Paul tells us to glorify God in whatever we do. This includes social media. We can either wield Facebook for God’s glory, or Satan’s.

A Prayer to Be Fervent for Jesus..Kristine Brown

 A Prayer to Be Fervent for Jesus

By Kristine Brown

“Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.” (Romans 12:11 ESV)

Have you ever met someone whom you would describe as fervent in their relationship with the Lord? Picture that person now, standing before you. Maybe they’re a loved one who has passed away, and their memory lives on in the lives they touched. Maybe you know this person from church, or it could be a family member or friend. Just the thought of them likely brings you joy. Because that’s what fervent people do. Being around them changes us for the better.

When we hear the word fervent, we usually think of someone intensely passionate. Maybe their fervor is about a topic, a belief, or a stance on something important. A believer who is intensely passionate about Jesus is a treasure. Their zeal for Jesus can not only be seen or heard but felt in our spirits, as well. I’ve been blessed to know a few fervent people in my life. One comes to mind right now. His enthusiasm for the things of God is contagious. Spending time with him uplifts me. He’s passionate about God and the Bible. But it’s even more than that— it’s a level of joy almost unexplainable with words.

The Greek word for fervent as used in Romans 12:11 refers to boiling with heat or hot. It reminds me of a phrase I often hear in the church— that our spirits should be “on fire for God.” When we’re on fire, others can’t help but feel a change in the atmosphere around us. A warmth beyond our explanation. Oh, what a difference it would make if we as believers could understand the power of a fervent spirit! Living with passionate intensity for God in our homes and communities? Imagine the lives waiting to be changed with freedom and forgiveness through Jesus.

Having a fervent spirit isn’t always easy. In fact, this verse is tucked in with a few other challenges in Scripture, like being patient in affliction and blessing those who persecute us. (Romans 12:12,14) But in his righteousness, God gave us all we would need to live out his call with truth, love, and fervor. So the next time the fervent fire deep within starts to fade, let’s think of that one person. Let’s picture them and take note of how they make us feel. Then we can call on Jesus to reignite the fire inside of us. May it burn with a warmth that can change lives forever. 

Let’s pray:
Dear Lord,
Thank you for your Holy Word. It gives me all I need to live a life that honors you and shines the Light of your son, Jesus Christ, on others. But sometimes— even in my joy— I get weary and discouraged, yet you encourage me to stay “fervent in spirit.” Help me, Lord. Create in me a heart that is fully on fire for you. When I think of others who display fervency for your goodness, I feel more at peace and more hopeful than before. I want to affect others in the same way as I spend time with them. For the people in my life to sense a difference in me that is beyond human understanding. I want my fervency of spirit to be contagious. 

Forgive me if I’ve let the fire inside me grow dim. Reignite flames of love, joy, peace, and hope through Jesus that will reach beyond me. Use me to bring glory to you and build your kingdom, Lord. I want others to experience the freedom and forgiveness of Jesus. Finally, Lord, may the spark burning within me light the way for others to know you more. I pray my fervency for you will encourage them to draw near to you and seek you above all else. I give you all praise and honor for being the source of fervency in my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.