God Longs for Us to Know His Voice..Craig Denison Ministries

 God Longs for Us to Know His Voice

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

One of the most scandalous truths of the gospel is that our Creator longs to be encountered by his creation. God longs to meet with us. His greatest desire is for relationship with us. I can’t fathom why God in all his holiness and goodness makes himself available to us, but it is the powerful truth of Scripture. God is pursuing each of us with his relentless love, seeking out those who might respond to his open invitation by opening the door of their hearts to him. My prayer is that in response to God’s desire to meet with his people we would be those who say yes to centering our lives around his nearness. May your week be marked by the reality of God’s presence and love.

Scripture:“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” Jeremiah 33:3

Devotional:           

I’ve spent so much of my life as a believer thinking that God was silent, or at least only spoke through the Bible, others, and situations. While God most definitely does speak in those ways, he also longs to speak directly to his children. Scripture is laden with story after story of God’s people hearing his voice and responding in obedience. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, God clearly speaks to his people. The question before us today is, will we make space to listen?

John 8:47 says, “Whoever is of God hears the words of God.” And John 10:27 says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” We serve a God who desires his voice to be known. God is not silent. He is not quiet. Our heavenly Father longs to guide us, tell us his heart for us, and do life with us. He’s longing for a relationship with you filled with continual conversation.

Hearing God’s voice is not only for a select few. It isn’t only for the Christian elite or those who spend all day, every day meditating and praying. We as believers hear God’s voice first and foremost because he wants to speak to us. We can hear God’s voice by grace alone.

So what does it sound like to hear God’s voice? Through the Holy Spirit God is able to speak in clearer and more profound ways than a conversation between you and me. 1 Corinthians 3:16 says, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” The Holy Spirit is with you right now. And because he dwells within us he has the ability to speak to our heart. He can speak with words or give an intuition or knowledge about something. He can fill us with peace about a decision and give us a feeling of unrest when we’re doing something that isn’t his will. God can speak to us in ways more intimate and clear than any other conversation because there is nothing in the way of us and him.

But God will never force his voice on us. He is not a God who yells into the chaos and attempts to drown out all the other voices. He is a God of peace and patience who waits for us to open our heart to him and listen. Take time today to open your heart and acknowledge the voice of your Father. Make space in all the busyness to simply listen to whatever he would say. Ask him any questions you have of him and trust that he will speak perfectly whatever it is he wants to say to you.

May your day be filled with continual conversation with your loving, present heavenly Father.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the availability of hearing God speak. Reflect on all the ways he speaks and allow Scripture to fill your heart with faith to have a conversation with your heavenly Father.

“And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.” Isaiah 30:21

“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

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27

2. Take time to quiet your soul and receive God’s presence. Ask him to reveal his nearness to you. Have faith that the Holy Spirit is with you right now.

“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16

3. Ask God to tell you how he feels about you in this moment. Ask him to speak to you anything he wants you to know. Have patience and pay attention to any changes in your feelings or anything you hear in your spirit.

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” Jeremiah 33:3

“O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.” Psalm 5:3

“Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Luke 11:28

While hearing the voice of God can sound a little “out there,” it is wholly biblical. Our God is alive and active. He is not distant, and he longs for us to truly know him. Allow Scripture to define your reality rather than past experiences or worldly perceptions. The spiritual is wholly real. God’s presence is real. The fact that he dwells within us, speaks, guides, gives revelation, heals, and saves is the reality all of us live in whether we acknowledge it or not. Open your heart to God today and allow him to guide you into a lifestyle of greater communion with him. Live today in the fullness of relationship available to you in the Holy Spirit. May you hear the loving, close voice of the Holy Spirit throughout your day today as you open your heart to him.

Extended Reading: John 10

 

The Promises of God..Dr.Charles Stanley

 The Promises of God

Dr.Charles Stanley

2 Corinthians 1:18-22

The Christian life rests on a foundation of God's promises for today and for the future. We can trust everything that our heavenly Father has said because His Word shows Him to be...

Truthful. The Lord knows what is true and speaks honestly in all matters. We can be assured of this because He is holy; there is no sin in Him. He is also omniscient and understands everything (Heb. 4:12-13). His promises are based on His infinite knowledge and truthfulness.

Faithful. Scripture compares the Lord to a shepherd who "gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart" (Isa. 40:11 niv). What He has planned for us, He will bring to fruition (Rom. 8:28). Our heavenly Father does not waver in His intentions or will.

Loving. God's love for us was demonstrated at the cross. He sent His Son Jesus to die by crucifixion and thereby take the punishment for our sins. The Savior experienced God's wrath against iniquity so we might know only His love. This is the ultimate proof of His devotion to us.

All-powerful. Divine power created the world and raised the Savior back to life, so we know God has the ability to carry out all His plans. Our omnipotent Father can keep every one of His promises.

A promise is valuable only if the one making it has trustworthy character and the ability to carry through. Our heavenly Father is truthful, faithful, loving, and all-powerful. We can base our entire life on His promises, secure in the knowledge that He will do just as He has said.

Delightful Obedience..Laura Bailey

 Delightful Obedience

By Laura Bailey

“Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! It was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.” Romans 7:7 NLT

Like most teenagers, the last thing I wanted to do was clean my room before I could go out with my friends. Within minutes of rolling out of bed, a chore list was promptly placed in my hands. But, what annoyed me most about my mother’s lists was the smiley face she always put on the end. I routinely ripped the smiley face off the bottom of the page and proceeded to tear the paper into itty bitty shreds. Yes, I embodied the example of obligatory, unjoyful, self-seeking obedience.

Fortunately, when I am greeted with a task at work, asked to volunteer in the nursery, or simply clean the house, I can outwardly control my dissatisfaction. But inwardly, my eyes roll, my feet stomp, and I begrudgingly complete the chore. I recently finished a Bible study on the Ten Commandments; the author encouraged us to obey God's Word joyfully. As we moved through the various laws, each one convicting and challenging, I realized I often obey out of obligation instead of delight.

My Christian walk had become a task list, just another thing, a benchmark of validation that at least I am better than ( or not as bad as) her. I began to wonder, am I capable of delightfully obeying God’s Word? I'm wondering if you can relate.

The Promises of God

2 Corinthians 1:18-22

The Christian life rests on a foundation of God's promises for today and for the future. We can trust everything that our heavenly Father has said because His Word shows Him to be...

Truthful. The Lord knows what is true and speaks honestly in all matters. We can be assured of this because He is holy; there is no sin in Him. He is also omniscient and understands everything (Heb. 4:12-13). His promises are based on His infinite knowledge and truthfulness.

Faithful. Scripture compares the Lord to a shepherd who "gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart" (Isa. 40:11 niv). What He has planned for us, He will bring to fruition (Rom. 8:28). Our heavenly Father does not waver in His intentions or will.

Loving. God's love for us was demonstrated at the cross. He sent His Son Jesus to die by crucifixion and thereby take the punishment for our sins. The Savior experienced God's wrath against iniquity so we might know only His love. This is the ultimate proof of His devotion to us.

All-powerful. Divine power created the world and raised the Savior back to life, so we know God has the ability to carry out all His plans. Our omnipotent Father can keep every one of His promises.

A promise is valuable only if the one making it has trustworthy character and the ability to carry through. Our heavenly Father is truthful, faithful, loving, and all-powerful. We can base our entire life on His promises, secure in the knowledge that He will do just as He has said.

Do What It Says..Matt Brown

 Do What It Says

by Matt Brown

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: "Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it--not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it--they will be blessed in what they do." [emphasis added] - James 1:21-25

The Jesus Bible explains,

“The book of James is filled with practical commands for authentic Christian living. In his letter, James, the brother of Jesus, instructed Christians to control their tongues, be slow to anger and fight selfish ambition. But James was not interested in simply sharing a list of things Christians should not do — he also included a number of positive commands for believers.

Just as Jesus spent much of his ministry among those neglected by society, followers of Jesus are commanded to care for and show concern for people who are orphans and widows, the underprivileged, and for sinning brothers and sisters. James placed a specific emphasis on believers emulating the everyday ministry of Jesus within their own lives by showing compassion toward the broken-hearted and poor and by avoiding sin.

The disciples of Jesus should not merely listen to the words of Jesus; they should actively seek opportunities to engage the world with his life-changing message. Just as with Jesus, a believer’s relationships with others—be it family, friends, co-workers or a person who is begging on the street—should be defined by love, mercy, patience and grace.”

There’s no excuse for believers—who have God’s Word—not to carry out God’s commands. The Bible is not something we should read or listen to and then go on our way as if nothing applies to how we should be living and acting. The Bible is God’s story for us, it contains amazing truth, and it helps us know how to live our earthly lives. If we only read God’s Word and don’t live it out, we are truly missing out on God’s best for us. 

 Matt Brown says;

"Is there an area of your life that doesn't line up with what the Bible says, and you know it? Don't keep looking for another solution, when you know what you need to do. Repent, turn from ways you know are wrong, and obey what God has spoken to you through His Word. This is the real power of the Word of God, when we allow it to transform the way we think, speak, act and live. Continue in the Word. Don't forget what you've heard. Do it. You will be blessed in ways you cannot begin to imagine.”

A Prayer for My Trick-or-Treaters..Meg Bucher

 A Prayer for My Trick-or-Treaters

By Meg Bucher

“The LORD keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.” Psalm 121:7-8 NLT

Trick-or-treat is a tradition many have come to embrace annually. Though some of it’s silly, there’s a lot of scary stuff out there, and we live in a society that sadly isn’t always safe to let our children run around in … especially in the dark. Whether concerned for the safety and protection of their souls or their physical safety, it’s important to remember and surrender our hearts to the verses above. God is in control. We do what we can, but it’s impossible to shelter our trick-or-treaters from all the harmful things in this world. Some of these harmful experiences may come from pastors, mentors, leaders, and parents -the very people whom God charges to protect them.

How do we know who to trust and ensure our kids are safe? Especially as they take to the neighborhood streets to trick or treat? We defer the Author of all of us and choose to place our trust in His sovereignty. We know faith isn’t blind trust but a choice to put our lives in the capable hands of our all-knowing God. When we seek Him for ourselves, we can trust He will provide the wisdom we need as we raise our children and look out for the youth in our communities.

Trick-or-treat can be full of fun memories, a chance to connect face to face with neighbors and share the love of Jesus on a day that centers around the scary stuff. Jesus wants us to live our lives fully, which means having fun in life. Scripture reminds us to be joyful, always! In every situation, there is a lot of joy to be had. And sometimes happiness follows, too. As Christ's followers, we are called to lead with love … and not situationally. All the time, we are to love God and love people. Let’s keep these truths close as we pray for our trick-or-treaters.

Let’s pray:

Father,
Thank you for bringing these verses to the top of our minds and hearts today. Thank you for reminding us. You keep us from all harm and watch over our lives. You watch over us as we come and go, now and forever. God, you are watching over all the trick-or-treaters, too. Some who know You, and others who don’t.

Father, You call us to live fully, be joyful, and love You and others. Help us to see everyone through Your eyes, God. Help us to live fully, embrace joy, and love others. God, we want to have fun in this life, yet sometimes our seriousness gets in the way. Help us to jump over hurdles that keep us from enjoying the life You gave us to live and the gift of laughter. Help us to love you obediently and joyfully, marking our lives in such a way people around us feel Your love.

Oh, God, would You please use us to share the love of Jesus with our neighborhoods and communities? Be in the gatherings as we set up fire pits in our driveways and grill hot dogs to share. Layer our actions in love as we place treats in pillowcases, light-up buckets, and tiny costumed feet shuffle by. May we surrender to the truth that Your Word is more powerful than anything scary and that You are with us always?

Father, bless our trick-or-treaters this year. Keep them safe, healthy, pure, and guarded in You, Jesus, today and always. Let everyone who walks up to our door feel the love of Jesus. There are so many people who feel alone, God. Many of our neighbors may not know who You are. Help us to treat everyone the same, regardless, with the same warmth and love, whether they show up in an inflatable chicken costume or with fake blood squirting out of the eyeballs of their masks. Use our lives, silly traditions, and all, to spread the love of Jesus into the cracks and crevices of our neighborhoods and communities as only You can. We love You, Lord.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

God Longs for Us to Know His Love..Craig Denison Ministries

 God Longs for Us to Know His Love

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

One of the most scandalous truths of the gospel is that our Creator longs to be encountered by his creation. God longs to meet with us. His greatest desire is for relationship with us. I can’t fathom why God in all his holiness and goodness makes himself available to us, but it is the powerful truth of Scripture. God is pursuing each of us with his relentless love, seeking out those who might respond to his open invitation by opening the door of their hearts to him. My prayer is that in response to God’s desire to meet with his people we would be those who say yes to centering our lives around his nearness. May your week be marked by the reality of God’s presence and love.

Scripture:“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

Devotional:           

I’ve spent so much of my life striving to be loved. The overwhelming need to be loved by somebody, anybody, is at the heart of most every decision, thought, perspective, and action I make. We are created with a longing to be loved. God formed us with an insatiable need for love because he desires to satisfy that longing. You see, we no longer have to go through life wondering if we’re loved. Our God doesn’t hide his heart from us. He never holds back his love.

Romans 5:8 says, “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God demonstrated his love for us on the cross. But the cross also serves as a reminder that God will, now and forever, continually pour out his love. Not only did he commit a powerful act of love then, but he also makes his love available to us now.

Psalm 26:3 says, “For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness.” And Psalm 36:5 says, “Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.” The love of God is continually available to us. His steadfast love is here, ready to be experienced. God longs to so satisfy our great need for love that we stop seeking it from the world. He longs to so fill us up with his unconditional affections that we would no longer strive to be loved, but simply find rest in him.

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 we could ever do to separate ourselves from the love of God. As soon as we feel the need to be loved we can always turn our hearts toward our heavenly Father and simply receive a fresh awareness of his powerful, unconditional love. Stop working to be loved. Stop striving for that which is already yours. What are the affections of man in comparison to the love of your Creator? What is the fleeting, fickle praise of man in comparison to the all-consuming, powerful, and truthful love of God? May your life be marked by a peace that comes from resting in the love of your heavenly Father alone.

Guided Prayer:

1. Reflect on your need for love. In what ways do you strive to be loved every day? Who have you been seeking out love from to fill a need in your life? Where have you been striving for the opinion of man?

2. Meditate on the unconditional nature of God’s love. Meditate on the availability of his presence.

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

“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

3. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you encounter to love of God today. Ask God how he feels about you and wait for a sense of his love. Rest in the truth of Scripture and receive the love of your heavenly Father.

“For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness.” Psalm 26:3

“Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.” Psalm 36:5

One of the most powerful truths about God’s love can be found in 1 John 4:18. Scripture says, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” God’s love makes us fearless. Who or what is there to fear when the God of the universe truly loves us? What cause is there for fear when God would send his only Son to die that we might simply have relationship with him? Rest in the love of God today and allow the truth of his affections for you to cast out any fear you have. There is no reason to fear. God has you and loves you. May you find peace and joy today in response to the steadfast love of your heavenly Father.

Extended Reading: 1 John 4

The Nature of Conviction..Dr.Charles Stanley

 The Nature of Conviction

Dr.Charles Stanley

John 16:7-11

Jesus assured His disciples that it was to their advantage that He go away so that the Helper could come (John 16:7)--God sends Him to convict people of their sin. Since the Holy Spirit is unlimited by time or space, He can reach out to every individual on the planet. However, His work differs with regard to believers and unbelievers.

With regard to unbelievers, God's Spirit penetrates the heart and brings awareness of wrongdoing. He reveals that according to God's holy standard, they have sinned and stand condemned by their transgression. Unbelief is the greatest sin against God, so every prick of the heart is meant to point out their need for the Savior.

As for believers, the Holy Spirit deals with them on the basis of their relationship with Jesus Christ and convicts us of disobedience to Him. In other words, He makes us aware of specific sins and the Lord's attitude about them. But He also prompts us to be accountable before Christ for our wrongdoing by confessing it and repenting.

Convicting believers of sin is an important part of the Holy Spirit's job, but He is equally delighted to make them aware of the Lord's approval. God commends righteous living, obedient actions, and loving acts done in His name.

While conviction is often uncomfortable for unbelievers and believers alike, it's a beautiful demonstration of God's love. He desires to bring us into the center of His will and keep us there for our good and His glory. The Holy Spirit's work makes that possible, if we choose to follow His promptings.

Rekindling the Fire..Rev. Kyle Norman

 Rekindling the Fire

By Rev. Kyle Norman

“I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands” (2 Timothy 1:6).

My family and I love to watch the show Survivor. We clear our schedules, make some popcorn, and watch the drama unfold. As anyone who watches the show will know, in the game of Survivor, fire represents life. So, building a fire is often one of the first things the tribe must accomplish. Furthermore, making fire is also the final challenge of the season. Making fire is perhaps the most important skill that a Survivor player can have. Despite this importance, making fire is something that people struggle with. Every season we see people gather their coconut husks and sticks beneath them and strike their flint relentlessly; they blow on every spark until they are red in the face. This can go on for hours, leaving them exhausted and frustrated.

When Scripture says we are to fan into flame the gift of God in us, I wonder if we picture the fire-making challenges of Survivor. Do we assume that fanning the flame involves exhausting ourselves with trying to whip up this blazing inferno, an inferno that sometimes, oftentimes, does not seem to materialize? And with that picture in our minds, do we find ourselves spiritually exhausted or discouraged?

The problem, of course, is that this picture assumes that we must start from scratch. We assume that we need to gather the appropriate materials, exert our effort, and create the blaze. Making fire out of nothing communicates that the fire is dependent on our ability or strength, and if a fire does not occur, then there is no one to blame but ourselves. We just need to be better or try harder.

Have you ever felt that? Have you ever believed that God’s presence and power were contingent on your knowledge, ability, or skill? Have you ever feared that, despite your best efforts, you will never be able to earn the fire of God’s presence?

When Paul urges Timothy to fan into flame the gift of God in him, he isn’t calling Timothy to work harder or try more. He is not telling Timothy that he is the one to build the fire. In fact, Paul is saying the exact opposite. Paul urges Timothy to notice the fire of God that is already present in his life. The word Paul uses literally means to “kindle anew.” The implication is that Timothy is asked to stir up the flame that is already glowing, already burning, and already moving. 

Paul wants Timothy to stop looking at all the reasons that cause him to fear, all the reasons that may keep him timid or afraid, and to notice the fire of God that burns inside him. Timothy was a young minister trying to serve God in a time of intense persecution, suffering, and turmoil. It wouldn’t be a stretch to believe that there were days when Timothy believed himself to be incapable of the task at hand.   Yet Paul encourages him to look to the fire rather than his fear. Paul encourages him to not be ashamed, to not hold back, and to walk boldly into the ministry that God called him to. 

Intersecting Faith in Life:
 What causes us to fear? Are we afraid of being rejected by family or friends? Do we fear that our Christian life won’t be as perfect or as put together as others? Are we afraid of being hurt, by other Christians, by the church, or even by God?  Living our spiritual lives in fear is to base our life with God on our ability. It’s just another version of blowing on sparks trying to create a fire. In the end, we are left feeling empty and exhausted.

This isn’t God's desire for you. We are to kindle anew the gift of God that is within us. We are to engage the fire of God that is already at work. Our lives are part of the grand story of God’s activity. Just as God had previously worked in Timothy’s grandmother and mother, God has moved in the people and places of our lives to bring us to this moment. The power of God flows in us, through us, and around us. And so we can go forward in the power and presence of God.  

The fire of God is present in your life. Just as a pillar of fire lead Israel through the wilderness, the fire of God will direct your path. Simply step forward into the places where that fire leads you. Follow the leading of the Spirit and do so boldly. God didn’t place in you a spirit of fear but one of power, love, and self-discipline. There is no telling what God will do when we allow God’s fire to move within us.

For Further reading:
2 Timothy 1:1-14
Hebrews 12:18-29