Communion with God.. Craig Denison Ministries

 

Communion with God

Craig Denison Ministries

Communion with God

Weekly Overview:

This week we’ll spend time breaking down the individual components of First15 by sharing God's desire for each of them. The majority of First15 is dedicated to encountering God and learning about his character, but every now and then we will cover some teaching and tools that will help in pursuing God to greater depths. This week we will get back to the basics and learn some spiritual disciplines that will help us encounter him in deeper, more transformative ways.

Scripture: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Who ever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:4-5

Devotional:

The Christian life is meant to be marked by union with God. By the powerful sacrifice of Jesus, the Holy Spirit now dwells within us—longing to make his nearness known. He longs for his perfect love and peace to be the foundation of everything we do, think, and feel.

Brother Lawrence wrote about a life lived in continual communion with God in the book, The Practice of the Presence of God. He said “I cannot imagine how religious persons can live satisfied without the practice of the presence of GOD. For my part I keep myself retired with Him in the depth of centre of my soul as much as I can; and while I am so with Him I fear nothing; but the least turning from Him is insupportable.” The more we grow in our knowledge of the profound union that exists between our spirit and the Holy Spirit, the more we will discover our great need of his tangible, constant presence.

Maybe you are at a place where you don't feel like you really know God. Maybe you know about him but don’t know him like a friend. In describing the process of coming to know God, Brother Lawrence wrote, “In order to know God, we must often think of Him; and when we come to love Him, we shall then also think of Him often, for our heart will be with our treasure.” An amazing transformation takes place in our hearts as our souls awake to our union with God. His love has the power to ignite us toward a lifestyle of seeking greater communion with him.

In many ways our God is infinitely more knowable than any person. Because God is spirit and now dwells within the hearts of believers, he is perfectly able to reveal himself in deeper, more knowable ways than you have access to with anyone else. He has the ability to reveal his thoughts, feelings, power, love, and will moment by moment and in ways that surpass the miscommunication that language often brings. He speaks straight from his Spirit to yours that you may truly know him to greater depths than anyone else. The question is not can we know God, but are we willing to center our lives around the knowledge of him.

Take time in guided prayer to experience union with God. Ask him to reveal his nearness that you might know him in deeper, more tangible ways. May your day be marked by God’s presence and love moment by moment as you seek to walk with him in all you do.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on Scripture about God’s nearness. Allow the word of God to build up your faith to meet with God.

“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! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.” Psalm 139:7-10

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20

2. Do you live in moment by moment union with God? Is your whole life marked by his nearness? Know that God has the fullness of grace and mercy for you no matter what your relationship with him looks like. He desires that you know his love to greater depths.

3. Ask God to reveal his nearness to you. Take time to simply seek a greater knowledge of him. By seeking his face you will experience everything that comes from union with him.

“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 29:12-14

“The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.” Lamentations 3:25

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

Your God is both patient and kind. He longs to be with you so you might know his peace. He longs for the foundation of your life to be his love. Seek his face throughout your day today that your life may be marked by his nearness. Don’t settle for an ordinary day, but strive for the fullness of life God has for you. May your life be marked by a moment to moment knowledge of God’s nearness and love.

Extended Reading: Jeremiah 29

An Unexpected Way To Set Your Life on the Path of Godly Wisdom This Year..LYSA TERKEURST

 An Unexpected Way To Set Your Life on the Path of Godly Wisdom This Year

LYSA TERKEURST 

“Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” Proverbs 13:20 (NIV)  I’m not great at setting New Year’s resolutions. However, I do like to examine my everyday habits as I enter a new year. Taking inventory of my daily rhythms can give small indications of whether I’m pointing my life toward order or chaos, health or unhealth, wisdom or foolishness. I’ve learned it’s more realistic for me to tackle adjusting my small decisions rather than listing out some big, major changes I want to make in the new year. Better small decisions lead to better habits. Better habits lead to positive changes. Daily positive changes over time lead to life change overall. Here’s how this has played out for me on a practical level just a few days into 2023: I've noticed that I have a bad habit of putting dirty dishes in the sink and thinking, I’ll get to this later. The problem is … the longer they sit there, they never get better on their own. And they don't magically end up in the dishwasher. Honestly, they just get grosser and grosser. By the time I finally face them, it is a much more awful task than if I’d just done the dishes right away. So I’m trying to start with the dishes and teach myself the habit of tackling things right away, as they come, rather than putting them off and making them harder in the long run. I think sometimes I hope life will fall naturally in order. But unfortunately, most of the time, that’s not the case. This is true inside our homes, and this is also true inside our relationships. If we want more peaceful relationships, we have to pivot from accepting chaos to pursuing peace. We can’t wait for other people to bring order into our lives. We have to initiate decisions that lead to peace. And I’ve discovered a big part of this comes through establishing boundaries where dysfunction is present. Now, I’m not saying boundaries are a quick fix for some of our most challenging relationships. People are complicated. We ourselves are complicated. So, of course, relational dynamics are going to be complicated. But I’ve found the communication and consistency that good boundaries provide bring such clarity around what to do when we’re navigating damaging dysfunctions. Dysfunction doesn’t come from God, nor did He create the human heart for unhealthy relationships. However, I do believe God can help us with these realities. If we want to have real, loving, thriving relationships and know what to look for to determine what is unhealthy and what is healthy, we need God’s wisdom. Let’s turn to Proverbs 13:20: “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.”  A relationship can only be as healthy as the people in the relationship. Like that verse tells us, living in the company of people who have set their lives on the path of wisdom will lead to us experiencing wisdom ourselves. So we need to be looking for patterns in someone’s life that are moving them (and us) toward wisdom or away from wisdom. As we pay attention to others’ choices, we have to remember to also examine ourselves, both our actions and our reactions. In order to rightly look at someone else, we must first rightly look at ourselves. After careful examination, if we are trying to move toward wisdom and another person is moving toward foolishness with their choices, therein lies the need for a boundary. Even after this discovery, boundaries are going to be challenging to implement. But at least we know what to do even if it’s still hard. The worst part of dysfunction in relationships is the feeling of hopelessness and powerlessness that too many of us have been swirling in for years. Over the last year, I’ve established some healthy boundaries and, as a result, had some really important relationships transform and become healthier and more life-giving. I’m amazed and thankful. There’s a freedom to enjoy these people in my life now without the hesitations and pitfalls that used to create so much chaos and pain. I’ve also had to say goodbye to some unbiblical and destructive relationships. I still grieve those losses in deep ways. And I can now see why it’s so crucial to use godly wisdom to process all of this, remembering we shouldn’t use our boundaries as excuses to shove other people away but rather use them to keep us in a place where we love others well without losing the best of who we are. None of this is easy. But it is worth it. I’m more convinced than ever that good boundaries work, and when set appropriately, boundaries really do serve to help keep us safe and healthy and in a place where we can honor God in all of our relationships. This is possible for you, friend. Let’s make 2023 the year of better relationships, one wise choice at a time. Lord, thank You for Your wisdom that is so readily available to me in every season and situation. Please give me eyes to see You and eyes to hear You as I process where there may be dysfunction inside any of my relationships that need addressing and the support of biblical boundaries. I ask for Your guidance and blessing over my life and relationships in 2023. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Body of Christ.. Dr. Charles Stanley

 The Body of Christ

Dr. Charles Stanley

Ephesians 4:11-16

As we saw yesterday, all the people who gather to worship in churches around the world form one body—the body of Christ. Jesus is the head. Paul described Him as "the beginning, the first-born from the dead" (Col. 1:18). He takes priority in the church and in the lives of every believer.

At salvation, you become a part of the body, no matter what your local church's membership rules may be. By receiving the Savior, a person is made one with Jesus. Therefore, if you're a believer, you are a breathing and active part of Christ, who is at work on earth through His followers. The church is Jesus' feet to carry the gospel message, His arms to care for those in need of love, and His hands to uphold the weak.

Christ's physical body underwent terrible pain and persecution. His church body cannot expect a cozy, easy existence either. Being Jesus to the world means making sacrifices, accepting ridicule, and loving our enemies (Heb. 13:16, Matt. 5:44). God called us to spread the gospel, but that doesn't mean people always like what we have to say. Sin and accountability aren't popular messages. Yet being trendy and well liked is not the point. We're here to carry out the work and mission of God, even when doing so is uncomfortable.

The spiritual makeup of the church is linked to its mission. The gospel cannot be spread except through the strength and wisdom of Jesus Christ, the head. The body of believers is united with Him through the indwelling presence of His Holy Spirit. He reaches the world through His church and its members.

When Life Doesn’t Go Your Way.. Dr. Roger Barrier

 When Life Doesn’t Go Your Way

By: Dr. Roger Barrier

“When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’ After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them” (Acts 16:7-9).

Once upon a time there were two missionaries named Paul and Silas. They were like superheroes as they lived out their adventures sharing the message of Jesus throughout Turkey.

I don’t imagine that life turned out like they imagined either. They didn’t get “first best;” they had to make do with second. What they did with second best changed the world.

The gospel of Jesus was roaring through Turkey when Paul decided it was time to go to Bithynia, the largest, richest and most influential city in all Turkey. This was Paul’s homeland. This was his country. This was first best. He hardly could wait.

And then God said, “No. I want you in Macedonia.”

We can imagine Paul on the seashore near Troas looking across the Aegean Sea toward Macedonia while thinking, “I really don’t want to go to Macedonia. Bithynia is my first choice. I’ll just have to see what I can do with second-best.”

In Macedonia, Paul performed his most significant service with the leftovers of a broken plan.

Wanting Bithynia and getting Macedonia, how familiar is that? But to take the leftovers of disappointed expectation and to make of it the greatest opportunity that we ever have, how impressive is that!

Every Christian experiences closed doors at one time or other-- some more than others: unexpected illness; lingering sickness; drawn-out recovery after surgery; depression that begins to set in; financial reverse; divorce; loss of a job; an unexpected move; disappointments at school or work; discouragements to come from the low times of life; children begin to have deep personal problems; dealing with necessities and other things that demand our attention while the mainstream of life seems to be passing us by; a career where that’s boring you to tears.

Some of you are there right now. What happens next depends totally to you. Let me give you some thoughts about handling life’s second bests:

Don’t panic, no one lives out their entire life with first best.

I believe that God has a life plan for us all. I call it, “Plan A”. But I don’t know anyone who goes from birth to glory on Plan A, all the way. Often, when we get off track God says, “Okay we can get back to Plan A.” On the other hand, there are times when we make choices and behave poorly and God has to say, “I’m sorry,” we can’t get back to Plan A from here. We must jump to Plan B. Thank God he has a Plan B. But the truth is that many of us are living on Plan X Triple Prime. Thank God for grace.

Keep your faith intact. God has a plan for your life.

One of the best tests of a person’s faith is when we see him or her, wanting Bithynia and getting Macedonia, and yet is still certain that there’s a purpose for his or her life.

A Prayer Regarding Fortitude..Jessica Van Roekel

 A Prayer Regarding Fortitude

By Jessica Van Roekel

"Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion." (Psalm 84:5-7, ESV)

Do you ever start January with resolutions all shiny and bright? Do you think, “This is the year I’m going to get it all together?” And some of us work those goals like a bread maker kneading dough. But others, like myself, find those shiny resolutions dulling after a few days. I start out with energetic vigor but lose it when the reality of the work involved smacks me in the face. I forget about the in-between--the time defined as the moments of putting words into action and being intentional about my intentions.

I’ve determined to exercise, eat right, and get enough sleep, but I make excuses, and the dessert’s too good to refuse. I’ve committed to weekly family nights, but busy schedules prevent them. I make goals for my spiritual walk, too, and determine to finally finish that one Bible study I started a few years ago, but I can’t find the book.

These resolutions and my inability to keep them leaves me feeling frustrated with myself, so I no longer make them, but I do resolve to stay faithful to the Lord and trust that he will grow in me what he wants as I surrender to him. This type of resolution needs fortitude undergirding it.

Fortitude can be defined as the mental and emotional strength needed to face difficulties with courage. Winter doldrums creep in like fog on a lake, and old coping habits of overindulgence and the mentality of “I’ll do it tomorrow” take over. Our resolve to use the planner we spent way too much money on stays empty, and we slide it into a drawer, where it lies as a reminder of our ineptness to organize our life. We begin responding to life from a defensive position rather than an offensive one.

This passage from the Psalms reminds us that even though life holds hardships, we can move forward into beauty. Even though we may disappoint ourselves with our inability to stay focused on our January goals, momentum is still possible. So often, we disqualify ourselves because of our perceived failures, but what if we reframed our perception and viewed it as an opportunity to learn fortitude?

The psalmist tells us we go from strength to strength. Our strength is in God. We find his strength when we seek his presence and when we have his presence, we have his blessings. This means that we have the strength for what’s right in front of us, not for something hidden around the next bend.

God makes himself near us each step of the way. Isn’t that a wonderful thought--to know that God is near when we feel alone? When we spend time with God through Bible reading, worship, and prayer, we experience renewed spiritual strength. We can look at our valleys and see beauty for ashes because God makes it a place of growth.

If you find yourself overwhelmed with the areas you want to improve in your life, lean into fortitude. Focus on receiving the strength you need from God by enjoying him, talking to him, and by sharing your life with him. He is your strength, and he provides the mental and emotional tenacity you need.

Let's pray:

Holy God,
Thank you for being my king of kings and lord of lords. Great are you, Lord! You are my strength, and my heart is set on you. I know I will face situations where I will wonder if I’ll make it to the other side. Help me to see the beauty you’re making as I lean into you. Direct me as I go from strength to strength. Let the steps I take be guided by your hand and let the words of my mouth bring you glory and honor. Thank you for making my valleys a place of growth. I trust you for fortitude.
In Jesus’ name, Amen

Your Story Matters..Amanda Idleman

 Your Story Matters

By Amanda Idleman

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!” - Ephesians 3:20-21 

God is the ultimate storyteller. Jared C. Wilson articulates it this way, “Only God can write a story that resonates not just in the power of the imagination or the heart or the mind, but in the very soul; only God can write a story that brings dead things to life.” He makes streams in the desert areas of our lives and connects dots that go way beyond coincidence. 

Humans love stories. We were created with an innate desire to be captivated by epic tales. Humanity has been driven from the start of time to write down our history and pass it on to the generations to come. We are fascinated by what was and what is to come. 

The beautiful thing is that we all get a leading role in this epic chronicle that makes up God’s plan. Each and every person is created in his image. They have value; he has made them for a purpose, and their story matters. Your story matters! 

Obedience to the Lord creates greater opportunities for influence in our lives. 
Oftentimes, acts of faith can lead to miracles we could have never foreseen! A friend of ours felt called to go to Turkey to share the gospel. Their family has now been there for several years and truly loves their new home. When they come home to the United States, they get the chance to share the story of God’s work in Turkey. To them, the decision to move across the world was one simple act of obedience that truly blessed their family. But others see this massive step into the unknown and feel convicted to make moves toward God’s plan in their own lives. The miracle of the work they are doing in Turkey is multiplied and even impacts the lives of those supporting them back in the states. God’s grace abounds! 

Our obedience to the Lord creates our unique testimony.
We felt called years back to become foster parents. We were totally unsure what God wanted to do with this step of faith, but we were sure this was the direction he was calling our family to go. God is wild, and one faith step led to another until, suddenly, our family has been completely transformed. Now when I just give the basic facts about our family to a stranger, I end up sharing our testimony. I can’t tell you about the children we get to love without telling you about how faithful God has been in putting our family together in such a special way. 

Be intentional to share with others when God has done a miracle on your behalf. 
What faith steps have you taken that have led to God writing a unique, just-for-you story with your life? Take time to write down the things you have seen God do on your behalf. Make an effort to share parts of this miracle story when others ask about your life. 

Your story matters most to those closest to you. 
Our church has an amazing campus that is streamed into the local jail. God is changing the lives of men and women who have struggled with addiction for decades. It’s just incredible to see! Recently some of the prior inmates gave their testimonies on stage. Two of the men that shared were father and son. They had done and sold drugs together for years and spent time in the same jails. A few years ago, the Father gave his heart to the Lord while incarcerated. He has been clean now since being released and continues to share the gospel with others in jail. Since then, his son was in the same jail, and he began to share his story with his son. He encouraged him to read the Bible. In time his son gave his life to the Lord and has been living a clean and sober life. When asked what really led to this huge life change, he said it was seeing his Dad’s life change that changed him.

The story you are living matters most to your family and loved ones. Your choice to follow the Lord and his call makes a huge impact on the generation to come. When we live in a way that requires us to rely fully on God, our kids have a tangible example of what faith in God is. It becomes real to them and is so much harder for them to deny. 

Ephesians 3:20-21 says, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!” God wants to do immeasurably more with our lives than we could ever ask or imagine. Trust him as you take those big and little steps forward towards bringing his Kingdom come here on Earth. As he does what only he can do, share his goodness with others. There is so much power in your story. 

Intersecting Faith and Life:
Do you often gloss over God’s miraculous provision and guidance or do you freely share the ways your faith in Christ has shaped your life? Let’s be challenged not to just give the facts but to tell our full testimony when meeting people. Communicating what God has done in your life is one of the most powerful ways to show Christ to others. 

Further Reading 

• Ephesians 3

How to Prioritize Prayer in Your Crazy Busy Life..Amy Carroll

 How to Prioritize Prayer in Your Crazy Busy Life

by Amy Carroll

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Colossians 4:2 (NIV)

Although I’m not a fan of New Year’s resolutions, I’ve come to adore adopting a single word each year to guide me toward spiritual growth.

Last January as I sought God for my new word, I sensed Him leading me to the word “pray.” Terror is too mild a word to describe the way I felt about that particular directive.

Don’t get me wrong. I’ve made daily prayer a practice for decades, but I knew it was still a weak link in my spiritual life. Bible study is one of my great loves, and I adore getting out to serve. But during my prayer times, my mind wanders, my faith wavers and I never feel as if I cover all the needs. Guilt and a sense of falling short typically describe my prayer life.

Have you struggled with prayer too? If you’re like me, maybe you know prayer is important, but it’s hard to wrap your mind around such a powerful, invisible force. It’s challenging to prioritize time for something so intangible with results that demand waiting.

As I surrendered and embraced “pray” with a trembling heart at the beginning of 2018, I pictured success as reading stacks of books from the 1700s. I imagined developing callouses on my knees from hours on them in the dark of early morning. But those images left me resistant instead of motivated. Truthfully, I couldn’t fathom fitting those assignments into my current schedule. Surely this was going to be the worst word-of-the-year ever.

I’m excited to report that’s not how God worked at all. Yes, He challenged me to grow in ways that required intention. He asked me to set more time aside for prayer, but He brought some beautiful, simple tools into my life that have allowed me to find peace and even joy in prayer. God directed me to:

Instagram, where I found a pre-prayer journal routine that settles my thoughts and quiets my mind.

A book that led me to pray one God-inspired verse for each of my sons every day.

A calendar with daily out-of-the-box prompts that leads me to pray for areas I wouldn’t have thought to cover.

A friend who encouraged me to set reminders throughout the day on my phone to pray for people I want to intercede for every week.

A group in the First 5 app where I write out my prayers based on that day’s Scripture.

A mentor who modeled on-the-spot prayer for those with a request: the best guarantee for follow-through instead of forgetting. Voila! Guilt free.

In a gentle yet persistent way, God brought Colossians 4:2 alive in my life in 2018: “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Now my one word “pray” is an invitation for ongoing conversation with God.

As a rule-follower and reforming perfectionist, I used to look for formulas and how-to’s. Now, instead of limiting myself to a set number of minutes of prayer in a prescribed routine, the simple tools above allow prayer to permeate my thoughts. They’ve created a watchfulness in me that lasts throughout the day. I’m constantly looking for opportunities to pray, which leads to true devotion to the practice and thankfulness as I watch God at work. There are so many moments that beg for prayer!

If you long for talk with God that changes things, prayer is not as hard as you might think. Ask Him to send some simple tools your way, and let the dialogue begin.

Lord, I want to develop devotion to prayer because I long for a never-ending conversation with You. Please teach me to pray by showing me truths in Your Word and giving me the determination to use the tools You send my way. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.