The Longing for Beauty..Craig Denison Ministries

 The Longing for Beauty

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

All of us have insatiable longings that can only be satisfied in communion with our heavenly Father. The longing to be enjoyed, fascinated, to gaze upon beauty, and to be someone great are driving forces within each of us. The longing to experience intimacy without shame, to be wholehearted, and to make a deep and lasting impact resound within each of us at the foundation of who we are. God created these longings knowing that they can only be fully satisfied in him—that they would be avenues to deeper relationship with him. As we look at each of these longings individually, I pray your heart would find its fulfillment in the loving nearness of your heavenly Father.

The titles and main concept for this week are all derived from The Seven Longings of the Human Heart by Mike Bickle and Deborah Hiebert.

Scripture:“For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he will beautify the humble with salvation.” Psalm 149:4 (AMP)

Devotional:

Beauty is captivating in all its forms. From sunsets to mountain tops, flower petals to starry nights, we devote countless hours, years, and even lives to the wonder and pursuit of beauty. We write songs and poetry in devotion to that which inspires us with its beauty. We spend our blood, sweat, and tears in attempt to discover if we have any beauty within ourselves. We are a people marked by a need for beauty—an insatiable longing that can only be satisfied in its Creator.

For a long time I tried to rid myself of the longing for beauty. I tried simply not to desire it. I equated this longing within me to a pursuit of vanity that seemed only to end in destruction. It wasn’t until my longing for beauty began to find its satisfaction in God that I discovered God’s original purpose behind it.

The longing for beauty is an incredible gift given to us by our heavenly Father. Every time we look upon something beautiful we get a glimpse into the beautiful heart of God. Our God is a perfect creator who makes beautiful things. Everything he is and does is beautiful in its own way. So when you feel a longing to be beautiful or see beauty, you are really feeling a longing for the Almighty, Triune God. You were created with an insatiable need to look upon your Creator in all his power and glory that you might stand in awe of his indescribable beauty for all eternity. And you have a longing to hear the voice of your heavenly who calls you lovely no matter how you look in the world’s eyes or what you’ve done.

Psalm 27:4 says, “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.” May we pursue the beauty of God and live in the glorious freedom of boundless communion with him. May our questions of whether we are beautiful find total fulfillment in the perfect perspective of he who shines forth in perfect beauty. And may we find satisfaction in all that is beautiful by acknowledging beauty that exists because of our beautiful God—limitless and perfect in all he does.

Take time in guided prayer to look upon your Creator. Gaze at the beauty of the Trinity. Let him tell you how he sees you. Listen as he speaks into the deepest recesses of your heart and satisfies places the world could never even reach. He longs for you to know how beautiful you are to him. He longs for you to stand in awe of the wonders of his perfect, true, and unconditional love. May your time be marked by clear revelation from the Holy Spirit into the heart of God.

Guided Prayer: 

1. Take time to meditate on what the Bible says about God’s beauty.

“Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.” - Psalm 96:6

“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.” - Psalm 27:4

“And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance.  And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him.  Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the  Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.” Ezekiel 1:26-28

2. Ask the Spirit to reveal to you how God sees you.Ask for a revelation of your beauty to him.

“And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.” Colossians 1:21-22

“I am my beloved's, and his desire is for me.” Song of Solomon 7:10

“O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the crannies of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.” Song of Solomon 2:14

3. Take time to rest in the truth of God’s heart.Allow his thoughts to sink into your heart. Journal how God sees you and how it makes you feel.

The more you gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and receive the knowledge of his perspective, the more you will experience freedom and unshakable joy. You are beautiful in his sight. Nothing can change the fact that you are fully loved by a perfect God. Rest in the peace and joy of that truth today. May his love lay a firm foundation for you to live secure and unshakable as your longing for beauty is wholly satisfied.

Extended Reading: Psalm 149

God Is Always Good..KATIE FARIS

 God Is Always Good

KATIE FARIS 

“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Romans 15:4 (ESV)

Motherhood isn’t what I expected.

It’s a whole lot more — more joy and more sorrow.

While I know that being a mom is a wonderful calling, this role has also exposed my heart to the wounding arrows of pain and grief. From newborn-feeding issues to my children’s serious medical diagnoses, my motherhood journey has included detours I never expected.

Maybe you navigate a child’s special needs, a teen’s rebellion or your own unique sorrows of motherhood.

These are painful realities in our broken world, and all the “feels” travel with them. Sadness, fear, anxiety, anger, disappointment and so many more unwelcome guests appear on our hearts' doorsteps.

Yet when life plays out differently than we hoped, in the big and the small, and our feelings are strong, sometimes we don’t feel God’s presence. Our sorrows can lead us to wonder, Where is God, and is He still good?

God designed us to feel deeply, which is wonderful, but our emotions aren’t reliable. We don’t live in Eden, and our bodies, relationships and circumstances experience the impacts of sin. Especially when life is difficult or unpredictable and we add some hormones — our feelings are changeable.

But here’s good news for our fluctuating hearts:

God is still good, whether we feel like He is or not. Because He is good (and powerful and wise and all His other attributes), we can trust Him, even in our suffering.

The apostle Paul wrote in our key verse, “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4).

In other words, the whole Bible was written for our instruction and encouragement. Why? So that even when we feel sad, confused or any number of other things, we might have hope.

When our feelings scream loudly, we need bedrock truths about God, and those are found in His Word:

1. God is with us even when He feels far away. “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10, ESV)

2. Challenging circumstances don’t mean God has forgotten us. “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace … will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” (1 Peter 5:10, ESV)

3. Whether it feels like it or not, God is always good. “The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.” (Nahum 1:7, ESV)

4. God is good when we don’t deserve it. “… God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8, ESV)

Sisters, when life goes smoothly, it’s easier to say that God is good. However, when life is hard, it takes faith to trust Him. But it’s our faith — even a little faith — that pleases God. (Hebrews 11:6)

Feeling (or not feeling) something doesn’t make it true. If I’d relied solely on my emotions when my newborn struggled to gain weight or my children were diagnosed, I don’t know where I’d be today. By God’s grace, the Holy Spirit used Scripture to encourage me and give me hope. He can do the same for you today.

Dear Lord, sometimes my feelings are overwhelming and it’s hard to know what’s true anymore. But no matter what, You’re always good, and I can trust You. Help me cling to that today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Developing Convictions..Dr. Charles Stanley

 Developing Convictions

Dr. Charles Stanley

Jeremiah 17:5-8

An acorn needs nutrients and time to grow into a tall, sturdy oak tree. Likewise, men and women of conviction develop gradually through committed Bible study and prayer. Ready to get planted firmly in biblical truth? Here’s how:

Make a list of issues for which you need to form a conviction. Here are questions to help you get started: Do you consider the Bible true and trustworthy? Do you think that believing in Jesus Christ is the only way to be saved? What is the Holy Spirit’s role in the lives of believers and unbelievers? Are we to forgive others in every situation? How should Christians approach finances? What’s your purpose in life? What is your role in the church and at work? How should you think and act regarding social issues like capital punishment, abortion, and racism?

It is my hope that these questions will open the eyes of those who haven’t contemplated how their personal philosophies have developed. It’s time to change that. Study the Bible and make God’s Word the cornerstone of your thinking. A concordance will point you to scriptures that relate to the above topics. Evaluate what the Bible says rather than looking at an issue through the lens of personal preference. Ask, What does God say? rather than What does this mean to me?

Once you know what God says, you have a choice to make: Believe Him and commit to living according to your conviction, or continue being tossed by waves of doubt and indecision (James 1:6). Root yourself in God’s Word and be called one of His oaks of righteousness (Isa. 61:3).

Jesus Is the Only Way to God..Lynette Kittle

 Jesus Is the Only Way to God

By Lynette Kittle

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” – John 14:6

Are you being tolerant of other’s beliefs to the point of saying nothing? Not even sharing your testimony because you don’t want to offend anyone? Is the message of “tolerance” keeping you quiet?

If so, you may want to consider who is influencing your decision to remain silent.

A well-known biblical teacher recently quoted the phrase, “Preach the Gospel, and if necessary, use words.”

But Scripture states the importance of using words, as Romans 10:17 explains, “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”

Words are essential to use in leading individuals to Salvation. 1 Peter 1:23 emphasizes it stating, “For you have been born again, not of perishable see, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”

Shutting up is the last thing Christians should be doing because if there are no words, there is no faith that comes from hearing, and consequently leads to no salvations.

Romans 10:14, explains the importance of speaking out, “How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”

However, cultural pressure is pushing Christians to keep silent on the most important life-and-death issue to ever face mankind. As Acts 4:12 stresses, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under Heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

If you’re waiting until you “feel” like it, take into consideration 1 Timothy 4:2’s urging to “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.”

Instead of keeping quite, contemplate the eternal consequences of keeping tight lips when it comes to sharing the Gospel because Scripture assures, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).

If you need motivation, think of how God is able to save completely those who come to Him through Jesus (Hebrews 7:25).

Like the blind man healed by Jesus asked, “Who is He sir? Tell me so that I may believe” (John 9:36), ask God to help you tell the Gospel to those around you, so they may believe, too.

A Prayer for Loved Ones Struggling with Addiction..Ashley Moore

 A Prayer for Loved Ones Struggling with Addiction

By Ashley Moore

“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” - James 5:16, NLT

After almost nine years of sobriety, someone I love relapsed back into the pit of addiction. Stunned by this setback and overwhelmed with disappointment, I’ve questioned why God would allow something that was once such a testimony of redemption to be squandered by a series of bad choices. 

Are you someone who knows this hurt? Do you love someone who struggles with addiction? Do you wrestle with the gamut of emotions that comes after a relapse? Maybe you have questioned God’s ability to use this situation for anyone’s good or, much less, His glory. Or have you pulled away from your church community for fear of being misunderstood or judged? Or perhaps you have hidden away from all people, crushed under the weight of depression and doubting God’s ability to heal you or your addicted loved one. 

I resonate so deeply with your pain. I, too, have felt paralyzed while caught in the crossfire of the addiction of another. I’ve been embarrassed and ashamed that addiction has taken up residence on the pages of my story. And I’ve wrestled with God about His sovereignty over these so very broken parts of my life. 

I want to both acknowledge your despair and gently point you towards the comfort of His Word as others have so tenderly done with me. The book of James tells us how to experience healing, and I believe the enemy is using our pain to draw us away from the very things God designed to bring us to restoration. You see, we have an enemy who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy our lives (John 10:10). This thief wants you isolated from God’s people, he wants to keep you hopeless and doubting, and he wants the souls of our struggling loved ones. 

But God! God wants to give us abundant life (John 10:10). The word abundant used in this scripture is the Greek word perisson. This word can be translated to mean advantage. Because of Christ’s sacrifice and power to overcome death we have been given the advantage over our enemy. Sin is defeated and death is overcome! Healing is possible. 

And how do we access it? We do what James commands in our key scripture. We confess our sins and struggles to faithful and fruit-bearing brothers and sisters in Christ. And then we pray for each other and our struggling loved ones so that we may be healed. James ends this pathway to healing with the powerful reminder that the righteous person’s prayers produce wonderful results (James 5:16). And friend, if you are in Christ, you are covered in His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). The prayers of the saints are powerful because Christ's covering makes them righteous in God’s sight. 

So yes, we acknowledge the reality of the brokenness of our hearts and the effects of sin displayed through addiction in our loved ones. We take our doubts and depression before God in honesty. And we remember to engage in the process God laid out in scripture for healing, trusting that God’s Word triumphs over our enemy and all our feelings of despair. 

Let pray:

Jehovah Rapha, 
We call on the God who heals! Lord, we come to you confessing our sins and shortcomings. Our big transgressions and even our doubts and unbelief. Jesus, we pray for our addicted loved ones. You say that if we confess our sins and pray for each other we are healed. You made us righteous with your blood and that means our prayers produce wonderful results. God, help us to believe this. Help us use this truth to tear down lies and strongholds from the enemy. Jesus, we ask for complete healing from our loved one’s addictions and complete restoration for our families. Lord, give us the wisdom to understand the very nuanced ways you accomplish your purposes and bring healing. We trust you will use all of this for our good, the good of others, and your glory because your Word says you will (Romans 8:28). Help our unbelief, Lord. Amen.

Lean into God’s Compassion..Jessica Van Roekel

 Lean into God’s Compassion

By Jessica Van Roekel

"But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Turn to me and be gracious to me, give your strength to your servant," (Psalm 86:15-16a, ESV)

Are you slow to anger? If so, you are my hero. I strive to be slow to anger, but I’m a work in progress. It helps when I remember I need mercy and grace every day. I miss the mark, but I know God is slow to anger. And when I am angry at myself for being quick to anger, I know that God looks on me with kindness. His eyes fill with steadfast love, and he helps me through the mess my anger creates.

I am so grateful God is compassionate. To be compassionate means to feel sorrow for someone else’s suffering, with a desire and effort to help. We see God’s compassion for us in the person of Jesus Christ. Through Jesus, we can have forgiveness and salvation. Our lives change when we meet Jesus so that we can know God’s great compassion. His compassion helps us live for him in our day to day.

There is action behind compassion. As we lean into God’s compassion, we begin to see his actions in our lives. We experience his mercy when we mess up once again. We know his grace when he encourages us to fall forward into his arms, and he helps us stand again. All through the Old Testament, we see how full of mercy God was to his people. Then in the New Testament, we see Jesus’s compassion on the crowds. Jesus delivered his good news of freedom, healed the brokenhearted, and gave sight to the blind of eyes and heart.

Jonah did not understand the Lord’s compassion. He ran away from God’s command and spent three days and nights in the belly of a whale before he obeyed God and warned the people of Nineveh of imminent destruction. The Ninevites repented, and God extended compassion to them. He did not destroy them. Instead of rejoicing, Jonah thought this was very wrong. He pouted in anger because God was compassionate.

We can learn much from Jonah. For one, to obey right away. Second, to remember how much we need mercy and grace. We are not perfect. We do not have it all together. Yet, it’s so easy to look at everyone else’s failings and refuse to see our own. We want to experience God’s compassion, but do we want our greatest enemy to experience his compassion? In my most honest moments, I struggle to say yes.

I want God’s acts of compassion toward me. I want him to forgive me, to help me, to bless me. But when I’ve been wounded by someone’s betrayal, I want punishment for them. I am not slow to anger, and I struggle to show mercy and grace. But God. He steps in and reminds me that I need his compassion just as much as my enemies do. This keeps me humble and fully reliant on his grace. I’m grateful for his steadfast love and his strength to extend compassion when I would be compassionless like Jonah.

It's tempting to respond like Jonah. He knew God’s nature because he experienced for himself, but he grew angry when God showed compassion to the Ninevites. People whom he felt didn’t deserve it. We know the Ninevites gave up their evil and violent ways. They humbled themselves before God, and he responded in compassion. Humility is key in learning to let go of our anger and to receive God’s strength to extend compassion to others. The book of Jonah ends with God asking Jonah a question, and we’re left wondering what happened to him. Did he stay angry? Did he harbor resentment toward God?

Intersecting Faith and Life:
The next time you find yourself struggling with anger, remember Jonah. Let him be an example of how not to respond. Jonah appreciated God’s compassion for himself, but he grew angry when God showed compassion to people he felt did not deserve it. God’s compassion extends to all. Lean into it and encourage others to lean into it as well. As you do, you will experience God’s grace, mercy, steadfast love, and strength. In turn, we begin to be slow to anger and quicker to show compassion.

Further Reading:

• Jonah
• Psalm 86

A NEW YOU FOR THE NEW YEAR..Jeff Schreve

 A NEW YOU FOR THE NEW YEAR

Jeff Schreve

Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14

When I was a kid, one of my favorite TV shows was The Six Million Dollar Man. Do you remember that show? It was about an astronaut who nearly died in a terrible accident. The government stepped in and replaced his crushed body with bionic parts. The show's opening said, "We can rebuild him. We have the technology. We can make him better than he was. Better… stronger… faster."

A NEW YOU!

Wouldn't it be cool if you could be better than you were last year? If you could be a better Christian… a better husband or wife… a better mom or dad or child… a better boss or employee? If you could be more loving, more joyful, more at peace, more considerate, more disciplined, and more effective at making a difference?

Is it really possible to experience a new you in the new year? YES! That is exactly what God wants for you this New Year. God is in the life-transformation business. He has a plan and program to change your life and make you more like Him in the way you act and react.

WHAT'S THE PLAN?

Although Paul was arguably the strongest Christian who ever lived, he had a great desire in his heart to be "better, stronger, and faster." He wanted to grow in His relationship with Christ. He wanted to be changed "from glory to glory." In Philippians 3, Paul shared an important action plan that made a difference for him and will for you also. The action plan has two key steps.

1. Forget what lies behind.

A. Have you been hurt in the past? Have people said bad things about you and done bad things to you? Join the club. We all have had bad things happen to us in the past. The difference between winners and losers is this: winners let the pain from the past go. They forget it. Losers hold on to it. God says LET IT GO. Give those hurts to me so you can move on down the road.

B. Have you blown it in the past? Do you have major sins and failures in your past history that keep you feeling like a second-class citizen in the Kingdom of God? I don't care if you are guilty of mass murder; your sins, no matter how heinous, are no match for the blood of Jesus Christ! Confess all those sins to God. Get them out from the shadows of your heart and under the cleansing power of the blood of His cross. And once you confess that sin to God and turn from that sin, accept His complete and total forgiveness. "What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy" (Acts 10:15).

2. Reach forward to what lies ahead.

God does not want us to live looking in the rear view mirror. He wants us to press on in Jesus' name. He wants us to put our eyes on Jesus and seek Him with all our hearts. He wants us to keep going, even when the way is hard.

Have you been tempted to throw in the towel? Have you gotten knocked down and have yet to get up? The time is now to dust off the difficulties of the past and get back in the race. Press on toward the goal, toward the prize of pleasing the Lord and hearing Him say one day as you cross the finish line, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

It's a new year. God wants there to be a new you. It is within reach. It is His will and desire for you. Will you let go of the past? Will you get up from your fall? Will you go for the prize with all your heart?

Love,

Pastor Jeff Schreve