Delighting in God's Love..

 Delighting in God's Love

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview

This week we'll spend time stirring up our affections for God through the renewing of our minds. Your mind is the gateway to your affections. What you think is worthy of your affections is what will receive them. So, as we grow in our understanding of God’s overwhelming goodness we will naturally give him our hearts. May you be stirred by the unconditional love of your heavenly Father this week as his perfect nature is revealed to you in greater, more transformative ways.

Scripture:“I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” John 17:26

Devotional:

John 17 is an incredibly significant passage of Scripture for Christians today. Jesus prayed perfectly in accordance with the will of the Father, in submission to him during his time on earth. Therefore, everything Jesus prayed, God will accomplish. Part of the beauty of their oneness is shared desires. In John 17:26, Jesus prays to the Father, “I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” Imagine that! Jesus says we can have the same love in us with which God the Father loved Jesus. Think of the magnitude of love the Father has for his Son, and now think about God having that same magnitude of love for you! You are his beloved, his prized possession. Your heavenly Father gave up his own Son to have a personal relationship with you, to be able to pour his vast love out on you.

The Bible describes David as a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22). He was a man who delighted in God's love and experienced the joy of his presence throughout various seasons of life. In Psalm 16:5-11 David wrote, “The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” When I read David’s words I can't help but desire his joy and security. I am filled with a desire to know that kind of love in my own life. Psalm 16 makes me desire to have God as “my chosen portion,” and I wholeheartedly want to experience “pleasures forevermore.” What about you?

Allow your desires be stirred to experience for yourself the immeasurable love with which God has loved Jesus. Know that it’s not only your desire to experience love, but the desire of your heavenly Father as well (John 17:26). In what areas of your life do you need to “set the Lord always before” you? What areas do you need him to be “at [your] right hand?” In the Lord, there truly are “pleasures forevermore.”

Take time today to simply delight in your God, and allow his presence to flood the dry, weary places of your heart. You are his chosen portion, the apple of his eye. God gave up his only Son for the chance to meet with you right now. Simply open up your heart and delight in the love of your heavenly Father. 

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on John 17:26. Allow Scripture to give you a better revelation of the depth of God’s love for you.

“That the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” John 17:26

2. Where do you need to delight in the love of God today? Where is your life not marked by the fullness of joy David described in Psalm 16?

“In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11

3. Now simply delight in the love of God for you, the very same love that he has for his Son, Jesus Christ.

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

Every day is a battle to root yourself in the love of God. But it is a battle worth fighting. It's a battle waged within the depths of your soul—the fight between what God and the world says matters. When you make more space for God to fill by ridding yourself of the ways of the world, his heart and mind will become your own. What matters to him will begin to matter to you. Keeping his love in perspective will become as natural as breathing. The fullness of relationship with him is meant to be our source, portion, strength and desire. Give way to his loving kindness today, and let the cares of the world go in light of his goodness and grace.

Extended Reading: John 17

Broken Crayons Still Color..TONI COLLIER

 Broken Crayons Still Color

TONI COLLIER 

“‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’” John 8:11b-c (NIV)

One evening after dinner, I walked into the living room to a pretty wild scene.

All over the floor in mini piles were crayons that looked like they’d gotten into a fight. My preschool-age daughter, Dylan, had peeled off their paper wrappers and broken each and every last crayon.

When I asked why she’d ruined all the crayons, she just looked at me and said, “Mommy, color.”

Later, as I was on my knees scraping up the crayons, I broke down … exhausted, alone and in tears. This wasn’t about crayons; it was about a life that had come crashing down into broken pieces of despair — broken like the crayons scattered on our carpet.

I’d been let go from a church that had promised me a promotion and raise a few months earlier. Countless nights had been spent shuffling through divorce papers because I couldn’t afford a lawyer. Looking at my finances and the bills I would now be carrying as a single mom, I didn’t see a way out of this valley of complete darkness.

Thinking back on Dylan’s comment — “Mommy, color” — I realized she was saying, “Yeah, I broke the crayons, Mom, but they still work!”

Here I was in a valley, thinking that my brokenness discounted me. And yet there are stories all throughout the Bible showing broken people, including broken women, whom God rescues and welcomes.

There’s a hard but beautiful story in the Bible that shows a picture of Jesus’ desire to choose those of us who struggle to see our value. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who was caught in adultery to the temple courts where Jesus was. Could you imagine being caught in the very act of some of your biggest mistakes, arrested on the spot, and dragged to a public setting to be killed?

“When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’

‘No one, sir,’ she said.

‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin’” (John 8:7-11, NIV).

You see what just happened? He flipped the script.

Not only did Jesus create accountability for the public shaming, but He also chose to show love to a woman who, to her community, was blemished and worthy of death. Her brokenness didn’t discount her access to, and love from, the Savior of the universe.

When you decide to bring your hurts into the light, hope and healing can be yours. Through this act of choosing the woman in John 8, Jesus is showing us today that He chooses you and me as well. Jesus is choosing you right now. The question is: Will you be brave enough to fight for your greatest hope by fighting through your greatest hurt?

We all have things that have deeply hurt us, things we need to heal from. We need restoration and true freedom. Our childhood wounds can be transformed into adult scars that are healed and sealed.

You can absolutely look at all your past mistakes, your past pain, the parts of your story that you just want to forget, and declare that they don’t get to have the final say in your life. That’s exactly what Jesus did when He died for you — declaring that those things don’t get the final say, but God does. And, friend, He’s not done with you yet. Broken crayons still color!

Dear God, You know what I’ve been through. Thank You for never giving up on me. Please bring me to a place of healing that allows me to share my story and the good news that hope is available to us all. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Message the World Needs to Hear..Dr. Charles Stanley

The Message the World Needs to Hear

Dr. Charles Stanley

Mark 16:15-20

Suppose I asked what the mission of the church is—how would you answer? Although the church accomplishes many tasks, its only message to the world is the gospel of Christ. Everything else we do is merely an extension of that primary goal. The gospel we offer the lost is superior to every worldly philosophy. Never outdated or in need of correction, it is always sufficient to meet humanity's greatest need: reconciliation with the Creator.

Although the message is always the same, methods of making it known are many—including the spoken word, music, printed material, and electronic media. But all these avenues of communication require the individual involvement of God's people. It is every Christian's responsibility to use his or her spiritual gifts, talents, and abilities to help fulfill the Great Commission.

Some Christians think that this role is given only to pastors, missionaries, or other people with an "up-front ministry." But all of us have the responsibility to be involved in whatever way we are able and in whatever opportunity God gives us. Not everybody is called to go abroad as a missionary, but we all can give, pray, and tell friends and family what the Lord has done for us.

When you're truly committed to getting the gospel out, God will reveal what work He is calling you to do. He has a place for every one of us—nobody is insignificant or unusable. The limiting factor is not the Lord's ability to use us but our availability to His call. 

How to Lead Well When Underqualified..Ashley Moore

 How to Lead Well When Underqualified 

By Ashley Moore

“Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?” The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom. - 1 Kings 3:9-10, NLT

Have you ever felt underqualified? Maybe you are encountering Imposter Syndrome? You are lacking skills compared to others, and you’re still learning the ropes of a new task. For example, a recent nursing graduate may experience this phenomenon for the first several times she engages with patients at her new job. Or a writer may experience this syndrome when asked to present the material from their book at a conference. 

Whatever the case, imposter syndrome can be debilitating, paralyzing, and sometimes even derail people completely from entering into new ventures prompted by the Lord. New experiences come with steep learning curves and often reveal our weaknesses. When we are accustomed to proficiency, it can feel intimidating to be a beginner again.

Yet, the Lord illuminated through Scripture many accounts of calling His people to new roles and responsibilities for the good of His people and His glory. That’s the context and backdrop leading up to today’s key verse. Solomon, son of the mighty King David, was called from childhood to take over his Dad’s role as King of Israel (1 Kings 3:5-10). I imagine Solomon experienced imposter syndrome as He stepped into his father’s shoes, however, we can learn a thing or two from his response. Here are two takeaways from Solomon’s request for an understanding heart and wisdom.

We Can’t Lead Alone 
Solomon was about to be the King. This was a role with many responsibilities and would require Solomon to make decisions about military matters, economic matters, public disputes, and anything and everything in between. And as if leading people wasn't tough enough, Solomon was called to rule God's chosen people! And he realized rather quickly how impossible the task would be if all the weight of that responsibility rested on him and him alone (1 Kings 3:9). 

But how many times have we taken on tasks and tried to accomplish them with our own strength? Not realizing this is a grave miscalculation of our ability and a missed opportunity to grow the Kingdom of God. Working together in a team has innumerable benefits. As Solomon pointed out, it takes many people to govern. Having a variety of people around you who are equipped with certain giftings and various experiences and connections will only serve you and bless the people you serve. Working as a team with fellow believers has a wonderful way of sanctifying us all into the image of Christ. Like Proverbs 27:17 says, As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. May we listen to advice and take instruction from others so we may have wisdom for all of our days (Proverbs 19:20).

We Can’t Lead Well Without God’s Help
Solomon understood that, as a human, he was very capable of making the wrong decisions. Still, he desired to lead God’s people well (1 Kings 3:9). He understood it would be impossible to successfully lead the people without God's guidance and direction. God needed to change Solomon's heart to one of understanding, teaching him to fully grasp the difference between right and wrong.

We need that too. Whether we are office admins, ministry leaders, or parents, the people God gives us to steward belong to God. And without His help, we can’t lead them well. We can’t know for sure if we are making good decisions unless we are gaining wisdom and understanding from the One who is all-knowing–God. 

The Bible says even if our own hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts and He knows everything (1 John 3:20). We can lead well when we go to the One who knows our hearts and the hearts of everyone we lead. He promises that when we seek Him with all of our hearts, we will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13, James 4:8) And He promises that we can ask for wisdom. He will give it freely without finding fault, just like He did for King Solomon (James 1:5). 

Maybe imposter syndrome is God's way of exposing our lack of wisdom, uncovering the heart posture we need to lead well. The truth is we can’t lead God’s people well by ourselves and certainly not without God’s help. But we can find what we need to lead with a heart of understanding when we turn to God for wisdom. 

Intersecting Faith and Life:
How do you react to spiritually stretching seasons? Do you shy away from new challenges because they expose weaknesses, or do you tackle new experiences with grit and sheer willpower? The next time you feel the growing pains of change, say a quick prayer asking God to give you wisdom and understanding to accomplish His purposes for you well. 

Further Reading:

• James 1:1-16, ESV

7 Suggestions for When God is Silent..Ron Edmondson

 7 Suggestions for When God is Silent (1 Kings 18:1)

By Ron Edmondson

After a long time, in the third year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.” - (1 Kings 18:1)

Elijah had been used of God to hold back rain from the people for over three years, because of their sins. Obviously, he was not well liked as a preacher. I can imagine the stress he experienced during those years.

Something strikes me, however, that seems to further complicate Elijah’s situation.

Consider 1 Kings 18:1: “After a long time, in the third year, the word of the LORD came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.”

According to a couple New Testament passages, this “After a long time” was actually three and a half years. The famine was three and a half years long. For three and a half years, the people apparently continued to sin, Elijah continued to hold on by faith, but God said nothing. God was apparently inactive… not speaking… even to His great servant Elijah during this time.

Have you ever been there? Has the silence of God in your life ever been eerily strong?

Imagine you had been faithfully serving… God is using you… you are in constant communication with Him… and then suddenly… everything is quiet. You have to wait.

The separation must have seemed unbearable. Elijah is not liked and unpopular. He’s an outcast from the people and the One he trusted most was seemingly absent.

God would soon do a miracle through Elijah… one he couldn’t even imagine… certainly not script, but during this period all Elijah could do was wait.

If you have been follower of Christ very long, you have had periods where it seems God is nowhere to be found. We often call them periods of spiritual dryness. Sometimes I refer to it as being in a spiritual funk.

What should we do during the times of silence, before the miracles of God come through for us?

If you are like me, you can figure out how to celebrate a miracle. You don’t need much help doing that. The tough part of life is figuring out what to do during the years of silence… during the years when miracles are seemingly nowhere to be found.

What do we do during the spiritually dry periods of life when we don’t hear clearly the voice of God?

Here Are 7 Things You Can Do When You Think God Is Silent:

Don’t ignore the silence – Some of the biggest moves God has made in my life have come after a period of spiritual dryness… when it seemed like God was doing nothing in my life. Stay very close to God and watch for Him to eventually display His power. He will in the fullness of time.

Confront known sin in your life – This wasn’t the problem of silence for Elijah, but the problem for the Israelites was that they were chasing after other gods and living lives in total disobedience to God. Sin may not be the reason you don’t sense closeness to God right now, but if you have known sin in your life it will affect your intimacy with God.

Go back to what you know – Get back to the basics of the faith that saved you. You’ll do it 100s of times in your life, but you must remind yourselves of the basis of faith… which is the very character and promises of God. God is in control. He really is… even when it doesn’t seem that He is anywhere to be found.

Make a decision… Choose sides – You can’t adequately serve God and the world. (Consider Joshua 24:15.) Something happens in life, often sin, busyness, boredom, or a tragedy… but if we are normal, we have periods where we grow away from our close relationship with God. God hasn’t moved, but if you’ve shifted in your obedience, get back securely on the right side.

Trust More… Not less – Times of silence may be filled with fear, but ironically, these times require more faith. Times come in our spiritual life when our enthusiasm isn’t as real as when we began our walk with God. That’s not an indication to quit… it may be that God is using that time for something bigger than you could have imagined… but whatever is next will most likely require a deeper level of trust.

Listen and Watch Closely – Some day God is going to make His plans known to you. Don’t miss them. He may come to your personally, through His Word, circumstances, or another person. You’ll need to be in a position to know that God is moving. (Read THIS POST if you need help discerning God’s will.)

Get ready to receive – God will break the silence some day… and when He does it WILL be good. If you mope around in your sorrows, you’ll be less prepared to receive the good things to come. Not because of your circumstances, but because of your faith, clothe yourself in joy as you wait for God to bless you after the period of silence.

Are you in one of those periods of silence today? How do you handle these periods of time?

A Prayer for Peace in Unstable Times..Emily Rose Massey

 A Prayer for Peace in Unstable Times

By Emily Rose Massey

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you” (Isaiah 26:3, ESV). 

My husband and I are each the first-born children in our families. Although there isn’t any science behind first-born personalities, psychologists have taken note of the common traits regarding those who have been born first among their siblings. 

In general, firstborn children have been found to be responsible, assertive, task-oriented, perfectionistic, and supporters of authority. With all of those leadership characteristics, a great amount of weight can be placed upon the shoulders of the individuals prone to be the rule-follower and goal chaser. This can often lead to much stress and anxiety if not constantly kept in check. When two firstborns marry each other, they can run together with fervor to achieve dreams and become very productive as a family, but the home also needs peace to reign in it most of all. And not just a “problem-free” type of peace - a peace that passes all understanding regardless of what is happening. Only the Lord Jesus Christ can offer us this kind of perfect peace.

In God’s providence, one of the reasons we named our firstborn child, Isaiah, was because of a very special verse found in the book of Isaiah regarding this kind of perfect peace that my husband and I know that we need every single day. Right in the middle of a prophecy regarding the land of Judah, the prophet Isaiah uttered these beautiful words about the Lord and His peace in chapter 26:

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you” (Isaiah 26:3, ESV). 

For many of us, these last few years have felt a bit unstable. We have all experienced some form of worry, stress, and anxiety from the unknown future. From viruses, suddenly losing loved ones, empty store shelves, job losses, rising home prices, and hefty grocery bills week after week - we have all needed to find perfect peace. Our answer is found in fixing our gaze upon the Lord and anchoring our minds to His unwavering truth. No matter what is going on around us, we can find unshakable confidence in the Lord because He is ever-faithful to us. This is why staying in the Word consistently is so important when experiencing stressful or unstable times. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17) and the more we are studying the Scriptures, the stronger our trust in God becomes.

The Word of God is so powerful, and the more we study and meditate upon it, the stronger our foundation will be in Christ, and we will continually know how to look to Him any time stress and anxiety try to overtake us. Let us always be quick to ask the Lord for His sustaining grace and help in our time of need, looking to Him always because He cares for us. No matter what is going on around us, even if it seems like everything is falling apart, we must remember that God holds the entire universe in His hands. He is completely sovereign. Nothing passes through His hands by accident. He is in total control and has a great plan regarding all of it; We can trust in Him and rest in His great, perfect peace. Let us set our mind upon Him.

Let’s pray:

Lord, thank You that You want us to set our minds upon You at all times. Thank You that there is nowhere I can go that You are not there with me. Thank You for having a hold of my life, even as I feel like everything is crumbling around me. I confess that I have let stress take a hold of my life rather than You. I have tried to control things in my life, and at the same time, I have let anxiety control my mood, my attitude, and my actions. Lord, I repent of this! 

Please Father, help me see what is stressful or worrisome in my life and hand it over to You. Help me actively think about Your goodness to me. I am so hopeful for my eternity with you, Lord, where the presence of sin and fear will be no more! Help me look back on all the ways You have rescued me from my fearful moments and remember where You have always been faithful to me in the midst of great trials. Help me to rest in the truth of Your goodness and power today. Thank You, Lord, for Your perfect peace.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.