Tilling the Soil of the Heart: Prayer..Craig Denison Ministries

 Tilling the Soil of the Heart: Prayer

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

This week we'll look at a vital spiritual practice to all those seeking to grow in God:tilling the soil of the heart. Jesus spoke in Matthew 13 of two different types of soil—hard and soft. God longs for us to till the soil of our hearts that we might be receptive to the seed of his word and bear fruit. May your heart become more responsive to the presence, will, and love of God this week as you cultivate good soil with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Scripture:“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Devotional:

God makes an amazing promise to us in Philippians 4:6-7. Scripture says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” How incredible! If we will make our requests known to God in prayer, giving our burdens and anxieties over to him, then he will swap those burdens for a guarding peace that surpasses all understanding. How much do you need his peace today? What areas of your life feel burdened? What do you feel anxious about?

God has an endless reservoir of peace that’s available to you when you place your trust in him through prayer. As we open our hearts to God in prayer, the Spirit produces the fruit of peace. When you lay your burdens at God’s feet, trusting that he will take care of you as he promised, peace overflows as a fruit of the Spirit’s work in your life. That’s the assurance of your Father and the power of prayer.

For most of us, something like trusting God and handing over all our burdens is much easier said than done. How can you pray effectively? How can you have communication with God? E.M. Bounds said, “The goal of prayer is the ear of God, a goal that can only be reached by patient and continued and continuous waiting upon Him, pouring out our heart to Him and permitting Him to speak to us. Only by so doing can we expect to know Him, and as we come to know Him better we shall spend more time in His presence and find that presence a constant and ever-increasing delight.”Effective prayer is a process, but it is a process completely worthy of your efforts. Corrie ten Boom said, "Don’t pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A man is powerful on his knees."Make a daily time to set aside for prayer. Fight to keep it at all costs. Connecting to God through prayer, hearing his voice, and experiencing his presence will lead you to a satisfied life. The Christian life without prayer is no different than a relationship with a person without communication. While your God will never fail you as people do, abundant relationship with him requires constant communication.

Prayer is more about making time and space to commune with God than it is about what you do or say. God can guide, speak, and give you his presence if you simply make space for him to do so. Don’t let a feeling of insecurity, doubt, or lack of knowledge keep you from talking with God. He delights in the simplicity, vulnerability, and honesty of you just wanting to talk with him.

Open your heart to God as you enter into a time of guided prayer. Make space to listen to the voice of your Helper, the Holy Spirit. And receive the wonder and peace that comes from casting your burdens on a loving Father who is waiting right now to spend time with you.           

Guided Prayer:

1. Take a moment to quiet your heart and mind. Make space in your heart to allow for the peace of God to fill.

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7

2. Now lay any burdens you have at his feet. Think about anything you’ve been feeling anxious about, and talk to God about it. Tell him how you’ve been feeling.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7

3. Now receive the peace God has promised you over those situations. Trust God that when you ask for his guidance and help, he will give it to you. Prayer changes things. While you may not be able to see it with your eyes, prayer moves the heart of God and men.

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

The Bible tells us to “rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). The more you practice prayer and see it work in your life to bring peace and change to your circumstances, the more prayer will become a natural overflow for you. A simple thought to God at a tough or important time or even a quick act of giving God thanks for the good things around you are all are powerful, mood-altering prayers. Have a continual conversation with God and allow him to transform lonely times into continuous communion with him.

Extended Reading: Philippians 4

Is My Speech Sweetened With Grace?..BETH KNIGHT

 Is My Speech Sweetened With Grace?

BETH KNIGHT

“Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.” Proverbs 16:24 (ESV)

The words came tumbling out of my mouth like boulders in a rock slide barreling down a sharp cliff. One by one, they rolled off my tongue toward their unsuspecting victim: my dear husband.

In front of my kitchen sink, I stood tall upon my list of grievances: the leftover coffee cups forming a community on our bathroom counter, the clothes piled on the floor beside the laundry basket, and the dishwasher he forgot to start … yet again.

On and on I droned when suddenly a sound interrupted my self-righteous rant:

Drip.
Drip.
Drip.

The kitchen faucet that had remained silent during my tirade gently spoke up to remind me that “a quarrelsome wife is like [a] constant dripping” (Proverbs 19:13, NIV). My lips merged into a guilty grin as I thought, Holy Spirit, why do You have to call me out like that?!

Proverbs 16:24 says, “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.”

Personally, the sweetest words I’ve ever heard are found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus tasted the bitter wrath of God on my behalf so my soul could taste the sweetness of His grace. And because I’ve been saved by grace, I’m called to live and speak with grace.

But why do I so easily fall short of this calling and speak words dripping with sarcasm, anger or an unquenchable desire to be right?

Well, like most of my troubles, it begins inside my heart. Luke 6:45 warns, “out of the abundance of the heart [the] mouth speaks” (ESV). So the ungracious thoughts I’ve secretly stored inside will eventually make their way toward my mouth, spilling over onto unsuspecting family and friends or the neighbor I’m called to love.

That day in the kitchen was no exception. My ungracious words flowed directly from the thoughts and grumblings that had been stirring inside my heart over the previous days and weeks. I’d been exhausted, overwhelmed and anxious. And instead of focusing on all the wonderful things my husband does for our family, I’d been focusing on minor irritations I could’ve easily overlooked.

Friend, does your heart ache just like mine when you wish you’d been more careful with your words? No one wants to be the wife, mom, family member or friend who is quarrelsome or uncharitable toward others in thought or speech.

We desire to make our homes sanctuaries of safety from the harshness of this world. Yet we are fallible and prone to weariness, making us vulnerable to taking out our frustrations on the ones we love most.

Speech sweetened with grace will only overflow from a heart overwhelmed by God’s grace. Therefore, our only hope is to approach God’s throne of grace daily with confidence, (Hebrews 4:16) trusting Him to flood our hearts with the mercy and grace we desperately need.

Faces lift, shoulders soften and hearts heal when gracious words are spoken. Today, may we let God’s grace wash over our souls so our speech will be healing and sweet, drenching others with the love of Christ we have first received.

Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times my speech has caused hurt instead of healing. Please set a guard over my lips. If I must speak hard truths, may they be dripping with Your grace — healing and sweet to any soul who hears. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Developing a Tender Heart..Dr. Charles Stanley

 Developing a Tender Heart

Dr. Charles Stanley

Ezekiel 36:25-28

The Lord wants to give each of us a "heart of flesh" so that we will be pliable and responsive to Him. When touched by the finger of God, a tender heart yields to the pressure and assumes the form He desires, much like a lump of clay that allows the potter to determine the shape of the vessel.

To aid in this process, God has sent the Holy Spirit to indwell each believer and awaken responsiveness in him or her. By yielding to the Spirit's promptings with ready obedience, the heart becomes increasingly tender and sensitive to His leading. The Lord is able to impart greater understanding of His Word to a soft heart because it has faithfully accepted and obeyed previous teachings.

Any resistance to God will result in hardening. But those who are accustomed to intimacy with Christ—which is the result of submission to Him—will be quick to deal with sin and return to the place of obedience and blessing.

People with tender hearts stay closely connected to the body of Christ, seeking to build up and encourage others in their walk of faith. Such individuals are not only receptive to what God wants to tell them; they are also teachable, in that they are willing to listen and be corrected by others.

This week when you read your Bible and pray, let your heart be soft toward the words of God. As He pokes His finger into each hard area, listen to His instructions, and rely on the Spirit's power to help you yield and obey. Let Him shape you into a beautiful and useful vessel.

The Riches of Christ’s Comfort..Emily Rose Massey

 The Riches of Christ’s Comfort

By Emily Rose Massey

“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind” (Philippians 2:1-2, ESV).

Suffering is a reality for everyone on this earth, including believers. To deny that is to deny the reality of the fact that we live in a fallen world, and Christians are not exempt from the results of it. Remember, the apostles suffered greatly, and many of them died horrendous deaths as martyrs. But it was all for God’s glory and a part of His sovereign plan for their lives.

We must remember that Christ is with us in the midst of our trial to bring us through it with perseverance. Not all people have this access to Christ’s comforts; only those who have repented of their sins and trusted in Christ’s righteousness alone (Ephesians 1:6). When our heart is agitated, this is the “pillow treatment” in which we can rest our heart and receive God’s overwhelming love (Psalm 34:8). In addition to having the nearness of Christ when we are suffering, as believers, we have also been given the gift of the Church. The Church should be carriers of God’s love- extending counsel, fellowship, humility, and service towards one another. 

The Apostle Paul encourages the Philippian church to be in unity and of one mind, sharing the love of Christ, which brings comfort. This is a wonderful reminder to us today as well:

“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind” (Philippians 2:1-2, ESV).

The graces found in Christ fuels our humility that generates unity.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
God will use all things to conform us to the image of Christ, and often in the life of the believer, that includes pain and suffering, but we do not have to suffer alone. We can find comfort in the riches of Christ, and He often uses the family of God to bring His love and peace into our situations. Have trials in your life embittered you and caused you to build up walls around your heart to keep you from being vulnerable and transparent with God and with others? We need to be honest about our insecurities and pain so that we can receive Christ’s comfort and encouragement. Through this vulnerability with others, God gives us the wisdom to show us who to specifically speak to about our hurts, frustrations, confusion, and deep sorrow. Let us tear down the walls of privacy and pride to receive the Lord’s tender mercies and rich grace. Who do you need to share God’s affection and sympathy with? The greatest way to do this is by sharing the truth that Christ died so that others may live- the gospel. We must remind our hearts and share with others that our faith in Him means that because of the cross, we are forgiven. Now we can have the hope that He never leaves our side and walks with us through the valley and the mountaintop experiences, and we have the ultimate hope that there is a glorious eternal life that awaits us in Christ Jesus. Oh, what comfort we can find in Christ!

Further Reading:

• 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
• Hebrews 10:24-25

How to Prepare for Your Future..Lynette Kittle

 How to Prepare for Your Future

by Lynette Kittle

“My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? - John 14:2

Are you worried about your future? If so, you’re not alone.

Cultural climate feeds on fear. The fear of missing out, of being left behind, of having nothing.

Yet, Jesus encourages you to “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1).

You can take comfort in Jesus’ reassuring words of, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26)

God doesn’t want you to be living in fear, worried about tomorrow. Jesus said, “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them” (Matthew 6:31, 32).

Riches, positions, and possessions on earth are temporary, so accumulating stuff does not secure your future. The way to prepare for your future is explained in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Scripture explains how there will be a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13), and to look forward to it.

Jesus said, “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?” (John 14:2).

Not only is Jesus preparing your place, He’s also coming back to pick you up stating, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:3).

So even when things on earth pass away (Revelation 21:1) you will have a home.

Revelation 21:3 describes all you have to look forward in your future, stating, “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God’” (Revelation 21:3).

The Apostle John describes your new residence in Revelation 21:2, “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.”

Take comfort in knowing your future is already settled. So rather than letting earthly fear consume you, 1 Peter 3:14 encourages you to look forward to all God has for you by making every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him (1 Peter 3:14).

A Prayer for Guidance..Meg Bucher

 A Prayer for Guidance

By Meg Bucher

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.” John 16:13 NLT

Admittedly, I tend to retreat when life throws a difficult situation in front of me. Conflict and division terrify me. But they are inevitable things adulting requires. Over the years, lots of time in the Word of God and in Christian counseling have helped me to improve upon my ability to face and walk through hard situations in Truth. Still a definite work in progress, I can look back and see the faithfulness of God to answer my prayers for guidance through the rough-sea moments and rocky uphill climbs.

The Holy Spirit faithfully provides us with daily guidance. “The Spirit’s ministry of guiding Jesus’ followers into all the truth is a promise especially for these 11 disciples,” The ESV Global Study Bible explains, “It applies to their work of writing the NT books. The Promise also has a broader application to all believers. (Rom. 8:14; Gal 5:18). The ability to declare the things that are to come gives evidence of the full deity of the Holy Spirit (see Isa. 48:14).” 

The apostles depended on the Spirit’s movement and guidance in situations of persecution and of focus in writing the books and letters we now embrace as the Bible. They didn’t know then all of their prose would be bound together, but they faithfully followed the Holy Spirit’s guidance in their lives. Jesus told them,

“I have told you these things so that you won’t abandon your faith.”  - John 16:1 NLT

I believe He encourages us similarly today. We may not be involved in penning the New Testament, but our text messages can certainly be strained before we send them. Our daily conversations, and even our thought lives, can be guided by the Holy Spirit if we submit to His leadership in our daily lives. Paul wrote to the Romans, 

“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” - Romans 8:14 NLT

Being children of God is our inheritance! We have the ability to be Spirit-led. “There is so much more I want to tell you,” Jesus said, “but you can’t bear it now.” (John 16:12 NLT) We often crave answers we don’t receive direct answers to. The Holy Spirit doesn’t drop a word out of of the sky, but He is faithful to help us see where we are going.

Let’s pray:

Father, 
Praise You for sending Jesus to earth to save us. And thank You for Your Holy Spirit, who moves throughout our lives and dwells within us. It’s difficult to find our way through our days, sometimes. Life isn’t always clear, fair, or easy. Father, as we seek to be the people You purposed us to be, we pray for a fresh filling of Your Holy Spirit today. Come into our lives, minds, and hearts to direct us in the way of Your will, God. Help us to face difficult situations with confidence and truth. Teach us how to be assertive, and speak the truth in love, Father. 

Father in heaven, we often want to know answers to questions that we aren’t meant to know the answers to. Help us to be patient, God, when answers seem to allude us …when healings don’t come in our time on this earth. Help us to understand the things which threaten to shake our faith God, in You, and in each other. Continue to teach us who You are, God, and who we are as Your children. Heirs to the Kingdom, help us to know what our role on this earth is. We know You have put unique gifts and purposes in all of us, Father. Today, we pray for Your guidance. Show us the way. Enlighten our minds to see with Your eyes. Calm the stirring of our souls to hear Your steady voice. Give us the supernatural, compassionate confidence we need to bring glory to You through our everyday lives. 
In Jesus’ Name, we pray, Amen.