God Speaks through his Word..Craig Denison Ministries

 God Speaks through his Word

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

You and I have been given the invaluable gift of communication with God. Last week we learned about the process of making the soil of our hearts soft and receptive to God. This week we’ll learn some different ways to receive the seed of his word. May your communion with God flourish as you engage in continual conversation with your loving, present heavenly Father.

Scripture:“Man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” Deuteronomy 8:3

Devotional:

Deuteronomy 8:3 teaches us that, “Man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” The word of the Lord when planted in good soil produces abundant, life-giving fruit (Matthew 13:20-22). We have in Scripture a feast that satisfies the deepest places of our hearts no food or drink could ever satiate.

When you open your Bible, you are literally opening the words of God. Scripture is God’s voice available for you in every moment, situation, and predicament you face. You can know God desires to speak to you because you have in your possession his voice through the Bible. God desires to reveal to you his will because he has given you his Spirit to “guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come” (John 16:13).

When you read Scripture with the help of your teacher, the Holy Spirit, the Bible is no longer just a book written thousands of years ago but a source of life-giving revelation. Read the Bible prayerfully, paying attention to any words, phrases, or ideas that stand out to you. Allow God to apply Scripture directly to your life through his Spirit. And as you read, submit yourself to God’s word with a continual “yes” in your heart. Choose to be a doer of the word that you might be blessed in everything you do (James 1:22-25).

God’s word is only as impactful as you are willing to be obedient. The power of Scripture becomes evident as you daily submit yourself to it. So today as you read God’s word, ask the Spirit to highlight phrases and ideas, submit yourself in obedience to what Scripture says, and be a doer of the word. God is ready to speak to you. He is prepared to sow the seed of his voice wherever it’s welcome. Open your heart to the word of God, and allow it to produce the fruit of joy, peace, and purpose in your life.

Guided Prayer:

1. Ask the Spirit what you should read today. Pay attention to anything you feel like reading or pick from John 17 or Proverbs 3. Meditate on any phrases, words, or ideas that stand out to you.

“Man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”Deuteronomy 8:3

2. Submit yourself to the word of God. Allow Scripture to be the foundation for all your thoughts, emotions, and perspectives. Allow God’s word to influence and transform any parts of your life that don’t align with it.

3. Now commit yourself to follow through with any action that God’s word requires. Ask God what he would have you do with what he’s shown you. Choose to be a doer of the word.

“Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.” James 1:22-25

If you aren’t in the habit of reading God’s word daily, look for a Bible reading plan or book of the Bible you can read consistently. We were made to feast on the life-giving words of Scripture. God’s word can’t produce abundant fruit in your life if you aren’t consuming it. May your day be transformed as you seek to live in faithful obedience to the word of God.

Extended Reading: Proverbs 3

A Battle Plan for the Weary..MEREDITH HOUSTON CARR

 A Battle Plan for the Weary

MEREDITH HOUSTON CARR

“For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” 2 Chronicles 20:12b-c (ESV)

As my husband drove us home from marriage counseling, I sat quietly and ruminated on the list of books and exercises we’d been recommended. Exhaling deeply, I tried to rid myself of a nagging thought: I am just too tired to do this anymore.

Month after month, we’d done what “good Christian couples” were supposed to do: seek counseling, have date nights, express feelings in a calm manner, etc. But it wasn’t enough, and we found ourselves wrangling the same issues over and over.

Exhaustion set in, and I simply didn’t know how to keep fighting — or if I even could.

I wonder if you’re also fighting a seemingly endless battle that’s leaving you empty. Maybe it’s a prodigal child or a dead-end job or a difficult diagnosis. Or maybe you, too, are fighting for your marriage, but a tidal wave of fear drowns out any sense of progress.

You’ve done everything you know to do, but the battle rages on — and you’ve got no more fight left in you.

Thankfully, the Bible is full of stories where God showed up and showed off in the midst of His children’s battles. Today’s scripture comes from 2 Chronicles 20, which details the story of the Israelite King Jehoshaphat and the dire situation he faced. After being fiercely pursued by relentless enemies, God’s people were exhausted and confused.

However, instead of planning a typical military approach, Jehoshaphat called an assembly and led the people through a different “battle plan” of sorts — a three-step process that we, too, can implement:

1. Seek the Lord through honest, vulnerable prayer. Though perhaps, as king, he “should” have had all the answers, today’s key verse details how Jehoshaphat readily admitted his weakness:

“For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chronicles 20:12b-c).

Don’t you love this relatable prayer? It’s one we can pray over our trials too. When weariness and confusion surround us, let’s keep our knees down in prayer and our eyes up to heaven.

2. Worship through the fear and doubt. Jehoshaphat and “all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshiping the LORD” (2 Chronicles 20:18, ESV). In the face of fear and fierce enemies, they chose to sing songs of worship and praise anyway. Praising God in the presence of the enemy is an act of faith that pleases the Holy Spirit, who fights for us and with us in our battles!

3. Trust God’s direction; then move forward in faith. God answered Jehoshaphat’s powerful petition with clear direction: “Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the LORD will be with you” (2 Chronicles 20:17, ESV). The people faithfully obeyed, and as promised, God showed up and miraculously delivered the enemy into their hands!

However God chooses to work specifically in our battles, we can trust that His heart is always good toward us. It’s been years since my husband and I battled for our marriage, and I can confidently say there was never a day God failed to provide what we needed to keep fighting.

Dear one, whatever battles you’re facing, God will meet you on the battlefield. And He’s full of the strength you lack. Today, may we pray, worship and trust — and fight the good fight another day.

Dear Jesus, thank You for providing strength when we’re weary. Please meet us on the battlefield and lead us through to the other side. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

God's Master Plan of Finance..Dr. Charles Stanley

 God's Master Plan of Finance

Dr. Charles Stanley

Malachi 3:7-12

Though the world is full of disorder, confusion, and uncertainty, believers in Christ have the wonderful assurance that God is in absolute control of every situation. When He created the heavens and the earth, He had a purpose and a plan, which He carried out with precision and order. Nothing was haphazard, late, or uncertain. The Lord also has a plan for each one of us, and every aspect of our lives is not only under His scrutiny, but also under His care.

One of those areas is our finances. If we'll follow God's plan, He promises to manage our money. Now, that's quite a blessing. After all, who do you think would be better at knowing how to handle money—you or our omniscient, all-powerful God? He promises that if we will give Him the first part of all we receive, He'll provide for our needs. He has an amazing way of making the remainder stretch farther than the original amount.

So, considering the blessings of this promise and the unfailing faithfulness of the Promise Giver, what is keeping you from obeying this command? The most likely reason is unbelief—fear to test Him on this even though He invites you to do so. But you may be asking yourself, What if He doesn't come through? What if I give it away and don't have enough?

The Lord is after your trust, and what better area to test and build it than your finances? Believing Him for our salvation seems easy, yet we often doubt He'll keep His promise when it comes to money. Take a step of obedience today, and discover how faithful your God really is.

Flourishing in Christian Friendships..Emily Rose Massey

 Flourishing in Christian Friendships

By Emily Rose Massey

“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:15-16, ESV).

In a recent research survey, 61% of people ages 18-25 reported miserable loneliness in our post-pandemic world and felt as if no one cared for them. No matter if you are single or married, experiencing isolation and loneliness can often lead to depression that can be crippling. People in the world are looking to belong. In Christ, as His followers, we have the answer.

The Church is a family, and we should seek out those who are isolated because they may be truly suffering. We enlarge our hearts and become vulnerable with each other, by God’s grace, to enjoy meaningful and fruitful friendships that are soul-quality and one-souled, knit closely together with one another. Do you struggle with being vulnerable with others? What is causing you to hold back from being transparent and open with someone? Perhaps you have been hurt in previous relationships- rejection or betrayal may have wounded your soul, and you are scared to become vulnerable with others again. We must trust that Christ will heal that hurt and will bring you into healthy Christian friendships for His glory. 

To be able to build intimate Christian friendships, we must also learn how to go beyond surface-level conversations and move into heart-to-heart type of conversations. It’s easy in our society to be self-isolated and guarded in the name of privacy. Sadly, consumerism in our culture has infiltrated our relationships too. If friendships don’t enhance value in our life, we see them as disposable and easily replaceable or even ditch friendships altogether. As members of the Body of Christ and brothers and sisters in the family of God, He has called us to be joined together, as Ephesians 4 tells us: 

“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (15-16, ESV).

Intersecting Faith and Life: 
To be able to speak the truth in love to one another, we must cultivate trust in our friendships. True Christian friendships are rare and costly because they require a lot of work, selfless commitment, and intentional engagement. Our self-centered heart or past hurt can get in the way and can lead us to isolate and choose selfishness over investing in meaningful Christian friendships. We must press past these temptations to build up walls around our hearts or seek only things that satisfy us.

The foundation of good friendships must begin with Christ (vertical then horizontal) to be able to sustain loyal, sacrificial, intentional, caring, and committed relationships. We must also remember that friendship with the things of this world is to make one an enemy of God (James 4:4) and will keep you from growing in love- love for Christ and love for others. What worldly pursuits have become a stumbling block to your friendship with Jesus that may be keeping you from getting to know Him in a deeper way? Remember, the nearness of God is for our good (Psalm 73:28).

The more we grow in our relationship with Christ, the more we will grow in our friendships as well. The Lord wants us to flourish in both areas. To flourish in Christ means we must become fluent in friendship. Jesus is the ultimate friend and wants to have a friendship with us so that we can participate in His mission, which is discipleship. The consistent pattern in our life should be to draw near to Him to then draw near to others and grow in Christ together- for our good and for His glory.

Further Reading:

• Colossians 3:12-13
• 1 Thessalonians 5:11
• Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Godly Ways to Handle Correction..Lynette Kittle

 Godly Ways to Handle Correction

By Lynette Kittle

“Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will counted among the wise”—Proverbs 19:20

For most of us, it isn’t easy to be corrected. And whether we receive it or not in the end it’s really up to us.

In every situation it’s important to weigh what is spoken to us, to see if it aligns with Scripture, and to thoroughly examine our hearts and motives in receiving it.

Like Proverbs 15:32 encourages, “Those who disregard discipline despise themselves, but the one who heeds correction gains understanding.”

Look at the Source

Although receiving correction from godly counsel or someone who truly loves us may be easier to accept, often advice isn’t coming from a person or organization that has our best interest at heart or from someone who even knows God.

At work, home, and out in the marketplace, it can come from people who are angry, and maybe not even angry with us but are taking out their frustration on us. Sometimes it comes from those who are acting out of their own hurts in life, lashing out and hurting others along their way.

It can also come from those who are jealous and envious of what we have, do, or are in life, from those who believe we’ve received unfair advantages.

Likewise, it can come from those who are in power but don’t know how to handle it.

So as correction comes, a lot of it is up to us to figure out how to handle it. It comes down to our call on whether to take it to heart or discard it by the wayside.

Trust God To Work It Together for Our Good

Amazingly, sometimes even bad correction can bring good results in us because it causes us to examine what we’re doing and helps us to fine tune what God is working out in our lives.

Because God explains He will work all things together for our good (Romans 8:28), it includes even the things the enemy lines up to discourage us. God is so amazing that He can take those unpleasant things and work them into the mix of our lives collectively in ways that will benefit us.

Like Joseph explains in Genesis 50:20, what men may have intended for evil in our lives, God intends to use it in ways that will help accomplish His will in us.

When we’re tempted to dismiss unsolicited advice, it’s wise to consider what Proverbs 12:15 explains, “The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.”

As we work through correction given to us, it’s vital for us to look to Scripture to lead us in discerning it. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

Helpful Questions to Ask Ourselves When Correction Is Offered

1. Where is the correction coming from? What is the source?

2. Is there pride within us, causing us to resist examining ourselves or accepting correction?

3. How does Scripture line up with the advice given? Does it agree or disagree?

As you go about your day today, consider these questions and be open to the beauty that can come from correction.

A Prayer for the Best Use of Our Time..Ashley Moore

 A Prayer for the Best Use of Our Time

By Ashley Moore

“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” - Psalm 90:12, ESV

Over a recent lunch with my husband, we discussed our plans for our future, personal aspirations, spiritual goals, and our family's finances. In between bites of pizza, we chatted about books we wanted to read and the Bible plans we wanted to complete in the upcoming year. We even began to daydream about traveling with the kids this summer. We jokingly entertained putting a pool in the backyard, but as the topic of replacing our aging family car came up, we were whisked back to reality.

What about you? Do you find yourself bouncing between purposeful plans and daring dreams? Have you had these conversations before, allowing yourself to mentally venture away for a while only to come back to the realization that your time, capacity, and finances are limited? Our desires won't always be possible because, unfortunately, life's necessities often take priority over our wish lists.

The truth is, in order to say yes to what’s pertinent and important will mean saying no to other things. While at the time, sacrificing and prioritizing can seem painful, having limitations and making adjustments are a natural part of the human experience.

Sometimes it will mean saying no to that volunteer opportunity at your kid’s school so that you can work an extra shift to build the family savings account back up after an unexpected home repair. Other times you will say yes to taking a new role at your job and no to staying stuck in a position that has caused relational tension in your marriage because of the long hours and poor boundaries. Or perhaps you will say no to working or pursuing another career venture so that you can rebuild your relationship with your children and focus on your health.

Moses, the author of Psalm 90, reminded us of our human limitations when he wrote, "So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12) He addressed the biggest human dilemma, how full of trouble our days are and the sheer brevity of our lives. He prayed that we would use our time wisely by remembering how limited our time is. And that time well spent is time that makes rejoicing in the Lord and satisfying ourselves with His steadfast love a priority (Psalm 90:14). 

This can seem like such a lofty goal when deciding what to say yes and no to, can’t it? But maybe asking a few simple questions such as:

• “Is this the best use of my time?”
•  “Will this matter in eternity or even ten minutes from now?” 
• “Is this decision rooted in the desire to rejoice in the Lord and His Love, or am I saying yes out of obligation that will ultimately leave me bitter and exhausted? 

May we continue to dream and have hopes for the future with the Lord and the people we love. But may we also intentionally remember our limitations (aka number our days) so that we may gain the wisdom to make the best use of our time as we seek to honor the Lord with our lives. 

Let’s pray:

Dear Lord, 
I admit it defies my human nature to thank you for my limitations. And I readily forget that my time on earth has an end and that when that day arrives, I will be accountable for how I have stewarded this life you entrusted to me. Lord, I pray that you would teach us to number our days. Lord, forgive us when we squander our time uselessly or waste it on things that have no eternal value. Lord, give us the wisdom to use our time doing things that have eternal significance. The daily choices we face are not always clear about what is most important from your perspective. And we also face the tension of knowing you desire we enjoy the life you've given us, so Lord, help us discern what deserves our time.
In Jesus’ name, amen.