God Speaks through His Creation..Craig Denison Ministries

 God Speaks through His Creation

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: “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.” Romans 1:20

Devotional:

Nature has an ability to bring me peace in a way nothing else does. Sure I get annoyed by bugs or tired from hiking. But seeing the beauty, creativity, and complexity of what God has made has had a profound effect on my spiritual life. Have you ever just spent some time in God’s creation? Maybe it was hiking, lying on the beach, swimming in an ocean or a lake, fishing, gazing over the grand canyon, driving through the mountains, watching a thunderstorm or just playing in the rain. Take a minute to reflect on that time and what you felt. Looking back, do think you might have felt God’s presence? Did the awe and wonder of nature’s splendor bring you peace, or even lead you to thoughts about God?

The more I’ve come to know God the more there has grown in me an adoration and appreciation for his creation. Romans 1:20 states that God’s “invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.” Nature is meant to declare to us the “invisible attributes” of God. And Scripture is clear that God is at work in his creation—maintaining and facilitating all that happens in the world. Psalm 147:8-9, 15-18 tells us,

He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills. He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that cry... He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes. He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before his cold? He sends out his word, and melts them; he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.

When you see animals eating, you are witnessing God’s provision in the earth and can, as a result, know that he will provide for you. When you see snow fall, ice form, and springtime come to melt away the cold you can know that God is at work around you and in your life. To miss out on all creation speaks to us is to miss an important part of God’s voice.

You see, while God does an incredible job taking care of a world wrought with the effects of sin, he promises to take care of you even more. Jesus commands us in Matthew 6:26-30,

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Jesus teaches us to look upon creation and listen as it declares to us the nature of God. In fact, he commands us to do so. You can look at the grass of the field and know of God’s unwavering faithfulness for you. You can look at the birds and never wonder if you will get your next meal. Nature declares to us that God has and will provide for us all of our days. Nature tells us not to worry because God is both powerful and near. Nature tells us that God is creative, practical, brilliant, loving, and full of mystery and wonder. Nature tells us that God speaks.

God created the cosmos so that you might have another mysterious yet clear way of hearing his voice. Whether you live in the city or country, look upon God’s creation and listen for his voice. Ask him what he wants you to know as you see all the wonders of his hands. Let the beauty and mystery of all of God’s creation fill you with a deeper longing to know your heavenly Father. Listen to God today and allow your heart to be stirred as you discover his unwavering desire to speak to you through his creation.

Guided Prayer:

1. Take some time to go out in God’s creation.

2. Now ask God what he wants to tell you through his creation. Let him speak in whatever way he desires.

"For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made." Romans 1:20

3. Meditate on the truth he reveals to your heart and take some time to rest in his presence.

As children of an infinite, paradoxical God we must learn to embrace and value mystery. God longs to speak through his creation. He longs to satisfy your longing for fascination as you ponder the mystery and beauty of that which we will never fully understand. May you hear the loving voice of the Father today as you allow the Creator to speak through his creation.

Extended Reading: Psalm 19

Letting Go of Lonely..DENISE PASS

 Letting Go of Lonely

DENISE PASS

“O Lord, all my longing is before you; my sighing is not hidden from you.” Psalm 38:9 (ESV)

Reaching for the tub of ice cream in the freezer, I settled for a movie night to soothe my lonely soul. But extra calories and escaping into someone else’s story could not satisfy the ache in my heart.

Loneliness was still waiting for me the next morning. Comfort food was not what my soul needed. I needed God to be my comfort.

Loneliness relentlessly followed me wherever I went — because it was in my mind. Loneliness surrounded me even in a crowded room and made me feel like everyone knew I was alone.

Then I saw her. Another lonely woman like me: Hagar. Running away from her lonely, harsh circumstances, she found herself alone in the desert yet seen by God. “You are the God who sees me …” she said (Genesis 16:13, NIV).

Then God sent her right back to the lonely place she came from. (Genesis 16:9)

What?! (Insert tire screech.)

That kind of deliverance does not make sense to me. I feel God’s rescue should have removed her from the lonely place she escaped and should have surrounded her with people who loved her. But there in that holy, lonely place, Hagar let go of loneliness and held on to God.

God’s deliverance is often through life’s pain rather than around it.

What can we learn from this? Loneliness is not a place. It is a state of mind. God wants to meet us in our loneliness just like He met Hagar.

God’s deliverance wasn’t just that He saw her; it was that Hagar was no longer alone. God’s presence gave her strength to return to a hard place. She could live loved, knowing God was enough.

Similarly, King David knew God saw him in his suffering too. His friends had abandoned him, but God hadn’t. David wrote our key verse, which says:

“O Lord, all my longing is before you; my sighing is not hidden from you” (Psalm 38:9).

David did not give in to his loneliness. He fought through it by crying out to God and found himself comforted.

So how does being seen and known by God help us?

We are never alone.
We are significant.
We are accepted unconditionally.
We are loved by God.

Living loved isn’t a matter of location or situation — it is a matter of the mind that impacts our souls.

Now, rather than feeling lonely, I feel cherished. Lonely moments are now embraced places of solitude where I run and hide away with God. I have learned that nothing can comfort me like being still in His presence.

And I’ve also learned that loneliness is not dependent upon a relationship status. We can be lonely when we are single or married, divorced or widowed. Loneliness is not a respecter of persons.

But, friend, the good news is that our loneliness is seen by God. So we are never truly alone. Let’s live loved — because we are.

Jesus, I know You see me and love me. Help me let go of loneliness so I can live loved and help others live loved too. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Lord, I Love You, but... Dr. Charles Stanley

 Lord, I Love You, but...

Dr. Charles Stanley

Hebrews 6:10-12

Most of us are quick to declare our love for God, but at times our reluctance to serve Him tells a different story. Honestly consider whether you have ever found yourself saying or thinking, I love you, Lord, but don't call me to do that! Or perhaps you served Him, but with a flawed attitude: If no one else will do it, then I guess I will. What causes us to be reluctant servants?

Busyness: Sometimes our schedules are so full that there's no space to follow the Lord when we hear Him calling us to minister in a certain area. We all need "margins" in our lives if we want to abide in God's will.

Inadequacy: Perhaps you feel unqualified to serve, and you're thinking, Surely there's someone more gifted who could do that job. But that's just an excuse; the Lord promises to equip those He calls (2 Cor. 3:4-6).

Selfishness: Sacrificial service is never convenient. It may require that we change our plans, give up our comforts, or even make financial sacrifices.

Lack of love: This is the hardest for us to admit—that we just don't care enough. Our reluctance to serve others reveals a lack of devotion to the Lord. Those who love Christ with all their heart will joyfully serve Him by ministering to those in their families, workplaces, communities, and churches.

Are you quick to follow the Lord's leading when a need arises, or are you a reluctant servant who's preoccupied with your own plans and desires? Any service we offer in Jesus' name will not be in vain. You'll experience the joy of giving and the assurance that the Lord won't forget your sacrifice.

Running to Christ to Find Rest..Emily Rose Massey

 Running to Christ to Find Rest

By Emily Rose Massey

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30, ESV).

For most of my life, I was what many would call a “control freak.” The burden of trying to control all aspects of my life, including unexpected life events that wrecked my meticulous and detailed plans or even ending my day with an unfinished task list, became too overwhelming for me that I lived in a constant state of worry and panic. For me, it was just a matter of time before that lifestyle became such a heavy burden upon my shoulders that I could no longer carry it; We are not designed to control everything, friends- that’s God’s job.

One day, Jesus’ words in Matthew 11 beckoned me to come to Him and give Him all of the heaviness I was trying to carry on my own.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30, ESV).

I must admit, when I first read His words to “take up [His] yoke” to find rest, I was hesitant. How would taking upon a yoke around my neck bring me rest? I pictured an ox plowing a field with a wooden yoke around its head, and the image didn’t bring about thoughts of peace and rest but more exhaustion. I saw a yoke as bondage. But that is the beauty of Jesus’ words and the beauty of the Kingdom of God that operates differently than the world’s system. Where I initially saw bondage by surrendering my control, God was revealing to me that His yoke is actually a tool He uses to help us move forward in the destiny that He has for our lives. 

Intersecting Faith and Life: 
When we yoke ourselves together with Jesus, He carries the load upon His shoulders, and His peace and rest come into our lives. His grace carries us while we walk alongside Him, connected to Him, trusting His ways over our own.

Over time, God has taught me to run to Him first and trust Him with every single detail of my life- true rest is found in Christ. 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. When the cares of this life try to overwhelm you and bring stress and anxiety, instead of taking matters into your own hands, we must remember to come to Him every day for rest and peace. Thankfully, His peace surpasses all understanding and is unlike anything else this world can offer us.

Further Reading:

• Proverbs 3:5-6
• Psalm 121:1-2
• John 15

What to Do with Wayward Thoughts..Joe McKeever

 What to Do with Wayward Thoughts

By: Joe McKeever

“We are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” - 2 Corinthians 10:5.

Everyone has errant thoughts from time to time. If we handle them well and send them on their way, in no way should we feel shame or guilt.

Martin Luther said, “You cannot keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building nests in your hair.” You thought that line was original with your grandma? I have a hunch Luther didn’t make it up either, but was quoting something he had heard all his life. No telling where it originated. But it’s the solid truth.

Thoughts of all kinds flit through our minds. We reject the bad ones and go forward. But we should not feel guilty that they appeared, if only momentarily. Only had we welcomed them inside and let them entertain us with their juicy (scary!) scenarios should we feel that we have done wrong.

No one should ever rationalize that “Well, it was just a thought and thoughts are harmless.”

They are not harmless. The thought is the preparation for the act.

Every wrong deed begins with a wrong thought. And seriously wrong deeds are almost always preceded by a full-scale onslaught of impure thinking, planning and daydreaming.

As serious disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, we fill our minds with thoughts proper and healthy, godly and edifying. “Whatsoever things are true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things”(Philippians 4:8).

This is not a new idea, but consistently taught throughout Scripture…

“His delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in that Law doth he meditate day and night”(Psalm 1:2).

“Thy word have I treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against Thee” (Psalm 119:11).

“But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart” (Luke 2:19).

Never mind the television commercial that asks, “What’s in your wallet?” Better to ask, “What’s on your mind?” What are you thinking about? What are you dwelling upon? Where does your mind go to rest and when it settles down? What is it feasting upon?

“A man may not be what he thinks he is, but what he thinks, he is.” – Anonymous and true.

“Blessed are the pure in heart” (Matthew 5:8).

A Prayer for God to Make it Happen..Meg Bucher

 A Prayer for God to Make it Happen

By Meg Bucher

“God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.” 1 Thessalonians 5:24 NLT

Prayer is powerful. Our prayers are heard in heaven. Scripture says the Lord is already on the move in response before we are done praying. He loves us, His children. So why does it feel like our prayers go unnoticed and unanswered at times? When bad things happen to good people, it can feel like God is far off. But Paul’s words today remind us of the Father’s promise to hear us. He is not far off. He is close. The verse previous to the one above reads: 

“Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23 NLT

Surely, only the Lord’s movement on, in, and through our lives can cause such a profound effect! Holy in every way is a status we will only achieve as we step into heaven! But on the way there, He is making us holier and holier each day we wake to breathe on this earth. It sure doesn’t feel like it some days! But, when we seek the Lord with all of our hearts, the slow and steady change is an inevitable result of the perfecting of our faith. 

Perhaps the hardest thing to work out in our faith is the way God answers our prayers. We can be certain He hears and answers. But it’s not always in our way and in the timing we pray for. Day by day, our faith and trust in Him grows as we seek Him with all of our hearts. And the things we don’t understand become smaller in amount and significance.

Let's pray:

Father, 
God, we believe You make things happen in our lives. You are faithful and transforming us into people who resemble Christ Jesus! Only Your miraculous hand on our lives could produce the supernatural change we experience when we seek You with all of our hearts, Lord. We are thankful for this day, which You have awakened us to live fully in order to bring glory to You. 

Father, today we bring to You the impossible prayers we have been praying to You. We lay the burden of them down at Your feet, the worry we won’t see the answer we want in the time we want on this earth we lift up to You. You are in control, God, even when it feels like everything is out of control. When people are taken from us too soon, and sickness and tragic accidents seem to win, we are shaken, Father. In those moments when we feel our prayers have failed us, remind us of Your sovereignty, God. Remind us of Your goodness, and set a peace in our hearts that allows us to cope, embrace comfort, and submit to Your compassionate encouragement and faithful direction on our lives, Lord. 

This is a prayer to make it happen, God. We will continue to pray for miraculous healing, even though we can’t see when it will come. Today, we choose to believe Your timing over our agenda, knowing the years of our lives are but a fast lap around the track in comparison to Your Eternal existence, God. Make peace happen in our lives today, God. We pray for miraculous reconciliation where there has been discord and division, conflict and misunderstanding. We trust Your movement in our hearts and the hearts of those on the other side of the line, God. Do what only You can do in the minds and hearts of humanity.