Your Father Gives Good Gifts..Craig Denison Ministries

 Your Father Gives Good Gifts

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview: 

This week we’ll spend time simply stirring up our affections for God. God has designed us to see him, to know his character, and to let the truth of his goodness lead us into deeper relationship with him. Augustine wrote, “Thou hast formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee.” In seeing God for who he is, our hearts are naturally stirred to find rest in his goodness. May your heart be stirred at the revelation of God’s wonderful character.

Scripture: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” James 1:17

Devotional:    

One of my favorite parts of God’s heart is his desire to give us amazing gifts. James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” Every good gift you receive is because God loves you. His love for you is so great that he looks for every opportunity to give you a gift. He desperately wants you to know that you are loved and valued by him. He so deeply wants you to know that he is not distant from you but, rather, is working in your midst to lead you to abundant joy, peace and life.

Matthew 7:11 says, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” I love how God has chosen to be known to us as a Father. And because God has chosen to reveal himself as a Father, we can more tangibly understand the love of God by looking to good earthly parents. God longs to bless you the way a good Father would. And at the same time he loves you more deeply and powerfully than any earthly parent ever could. Our heavenly Father far outdoes any example an earthly father give us. What gift are you longing for today? Do you long for friendship? Do you need a greater sense of being loved? Do you just need to know that he is with you?

God’s gifts may not look like a present you opened for Christmas last year, but they will be exactly what you need when you need it. If you need a friend, ask God for one! He’s promised you his friendship, and he loves to guide his children into community with others. Do you need to know you’re loved? God so longs for you to know the depth of his love that he sent his only Son to die for you! He’d love to pour his love out on you right now. Do you need to know that God is with you? Just ask for his manifest presence. Ask the Spirit to give you eyes to see all the ways he is working in your life. Ask God to reveal to you the ways he was, is and always will be with you. Do you need financial provision? Ask for the leading of the Holy Spirit in your finances! Ask God to provide for you what you need. Whatever gift you need from God today, his word promises in 1 John 5:15, “if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.” Your God hears you today. What’s more, he will respond to you perfectly.

God’s gifts are much more life-giving than anything an earthly parent could give. He gives the gift of a beautiful sunrise because he knows you have a longing to gaze upon beauty. He gives the gift of his presence because he knows you need the peace that only he can bring. He gives you the gift of friendship because he knows you aren’t made to do life alone. He provides your finances because he cares about everything you need and desires to use you to bless others. Spend some time today reflecting on the amazing gifts he has given you. Thank him for his desire to bless you. Worship him because he is good. And open your heart to receive all the gifts your heavenly Father longs to give you today.

Guided Prayer:

1. Take a minute to reflect on all the good gifts you’ve been given by God.

2. Now thank God for everything you’ve been given. Thank him for your friends, family, job, church—anything that you love. Let thanksgiving stir your affections to know your heavenly Father more.

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

3. Now ask the Spirit to open your eyes and heart to see and receive all the gifts God has in store for you today. Often to know a gift comes from God, we must be in tune with the Spirit. For a sunset to tell us of God’s love, we must be sensitive to God’s presence in our lives.

Thanking God for what he’s already given us is a powerful way to position our hearts to be receptive to what he will give us in the future. Life is so much better when we acknowledge what God is doing in our midst. Knowing you are loved, liked and cared for is better than any material possession you could receive. You have a heavenly Father who gives amazing gifts. Celebrate his love today. And receive all that he longs to give you.

Extended Reading: Matthew 7

Stop Worrying about Tomorrow..Clarence L. Haynes Jr.

 Stop Worrying about Tomorrow

By Clarence L. Haynes Jr.

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” - Matthew 6:34

On Monday, July 16, 2012, I was on a conference call along with approximately one hundred of my work colleagues. During this call, the regional vice president got on the phone and announced that as of this Friday, you will no longer be employed. Needless to say, all the people on the call were in complete shock.

In 2017, I was visiting my mom’s house with my son, and suddenly he started trembling uncontrollably because he had a high fever. We were unsure of what was going on, so we called 911 and had him taken to the emergency room. That one trip to the emergency room turned into a month-long stay in the hospital.

Why am I telling you these things? The reason is that, in both instances, they caused me to worry. If I were to ask you right now, what are you worried about? What would it be? Some of you may be worried about the economy and rising inflation which are making everything more expensive. Others are worried about their future, wondering if they will ever be able to retire. Still, others are worried about what is happening in our society and what our nation will look like in the years to come. Whether your worries are like these or they are entirely different, we have an instruction here that we simply cannot overlook. We should not be worried about tomorrow. 

What Causes Worry?
When you strip away all the things that can lead to worry in your life, they all point to the same cause, which is uncertainty. If you have confidence and a plan for how things are going to work out, chances are your anxiety levels go way down. If you are unsure about what will happen and don’t see the way forward, the natural inclination is to worry. When I lost my job, and when my son was sick, I was uncertain of the next steps, which made me anxious and nervous about tomorrow. 

When you don’t know what lies ahead, or if this is the first time you have walked a certain path, it can lead to concern, which gives birth to worry. That’s why Jesus telling us not to worry about tomorrow makes perfect sense, yet we find it difficult to do. Even more so when we don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow. How then can we look at the realities of life straight on and not be worried? We find the answer to the question in the previous verse.

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” - Matthew 6:33

I can say with almost one hundred percent certainty if you are worried about tomorrow, you are not seeking the kingdom of God today. The reason seeking the kingdom of God is so crucial is seeking his kingdom means you are seeking his wisdom, his provision, his protection, his peace, and his will. Placing your trust in him for your tomorrow helps you know how to live today. Failure to do this produces worry, which does not help you face the challenges of today and does nothing to prepare you for the obstacles that lie ahead. I can assure you God is not worried about tomorrow, and if your trust is in him, then you don’t have to be either.

Don’t Be a Worrier, Be a Seeker.
Jesus never said we would not have difficulties. He said he doesn’t want you worrying about them. The only way not to do this is by seeking his kingdom first. When you do this, you find God has more than enough supply to meet whatever the demand is you will face tomorrow. God doesn’t want you worrying about tomorrow because he needs you present in today. When you worry, you often make poor decisions, and it is those choices you make today that will affect your tomorrow. Worry produces fear, and fear paralyzes you so that you become ineffective today and unprepared for tomorrow. So let’s do what Jesus said and not worry about tomorrow. Instead, let’s seek God today. As you find refuge in him, you discover he has already made provision for tomorrow, so you can set all your worries aside and rest easy today.

Intersecting Faith and Life: 
Situations in life don’t change because you worry about them. They change because you pray about them. When worry is present, prayer is usually absent.

How to Make Your Home a Marriage Sanctuary.. Jennifer Waddle

 How to Make Your Home a Marriage Sanctuary

By: Jennifer Waddle

“Each will be like a hiding place from the wind, a shelter from the storm, like streams of water in a dry place, like the shade of a great rock in a weary land.” (Isaiah 32:2)

In the first few verses of Isaiah 32, the Bible describes a king reigning in righteousness and princes ruling in justice. Those verses are followed by a beautiful description of the safe haven that is provided under their faithful leadership.

What if our homes became like that beautiful description? A sanctuary of safety would be cultivated by creating a shelter from life’s storms, a hiding place from the wind, and shade for our weariness.

For many married couples in today’s culture, and even in the church, the words marriage and sanctuary do not go hand in hand. After all, the term sanctuary is described as a place of refuge, retreat, and security. Sadly, many marriages do not fit this profile, nor do they foster a sense of sanctuary in their homes.

But don’t be discouraged. You can turn the tide of today’s culture and not only revitalize your marriage into a thriving, healthy state, but also make your home a place of retreat. 

If your home is a place you’d rather avoid, due to unsettled tensions, make every effort to turn it into a safe haven of peace and rest for your marriage. Here are a few practical ideas to make that happen:

• Don’t go to bed angry. “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath…” (Ephesians 4:26)
• Be honest without being hurtful. “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.” (Proverbs 15:1-2)
• Receive your spouse warmly. “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1-3)

No matter the current temperature of your marriage dynamic, you can make your home a sanctuary. To promote a sense of refuge and security in your marriage, choose one of the above areas and begin to create a home that is a beautiful haven. It may be one of the most important things you could do for your marriage and your home.

A Prayer for Your Enemies..Emily Rose Massey

 A Prayer for Your Enemies

By Emily Rose Massey

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:27-28, NIV).

A few years ago, the Lord gave me a wonderful opportunity to mentor and disciple a few young women from a former church that my husband and I attended several years prior. It turned out that word started getting around that these young ladies had been associating with me, and the pastors of this church did not approve. One young lady was told that she needed to disconnect from me immediately because my husband and I were dangerous individuals…we were called “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” 

Once the shock wore off from hearing such statements said about us, I knew I was faced with two options of how to handle these accusations: allow those words to embitter me toward my former pastors or lay down my offense at the foot of the cross, forgive, and pray for them. 

In one of Jesus’ sermons in Luke 6, He gives great wisdom to those who are recipients of hurtful words and actions from others: “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:27-28, NIV).

A few verses later, He simply states that one should do unto others what we would want to be done to us (Luke 6:31). As one who is a peacekeeper by nature, I typically struggle when I know someone has a problem with me. I am not one to burn bridges or cut people off. Of course, there is such a thing as boundaries, but I have always tried to keep my heart free from offense. I admit that I haven’t always been able to shake off those stings from words spoken about me. Knowing that offense will undoubtedly come, I must be quick to forgive and quick to pray for those who mistreat me.

It’s difficult to hold onto offense when you are purposely and intentionally praying for the person who hurt you. It doesn’t mean that we can always forget the action or words wielded against us, but it does mean that we cannot hold onto it. One of the best ways to guard our hearts against bitterness is to ask God to bless those who curse us. You won’t have space in your heart for offense when you are approaching the throne of grace on behalf of that enemy. 

Unforgiveness is bondage; It is a yoke that slowly tightens around our necks and chokes the life out of us. Bitterness is like cancer that spreads throughout your whole body and affects you completely and everything and everyone around you. We are given many opportunities every single day to take the bait to become offended and hold grudges, but it is so important that we hold onto Jesus and His powerful Word - God’s perfect truth. 

I don’t know who you may need to forgive. I don’t know how deep the pain goes or how big or small the offense may be. I don’t know how long you have carried that burden with you, but I do know that you need to forgive, and you don’t have to do it with your own strength. God has given you the Holy Spirit to help you, to heal you, to change your heart. Let’s ask Him to help us lift our enemies up to Him so that we can be free and honor God.

Let’s pray:

Father,
I come to You today first and foremost with a grateful heart that You would lavish Your mercy and love upon me, someone who has sinned against You, oh, Holy and righteous Creator God! Thank you for sending Your Son, Jesus, who stood in my place to die a death that I deserved so that I could be forgiven, justified, and restored back to You to now be called Your child. If I am holding onto unforgiveness against someone who has hurt me or gravely sinned against me, I repent and forgive that person immediately. I have no right to harbor unforgiveness against anyone, and as Your child, You call me to forgive others because I have been forgiven by You. I choose to obey You, no matter how difficult it may be for me. I trust Your Spirit will empower me to forgive and love others how You have forgiven and love me. Help me heal from the wounds that may have been caused by the hands of others. I pray for their heart that they would walk in repentance and walk in forgiveness and know and trust You as I do.
In Jesus’ name, amen.