The Faithfulness of God..Craig Denison Ministries

 The Faithfulness of God

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 a revelation of God’s wonderful character.

Scripture: “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” Numbers 23:19

Devotional:

Numbers 23:19 describes a foundational aspect of God’s character, his faithfulness. Scripture says, “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” As believers, we need a revelation of God’s faithfulness. Being able to fully trust God is the beginning of living an abundant life. If you don’t fully believe that God is faithful to lead you into the best possible life you could live, then you won’t seek out his will, trust him with your possessions, or be able to fully enjoy his presence.

God’s word promises us in Numbers 23:19 that God is perfectly faithful, steadfast, and true. Philippians 1:6 says, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Romans 8:28 promises, “We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Your God is wholly faithful to you. No matter what you do, he will be there for you. His faithfulness isn’t dependent upon your works. All he requires is a willing heart to bring about the incredible fruit of the Spirit in your life.

You aren’t meant to live life apart from the knowledge of God’s faithfulness. You aren’t meant to live with the weight of doing life on your own. Man may fail you, but your God will not. Family and friends may not be there when you need them, but your God will always be there for you.

Where do you feel on your own? In what ways do you need a fresh revelation of God’s faithfulness? He promises to be true to you. He promises to see you through any situation you find yourself in. Isaiah 54:10 says, “‘For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,’ says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” Faithfulness is foundational to the very character of God. God’s steadfast love for you is more sure than the very ground you walk on.

So respond to God’s faithfulness today. Let his promises steady the parts of your life that feel unsure. As you step outside today, take time to look at the world around you. Think about the things you’ve put your trust in. And remember, God promises that his faithfulness will outlast anything your eyes can see. May your affections for him be stirred today. May you respond to his faithfulness with your own. And may you experience the love and joy of a Father who loves you perfectly and completely.

Guided Prayer:           

1. Meditate on God’s promise to be faithful to you.

“God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?”Numbers 23:19

“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23

2. Now reflect on your own life. Where in your life do you feel unsure? What situations seem to toss your emotions around like a boat in the middle of a storm? Where do you need a firmer foundation today?

3. Ask the Spirit for a revelation of God’s faithfulness in those areas. Ask God to help you trust in his promise of faithfulness. Ask him how he plans on bringing peace to those areas that are disturbing you today. Listen to him as he speaks.

Not only does God promise you his faithfulness, but he will actually reveal to you how he is working in your life. You can ask him for his plans, and he will show you! You can ask him how he feels about you and your life, and he will tell you! Within his promise of faithfulness is the promise of his voice. You will hear him speak today if you open your heart, listen to the Spirit and be alert for God to speak through whatever avenue he chooses. Your heavenly Father loves you. Spend your day establishing the foundation of his faithfulness in your own life. And experience a life lived in the abundance of God’s assurance and peace.

Extended Reading: Isaiah 54

Defend against Temptation..Dr. Charles Stanley

 Defend against Temptation

Dr. Charles Stanley

James 1:12-16

To build a defense against temptation, we must understand how it works. Every sin originates as a thought, often the result of a flaming arrow the Evil One shoots our way (Eph. 6:16). If a believer holds on to the thought, it becomes a fantasy—the chance to imagine what it would be like to pursue that notion without actually doing so. The problem with fantasies is that they can easily become entangled with a person’s emotions. This creates a desire, which brings the believer to the point where a choice must be made: he or she must either consent to the sin or refuse. This process is quite dangerous, as the progression from thought to choice can be almost instantaneous.

Wise believers determine ahead of time to resist temptation—before it enters their consciousness. There are two cornerstones to a good defense: the commitment to obey God, and the recognition that He is in control and has limited what Satan can do (1 Cor. 10:13).

We can further fortify our defense when temptation actually comes. Satan has a way of spotlighting the pleasure of sin until that’s all we see. But with conscious effort, we can retrain our focus to take in the bigger picture: Is this choice a violation of God’s Word? What are the consequences? Am I prepared to pay that price?

No defense against temptation is complete without Scripture and prayer. Every moment spent meditating on the Word and communicating with God builds our faith. As the bulwark around our mind and heart strengthens, we are ever more prepared to douse Satan’s flaming arrows.

Embracing God’s Discipline..Ashley Moore

 Embracing God’s Discipline

By Ashley Moore

“And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the LORD’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.” - Hebrews 12:5-6, NLT

Every morning with renewed energy, I am able to hold my children accountable and ensure they obey. But as the day wears on, so does my resolve to enforce discipline—as long as no one is bleeding, everything will be okay, right?

Unlike my feeble attempts at discipline, God never grows weary of redirecting those He loves. He knows that we don't sin in a vacuum; our sin hurts and has ripple effects in our relationships. He cares enough to correct us. But no one enjoys discipline; my three children agree, and I am sure you can also relate! They cry, resist, and make it so incredibly hard to enforce. But despite our resistance to discipline, the Bible says it is good for us! 

So what does God’s discipline do for us?

Discipline Serves as Proof of God’s Love 
As I mentioned above, sometimes it's easier to forgo disciplining our children. I find this especially true after a long day, and I am physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. Discipline takes time and energy. We have to grab our children’s attention and then talk them through their choices. We attempt to explain that our choices have consequences, and we have to think through our actions, so we don’t harm ourselves or others. It takes all the self-control I can muster, along with prayer, to curb my behavior in the moment of reprimanding, lest I act just like my child. It takes so much energy, but I do it because I love my kids. And I want to fight for their greatest joy by pointing them to a relationship with Christ. And God disciplines us because He loves us too. Yes, it would be easier to leave us to our own devices, but He doesn’t. He cares enough to correct and redirect!

Discipline Produces Character
Hebrews 12:11 says, “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward, there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” 

When we consistently discipline our children, we teach them what it looks like to see our sin, repent, and repair our relationships when they are ruptured by sin. And God reminds us in our key passage not to give up when this happens. And while discipline isn't enjoyable, it is a necessary tool to help us see how we fall short of God's glorious standard (Romans 3:23). It hurts our pride to admit when we are wrong and to apologize. If you don’t believe me, pay attention the next time you see a kid react when asked to apologize to a sibling. You would think it was killing them to admit their wrongdoing. And we aren’t too different, are we? But we must press through the discomfort to enjoy the harvest of right living that comes from God’s discipline and redirection.

While I quickly tire of correcting my children, God does not weary in disciplining His children. Let us not become discouraged when God disciplines us, but instead, take it as a sign of His great love for us because it would probably be easier for Him to overlook our sinfulness. Instead, let’s lean into the discomfort of discipline, trusting that God is using it to produce wonderful results in our lives that will bless us and those around us. We can only hope as we seek to change our attitude toward discipline, it will rub off on our children, amen?

Intersecting Faith and Life:
Think of a time God prompted you to repent from sin or ask for forgiveness. What are one or two things God produced in you through that experience? Did you feel more loved by Him or less loved by Him? Take time to journal your thoughts and thank God for anything He reveals about His character and love for you.

Further Reading:

• Hebrews 12:1-12
• 1 Corinthians 15:58

Equipping Children with God’s Word..Rhonda Stoppe

 Equipping Children with God’s Word

By: Rhonda Stoppe

Jesus said, “The student will become like his teacher.” (Luke 6:40)

Notice Jesus didn’t say the student will be like the teacher teaches him to be, but rather he will emulate the characteristics and values he observes in his teacher. As a parent, you my friend are that teacher.

So, how can you equip your child for a future that brings glory to God? One way is to teach them to think biblically. What does this mean? Simply stated, it means to filter all of life’s experiences through God’s Word.

To instill a scriptural foundation in your child, you’ll need to know the Bible well enough to season with sound doctrine the conversations you have with them.

In Deuteronomy 6:4-9, you’ll find a simple outline for developing a biblical worldview in your child’s mind:

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

Let’s break this down:

Verse 4-5: You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Your wholehearted commitment to God and His Word will demonstrate to your child how much you love God and value Scripture.

Verse 6: Think about, meditate on, and memorize Scripture, so your obedience to God will be a response based upon biblical precepts. When you transform your thinking with Scripture you will be prepared to teach your kids how to speak and act in God-honoring ways, without hypocrisy.

Verse 7-9: Relate your child’s everyday experiences to the Bible. This practice will make talking about spiritual matters a normal part of your conversations.

When you arm your children with godly knowledge, they will learn to recognize when others are attempting to deceive them.

A Prayer for Confident Cries to the Lord..Meg Bucher

 A Prayer for Confident Cries to the Lord

By Meg Bucher

“You have always been my helper.” - Psalm 27:9 NLT

Psalm 27 was written by King David. In his lifetime, he endured many circumstances which watered deep roots of faith in God. His courageous faith came from the relationship he developed with God. God’s faithfulness gave David the confidence to cry to Him for help in many circumstances, and we can, too. “In this Psalm, David is sharing his courageous trust in the Lord,” Ashley Hooker wrote  “He writes words from his heart that tell us how confident he is in the Lord. He seeks out the Lord for his blessings and his protection.”

Trust is something that, once lost, is difficult to recover and restore. God will never do that to us. He is not capable of breaking or betraying our trust. He is “I Am,” Creator of the Universe, and the One True God. He is who He is. He does not change His character or His mind about us. What He says, we can hold onto for dear life and all hope. As we pray Psalm 27 today, remember the following facts:

God loves you.
God has good plans for your life.
God sent His Son, Jesus, for you.
Jesus came to earth for you.
Jesus died on the cross for you.
Jesus rose from the dead and now sits at the right hand of the Father, interceding …for you.

Jesus sent His Holy Spirit to you.
When you surrender your life to Him, the Holy Spirit dwells in you.
The Spirit gives you the power to get through impossibilities.
You are never alone.

With this reality in mind, let’s pray Psalm 27:

Father, you are my light and my salvation- so why should I be afraid?
LORD, you are my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?
When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.
Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid.

Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident.
The one thing I ask of You, LORD- the thing I seek most-
Is to live in Your house, LORD, all the days of my life, delighting in Your perfections and meditating in this Temple.

For You will conceal me there when troubles come; You will hide me in Your sanctuary.
You will place me out of reach on a high rock.
Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me.

At Your sanctuary, I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising You, LORD, with music.
Hear me as I pray, O LORD.
Be merciful and answer me!
My heart has heard you say, ‘Come and talk with me.’
And my heart responds, ‘Lord I am coming.’

Do not turn your back on me.
Do not reject Your servant in anger.
You have always been my helper.
Don’t leave me now; don’t abandon me,

O God of my salvation!
Even if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will hold me close.
Teach me how to live, O LORD.
Lead me along the right path, for my enemies are waiting for me.

Do not let me fall into their hands.
For they accuse me of things I’ve never done with every breath they threaten me with violence.
Yet I am confident I will see the LORD’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living.
Wait patiently for the LORD.
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.”

In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.