God Promises His Will..Craig Denison Ministries

 God Promises His Will

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

There is only one constant in this ever-changing world, and that’s the character of our heavenly Father. The very earth itself is undergoing changes constantly. What seems the most immovable now will one day be done away with. But God is unchanging. God is unwavering. He’s completely faithful and committed to seeing through the promises he’s made you. As we look this week at the promises of God may you ground yourself in his unchanging love. May God’s character become your source and refuge—your constant and unshakable foundation.

Scripture:“Making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” Ephesians 1:9-10

Devotional:

In the life of Jesus, God illustrated not only his nearness to us, but his desire to co-labor with us in his plans of redemption for all peoples, all generations and all of creation. And within God’s desire to partner with us on the earth lies an incredible promise he makes to his people: God promises to share with us the knowledge of his will. An incredible example of God sharing his will with his people is displayed in Ephesians 1:7-12:

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 

Paul tells us that God, through the death of Jesus, revealed the mystery of his will to his people. Jesus’ death tells us of God’s incredible plan to reconcile everything around us to himself. God’s plan set throughout the ages revealed itself in Jesus’ actions. However, Scripture doesn’t only describe a single time God revealed the mystery of his will. The Bible is clear that God desires for his people to continually know his will.

Romans 12:1-2 says, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” In the renewing of your mind to God’s truth, you position yourself to continually discern the “good and acceptable and perfect” will of God. How amazing! Not only does God want you to know his will, but he’s given you an incredible tool to do so in the renewing of your mind.

Take time today to seek his will through Scripture, listening to the Holy Spirit and seeking counsel from those who are in tune with God’s heart. Allow him to reveal his will in whatever way he desires. Spend time in his presence letting him reveal the desires of his heart. And align yourself with his unceasing faithfulness as he speaks and leads you throughout your day. May you discern the “good and acceptable and perfect” will of God today as you spend time in guided prayer.

Guided Prayer:        

1. Meditate on God’s desire to share with you the knowledge of his will.

“Making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”Ephesians 1:9-10

2. Where in your life do you need God’s guidance? Where do you need direction?

3. Ask God to give you the knowledge of his will. Listen for him to direct you right now. Pay attention to any Scripture that come to mind. Trust that God speaks and wants you to know his will.

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2

God wants to speak to you throughout your day, influencing the various decisions you make. Your heavenly Father loves you. As a good Father, he longs to share with you what’s best for you, and he’ll do so in the best way possible. Trust and listen today, and live your life in response to the life-giving knowledge of God’s will.

Extended Reading: Romans 12

Meeting Jesus on Holy Ground..Rev. Kyle Norman

 Meeting Jesus on Holy Ground

By Rev. Kyle Norman

“Do not come any closer, “God said, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” (Exodus 3:5)

As a priest, I have witnessed myriads of strangers randomly stop at the church and sit quietly in our pews. It happens more than you would think. In fact, it happened just the other day. A young woman came walking into our church on a Thursday morning. She wasn’t looking for money or food but guidance; she felt lost and confused and didn’t know where to go or what to do. Seeing our steeple in the distance, she headed in our direction, feeling a desperate need to be in God’s presence.

As I sat with her, she described what was going on in her life, the trauma she was recovering from and the struggles that seemed to follow her. As I placed my hand on her shoulder for prayer, she erupted in deep and agonizing cries. She wept more forcefully than I have heard someone weep. And as I anointed her with oil and prayed for Christ’s light and protection, she whispered “thank you Jesus for being here.”

We all know the age-old truth: the church is not a building - the church is the body of Christ, the community of the faithful. This is true. Still, we cannot deny that sacred spaces are important in our spiritual lives. We see this throughout the Bible. Amid being ushered into God’s most holy presence, Moses is instructed to remove his sandals and recognize the “holy ground” upon which he stood (Exodus 3:5). Similarly, following his vivid dream in Bethel, Jacob exclaimed, “Surely the Lord is in this place” (Genesis 28:16). He then erects a monument in testimony to that reality. Later, as Israel journeyed through the desert, the “tent of meeting” was erected as a place to receive divine inspiration. These places weren’t just random places of personal or religious nostalgia; they were set apart for the unique, special, and defined purpose of meeting God.

The people of faith have always responded to God’s invitation to enter holy ground. The Temple was vital to Israel, and the early disciples were “always in the temple praising God” (Luke 24:53). Later, when persecutions arose, and the disciples were ejected from the temple, holy ground shifted to other locations: houses, rivers, and catacombs. For the early Christians, and for us, having a defined place where we meet with the living God is an essential part of our faith lives. 

Finding such holy ground is easier than it first may appear. Creation holds a myriad of opportunities for cultivating sacred spaces. Celtic Christianity, for example, has a long history of naming mountain tops, riverbeds, and forest paths as “thin spaces”– places where heaven and earth meet uniquely and powerfully. Our favorite place in creation can easily become a sacred space. In fact, Jesus said to Nathanial that he observed him “sitting under the fig tree” (John 1:48). This text indicates that the fig tree was a place where Nathanial went to draw near to God. It was a place of meditation, biblical study, and prayer.

A quiet room or a corner in the house can easily be reserved for such activity. Simply place your Bible, along with a prayer book or devotional guide, perhaps, in that location. You may light a candle or hang a cross if you choose. Such things help create an atmosphere conducive to the time of prayer. Of course, if one does not have an entire room free to designate, you simply attend to prayer or Bible reading from the same location every day. Simply choose a specific end of the couch or a corner of the kitchen table and consistently engage in your devotions from this place. It then becomes holy ground or sacred space. 

Intersecting Faith and Life:
Before we go too far in attempting to find our unique and personal sacred space, however, we must remember that, for the people of God, holy ground is not an individual possession but a communal gathering place. Solitary sacred space, developed at home, can be a blessing for us, but they simply do not compare with the gathering of the Christian community. The young woman mentioned above sought out the church because, somewhere deep in her soul, she knew that she would meet the presence of Jesus. Yes, Jesus is everywhere, yet the places in which the community gathers for prayer and worship, day in and day out, seem to shine with the radiance of Christ’s presence uniquely. They become the cities on the hill that invite the wanderer to come and meet with the Lord of love and redemption.

 So, before you define your own personal sacred space, perhaps take a journey to the corporate sacred space, the communal holy ground. Like Moses, we are invited to stand on Holy Ground, not to establish our religious identity, but to meet with the Risen Lord. We come to holy spaces to be filled with the Spirit. The more we engage in these places, the deeper our life with God becomes. This, and this alone, is the ultimate vision of holy ground, whether it be a prayer closet, a riverbed, or a Cathedral.

Do you feel the need to meet with the Savior but don’t know where to “go”? Do you need to hear a message of forgiveness, grace, or love? In Christ’s unyielding care for you, the Lord has set places designed to help you experience this reality. The way forward is quite simple. Just seek out holy ground. Christ is present there, awaiting you to come and meet with him.

For Further Reading:

• Genesis 28:1-16
• Exodus 3:1-14
• Psalm 122

 

Reading Revelation is Meant to Bless You (Not Scare You)..By Quanny Ard

 Reading Revelation is Meant to Bless You (Not Scare You)

By Quanny Ard

“‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’ He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’” (Revelation 21:4, 5, NIV).

Revelation tells the end of our earthly story, but it also gives us a glimpse into eternity where there will be no more pain, sickness, or death. Can you imagine a world free from illness? No more doctor’s visits, negative prognoses, suffering or graveside goodbyes – these things will not even enter our minds in heaven.

I look forward to this in hope because I walked through some of my darkest days while watching my mother slowly decline and succumb to her terminal illness. It’s an experience like no other. This is definitely what I’d consider a major part of the gospel: a promised eternity without grief of any kind!

Revelation lets us know without a doubt exactly how important we are to God and how He will rescue us. As the other bookend of the Bible, Revelation, like Genesis, spells out the story of redemption in vivid detail. It echoes and completes His plan of salvation for us that began before time. Neglecting to read Revelation is like reading the best story ever, but not finishing it to find out how it ends! Spoiler alert: We are redeemed!

I encourage you to read through Revelation at least one time. It is a book that is meant to bless you and not scare you.

Revelation may not be the easiest book in the Bible to digest, and there are many resources (commentaries, topical Bible studies, etc.) available to help you in your quest to understand what God is saying. And remember, anyone that asks for wisdom will receive it (James 1:5, NIV).

A Prayer to Live with Eternity in Mind..Laura Bailey

 A Prayer to Live with Eternity in Mind

By Laura Bailey

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart, yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” - Ecclesiastes 3:11

Eternity is a simple word but a complex concept. Charles Spurgeon once said, “Time is short. Eternity is long. It is only reasonable that this short life be lived in the light of eternity.”

• We waited in line at the DMV for an eternity.
• We think spring will never come; winter has lasted for an eternity.
• We have a vacation planned for only a few weeks away, but it feels like an eternity on the calendar.

The reality is that, as humans, we can’t truly fathom eternity. We know that God has provided eternal life to those who trust in His Son Jesus, but understanding the weight of eternity is beyond our comprehension.

Recently, I’ve come across numerous sermon series, articles, and books encouraging believers to live with eternity in mind. But what exactly does that mean? Paul encourages us in 2 Corinthians 4:18, “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever (NLT).”

Life in a fallen world is tough; there’s no escaping the effects of sin in our lives. But, we can shift our perspective, focusing on the things that matter to God ( the eternal) and letting go of things that don’t matter ( things of this world). As one of my favorite teachers says, “ preaches easy lives hard.”  We are easily distracted, discouraged, and disillusioned daily. It can be challenging to persevere, push forward in our faith, and remain steadfast. The world’s message is “live your best life now,” but God’s word preaches, “ your best life is yet to come. “

If we back up a verse to 2 Corinthians 4:17, Paul reminds us, “ For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.”  What we are experiencing today will one day come to an end. Even if the season of sorrow drags on or your difficult circumstances continue to stay the same day after day, God will make everything new one day. And in this new world, His eternal kingdom, there will be no more tears and pain ( Revelation 21:1-4).

I am not sure what you are going through today but take heart; God sees and cares for you. On this side of Heaven, you may continue to experience the consequences of sin, but God’s great mercy provided a way for you to have eternal peace through salvation in Christ Jesus. Cling to the eternal hope we have in our salvation, and let the presence of the Holy Spirit fill you as you live with eternity in mind. 

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for being a God who cares about our burdens. We know that you are God who sees and hears the cries and prayers of your children. Help us to live with eternity in mind. Be with us as we focus on the eternal, shifting our perspective from temporary things that distract us from living a life for Your glory alone. Forgive us when we sin against you, and be with us as we pursue holiness.

We love you, Lord; we are undeserving of your grace and mercy but thankful that you freely grant us both. We ask that you strengthen and help us as we share the Gospel in a broken world. Guide our conversations, and direct our paths to those who need to experience the eternal hope of salvation through Christ Jesus. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.