God Promises His Strength..Craig Denison Ministries

 God Promises His Strength

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:“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

Devotional:

Creator God in his infinite wisdom and love chose to create mankind knowing full well that we would choose our ways over his. We’re made with a terrible capacity to live out of our own strength. As a result, we see in both Scripture and our own lives incredible failures—examples of our collective weakness played out before our very eyes. We see it in the declining morality of society. We see it in the very lives of those around us that just can’t seem to get it together. Weakness seems to be threaded into the very fabric of our world. The world is plagued by the weakness of those who inhabit it.

But, the Bible also contains incredible stories of the victories of God’s people. The list goes on and on: Moses and the Egyptians, David and Goliath, Samson and the Philistines, and the early church spreading the gospel across the world despite insurmountable odds. And along with all the stories of victory, Scripture also contains many stories of failure. So, what made the difference? What separates the stories of success from the stories of failure? The difference is found in the people of God allowing God to be their strength. Success in Scripture came solely when God was made strong in man’s weakness.

Psalm 103:13-14 says, “As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.” God created us. He knows our weakness. He knows that apart from him we can do nothing. But the beauty of the gospel is that as believers we are no longer apart from him. Through the death of Jesus, we are now one with Christ, wrapped up in his story of redemption. We have been saved from having to do life on our own, in our own strength.

Your heavenly Father says to you today, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). Your God is the same God of David, Samson, Paul, and John. The success that they had was the direct result of their choosing God’s strength over their own. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” Paul chose to boast of his weakness because he knew of the steadfast strength of God in his own life. He knew that his success was solely by the strength of his God.

Your heavenly Father promises his strength to you today. Just as he worked to help Paul spread the gospel, just as he helped David slay the giant Goliath, he desires to help you today in whatever lies ahead. Acknowledge your weakness but at the same time, hold fast to the the knowledge of the incredible strength of your heavenly Father. Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “He will not leave you or forsake you.” The strength of God is always with you. All you have to do is choose his ways over your own. Live in light of the revelation of your own weakness and God’s strength, and you will experience the power of the Creator of the universe working directly in your own life.

Where do you need God’s strength? What area of your life seems to be plagued by weakness? Ask God to work in your life, and experience the fruit of co-laboring with your heavenly Father today.

Guided Prayer:           

1. Reflect on your own weakness. What situations in your life seem to be without the strength of God?

“As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.”Psalm 103:13-14

2. Now meditate on God’s desire to be strong in your weakness. Think about stories of people in the Bible who did incredible things solely by the strength of God.

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”2 Corinthians 12:9

3. Ask God to be strong in your weakness today. Ask the Spirit to guide you and work in any and every situation you find yourself in. Ask him to guide your words, actions, mindsets and emotions that you might live entirely in his strength.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”Isaiah 41:10

How incredible is the heart of God that he would choose to share with us his own strength! Your God cares for you so deeply that he desires to work closely and effectively in your life. The very strength that formed the mountains, parted the seas and sustains every living thing is available to you today. Rest in God's promise that he is not distant. You have a strong God who loves you and is for you. Live today experiencing the peace and power of God’s strength made strong in your weakness.

Extended Reading: Psalm 103

Experiencing the Calm You Crave..KAREN EHMAN

 Experiencing the Calm You Crave

KAREN EHMAN

“Say to him: Calm down and be quiet. Don’t be afraid or cowardly because of these two smoldering sticks, the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram, and the son of Remaliah.” Isaiah 7:4 (CSB)

It’s that phone call in the middle of the night as the parent of a rebellious teen.

Or it’s the loss of a close friendship over a misunderstanding.

Maybe it is the sudden sickness of an aging parent or a criticism from your co-worker delivered unexpectedly at work.

So many moments in time can threaten to steal our peace of mind and cause worry to seep into our souls.

On those days when I start to fret, I’d like to say that I quickly “put my Jesus on,” taking my worries to the Lord in prayer. But if I’m being honest, the first thing I typically think about doing is chatting about it with my husband or a friend. I’m always certain they will give me some great advice that will help to calm my fears.

But the words of counsel from those at the top of my contacts list aren’t the only reason I want to pick up the phone to call them.

It also has to do with my own words. You see, when I start to feel worry welling up in my heart, my lips want a piece of the action. I just can’t seem to stop talking about my troubles at hand! And sometimes my talking turns into complaining.

It can be healthy to talk about what weighs us down, especially with a godly friend, spouse or counselor, as it allows us to see all sides of a situation and process our emotions. However, complaints and gossip are counterproductive. (James 5:9)

In the seventh chapter of Isaiah, we happen upon the Old Testament prophet Isaiah conveying a message from God to King Ahaz regarding a troubling situation in Israel. Thankfully, Isaiah's message was one of reassurance. Even though two invading kings — “smoldering sticks” — were threatening, ultimately they would not prevail (Isaiah 7:4).

God spoke to Isaiah in today’s key verse:

“Say to him: Calm down and be quiet. Don’t be afraid or cowardly because of these two smoldering sticks, the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram, and the son of Remaliah” (Isaiah 7:4).

Isaiah’s script for the little pep talk began with this five-word directive: “Calm down and be quiet” (Isaiah 7:4a). The original Hebrew word shamar used in this verse means “to be careful, to watch, to take note and to wait” (or “calm down”). And the meaning of the Hebrew word shaqat, translated “be quiet,” means “to refrain from making noise, to be peaceful, pacified, to be at rest, or to be undisturbed.”

When facing trying times, our hearts and minds don’t naturally go to a place of peaceful rest. We aren’t elated to watch and wait. And our souls are far from undisturbed.

But this passage isn’t saying these feelings and actions are our initial and innate response. Far from it. They are thoughts and actions we must purposefully pursue. When we determine to center our minds on God rather than on the problem at hand, we can experience the calm He offers us. When we fix our eyes on God and watch Him work, the Lord will help us not to be shaken or unsettled.

Next, Isaiah was to deliver a second five-word sermon: “Don’t be afraid or cowardly …” (Isaiah 7:4b). While the Hebrew equivalent of “afraid” has the same meaning as our English word, the Hebrew word for “cowardly” (rakak) is more nuanced. This verb refers to growing soft, weak or fainthearted.

When the worries and cares of life begin to make us fear — weakening our resolve and causing us to be faint of heart — may we remember this ancient advice from God to the king: to calm down and be quiet. It worked for King Ahaz, and it can benefit us today.

Instead of making noise with our mouths by grumbling to a friend to try to solve our problems, let’s decide we will honor God in our conversations. And we will look to the Lord to find rest and discover His peace. Only when we do that will we finally find our hearts undisturbed.

Let’s bend our knees in prayer before grabbing the phone, taking our cares to King Jesus first.

Gracious Father, I long to take the cares of my heart to You, allowing my circumstances to draw me closer to You through prayer. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Sowing Spiritual Seeds..Dr. Charles Stanley

 Sowing Spiritual Seeds

Dr. Charles Stanley

John 4:34-38

Think about everything that contributed to the story of how you came to know Christ as your Lord and Savior. It's probably not possible to fully count all those spiritual seeds that God used to draw you to Him. And not all the people who sowed good seed into your life knew what the outcome would be.

We also have the opportunity and privilege--every single day--of sowing seeds into the lives of others, such as our friends, co-workers, children, grandchildren, or even strangers. God takes what you plant and adds to it. He leads others to sow further seed or "water" the ground. Little by little, truth gets cultivated in their lives. What greater thing could you do?

Conversely, you might focus on providing your kids with plenty of material security and send them to the best schools and colleges--and yet it would count nothing for eternity. But when you sow into their lives the things of God and the qualities of Jesus, you're feeding their spirits. The seeds that affect their hearts, view of God, and desire to make a difference for Him in the world are what will produce genuine, lasting fruit and a great harvest in their lives. Whether or not you ever see the results, the Lord is using you profoundly when you sow this kind of crop.

God sees all the little things you do; He's interested in more than just "big" things. The fruit of His Spirit--such as kindness, patience, and self-control--often manifests itself in quiet ways that others may never give you credit for. But such spiritual seeds accomplish powerful work in His kingdom.

Acting with the Right Heart Motivation..Laura Bailey

 Acting with the Right Heart Motivation

By Laura Bailey

“Then he added, 'Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: 'I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.' For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” - Matthew 13:9, NLT

After years of rebellion and twisting the Scriptures to bend to my benefit, I finally surrendered to Christ. But then I overcorrected and became pretty legalistic. I strived to obey God’s Word, practiced the spiritual disciplines, and committed to daily confession and prayer. These changes are not wrong and necessary for a believer's life; however, when done with the wrong heart motivation, Scripture says they are like offering God filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). Yikes.

I became more concerned with doing all the right things, becoming highly critical of those I felt weren’t doing enough, and eventually became exhausted and bitter. The problem with this thinking is that it makes us overly critical of others, hyper-focused on ourselves, and wears us out. Have you ever gotten so focused on what you can do for the Lord that you forgot what He desires from His children?

In Matthew 13:9, Jesus, in speaking to the Pharisees, says, “ I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.” We also see these exact words spoken in Hosea 6:6, when God speaks to the Israelites. These verses do not say that the Lord doesn’t desire our sacrifices or that obeying His commandments or striving for holiness isn’t important. But He tells us that all this is done in vain if we are motivated more by perceived religious righteousness and not a heart of love and gratitude for our Heavenly Father.

We can not earn our salvation, nor can we earn favor with God. We must resist the urge to let our works indicate our right standing before God. We are justified not by what we have done, our sacrifice, but by God’s mercy and Christ’s sacrifice.

The Pharisees believed they were already righteous enough; they didn’t need saving. They couldn’t understand why Jesus, the Holy of Holies, would surround himself with sinners. But, as we see in Jesus’ response, as believers, our job is to help those in sin to come to Christ, showing them the same mercy that was shown to us. Jesus came to save those who readily acknowledged their sins and knew they needed a savior.

Too often, as seasoned believers, we forget the gospel message is not just for our conversion. Even after we’ve been eternally saved from our sins, we continue to sin; we need saving every day until we go to be with Jesus for all eternity. Let us guard our hearts against believing the lie that we are no longer sinners who require saving. May we hold tightly to the grace and mercy God bestows not once but continually.

As we seek to glorify God with all our heart, soul, and mind, along with our actions, remember that, above all else, the Lord wants a personal relationship with you. Let us act with a rightfully motivated heart to serve the Lord humbly, and offer gratitude, forgiveness, and love to those in need of salvation.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
Are you in a season of going through the spiritual motions? Do you continue to get up and read the Bible, check the prayer box, and do all the “right Christian things,” but know that you're doing them with the wrong heart motivation? Ask the Lord to soften your heart, to give you the desire to obey and live righteously out of gratitude, not simply an obligation.

Further Reading:

• Mark 7:14-15
• Revelation 2:11

The Amazing Meaning of This Familiar Psalm..Debbie McDaniel

 The Amazing Meaning of This Familiar Psalm

By Debbie McDaniel

"This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it." - Psalm 118:24

Many of us may have heard this verse over long years. But often, with some of these most popular verses, they can become so familiar to us that we may even miss the deeper meaning and context under which they are written.

So what is the “day” that Psalm 118 makes reference to? Is it the general “every day” that God gives us, or is it referring to a specific day in history?

In Psalm 118, the author is writing about incredible adversity. It's not written when times are good, but when times are really hard. Situations were changing. The Psalmist cried out to God in anguish, he was surrounded on all sides by the enemy. He felt pushed back, and about to fall. Yet right in the midst of huge struggles shared, this chapter both starts and ends with the same verse, of giving thanks and praise unto God.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love endures forever." v. 1,29

Such a powerful reminder to us: True joy is never dependent on our circumstances. And though we may know this in our head, it might be hard to walk out every day. Learning to choose joy in hard times takes effort and action on our part; it requires our hearts to be set on Him. God is faithful to help us, so that we can choose well. And we can be assured that in His grace, He has made every day, and for that gift itself we can “rejoice and be glad in it.” No matter what we face, we can still believe in God’s goodness and love, for that’s what carries us through the most difficult of seasons.

We might be facing the toughest of times right now, but the truth is this, He's still given us breath for today. Jesus came to give us hope and freedom, He’s the very reason we can live with joy right in the battles and have peace that is unexplainable to the world. He's with us and will never leave or fail us. His love covers us, He gives us the strength to face every trial and obstacle with courage and grace. We can rest in the security that Truth brings.

No matter what you’re up against, be confident in God’s unchanging love for you, always. And it is written, “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

A Prayer for the Waiting..Meg Bucher

 A Prayer for the Waiting

By Meg Bucher

“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” - Isaiah 40:31 NIV

My toddler nephew hates long lines. To him, twenty minutes is a rough draft of eternity! He can’t anticipate the reward on the other end of the line. Certain moments are worth waiting for if our hearts are mature enough to anticipate the reward at the end of the line.

Isaiah penned the inspired words above to a people who were accustomed to waiting on God. He is who He is, and His timing and thoughts are not equivalent to ours. Though we don’t know His thoughts, timetable, or sometimes even His plan for the next step in our lives, we know Him. We know who He is and that He is faithful and full of compassion for us. We know His plans for our lives are good and that He is for us. He loved us so much; He sent Jesus to earth to save us!

Because of who God is, we have hope. Because our hope is in Him, we experience renewed strength. Eagles are majestic and strong. Isaiah didn’t write, “imagine soaring on wings like eagles.” He wrote: “they will soar on wings like eagles.” God’s word is assured. He has never broken a promise. We will run and not grow weary, walk and not be faint …when we wait on the Lord and His strength.

Let’s pray:

Father,
Help us to place our hope in You. Lord, God, You promise renewed strength for us. Yet, so often, we race throughout our day at a pace that we cannot sustain. You, Father, are Sustainer and Provider. In our everyday lives, we need You more than we remember. Forgive us for forgetting how much we need You. Teach us to wait. By the power of Your Holy Spirit in us, infuse our hearts and minds with the strength to soar, run, and walk without growing weary or faint.

Nothing in this world is hidden from Your view, Father. We know You see, hear, and answer our prayers. God of the universe, You created us. You know every hair on our heads and count for every tear which has streamed down our cheeks. This world is unbearable a lot of the time. In the respite, when we are able to breathe easy atop the peak of life’s seasons, allow us to witness the powerful soaring of the eagle. When we look at our lives, help us to see with Your perspective, God, the goodness layered into the fabric of who we are and where You have placed us so purposefully in this life. Allow us to peel back the layers of joy. You have written into the pages of our story.

Father, it takes time to sit and wait on You. With our time, we can point our thoughts, hearts, and minds toward You. Moments we pick to wait in the presence of the Most High God, through the power of the Holy Spirit living in us, through Christ Jesus. When we feel weary and faint, renew our strength. From the core of our hearts, spark a rejuvenating remembrance of the power living in us. The strength to soar is attainable for all of us, Father. In every person, a purpose is planted. A Kingdom purpose. Deepen our prayers, Father, and enrich the time we spend with You in the quiet pockets of our lives. Stretch those minutes, Father. As You speak through Your Word, Your creation, and in prayerful conversation, lift our hearts toward the heavens, where our help comes from.

Hope in You, Lord, is a concrete promise. Our strength will be renewed. We will soar on wings like eagles; we will run and not grow weary; we will walk and not be faint. Praise You, God, for Your faithfulness. Oh, God, for the way You love us through the most immense trials, simply by reminding us to wait on You. Thank You. Let Your hope rush into our hearts freshly today and stay.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.