Trust in God’s Promise..Craig Denison Ministries

 Trust in God’s Promise

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

Our heavenly Father has made incredible promises to us, his children. And while our God is completely faithful to deliver on his promises, he does not force them on us. He’s promised his nearness, his affections, and an eternal life spent with him. But we have the power to choose our own way. He doesn’t force himself where there’s no space. God’s word won’t have power in our lives if we don’t read it. We won’t hear God effectively if we’re not listening. And we can’t experience his nearness if we constantly fill our lives with other things. So, this week we’re going to talk about different ways we can experience the promises of God so that they might come to full fruition in our lives. May you encounter God powerfully as you grow in fully experiencing the incredible promises of your heavenly Father.

Scripture:“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” Isaiah 26:3-4

Devotional:

The Bible consistently gives us an image to visualize when thinking about the character of God. Psalm 18:2 says, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” 2 Samuel 22:32 says, “For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?” I love how the Lord chooses to use creation to tell us of the invisible attributes of his nature. To our eyes, rocks are unchanging, steady, and stable. Generations of men come and go, but rocks stay visually the same. So it is with our God. 1 Kings 8:56 says, “Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. Not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by Moses his servant.” The promises of God are sure. They are even more immovable than the strongest mountains. They are more steadfast than the very ground you walk on.

You can place your trust in God and believe he'll follow through on his promises. In fact, experiencing his promises to the extent God intends for you requires trust. Isaiah 26:3-4 says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” Throughout Scripture, God leads his people to peace. He’s promised peace to us as his children. But Isaiah 26 tells us of an incredibly important concept. Those who will be kept in “perfect peace” are those “whose mind is stayed” on God. And a mind can only be stayed on God “because he trusts in [him].”

Experiencing the fullness of God’s promises requires our steadfast trust. For example, Philippians 4:19 says, “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” God promises to “supply every need of yours.” His promise is sure. But experiencing the peace his promise of provision is meant to supply requires trusting in his word. He will provide for your needs regardless of your trust, but you won’t be able to experience the peace God longs to give if you’re constantly worried about whether or not you’ll be provided for. The commonly quoted promise of Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” God will still have an incredible plan for your life regardless of whether you trust his word. But God’s promise is meant to produce in you an unshakable assurance. You are created to live your life trusting that God has a plan for you and will reveal it to you perfectly. Experiencing that assurance requires the act of trusting God’s character and leadership.

Where do you need “perfect peace” today? Where do you need rest for your soul? Search out the promises of God. Remember that his promises are sure. He is your rock and your refuge. Place your trust in his promises as often as it takes until they produce peace in your life. Choose continually to place your hope in God and live a life of faith in response to his faithfulness. God has a plan to lead you to peace today. He has a plan to produce joy and hope in you that can’t be taken away by any circumstance or fear. Experience all that God’s promises are meant to produce today by trusting in your Rock, your everlasting and loving heavenly Father.

Guided Prayer:           

1. Meditate on God’s immovable promises.

“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Psalm 18:2

2. Where in your life do you need to experience more of the fruit of God’s promises? Where do you need peace and hope?

3. Choose to place your trust in God today. Search out his promises that have to do with areas in your life that cause you worry or fear, and then place your trust in those promises.

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” Isaiah 26:3-4

The Lord has incredible patience to lead you through the process of trusting him. God knows that experiencing all that the Christian life is intended to give requires incredible faith. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). If you find yourself fearful, worried, our doubting, it is all right. Just don’t stay there! Search out God’s promises. Spend time in prayer. Spend time “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). Trusting God is a lifelong pursuit. But it is a pursuit worth all of your time and energy. Commit yourself to spending time exploring and experiencing the faithfulness of God. Let his steadfast love produce in you trust and hope. Place your trust today in your God, the only one who will never fail you.

Extended Reading: Isaiah 26

God’s Comfort for Our Father Wounds..KIA STEPHENS

 God’s Comfort for Our Father Wounds

KIA STEPHENS 

“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18 (NIV)

My relationship with my father always seemed to be a work in progress, but I was still excited to see him.

Whenever my little family of four took a road trip to my home state, spending time with my father was always on the itinerary. With each visit, I had high hopes that we would grow closer, know one another better, and build the father-daughter relationship I longed for.

On one visit in the heat of summer, I wore my natural hair in an Afro puff. This was my summer go-to style: a quick solution for my tightly coiled strands in the Texas humidity. I thought I was looking good until my father, oblivious to the impact of his words, said, “When are you going to get your hair done?”

I had so many internal responses swirling around in my brain. What? Why is my hair important? I’ve traveled more than 800 miles to spend time with you, and you’re concerned about my hair!

It wasn’t just the words he said but the words I had never heard him say that magnified the moment. I was a 30-something-year-old woman, and there were things he had never said to me:

“You are beautiful.”
“You are special.”
“You are loved.”

That day, his words were a reminder of the chasm that existed between us. He did not understand me, nor did I understand him. We were like strangers meeting for the first time. His words exasperated the reality that I had father wounds, and my heart was broken all over again.

What do we do when our hearts are damaged in the same place, by the same person, multiple times? How are we supposed to heal? Whereas curling up in the fetal position and licking our wounds may sound like a good idea, I’m grateful God has provided encouragement we can glean from the pages of Scripture.

Psalm 34:18 says, “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” 

These were David’s words at a time when he was on the run from King Saul. After David defeated Goliath, he was given a high rank in the army. Eventually, Saul became jealous of David’s military success and attempted to kill him on numerous occasions.

I imagine this experience was very painful for David. He may have questioned why this was happening to him. He may have wondered what he did to deserve the betrayal of Saul, his king — someone David held in high regard.

When David penned the words of Psalm 34, he was deeply acquainted with overwhelming sorrow. He understood what it meant to have his heart broken into pieces and his spirit crushed.

David’s truthful, encouraging psalm is applicable to every person who has ever been enveloped by the weight of a broken heart. God is near — He is not far off, aloof or somewhere in the distance, unconcerned with our pain. When we feel alone and isolated, God’s presence is close to us.

Not only is God near, but He also saves us. This salvation is not limited to our soul's iniquities but also encompasses our heart's prolonged pain. God saves every place where our spirits are seemingly crushed beyond repair.

God’s salvation includes our minds, wills and emotions. He saves every part of us. When our hearts are broken and our spirits are crushed, God is our deliverer. This has been true for me, and it is also true for you.

I never told my dad how his words impacted me on that summer day. If he knew, he would be devastated because that was not his intention. I simply nursed my wounds across three states and clung tightly to the broken pieces of my heart. Over time, God met me in my painful place, just like He met David. He put the broken pieces of my heart back together.

Friend, the most beautiful part is that the Lord’s nearness and salvation are ongoing. Every time our heart is broken or our spirit is crushed, we can bring all our broken pieces to Him, knowing He is near and able to save.

Dear God, thank You for the promises found in Your Word. Remind me that You are near when my heart is broken. Help me trust that You can save me when I am crushed in spirit. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

God Acts on Our Behalf..Dr. Charles Stanley

 God Acts on Our Behalf

Dr. Charles Stanley

Isaiah 64:1-4

The Lord is a God of action. Even when He rested on the seventh day of creation, it wasn't because He was tired and needed to recuperate. Although He deliberately made a choice to stop His creative activity, He never ceased working. While the Lord is always controlling the universe, He is, at the same time, intimately involved with individual lives.

God has a plan for each one of us and wants us to know what it is. Every time we take a step of obedience, He sheds more light on our path. But sometimes He asks us to pause awhile, and we may not know why. We long for direction in a particular matter, but our prayers just aren't being answered, and we wonder, Why does He delay?

When you aren't seeing any answers, it doesn't mean that God is not working. He's still actively involved in your life, but He works in ways that are not always visible He orchestrates circumstances, changes people's hearts, and protects His children from making hasty decisions that will have disastrous consequences. Perhaps the Lord knows you're not yet ready for the next leg of your spiritual journey. Waiting times are opportunities for growth in character, obedience, and faith. He may also need time to train you for future responsibilities and ministries.

When you intentionally choose to be still, God unleashes His mighty power on your behalf. He has planned good things for those who wait, and I believe what He has in store for your life will surpass all expectations. When He knows you're ready to receive His blessings, they'll flow into your lap.

Why Tests of Faith are Important.. Liz Lampkin

 Why Tests of Faith are Important 

By Liz Lampkin

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." - Hebrews 11:1

Faith in God is something all believers have. When we ask for anything through Christ Jesus, it is our faith that drives the assurance that we will receive it. However, faith is not only the confidence that we will receive what we ask according to God’s divine will for our lives. It is also having confidence that God will provide all that we need and trusting Him no matter what the situation looks like. Imagine praying for a son and watching him grow. As you watch him grow, so does your love for him. Then you’re told to sacrifice Him. This was one of Abraham's tests of faith. God commanded Abraham to take Isaac to Mount Moriah and offer him as a sacrifice. Without question, Abraham gathered his things, two men, his son, and wood for a burnt offering, and went to where God told him to go. As they traveled, on the third day, Abraham saw Mount Moriah from afar. He instructed the young men traveling with them to stay where they were, and he and Isaac would continue towards the mountain to worship. When they were done worshipping, they would return to this place. 

Then, Abraham gathered the wood, fire, and a knife, and he and Isaac went towards the mountain. As they went forth, Isaac saw that there was no lamb for sacrificing. He says to Abraham that he sees the fire and wood, and then he asks where the lamb is. Without hesitation, Abraham told Isaac that God would provide a lamb for a burnt offering. As they arrived to the place where God instructed them to go, Abraham built an altar, laid the wood in order, bound his son, and placed him on the wood. He then took the knife in his hand and prepared to sacrifice his son, but not before an angel of the Lord called out to him, commanding him not to lay a hand on Isaac. The angel knew that Abraham feared and trusted in God because of his willingness to sacrifice his son without question. When the angel said this to Abraham, he looked behind him and saw a ram caught in a bush by its horns. He then took the ram and offered him up as a burnt offering instead of his beloved son. 

Abraham's faith was tested by God to see how much he trusted Him. Not only this but his obedience was tested. He didn’t question God, He didn’t try to reason with God or compromise His instructions. He simply went forth, in faith and obedience, knowing that the outcome would be what God wanted and it would work out for his good. 

Intersecting Faith and Life:
God refines us by putting tests of faith before us for His glory. Has your faith ever been tested? Have you ever wondered why? Tests of faith come to develop our character. They drive you to a better commitment and a different level of obedience to God. They drive you to pray differently, fervently. They build your trust in Him.

They drive you to delve into His Word for a deeper understanding of who He is and who He is to you. They help you understand where you are with your relationship with God and how to develop a more profound one with Him. The journey through tests of faith is not an easy one. Let’s be honest, many of us are not as strong in our faith as Abraham was. However, God is aware of our strengths and weaknesses along this course. That’s why he gives us tests of faith so we can become stronger in our faith in Him. If you’re struggling with a test of faith or even in your faith in God, pray and ask Him to help you along the way. Ask Him what He wants you to do when each test comes about. Ask Him how He wants you to respond and, most importantly what He wants you to learn about Him during this time. Tests of faith are necessary for our growth. Without them, we would always remain babes in Christ. 

For Further Reading:
Genesis 22, Hebrews 11

Why We Should be Thankful for Unanswered Prayers..Jennifer Heeren

 Why We Should be Thankful for Unanswered Prayers (2 Peter 1:5-9)

By: Jennifer Heeren

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.” (2 Peter 1:5-9)

This Scripture passage speaks of making every effort to respond to God’s promises and add to my faith moral excellence, and to that knowledge. Then add self-control mixed with patient endurance. And godliness. And brotherly affection. And love for all. The more I learn and grow in those ways, the more useful I will be on earth.

I’ve prayed for many things over the years. Favor on job interviews. A loving husband. Car repair bills to be lower than I expect. Benign biopsies. A baby. My list of desires can go on and on.

I’ve also prayed for friends, family, and acquaintances. Healing from accidents and diseases. Cancer to go into remission. Successful surgeries. Safe travels.

God always answers our prayers. But the answer isn’t always a “yes.” Sometimes it is “no” and sometimes it’s “not now.”

Wouldn’t it be great if I could ask for something from God and He always answered quickly with a definite yes? It seems like that would be wonderful, but would it actually be a good thing?

Our whims aren’t necessarily God’s will.

I don’t always pray for His will. I need to take all my whims and thoughts to God so that He can shape them into something more fitting to the way He originally designed me. God doesn’t owe me anything, especially not my whims. However, He does promise me that He will provide the things I need—food, drink, clothing, etc.

We can’t see the entire situation.

I can only see what is right in front of me. So, I need to rely on the judgment of an omniscient God if I truly desire what is best. I can keep a prayer journal so I can read about things that I desired in the past. Then I realize that God did indeed answer a lot of those requests. Sometimes with an “immediate yes.” Often with a better “wait for this other thing.”

A yes to everything we want is not how we were created.

If I did get a yes to every prayer, wouldn’t that make me more of a god than God? He would be at my beck and call. I should always be coming to Him to ask if something is a good idea or not, not the other way around. God’s ways are so much higher than mine. He is able through His mighty power to accomplish infinitely more than I can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).

Unanswered prayers lead us to stronger relationships with God.

God wants me to come to Him with everything, not just get what I want and then forget about Him. He deserves my attention even when I don’t get what I want. God desires me to want Him, even more than what I’m asking for.

Unanswered prayers teach us to put our hope in God.

Psalm 62:5 says, “Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.” My hope is in Him, not in my wants or even in my needs. He knows what I need before I even ask Him anyway. He is patient with me until I see my subtle real needs instead of my glaring wants.

Unanswered prayers serve the purpose of leading me to the ultimate gift—peace of mind and heart (John 14:27). A peace that comes from trusting my Creator and Designer with EVERY aspect of my life. I’m not saying that this is easy to do. It’s a constant battle of my will vs. His best. But when I stop fighting, there is a peace and an absence of fear. Peace of mind and soul is much better than a temporary “yes.”

A Prayer of Salvation for My Troubles..Tiffany Thibault

 A Prayer of Salvation for My Troubles

By Tiffany Thibault

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” - Isaiah 12:2

As Christians, we love the word “salvation.” This word promises us hope, separates us from our sins, offers us a new life, and promises us an eternity in heaven with our God. We love to share our personal salvation story because we love God, and we want to share with others how Jesus died and how He saved us from our sins. 

Though we will spend eternity in Heaven with the Lord, we still have many days left to live here on this earth. There will be struggles and there will be problems. Situations will arise that fill us with fear and overwhelm us. It is in those hard times that we must remind ourselves that God is our salvation. 

We do not need to be afraid. We can absolutely trust Him. He has been with us through those difficult situations before, and He will most certainly move again in our new problems. 

It is in Him that we can find the strength to face these hard things. He saved us. He provides a way through. We can keep our eyes on Him, trusting Him in everything that we face. He promises repeatedly all throughout Scripture that “I will never leave you.” He is always at work in our lives and in the lives of those around us. 

It is as we keep our eyes on the Lord, trusting Him, and seeking Him in our hard times that we will find joy. As we trust Him, we remember who He is and how He has helped us in our past. As we sing about the goodness of the Lord, our faith grows, our trust grows, and our joy grows. 

As we focus on the Lord being our strength and our song, we begin to see how He is our salvation in every situation. He saved our souls once, and He loves us so much that He wants to save us from the hard things that we are walking through. We CAN seek Him as we trust Him to save us in this situation. He will become our salvation once again, and our testimony will continue to grow so that we can share how God is always working in our lives. Maybe it's that fresh testimony that will turn someone’s life around as they, too want to follow this amazing God who is alive and involved in the lives of those who love Him. 

Let’s pray: 

Dear Lord, 
Thank you that you are my salvation. In you, I put all my trust. You are here with me, and because I know that truth, I do not need to be afraid of the troubles that are surrounding me, trying to steal my peace and weaken my trust in you. You are my strength. You are my song. You are my salvation. I trust you with my life. I will keep my eyes on you, trusting you. I love you, Lord. 
In your name, I pray Jesus, Amen

Easter Celebrates That Jesus Is Alive Today..Rick Warren

 Easter Celebrates That Jesus Is Alive Today

By Rick Warren

“The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line, and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 1:3-4 NLT, second edition).

Although we study the passion of Jesus, his death on the cross, Easter is a celebration of his Resurrection: God brought Jesus back from the dead, proving he’d broken the power of sin and death.

After Jesus died, they took his body down and put him in the tomb, and a giant millstone was set in front of the cave. The religious leaders, worried that Jesus’ body might be stolen, asked for Roman guards to be posted in front of the tomb. They didn’t want him coming out!

But of course, he did.

You know the story. But it’s important to remember that Easter is not some memorial to a nice, good religious teacher who lived 2,000 years ago. It’s a celebration of the fact that he is alive today!

I’m living proof — and so are the approximately 1 billion Christians who celebrate Easter. Jesus “was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 1:4 NLT, second edition).

Easter is the Good News about God’s Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who came to Earth as a human baby, born into King David’s royal family line. Four historical records say that after his Resurrection he showed himself to 500 people at one gathering.

Can you imagine witnessing his death and then seeing him walking around Jerusalem three days later? What an amazing thing!

When Jesus was hanging on the cross, the skeptics and critics mocked him and said, “If you’re the Son of God, why don’t you just pull yourself down from that cross? Why don’t you just come down and show that you’re really God?”

Jesus had something more spectacular planned. He said, “I’m going to let you bury me for three days, and then I’ll come back to life to prove that I am who I say I am.”

Talk It Over

• Why is it important to remember Jesus’ death and his Resurrection at Easter?
• What did Jesus’ death accomplish? What did his Resurrection accomplish?
• How do you think it felt for the people who knew that Jesus had been killed but saw him in the flesh a few days later?