Be Fervent in Spirit..Craig Denison Ministries

 Be Fervent in Spirit

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

This week we’re going to take a look at seven principles found in Romans 12 that describe the marks of a true Christian. The intent of studying this passage is not to condemn or lead you to comparison. Instead, let Paul’s teaching fill you with a deep, transformative longing to wholeheartedly pursue the life God intends for you. Ask God to help you see yourself as he sees you, to see the grace he’s placed upon your life by the blood of Jesus so that you might walk more fully in the power and anointing of the Spirit. Open your heart to God, and let him do a mighty work in you. He is near to you, ready to mold and shape you into a disciple filled with and fueled by his incredible love. May you discover God’s grace and perspective this week as you examine your life in light of this powerful passage of Scripture.

Scripture:“Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.” Romans 12:11

Devotional:    

God shares with us, his disciples, an important command in Romans 12:11. Scripture says, “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.” Do you ever feel slothful in zeal? Here, Paul is talking about feeling sluggish in your relationship with God. He’s describing a feeling of laziness, a lack of desire. Do you ever feel like your spirit is anything but fervent? The word fervent here is better translated as “boiling over.” Do you ever feel like your spirit is more like stagnant water? Let’s look today at how we as followers of God can stir up our affections for the Lord.Let’s make space for God to put fire under any area of our spiritual life that feels stagnant that it might boil over in him. 

Foundational to understanding Romans 12:11 is the knowledge that God will never ask you to do something or be something without his help. You are never alone in your spiritual growth. Your job is simply to create space in your heart for God to mold and shape you. Your job is to engage with him and let the Spirit teach, lead, and fill you. Your heavenly Father is near to you. He has a perfect plan to guide you into spiritual growth and fervor. So, in light of that understanding, how can you engage with God and allow him to mold and shape you into a person of greater fervor and zeal?

Psalm 19:7 says, “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.” And Psalm 19:8 says, “The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.” Scripture makes clear that to be zealous and fervent in your service to God, you must spend time allowing his word to inflame your spiritual fire. Spending time reading about the depths of God’s love for his people, the length he will go for you as his child, and the example of lives empowered by the Spirit will assuredly fill you with passion and zeal. When you spend time in God’s word, you are not only reading incredible stories, but hearing the voice of your living and active heavenly Father. Spend time with his word, allowing the voice of God to direct your soul to finding its rest and passion in him.

When you spend time with God, you will naturally be filled with a desire and passion to serve him. Reflect for a moment on how different you feel when you are inflamed with passion in comparison to feeling slothful. You have the power to choose how you will live life every day. You have the choice to engage with God, read his word, spend time in his presence, and allow him to mold and shape you. You also have the power to live a passionless life. The choice is yours. But know God is faithful to fill you with his Spirit every day if you will make space for him to do so. He has total grace for the times you feel sluggish; at the same time he has a perfect plan to lead you out of that state into being “fervent in spirit.” Engage with God today in prayer. Meditate on his word. Let him fill you with the power and anointing of his Holy Spirit.

The Message translates Romans 12:11 as saying, “Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant.” May you experience today the life of a “cheerfully expectant” person “fueled” and set “aflame” by the love and leading of God.

Guided Prayer:

1. Spend time meditating on God’s word. Choose a passage that will stir up your affections for God. Passages like “The High Priestly Prayer” in John 17 are great for encountering God’s heart.

2. Now, ask the Holy Spirit to fill you afresh. Spend time in God’s presence allowing him to fill you with a desire to serve him.

“Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.” Psalm 90:14

3. Ask the Spirit to show you ways you can serve God today. God has a specific plan to use you today to bring spiritual awakening to those around you. He could have you give someone a gift, encourage someone, pray for someone, or even simply engage in conversation with a stranger. Follow the voice of the Spirit as he guides and directs you today.

Finish up the time you spend alone with God today by simply asking his presence to linger with you. Ask him to continually fill you with the flame of his love. Know that wherever you go today he will be there. Whenever you feel sluggish in spirit, he is there to fill you up. Continually engage with him and live today with his grace and love as your foundation and fuel.

Extended Reading: Psalm 43

When It’s Not Your Day..KAREN WINGATE

 When It’s Not Your Day

KAREN WINGATE

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)

After rounding the first corner of a fitted sheet over my mattress, I moved to the second corner but discovered I had started with the short end. Rotating the sheet, I tried again. But as I smoothed the second corner, the first popped off. Ugh!

I jerked at the sheet in frustration, muttering, “Not my day.”

Wait a minute. Where did that come from? Had I not written to my Facebook friends about the joy of the morning just hours before? “It’s a beautiful morning. Sun shining, cool breeze, birds singing, warm mug of coffee … Happy moment!”

Yet suddenly, my mouth spouted words that categorized the entire day as bad because of one obstinate bedsheet.

In the scheme of things, a fitted sheet is a blip on life’s radar. And no matter what struggles enter my day, I don't need to default to a “bad day” mentality. God is still on the throne, He is good, He loves me, and His blessings embrace every aspect of my life.

Still … I catch myself thinking those irrelevant, negative phrases more often than I care to admit:

You always do that.
They’ll never change.
I’m not good enough.
I can never do anything right.

I know they’re not true. And I could wave my thoughts aside, justifying them in the emotion of the moment, but the problem is, if you and I say or think those negative ideas often enough, they become like tiny seeds that germinate and take root in the well-watered corners of our memories. Soon, the same thought comes more frequently with greater intensity, and we accept as truth what is actually a lie our enemy would have us believe.

I like the how-to advice Paul gave the Corinthian church in 2 Corinthians 10:5: “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

Why should we destroy and imprison arguments and statements that go against what God says? Because if we don’t, they are free to run wild. They’ll take up residence in our brains. Eventually we'll say them, and those who hear us will be infected too. Those casual, untrue statements are as unwholesome as any foul language and do nothing to build up our faith or benefit those who overhear us. (Ephesians 4:29)

We can’t prevent those thoughts from sounding in our brains, but we can refuse to mull over them. Think about the imagery Paul used: “take captive every thought.” Like putting up a blockade to divert unwanted traffic, we have the choice to confine our negative thoughts and false words. We refuse to let the thoughts continue; in fact, we walk away from their influence.

Another of Paul’s letters encourages us to keep our minds focused on what is true, just, lovely and admirable. (Philippians 4:8) As you read that, you might think, But my thoughts are true! Just not always positive …

If that’s you, consider this: Looking at the positive or lovely reveals just as much truth as looking at the negative side of things — so why not balance our talk with positive words?

I considered this as I took a breath and unclenched the sheet in my fists. It was my day. More importantly, it was God’s day because He made it. Nothing had to separate me from thoughts about the great love God has for me — not even a fitted bedsheet.

You don’t have to let unruly negative talk infect your day either. Fight back with the words God has spoken about who He is and who you are through Him.

Father, I’m sorry for thinking thoughts about myself and others that go against what You’ve written in Your Word. Whenever those sentiments erupt, please counter those thoughts with words of truth. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Lure of Momentary Pleasure..Dr. Charles Stanley

 The Lure of Momentary Pleasure

Dr. Charles Stanley

Genesis 25:29-34

You probably read the story of Jacob and Esau today and thought, I can't believe Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of soup. How foolish! But let's think beyond birthrights and soup. Is there anything of true value that you are trading for something of lesser worth? In other words, what is your "bowl of soup"?

Have you pursued wealth and a career at the expense of family? Maybe your busy schedule has kept you from spending time with God in His Word each day. Some people become involved in extramarital affairs, trading the well-being of their family for the satisfaction of lustful desires. Others sacrifice their health by consuming harmful or addictive substances, or even by overindulging in food. The list of ways we make foolish, shortsighted choices is endless.

Some of the decisions we make today could rob us of the blessings God wants to give us. When you yield to temptation in a moment of weakness, you're actually sacrificing your future for momentary pleasure. We can't afford to live thoughtlessly, basing our decisions on immediate desires or feelings. Since the principle of sowing and reaping cannot be reversed, we need to carefully consider what we are planting. The harvest will come, and we'll reap what we have sown--and more than we've sown.

Are you contemplating anything that could have serious long-term ramifications if you yield to the yearning? A wise person evaluates choices by looking ahead to see what negative consequences could follow a course of action. Don't let "a bowl of soup" hinder God's wonderful plans for you.

A Heavenly Citizenship..Emily Rose Massey

 A Heavenly Citizenship

By Emily Rose Massey

“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself” (Philippians 3:20-21, ESV). 

About fifteen years ago, there was a popular Christian apparel company called “Not of This World.” I used to own a few of their t-shirts and would often spot their NOTW logo on cars in my church’s parking lot where the merchandise was sold. The company’s name came from the phrase found in John 18:36, where Jesus says that His kingdom is “not of this world.” The NOTW logo on my t-shirt was a small reminder that although I live in this world, I am not of this world as a child of God, so my eyes need to be fixed heavenward. As a daughter of the King, I am a part of His Kingdom and, ultimately, a citizen of heaven. Although I experience various trials and pain in this life, my eternal hope in Christ means that heaven is my true home where all suffering will cease. It’s important that no matter what is going on around me, I fight to remember where my journey here on this earth leads. 

The Apostle Paul reminds the church at Philippi about this eternal perspective: “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself” (Philippians 3:20-21, ESV).

Intersecting Faith and Life:
As believers, because of our faith in Jesus Christ, our names are written in the Lamb’s book of life - the paperwork needed for entrance into our awaited home in heaven. This heavenly citizenship means we are to be set apart from the world as believers. Does your language, dress, entertainment, etc., reflect your heavenly citizenship? What area of your life may look more like the world? If Christ has saved you, He has given you the privilege of knowing Him and anticipating His full fellowship.

The more we behold our King, the more we become like Him and long to reflect Him to a lost and dying world. The world needs the hope of Christ, and we are to be carriers of that message that sets the captives free and gives them life eternal in Christ alone. We are to be eagerly fixated on the return of King Jesus, but all too often, temporal, worldly desires have our gaze. We cannot allow the temptations of this world and our weak flesh to entangle us into bondage Christ gave His life to set us free from. We must pray and ask God to strengthen us so that we do not give into these temptations and worldly desires. He always provides a way of escape from these temptations, and we must trust that He will never lead us astray. His ways are so much better than ours!

While here on earth, we can enjoy a small taste of glory as we become conformed to the image of Christ by God’s grace and the power of the Spirit. The Christian life is the process of growing in Christ-likeness- transformed through sanctification. The path of transformation leads to an eternity of transformation. Our bodies will be transformed from our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory. As believers, we joyfully submit to Christ’s Lordship in all things in our life. In the end, Jesus Christ reconciles all things to their right place; He sets all things right by the authority and might of His power. When the world gets dark, let’s remember to fix our gaze on our heavenly home that awaits us!

Further Reading:

• Ephesians 2:19-20
• Colossians 3:4-5

2 Ways to Shipwreck Your Faith..Jennifer Waddle

 2 Ways to Shipwreck Your Faith

By Jennifer Waddle

“This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck.” - (1 Timothy 1:18-19 NKJV)

To experience an actual shipwreck would be one of the scariest experiences a person could go through. When we hear of cruise ships being stranded at sea, starting to sink, or having mechanical issues, we hold our breaths until people are safely rescued.

The apostle Paul knew the experience of shipwreck probably better than anyone.

“Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea…” (2 Corinthians 11:25 NIV)

Three times he was shipwrecked! And yet, he survived to tell the story.

While most of us can only imagine such an ordeal, I’m afraid others of us may end up going through something just as terrible—the shipwreck of faith.

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.  - (Hebrews 6:4-6 NKJV)

Drifting away from our relationship with Jesus is a serious situation that requires serious action. We are in danger of reaching a place, in the open sea of life, where we completely abandon our faith and outright reject the Lord.

There is an interesting line, in 1 Timothy 1:20, that mentions a couple of men by the names of Hymenaeus and Alexander—men to whom Paul “handed over to Satan.” Now, I don’t know about you, but I never want to be “handed over” to Satan! The context of the passage is that Paul recognized two grave things that these men had allowed to happen—two things that basically shipwrecked their faith. When Paul warned Timothy to "fight the good fight with faith and a good conscience,” he was outlining two necessary things for the Christian walk. Unfortunately, Hymenaeus and Alexander had rejected these and been expelled from Paul’s leadership in order that they would learn a hard lesson.

Following the example of these men, here are 2 ways to shipwreck your faith:

1. Reject

In a world where everyone is encouraged to embrace “whatever feels right,” there is an extreme danger of being mislead toward ideas that are contrary to the Scriptures. These ideas plague our culture, our homes, and even our churches. Eventually, they may lead a person to outright reject faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.” (Luke 10:16 NKJV)

Belief and the acceptance of Jesus as the only true God is foundational to the Christian faith. Any other ideas that try to distort this truth are ideas that can lead to shipwreck. It is crucial to our faith that we trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross and not try to add or take away from it.

2. Ignore

When our conscience becomes hardened to the point that we no longer hear or heed the voice of the Holy Spirit, our faith becomes like a splintered ship, tossed against the rocky shore, useless and abandoned.

The Holy Spirit’s role is “God in us.” When we enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, His Spirit comes to reside. He guards, guides, and directs us in the way we should go. Without His navigation, our faith will surely be shipwrecked. It is of utmost importance that we remain in step with Him and listen to His still, small voice.

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25 NKJV)

Paul’s charge to Timothy was to remain strong in the battle, steady on the open seas, and faithful in the Lord. He knew that temptations would come—temptations to reject and ignore the only God and Savior, thereby risking the shipwreck of his faith.

For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. (1Timothy 4:10 NKJV)

A Prayer to Have Faith God Will Provide..Laura Bailey

A Prayer to Have Faith God Will Provide
By Laura Bailey

“But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” - Psalm 81:16, NIV

I was introduced to a new praise song at a conference. The chorus was catchy, the lyrics easy to remember, and I sang the music as I went about my day. My daughter asked, “ What does honey in the rock mean?” I let out a little laugh and admitted, “ I don’t know.” Has that ever happened to you? You find yourself singing the words to a song repeatedly but don’t take time to think about what they mean. I’d been humming this song for the past week, offering it as praise to our Heavenly Father but neglecting to understand its meaning. 

Grateful for the gift of google, I typed in the lyrics and found Psalm 81:16, But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock, I would satisfy you.” Asaph, a worship leader during King David’s reign, wrote Psalm 81. God was reminding the Israelites that one of the blessings of their obedience was that he would “subdue their enemies( Psalm 81:16),” and would provide for his people at times in the most unlikely of ways.

When I think of places to find honey, a rock is not one of them. But just as God provided a sacrificial ram for Abraham ( Genesis 22:1-19), sent manna to the Israelites in the desert (Exodus 16), and fed thousands with five loaves and two fishes (John 6:1-14); God still provides for His people today. He doesn't just meagerly meet our needs; He often provides in unexpected and miraculous ways!

God tells the Israelites that He will satisfy them, not with just anything, but with sweet honey. No matter what we are experiencing, we can have faith that the Lord is good; he longs to care for and provide for his children, genuinely fulfilling our needs. God tells the Israelites that He will satisfy them, not with just anything, but with sweet honey. Often when I struggled to see God moving or answering my prayers, I wondered if He cared about me. I wonder if you have ever felt that way?

The Lord wants to meet our needs and longs to have a personal relationship with us, satisfying our souls with the sweetness of an eternal relationship with Jesus Christ. As we go about our day, let us glorify and offer gratitude to our God. He always has a plan and is eager to provide for his children; He is a God who provides miraculously! Sing with me; He gives honey from the rock! 

Let’s Pray

Heavenly Father, thank you for being our ultimate provider. Thank you for all of the ways you have blessed me; ways I have failed to acknowledge were your divine providence in my life. Let me walk in faith when I struggle to see you working, question your goodness, or doubt your presence. Let my faith drive me to gratitude, remembering you always work things for our good and your glory.

Lord, help me be obedient and keep my mind focused on your will, leading a life of complete surrender. Guide me as I go about my day, not overlooking all the ways you work in my life and the lives of others. Help me not to limit you, and never underestimate your power and purpose. Let me rest in the knowledge that your ways are not mine; your thoughts are not mine. Lord, thank you for knowing what we need, for providing at just the right time, and for the many ways you care for us physically and spiritually. I love you, Lord.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.