Renewal of Perspective..Craig Denison Ministries

 Renewal of Perspective

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

One of the best aspects of spending time alone with God is being renewed daily by his word and presence. When we make space for God in our lives, especially at the beginning of the day, he is faithful to renew and prepare us for all we will face out in the world. Scripture says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23). Where do you need renewal? How greatly do you need God’s mercies in your life? He has a plan this week to both teach and guide you into an encounter with him that will renew you with his overwhelming goodness and love. Make space for God. Make time to encounter him. And experience the refreshing spring rain he longs to bring to heal the dry and weary places of your heart.

Scripture:“And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:17

Devotional:    

This life is like a gust of wind, strong and tangible, but as fleeting as it is real. Tragically, most of us spend the majority of our lives just trying to find out why we’re here. We ask, “What’s our purpose? What’s the point of all this? What’s the meaning of life?” While Scripture is clear that this life is fleeting, God also makes it abundantly clear that what we do with our lives here is of eternal significance. We have incredibly important things to do and little time to do them. So, to truly live life to the fullest as God desires for us, to make the impact we alone can make in this life, we need a clear understanding of how fleeting and important our lives are. We need a renewal of perspective. 

1 John 2:17 says, “The world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” God has a plan for you and a will for your life. Your abilities, mind, heart, and hands are of incredible importance to him. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Your heavenly Father has works prepared for you that only you can accomplish. He has plans for you that he does not have for anybody else. But he has also given you the ability to lead your own life. Every day you have the choice to surrender your life to the lordship of Jesus and follow the guidance of his Spirit. Or, you can choose to go through life being your own boss, making decisions and plans on your own without his guidance. Only one choice will lead you to a life spent co-laboring with God and making an eternal impact. Only one choice will lead you to the joy and purpose you were created for. Only one choice will assure you at the end of your days that you made a deep and lasting impact with your life. 

You see, there isn’t enough time to waste any part of your life pursuing the things of the world. There aren’t enough days to spend even a single one building your kingdom instead of God’s. And your life will be measured by the way in which you loved God and others, not by the weight of your possessions, accolades, or status. Jesus commands us in Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Jesus illustrates an often missed point here: the value of your life is your heart. God is the Creator of all treasure, of everything beautiful, but his prized possession is your heart. His deepest longing is for your affections. He knows that when you give your heart to the world, to pursuing earthly objectives, you will miss out on the peace and purpose of living your life with a constant eternal perspective. Scripture tells us that though we are here on earth, this is not our home. We are called to live here with urgency, maintaining a renewed perspective of our time. Paul writes in Ephesians 5:15-17, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Will you live your life in light of God’s will for you or your own? Will you surrender your heart to the Lord every day or keep one foot in the world and one foot in the kingdom of God?

The choice is entirely up to you. You have both the Holy Spirit and the world vying for your heart. But only God will reward your affections with his own. Only God gave up his life entirely out of his unending devotion and love for you. All you have to do to live fully for God is encounter the love of your heavenly Father each day and live in response to that love by loving him and others. When you are faithful to listen, God is faithful to guide you day to day and season to season. His kingship demands our obedience, and his love stirs our hearts until obedience to him is natural. Experience both the majesty and love of your King today. Let the Holy Spirit lead you to a life of radical, loving obedience. Allow the Spirit and the word to renew your perspective on the purpose of your life. And choose today to live with eternal perspective by loving your heavenly Father and others.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on both the fleeting nature and importance of this life.

“Remember how short my time is! For what vanity you have created all the children of man! What man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?” Psalm 89:47-48

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

2. Reflect on your own life. In what areas have you been pursuing the world instead of God? Where have you chosen to rule your own life? What decisions have you made apart from the leadership of God? Confess those sins to the Lord, and receive his forgiveness. He longs to restore you totally to himself. He will daily forgive your sins and lead you fully to the life he has in store for you.

3. Commit yourself to live for the kingdom of God instead of your own. Pray to the Lord, and tell him your desire to live for his kingdom. Submit your will and live for him instead of yourself. Ask for the help of the Spirit as you go through your day. Listen for his voice and follow his leading as you pray.

This life requires a daily process of confession, forgiveness, and commitment. Daily we need to gain fresh perspective on what really matters. Constantly throughout our day we need to remind ourselves of why we were created. Engage in this process, encounter the grace of God as you make mistakes, and live your life pursuing all that God has in store for you. You can never experience the same peace, purpose, and grace-filled love anywhere else as you will living fully surrendered to God. God will never forsake you or reject you. He has only love for you. Choose him over the world today and experience the life you’ve been longing for.

Extended Reading: Matthew 6

A Man Worthy of Our Praise..Dr. Charles Stanley

 A Man Worthy of Our Praise

Dr. Charles Stanley

Matthew 8:23-27

The men traveling with Jesus on a stormy Galilean night said something that ought to make us sit up and take notice. “What kind of a man is this . . . ?” If we ask ourselves that same question, we will start to see the big picture of who Jesus is instead of concentrating on the “slivers” of personality revealed by individual stories.

When the wind, which has been funneled through a narrow gorge, pushes out over the Sea of Galilee, the water becomes turbulent. Jesus and His disciples were caught in just such a dangerous storm while making their way to Gadara. Waves crashed over the deck of the wooden boat. The experienced seamen onboard were certain that death was imminent.

But Jesus was sleeping. He was resting quietly during a storm so frightening that the Greek word used to describe it is seismos—from the same root that gives us the phrase “seismic activity” for earthquakes. What kind of man is this who can sleep while the boat heaves and pitches? The answer is: the One who created the seas and knows how a storm brews and what energy causes a wave to stay in motion. That’s the kind of man: a divine Being cloaked in humanity, who rebuked the winds and sea so that they became perfectly calm.

Scripture indicates that both the air and the water were instantly stilled. Such is the power of Jesus, the Creator and Lord over the universe. Taken together, all the Bible stories about Jesus reveal the “big picture” that He is the only man worthy of glory, honor, and praise (Dan. 7:13-14).

Caring for God’s Creatures..Lynette Kittle

 Caring for God’s Creatures

By Lynette Kittle

“Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, ‘What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?’” - Numbers 22:28

Talking donkeys? As a kid I loved the classic 1950s movie, “Francis the Talking Mule,” that played on Saturday afternoons. This mule was sassy, fun, smart, and a little bit of a troublemaker.

As well, the 1960 reruns of “Mr. Ed,” a television show about a wisecracking talking horse provides hours of laughs. His antics of outsmarting his owner, Wilbur, and putting him in embarrassing situations leave viewers amused and entertained.

Although both delightful talking animals seemed far-fetched, the Bible tells us of a real-life talking donkey who had something to say, leaving us wondering what would our pets say to us if God opened their mouths and allowed them to speak to us.

They speak to us with barks, meows, winnowing, licks, and wagging tails, but most of the time we have to guess what they’re really trying to communicate to us. Hopefully, their words would be filled with gratitude for the loving care we give them rather than questions of neglect or mistreatment like Balaam’s donkey asked.

So Much to Love About Animals
Some of my favorite posts to watch online involve pets and animals. These include rescued animals, special needs animals, animals befriending other animals, and so on.

God’s amazing animals serve as wonderful companions to both people and each other. They bring joy to us, along with beneficial qualities such as companionship, loyalty, comfort, protectiveness, and so much more.

No wonder many people have turned to animals for their emotional support and travel companions over other humans. Animals have a way of providing unconditional acceptance and loyalty that individuals don’t always find with one another.

Because, in some extremes, groups have made animal life more important than human life, it seems some Christians think they have to choose between loving humans and loving animals. But we don’t have to choose one or the other to love, because we can love and care for both people and animals, knowing our loving God created and gives life to both.

In the beginning, God created both animals and humans. He then went to great lengths to preserve and save Noah, his family, and the animals on earth in the ark (Genesis 7:2-3), safely sheltering them from flood waters (Genesis 1:8). Like Noah, we, too, are called to lovingly look after and care for our families and animals.

Fashioned for Our Delight
Humans have been entrusted by God to care for animals. One characteristic of a godly person is caring for their animals. “The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel” (Proverbs 12:10).

After lovingly designing each unique animal, God gave man the great privilege of naming each of them. “Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals” (Genesis 2:19-20).

As well, when we care for the beautiful animals God fashioned, there comes a great sense of satisfaction and blessing in our lives. As Genesis 1:28 describes, “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’”

Everything God made is good (Genesis 1:31), and He’s given us the privilege and responsibility of taking care of His beautiful creation of animals. We can be assured that whatever God has called us to do is not only pleasing to Him but also beneficial to us in ways we most likely don’t even comprehend.

Intersecting Faith and Life: 
How are you fulfilling God’s calling and responsibility to care for His beautiful creation? If a pet or animal owner, are you providing for their practical needs with food, water, and shelter? If not a pet owner, there are ways to offer comfort and care when called upon like pet sitting for a friend or family member, volunteering or donating to animal rescue or care facilities, or just by the way we speak about animals and their place in the world, recognizing God’s delight in creating and giving them life.

God Is...By Mark Jones

 God Is...

By Mark Jones

“And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!"“  -Revelation 4:8

We Cannot Know God Fully...

God is spirit, triune, infinite, holy, unchangeable, love. The true and living God is too much for us to handle, to know, to trust, to understand, to worship. The incomprehensible one is simply too much for us.

...Yet We Can Know Him Truly

Yet he reveals himself to us through his Word. And while we may not understand all that the Bible tells us about God, we must aim to believe and communicate as much as we can about him. We must press on to know the Lord, a difficult but rewarding task, because worship without knowledge is idolatry.

...In Christ

To know the attributes of God is to not only know God, but to know what God is like. To know what God is like is to know what God is toward us. More pointedly, to know God is to know Christ. Christ is the stage upon which the attributes of God shine most clearly. Knowing the attributes of God is essential for our everyday living, and they need to be seen in a Christ-centered framework.

Nothing we do can be properly understood apart from what God is.

A Prayer to Focus on Our Unique Assignment..Laura Bailey

 A Prayer to Focus on Our Unique Assignment

By Laura Bailey

“When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” - John 21:21-22 NIV

“Let me see your chore list!” my oldest daughter demanded, yanking the small slip of paper from her younger sister.  Stomping down the stairs and barging into my room, she protested, “MOM! Why does she have fewer things to do than me?” 

It wasn’t the first time we discussed differing responsibilities and addressed the more critical comparison issue. Letting out an exhausted sigh, I reminded my daughter that her tasks were appropriate for her just as her younger sisters were for her; she would do much better just to get to work than wasting time complaining and comparing assignments. 

Early that week, I confessed to a friend that I was frustrated with one of my ministry roles, feeling my talent was being overlooked and underused. I then went further, openly criticizing the other sister in Christ chosen for the position, questioning her credentials and experience. I felt that all too familiar conviction of the Holy Spirit stirring my heart as I admonished my daughter. 

At the end of the book of John, we read of an interaction between Peter and Jesus. In the early verses of John 21, we read where Jesus reinstated Peter after his betrayal, commanding him to “feed his sheep” and telling Peter of the death he would face. After being wholly forgiven for denying Christ and given the immense responsibility of caring for God’s people, Peter looked up, saw John, another of the disciples, and asked, “Well, what about him? What is he going to do?” The first time I read these verses, I thought, “Are you serious, Peter? That’s what you took away from your time with Jesus. You wanted to know what was going to happen to John. How dense are you?”

Have you ever responded like my daughter and me, or Peter? 

Do you discount your home while wishing you had a house like your neighbor's?

Or do you find yourself discontented with work and wishing you had your coworker's assignment list instead?

In Peter’s defense, Jesus shared some weighty news about how Peter would die so that Peter would wonder about John’s fate. Jesus’ response to Peter is not critical but doesn’t answer Peter’s question. Instead, Jesus responds with a question, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?" (John 21:22)

Jesus was trying to make the point that Peter’s faith and God’s assignment for his life weren’t dependent on what would happen to John. The Lord has a unique plan for each of His children; our focus should be looking ahead, not from side to side, distracted by what God has planned for those around us. 

What God has planned for someone else doesn’t change our assignment or call to obedience. Nothing good comes from comparing our circumstances to others; the Lord knew we would struggle with contentment, including “thou shall not covet” in the ten commandments. 

May we be people so consumed with delighting in the Lord’s will for our own lives, focusing on our unique assignment, that we don’t have to waste our energy worrying about what others are doing. This is not to say that we don’t check in with our neighbors, ask about the lives of our friends and family, or touch base with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We can happily listen and encourage others in their unique assignments and obey God’s calling on our life because God created each of His children with a plan he predestined before the beginning of time (Ephesians 1:4-5).

Let’s Pray:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you that you are longsuffering with your children. We often neglect to give you praise and gratitude instead of cursing and complaining about our circumstances. Give us eyes to see people the way you do, choosing to rejoice with those who rejoice and encouraging one another as they seek to further your kingdom.

Forgive us when we compare our circumstances, desiring the gifts, talents, and resources of others. We ask that you fill our hearts with gratitude, reminding us daily of the infinite blessings you have bestowed in our lives. We love you, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Good News!..PowerPoint Ministries / Dr. Jack Graham

 

Good News!

PowerPoint Ministries / Dr. Jack Graham

Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you — unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.
--1 Corinthians 15:1-4

Doesn't it seem that bad news is all around us? It's always the top story on the news or the main headline in the paper.

But as believers, we know the best news we could ever hear… and we celebrate it this month.

Easter is the day we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the grave. This is the event that conquered sin… it conquered death… and it made it possible for you and me to have a personal relationship with God!

Perhaps, today, this is the first time you've ever heard or understood this Good News. 

If so, I want to tell you something: Jesus died on the cross for you. He wore a crown of thorns and was nailed to a tree because He loves you… and He wants to have a personal relationship with you today.

Will you accept this Good News today?

THIS EASTER SEASON, SHARE THE GOOD NEWS WITH SOMEONE WHO NEEDS TO HEAR IT!