Seeking Transformation..Craig Denison Ministries

 Seeking Transformation

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview

We serve a God of powerful transformations. All throughout Scripture God takes those whom the world deemed the lowest, the hopeless, and the helpless and uses them to change the world. You are not beyond transformation. God longs to break off that which inhibits you from experiencing fullness of life. He longs to heal you, deliver you, and set you free. May your life be forever changed as we spend time discovering God’s heart for transformation.

Scripture:“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

Devotional:    

As humans burdened and suffering from both our sins and the fallen nature of the world around us, we are in desperate need of transformation. We are in desperate need of help from a God who has the power to not just clean us up on the outside but to transform us at the core of who we are. But this God doesn’t force transformation on us. He works when we make space for him to do so. If we’re going to experience the freedom, joy, and purpose that can only come from the inner working of the Holy Spirit, we must be those who seek transformation.

Psalm 51:10-12 says, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” Here in Psalm 51 David exemplifies the heart of one who seeks transformation. He models for us a posture of humility that will lead to powerful encounters with God’s transformative love. He doesn’t sit back and merely live with that which plagues him but goes to God with his problems that he might be changed.

David begins as we all should in asking for God to do a mighty work in his heart. And in this act of asking God to create in him a clean heart,David opens himself up to receive the powerful work of the Holy Spirit. To receive transformation from God we have to come before him humbly and honestly that he might have space to do the impossible in our lives.

Often we spend a majority of our efforts trying to convince others and ourselves that we don’t need help. We work tirelessly to build up a facade that we have it all together. We do everything we can to maintain a sense of control in our lives—even in regard to our spirituality. But in doing so we place appearances above reality. We allow that which is destroying us from the inside to persist simply because we are unwilling to acknowledge that we have need. It’s as if we tried to cover up an external wound with jewelry expecting the surface-level beauty of something to contain the power to heal what’s underneath. We don’t need that which covers up. We need the healing that comes from going with an honest, open heart to the one true Healer.

God’s heart for you and me today is that we would put down our guards, take an honest look at our hearts, and recognize our need for transformation. He longs for us to take a moment and call out that which is robbing us of the abundant life he so willingly died to give us. Your God is willing and able to transform you. That which has plagued you for so long will be healed and broken off your life if you will continually seek transformation from your loving heavenly Father. May you experience powerful transformation today as you enter into a time of guided prayer.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the importance of seeking transformation. Allow Psalm 51:10-12 to be your model.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” Psalm 51:10-12

2. Take an honest look at your heart. Where do you need transformation? What lie, habitual sin, perspective, or fear is robbing you of abundant life? What’s chaining you to the ways, cares, and burdens of the world?

3. Declare your need for transformation in that area to God. Tell him you need his help. Ask him to come and do a mighty work in your heart. Listen to whatever he would speak over you, and trust that he will transform you if you continually seek his help.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

We all have areas in which we need transformation. We all are in need of God’s help. Not one of us is perfect. Rather than spending all your energy trying to keep up appearances with others, yourself, and with God, devote yourself completely to living honestly and humbly. Stop exhausting yourself doing that which is of no value and seek help. If you will commit to seeking continual transformation, your efforts will produce life and peace rather than more burden. May your heart be filled with hope as the Holy Spirit works in your life today.

Extended Reading: Psalm 51

Praying God’s Will..Emily Rose Massey

 Praying God’s Will

By Emily Rose Massey

“And this is the confidence that we have toward [God], that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15, ESV).

Recently, a sister in Christ approached me at church before the service started and handed me a book. She told me it had impacted her in such a way she could not stop recommending it to others. What she didn’t know (nor did I at the time), is that this little book on prayer was actually an answer to prayer for me. As someone who was considered a “prayer warrior” for many years, I found my prayer life on life support these last few years, and I couldn’t quite fully put the puzzle pieces together as to why. This book seemed to help me complete the big picture of my prayer problem. 

To be sure, my understanding of prayer has always been simply talking to my Heavenly Father. But as I began to grow in my theology and understanding of His attributes, especially His sovereignty, I saw the importance of remembering to come humbly and boldly to the throne of grace. I recognized my need to bring Him my requests, petitions, and supplications. I had been taught for many years to decree and declare what I believed needed to happen in my life through a faulty understanding of His promises from scripture taken out of context to fit my desires. Again, as I grew in my walk with the Lord, I began to realize my understanding of what Biblical faith is and what it is not. Faith is trusting in Christ alone. It is not viewing faith as a force that could be wielded to achieve certain results if I just said the right phrases or right scriptures “in Jesus’ name.” Ultimately, with that view of prayer, my confidence was in myself at the end of the day, and not in God. I assumed to know the will of God outside of the Word of God in context. We can’t just cherry-pick a verse and expect it to mean whatever we want it to mean. This faulty view of hermeneutics (how we interpret the scriptures) can impact the way we view the Lord. Thus, impacting our communication with Him.

In 1 John 5:14-15, the Apostle John tells us:

“And this is the confidence that we have toward [God], that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15, ESV).

Intersecting Faith and Life:
This book which was gifted to me offered a method of prayer I had never thought of before: using the scriptures as a springboard to pray and a structure to ensure that my prayers would be guided by the will of God. Instead of saying the exact words in a passage, simply just allow the verses to guide prayerful words. What better way to ask the Lord according to His will than to use His own words to guide our prayers? This method helps us from getting stuck or allowing our minds to wander. It also prevents us from praying the same prayers over and over again, which can lead to boredom or feeling as if we aren’t growing in the spiritual discipline of prayer. So many Christians struggle with prayer and feel like a failure, but in all actuality, the method we are using may be causing the problem. It’s easy to give up on something when we feel stuck or like a failure, but we must seek to daily approach our Father. Prayer reminds our hearts of our deep dependency upon Him. We have been given the beautiful gift of the scriptures to fuel our communion with the Lord. Where studying scripture is our breathing in as our minds are renewed, prayer is our breathing out as our connection with the Lord grows deeper. Keeping the Bible, where we find the perfect will of God, at the center of it all, may just be what we need to keep our confidence in Him alive. 

Further Reading:

• 1 John 3:21-22
• John 15:7
• Matthew 7:7-11

 

Will God Forgive Even That?..Chris Russell

 Will God Forgive Even That?

By Chris Russell

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. -  Psalms 136:1

One thing that all of us as men and women have in common is that we are all very, very sinful. We are dreadfully evil in the sight of the Lord. We can read about this in the Scriptures. For instance, Isaiah says, “All of our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.“ (Isaiah 64:6) This reality is written so deeply into our souls that we all have a sense of it whether we admit it or not.

Many people approach this reality in different ways. Some people claim there is no real thing as sin. Others believe that sin really isn’t such a big deal. However, no matter how we attempt to sweep this reality under the carpet, we will never escape its grasp or consequences.

From a Christian perspective, we have the ultimate deliverance from this pervasive presence of sin in our lives. We have… forgiveness! We have… mercy! The God of heaven and earth has told us that, when we confess our sins to Him, He will gladly forgive us. I love the message of 1 John 1:9. This verse says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” What an amazing release from the bondage of guilt and remorse for the many ways we have fallen short of God’s standard!

Furthermore, there is no sin that is so evil that it escapes God’s ability to forgive. God can reach all the way to the bottom of the barrel to offer His forgiveness. What a tragedy it is when people live their lives in this sinfulness but fail to seek God’s forgiveness. It is such a terrible thing when people miss out on the gift of forgiveness.

TODAY’S BIG IDEA: “God’s mercy is beyond human comprehension. His mercy endures forever!”

Today’s prayer: Pray that God will forgive you of any sin that you can think of that you have not yet confessed, and then live in peace knowing those sins have been cast as far as the East is from the West!

A Lenten Prayer for God to Bring Beauty from Ashes..Debbie McDaniel

 A Lenten Prayer for God to Bring Beauty from Ashes

By Debbie McDaniel

“To bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” Isa 61:3

As we walk through this season of Lent, we’re reminded again that sometimes… life is hard.

Sometimes it hurts.

Sometimes it’s dark.

And it leaves its mark, like ashes of grief, in the deepest parts of our souls, where no one but God can really see.

Yet even in times of ashes and struggle, even when we think we’ve been forgotten in our seasons of waiting, God is still there. And He is bigger.

As believers, we can still hold on to hope.

For He never intends for us to stay stuck in our sin, pain, or deep sorrow. He heals and restores, He calls us onward, He reminds us that in Him, we have great purpose and hope.

There is beauty and greatness behind every mark of darkness. The ashes will fall away, they don’t stay forever, but His greatness and glory shine forever through every broken place and flaw we’ve struggled through.

Jesus conquered death. He lives forever. He reigns in glory. And we have victory in Him.

Take courage dear friends who are facing deep battles. He is greater than any enemy we face in this life. We overcome because He has overcome and our lives are hidden in Christ. May God cover you with peace, may He bring healing in the face of hard news, may He bring deep, abiding joy that makes no sense to the world, may He bring comfort and care as He wraps you in His arms. The God of miracles fights for you today, and He is Mighty.

There's still beauty ahead...straight out of ashes.

Christ redeems.

Grace.

Dear God,

In this season of Lent we’re reminded of our own difficulties and struggles. Sometimes the way has seemed too dark. Sometimes we feel like our lives have been marked by such grief and pain, we don’t see how our circumstances can ever change. But in the midst of our weakness, we ask that you would be strong on our behalf. Lord, rise up within us, let your Spirit shine out of every broken place we’ve walked through. Allow your power to be manifest through our own weakness, so that others will recognize it is You who is at work on our behalf. We ask that you would trade the ashes of our lives for the beauty of your Presence. Trade our mourning and grief for the oil of joy and gladness from your Spirit. Trade our despair for hope and praise. We choose to give you thanks today and believe that this season of darkness will fade away. Thank you that you are with us in whatever we face, and that you are greater than this trial. We know and recognize that you are Sovereign, we thank you for the victory that is ours because of Christ Jesus, and we are confident that you have good still in store for our future. We thank you that you are at work right now, trading our ashes for greater beauty. We praise you, for you make all things new.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.