An Open Heart..Craig Denison Ministries

 An Open Heart

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

So often we view God as an enforcer of religious rules. We see the commands of Scripture as a list of to-dos rather than a path leading to abundant life. But those perceptions aren’t the truth of Scripture. Those beliefs are founded on misguided notions of God’s character. God is after the heart. More than he wants us to do right, he wants us to see him rightly. He wants going to church, reading the Bible, worshipping, serving the poor, and living righteously to come from a heart filled with a true revelation of his loving-kindness. May your heart be wholly God’s this week.

Scripture:

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” Proverbs 4:23

Devotional:    

In order to experience all the fullness of life God has in store for us we must live with an open heart. Oftentimes, whether it be from wounds or simply bad teaching, we live closed off and self-focused. We go throughout our days with walls up around our hearts and rarely allow ourselves to receive the reality of God’s nearness moment to moment. But God is calling us deeper. He’s calling us to a lifestyle of encountering him. He’s calling us to tear down the walls we’ve built up and trust that living openly and receptively will bear life, peace, and joy.

John 15:4 says, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” God longs to be with you. He longs to speak to you, guide you, pour out his love on you, and remain with you throughout your day. He’s not just a God of Sundays. His presence isn’t only available at conferences, worship services, or monasteries. He is God of every moment. He is Lord of all eternity. And he longs to give you good gifts all the time. He longs to bear wonderful, life-giving fruit in you. But you must be willing to abide in him. You must receive all he has to give.

Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” Life comes from the heart both physically and spiritually. Just as the heart pumps blood out to the rest of your body, your heart pumps out spiritual life. Your heart is the place where God is constantly speaking. Your heart is what he cares about. It’s not enough to just give him your mind for understanding or your hands for good works; he wants you at your core. He wants your life to be wrapped up in his.

Take time today to open your heart to your loving heavenly Father. Look for any walls you’ve built up around your heart. Stop believing any lies or misconceptions that would keep you from experiencing God’s love moment to moment. May your time in guided prayer be filled with new life as your heart is open and receptive to the freedom of God’s presence.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the importance of having an open and receptive heart to God.

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” John 15:4

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” Proverbs 4:23

2. Do you have any walls up between you and God? Are you living at times as if he isn’t with you? Are you fully open and receptive to the things of God throughout your day?

3. Cast down any walls you’ve built up at the feet of Jesus and open your heart to him. Receive a revelation of his nearness and spend some time simply resting in his presence. Ask him to give you eyes to see all the good gifts he has given you today.

God is constantly blessing us. He constantly has good gifts to give us. James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” God longs to demonstrate his love to you by giving you good and perfect gifts. Cultivate a lifestyle of noticing and receiving God’s blessings. Look for all the ways he is providing for you and give thanks to him. Live your whole life in light of the reality of his nearness and experience all his goodness throughout your day. May you be filled with abundant blessings as you seek to live with an open heart.

Extended Reading: Matthew 12

What About When It All Goes Up in Flames?..HEIDI LEE ANDERSON

 What About When It All Goes Up in Flames?

HEIDI LEE ANDERSON 

“There is no other god who can rescue like this!” Daniel 3:29b (NLT)

You had a happy marriage.
You were financially secure.
You used to be healthy.
You thought your adult kids loved Jesus.
You had a steady job, steady friends, a steady life … until _________________.

They filed for divorce, the doctor delivered that diagnosis, there were layoffs, or you moved away from everything and everyone you love — and it all went up in flames.

Good news: Three people in the Bible know exactly how we feel.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were handpicked to be trained as top officials in Babylon. They earned the respect of the king and — get this — were well known for being “strong, healthy, and good-looking” (Daniel 1:4, NLT).

Life was going their way!

Until King Nebuchadnezzar built a 90-foot statue with a clear message: Bow or burn. With a flaming furnace in full view, “all the people … bowed to the ground and worshiped the gold statue” (Daniel 3:7, NLT).

Well, all except three.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego stood tall, and as the king offered a second chance to bow low, we hear our guys drop this truth bomb:

“O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up” (Daniel 3:16-18, NLT).

The king’s face “distorted with rage” (Daniel 3:19, NLT), which clues us in that this did not go over well. And with a singular order from Nebuchadnezzar, these three rebels were bound and thrown into the fire.

WAIT, WHAT?

I know. Seems a bit unfair, doesn’t it? They stayed faithful to God and strong in their convictions … yet they were punished for it? It all literally went up in flames? Hold up — where was God? (And does anyone know how to file a fire-insurance claim?)

“But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, ‘Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?’ ‘Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did,’ they replied. ‘Look!’ Nebuchadnezzar shouted. ‘I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!’” (Daniel 3:24-25, NLT).

Do you see it? It was only in the fire that the king could see God’s glory.

Here’s the deal: As easy as it is to sing God’s praises after the answered prayer, what if the call is actually to hold fast in faith before the answer comes? What if we wait expectantly for our Savior to save even when the flames are hot around our marriage, kids, finances and health? Ultimately, God can display Himself through the blaze so that those watching can see Him.

Since God was the same yesterday as He is today, and He “causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28, NLT), we can confidently stand in the fires of life, knowing help is always on the way for us too.

When that day comes for us, maybe those like King Nebuchadnezzar will finally see the Lord's power for themselves and, with eyes bugged out, declare, “There is no other god who can rescue like this!” (Daniel 3:29b).

Who knows? Maybe that was the whole point all along …

God, thank You for Your faithful presence in the fire. In the heat of it all, I trust in You — please make Yourself known. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Wisdom’s Benefit Package..Dr. Charles Stanley

 Wisdom’s Benefit Package

Dr. Charles Stanley

Proverbs 2

When someone applies for a job, a common question is: “What does the benefit package include?” Since the world’s advice about how to have a good life is in sharp contrast to what the Bible recommends, we might want to consider asking a similar question about the value of living according to God’s wisdom: What are the benefits? In other words, Why should we seek to live in obedience to the instructions given in the Scriptures?

First of all, in seeking God’s wisdom, we will acquire a deeper understanding and knowledge of the Lord (Prov. 22:4-6). Our perception of life is greatly enhanced when we know Him intimately. He’ll give us the ability to see ourselves, others, and situations from His perspective. As biblical principles permeate our minds, they will shape our thinking and responses to all of life’s situations and challenges.

Second, God promises divine guidance and protection if we walk wisely (vv. 7-10). Nothing outside His will can penetrate the shield of protection around those who seek to obey Him. When we let His wisdom enter our hearts, discretion watches over our desires and emotions, preventing us from entering into foolish or sinful relationships that would draw us away from Him (vv. 11-20).

Godly understanding and protection don’t become ours simply because we want them. Such benefits come to people who diligently seek divine wisdom. If you receive the wordsof Scripture and let them fill your heart and mind, the Lord will reveal Himself to you and give you His discernment.

Putting on a Heart of Compassion..Emily Rose Massey

 Putting on a Heart of Compassion

By Emily Rose Massey

“Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive” (Colossians 3:12-13, ESV).

It seems that I have been blessed with a strong immune system. When my children get sick, my husband typically catches whatever they have, but I somehow escape the germs. I am thankful for that, but it also means mama is the sole nurse for everyone when that happens. If I’m not careful, I find myself complaining and grumbling that I am the only one keeping the house in order and “keeping everyone alive.” When I happen to fall ill on rare occasions, I very seldom rest and try to plow through my responsibilities even when I’m not feeling my best. 

The more I reflect upon this pattern of behavior I start to wonder if this all stems from trying to avoid feeling weak. The question I then must ask myself is: when I see weakness, do I look down upon others for not handling their trial like I think they should? 

Just because I may be able to seemingly “handle more,” even if by God’s grace, that doesn’t mean I should hold others to the same standard in every instance. Scripture tells us we need to see others through the lens of love and compassion, and it’s something we need to make a conscious effort to do. The Apostle Paul, in the book of Colossians, urges believers:

“Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive” (Colossians 3:12-13, ESV).

Paul listed some fruit of the Spirit, but also the command to “put on” these godly traits. When we are born again in Christ, we receive the fruit of the Spirit. But it is our responsibility to ensure we yield to the Spirit, instead of allowing our flesh to rule and reign. In this way, the fruit of our lives shines for God’s glory.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
Yielding to the Spirit means walking in the Spirit, following His lead over our own flesh. When we are being led by the Spirit, we are putting to death the ways of the flesh, because the sins and desires of the flesh are against the Spirit. This is not a passive or mysterious “leading” or “subjective feeling,” but rather an active, ever-present fight in the believer's life. Thankfully, we as disciples of Christ are not left to human subjectivity and confusion, we have God’s word as a lamp to our feet in a world of darkness and sin (Psalm 119:105). 

Therefore, Bible study and prayer time are critical because this is how the Lord transforms our hearts and renews our minds. When the Holy Spirit convicts us of fleshly, sinful behavior, we must confess our sins. Christ is faithful and just to forgive us. We are also empowered by the Holy Spirit to choose to walk in righteous ways as we learn to depend upon Him. By His grace, we become less selfish and more compassionate, patient, kind, and humble. Let’s learn to yield to the Holy Spirit, and with His help, put on love so all may see God’s goodness.

Further Reading:

• Romans 13:13-14
• 2 Corinthians 6:5-6
• Galatians 5:22-23
• Ephesians 4:1-4

Did Jesus Have a Favorite Bible?..Dr. John Barnett

 Did Jesus Have a Favorite Bible?

By Dr. John Barnett

If you were put on the spot and hundreds of eyes and ears were on you and you were asked to give THE reason why you know the Bible is true—what would you say? That question is best answered by remembering what Jesus said in the same situation.

At that huge gathering, called the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus confidently told all the thousands who heard Him speak—that Heaven and Earth would pass away before any word of His Bible failed. Wow, He sure knew He had a Bible He could trust. Jesus didn't fear that there were any historical, moral, theological, and scientific inaccuracies in His Bible. He had a copy of the Book anyone can trust!But as we read Matthew 5:17-19, Jesus summed it up as simply this, HE believed God's Word and so should we:

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Have you ever looked down and wondered if you really held the same Bible Jesus had, the one God breathed out supernaturally by inspiration? And further, have you ever wondered if this one is okay, because it is a translation, and not the actual Hebrew or Greek words that God gave to those 40 plus men, who He used to write the Bible?

This is the Bible Jesus Used

The Septuagint was the first translation of the Hebrew Bible; and was made in the third century B.C. by Jewish scribes, who were direct descendants of those trained in Ezra's Great Synagogue of Jerusalem. They were complete experts in the text, being very well versed in Hebrew and Greek.

This translation became very popular among Jews in the first two centuries before Christ because many Jews in those days did not understand Hebrew. Their ancestors had left Israel centuries before, and generation after generation gradually lost the ability to read the Scriptures in Hebrew.

Many of the Jews in Jesus' day used the Septuagint as their Bible. Quite naturally, the early Christians also used the Septuagint in their meetings and for personal reading; and many of the New Testament apostles quoted it when they wrote the Gospels and Epistles in Greek. What is most fascinating is that the order of the books in the Septuagint is the same order in our Bibles today, and not like the Hebrew scrolls. So this means that:

Jesus Primarily Used a Translation

Jesus and the Apostles: studied, memorized, used, quoted, and read most often from the Bible of their day, the Septuagint. Since Matthew wrote primarily to convince the Jews that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed their promised Messiah, it follows as a matter of course that his Gospel is saturated with the Hebrew Scriptures. Yet, when Jesus quotes the Old Testament in Matthew, He uses the Hebrew text only 10% of the time, but the Greek LXX translation—90% of the time!

Amazingly, Jesus and Paul used the LXX as their primary Bible. It was just like the Bible each of us holds in our hands, not the original Hebrew Old Testament, but a translation of the Hebrew into Greek. But it was based on exactly the same original and inspired words, and reads just like the Bible we hold in our hands today.

A Prayer for Power and Strength..Meg Bucher

 A Prayer for Power and Strength 

By Meg Bucher

“Then Jesus told them, ‘I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, “May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,” and it will happen. You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.’” Matthew 21:21-22 NLT

A smile slowly took over my face as my golden doodle faithfully matched my stride. The healing was finally happening. As the audiobook in my air pods came to a conclusion, I felt confident my mind had turned the corner and my body had followed it to healing. Prayer is powerful. 

God hears and answers our prayers. He is always in motion on our behalf. Oftentimes our answers to prayer come in unexpected ways. A continued conversation with our Father helps us recognize His movement in our lives. Prayer is akin to seeing from a different perspective. Sometimes answers to prayer are obvious, miraculous, and very direct. Other times, obtaining a Christ-like perspective takes spiritual, mental, and perhaps physical growing pains. No matter what way they come, answers to prayer move mountains in our lives. Today, let’s pray for God’s movement in our lives to be evident to and through us.

Let’s pray:
Father, 

Your mercies are new every day. Great is Your faithfulness. You are the Truth. You are Freedom! God Your thoughts are not our thoughts and Your ways are not our ways. For this reason, we can become frustrated when our prayers seem to go unnoticed and unanswered. We don’t always understand the delay and the different ways You answer according to what we ask. Let the power of prayer come to full strength in our lives as we remember Your faithfulness. You, alone, are perfect in mercy and justice, forgiveness and compassion. Father, help us to see things from Your perspective. You always know what we need, and what we are going through. Father Your heart breaks alongside us when we are going through a painful season. Increase our trust in who You are, as we wait patiently on You -bravely and courageously. 

God, we know You are good. Help us to be brave enough, not only to ask big things of You in prayer but to be brave enough to believe and trust big answers to prayer are an everyday reality! Jesus said, “You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.” Father, this is our prayer today, for You to give us the faith we need to pray for anything, and for the answer to anything we are asking for today. If You are willing, please answer our mountain-sized prayers for miraculous healing, peace, restoration, forgiveness, reconciliation, contentment, hope, and joy. 

Holy Spirit, we welcome You to move through our lives today through Christ Jesus. Be our Friend, Comfort, and Guide. Translate our prayers into heaven and help us to discern the Truth as it applies to our everyday circumstances. Help us to see. Give us the vision to share the direction of Your will for our lives, God. Give us the power to develop big faith, prayers, and praise to You. We can pray for anything. And if we have faith …we will receive it. Let us carry these words of hope written on our hearts as we walk through our daily lives. Remind us to pray constantly, and keep us in constant conversation with You, God. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Easter Means No More Condemnation..Rick Warren

 Easter Means No More Condemnation

By Rick Warren 

“Christ sacrificed his life’s blood to set us free, which means that our sins are now forgiven. Christ did this because God was so kind to us” (Ephesians 1:7 CEV).

Have you ever wondered who put Jesus on the cross? 

It wasn’t Judas or Caiaphas. It wasn’t Pilate. It wasn’t even the religious leaders who hated Jesus.

This may shock you, but there are two answers.

First, it was God. The Bible says it was his plan from the very beginning. It’s the reason he came to earth. The Bible had predicted his death hundreds of years earlier.

But the other answer is us. You put Jesus on the cross, and so did I. If we had never sinned, Jesus wouldn’t have needed to die. Romans 4:25 says, “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (NIV). 

Because Jesus died on the cross, our sins are forgiven.

We’re all imperfect. We have sin that makes us feel guilty about our past. We have regrets. But God doesn’t want us to live with that guilt. That’s why Jesus died!

Ephesians 1:7 says, “Christ sacrificed his life’s blood to set us free, which means that our sins are now forgiven. Christ did this because God was so kind to us” (CEV).

Guilt wastes a ton of energy. It wears us out and robs us of peace of mind.

Too many believers are saved but don’t act like it. They’re full of shame and guilt. It dominates everything they do. They believe in Jesus, but they haven’t been set free from the condemnation of sin.

Romans 8:1 says, “Now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus” (NLT).

“No condemnation” means God doesn’t judge you for all the things you’ve done wrong if you’ve trusted in Christ Jesus. He took your punishment on the cross. God doesn’t have to condemn you, because Jesus took your condemnation.  

That’s what Easter is all about. You’re forgiven. Jesus died for you. You can live with hope and not condemnation.

You can be free.