Living from the Heart..Craig Denison Ministries

 Living from the 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:

“Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.” Psalm 62:8

Devotional:    

God has formed us to be creatures of the heart. He made us to live from a place of communion with him—an eternal relationship with our hearts deeply connected. And in response to the communion you have with God you can choose to live from your heart. You can choose with confidence to think, feel, act, and believe not just with what’s logical, but with what God’s Spirit is speaking to you.

Oftentimes we disclude our hearts as if they are unfounded and fickle. We stop paying attention to our emotions because we doubt their validity and value. But God formed you with emotions. And it’s oftentimes your emotions that best reveal your beliefs. You don’t feel stress, worry, doubt, or anger without cause. You don’t experience joy, peace, passion, and purpose for no reason. Your heart is the window to your beliefs. It reveals where you’ve placed your trust and hope. It reveals what truly matters to you.

Psalm 62:8 says, “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.” God longs to hear your heart. He longs for you to so trust him that you honestly and truthfully assess your heart and pour it out before him. He cares about the way you feel. He’s not all right with you going through life stressed, angry, doubtful, worried, or unconfident. He wants your heart to be filled with the fruit of communion with him that you might live an expressive, passionate, and satisfied life.

Acknowledging your emotions isn’t weakness. Rather, it’s a sign of confidence and security that you can take an honest look at your life and assess how you’re doing. Living from the heart is a crucial aspect to authentic, abundant Christianity. God doesn’t want robots. He doesn’t just want to influence our minds or just make us work for him. He wants all of us. He wants your mind to be renewed and your hands to be set to good work from a place of wonderful, life-giving communion with him.

Take time as you enter into guided prayer to value your heart. Assess how you’ve been feeling. Pour out your heart to your loving, patient, and understanding heavenly Father. And go out today in confidence that you might live openly, receptively, and passionately.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the importance of living from the heart.

“Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.” Psalm 62:8

2. Assess how you’ve been feeling. What’s been bringing you life? What’s been causing you stress, anger, or frustration. What do your emotions tell you?

3. Take some time to journal about your emotions. Pour out your heart to God on paper. Ask the Holy Spirit for revelation about anything you don’t understand. Write down his responses.

Oftentimes, if we will begin our quiet time by assessing our emotions we’ll be able to go deeper with God quicker. God longs for our time spent with him to be open, vulnerable, and honest. He longs to help us with those things that are truly robbing us of abundant life. And because emotions are often windows into our beliefs they are a great way to assess where we need a fresh revelation of what’s true. May your life be filled with the fruit of the Spirit today as you choose to live from the heart.

Extended Reading: Psalm 62

The Cross The Believer's Victory..Dr. Charles Stanley

 The Cross The Believer's Victory

Dr. Charles Stanley

1 Corinthians 1:17-31

From a worldly perspective, Christ's death signaled His defeat. After all, dying in agony on a cross hardly seems like the path to victory. But it was! And He did it all for us. Because Jesus triumphed over death, we can be victorious in life. Just consider what He won for us by sacrificing Himself on the cross.

Our Eternal Salvation: The cross was the means of our salvation. Without it, we'd have no hope of heaven. If Christ hadn't died in our place, we'd have to stand before God and receive the just punishment for every sin we've ever committed.

Power over Sin: Jesus not only paid the penalty for our sin; He also brought us present victory over it. When He was crucified, our old sinful nature died with Him (Rom. 6:6). The power of the "flesh" was broken, and Jesus now lives His triumphant life through us. That means we are no longer enslaved to sin and can choose obedience to God.

Defeat of Satan: At the crucifixion, the list of decrees against us was nailed to the cross, and the Devil lost his power over our lives (Col. 2:13-15). None of his accusations can stick, because God holds nothing against us anymore. And now every time we yield to the Spirit within us, Satan is defeated once again.

Christ met all our needs on the cross. By making us a part of His family, He gave us a sense of belonging. When He died in our place, He affirmed our value. And by coming to live His life through each believer, He gives us the ability to live a victorious, obedient life.

Learning How to Glorify God in All Things..Emily Rose Massey

 Learning How to Glorify God in All Things

By Emily Rose Massey

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17, NIV 

When I was in my early 20s, shortly after graduating college, I searched for the “perfect” job. I was so worried that I would end up in the wrong position, and waste my gifts and experience. My degree was a BA in Theatre & Dance with a specialization in performance. Once I decided not to move to a big city, I knew the chances of finding a job in the Midwest in my specialty were slim to none. So, I was willing to compromise- for a period of time at least.

After nine months of unemployment after graduation, I finally landed a job as a receptionist in a small medical office as an insurance verification specialist for durable medical equipment. It did not make a lot of sense with my theater degree, but it was better than no job!

Since I wasn’t weighed down with classes, papers, projects, rehearsals, and shows, I was able to spend more time in my Bible and time in prayer. The Lord truly began to work on my heart. Instead of focusing on the frustration that the job was not in my field, I began asking the Lord to give me opportunities to show His love to people encountered in that small medical office on my way to work in the morning.

I realized God had placed me in that office for more than just to perform a particular job to get a paycheck. Ultimately, no matter what task I accomplished, I was there to do it all for God’s glory. I also realized God cared more about people than He did about my productivity or accomplishments; He wanted me to show others more about His love and if possible, share the truth about Jesus. In Colossians chapter three, the apostle Paul says in his letter to the Church as Colossae:

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17 NIV

Paul reminded the Colossians their ultimate purpose on this earth was to give God glory by showing His love, walking in peace with one another, and doing all things with a heart full of gratitude. 

Intersecting Faith and Life:
What does it mean to give God glory? The word “glory” bears the idea of the greatness and splendor of God as it pertains to the Old Testament. In the New Testament, the word “glory” is translated as “honor, dignity, worship, and praise.” When we put the two together, we see that glorifying God means acknowledging His greatness and giving Him all the worship, honor, and thanksgiving in all we do.

God’s glory is the essence of His nature- we bring Him glory when we revel in His divine essence. How often are we consumed with mundane activities that we forget whom we are doing it for? I believe if we lose the motivation that we are doing it to glorify God, we are prone to grumbling and complaining, much like the children of Israel. We become ungrateful, and our hearts begin to grow hard and cold toward God. We begin to simply “go through the motions” in life and soon we are looking to other things to satisfy a longing in our soul that only living a God-glorifying life can satisfy. We were made to worship God, and He gave us the gifts and abilities to do that every day. 

Are you finding yourself grumbling and complaining when you are doing mundane tasks throughout the day? When you are tempted to complain about your daily activities, turn that into an opportunity to praise and thank God. Are you questioning your purpose regarding what you are doing for a living, for example, your career? Trust that God has you exactly where you are supposed to be. Pray for wisdom and seek godly counsel if you believe it is time for a change. In the meantime, ask God for doors of opportunity to share the love of Christ with someone God has placed around you. You will be amazed at how it will begin to change your perspective on seemingly meaningless tasks or situations that make you uncomfortable or frustrated. Suddenly, you will search out chances to glorify God and tell others about His amazing love through the glorious gospel!

Further Reading:

• 1 Corinthians 10:31
• Hebrews 13:15
• 1 Peter 2:4-5

Why God Doesn’t Heal Every Sickness, Disease, and Illness..Chris Russell

 Why God Doesn’t Heal Every Sickness, Disease, and Illness

By Chris Russell

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. (James 5:13-15)

I am a big believer in the doctrine of healing. I have experienced God’s healing in my own life, and I have witnessed God healing myriads of people over the past couple decades I’ve been in ministry. I am greatly comforted by verses like the one in James that gives us a great hope in the power of prayer.

I do believe that God heals, but I also believe that healing is not always the only path that He chooses for us. Sometimes His perfect plan for our lives is to allow us to suffer and experience disease, illness, and hardship. The reason for this is that He can often teach us things through suffering that we would never be able to learn through a book or seminar, or through comfort and prosperity.

Paul had a problem with his eyesight that God never healed. When Timothy was sick, Paul told him to drink wine (not go to a healing service). The Lazarus who was raised from the dead eventually died later. Paul says that he had a thorn in the flesh which he prayed for God to remove over and over again, but God never removed it. Job suffered because God had a whole bigger purpose for him than mere comfort on this planet. And Job’s suffering was not the result of a lack of faith.

Some of the greatest blessings in this world come from God’s power in the midst of trials. God changes us, molds us, strengthens us, and builds us through hardship. And there is nothing like the experience of being comforted by God alone in that dark hour.

Over the past twenty-five years that I have been in ministry, I have seen people hurt greatly by the false teaching that God always wants to heal every malady. This is because that belief can cause a massive amount of guilt and disillusionment for the afflicted in those times when God actually chooses not to heal. The implication is that the suffering Christian just didn’t quite believe enough or is hiding some sort of sin. I have seen Christians destroyed in their faith over this erroneous teaching.

We must realize that sometimes it’s just not God’s plan to heal or to fix a problem quickly for us. And that’s ok. He still loves us. He still has a plan. And He still has a profound purpose for that pain that can end up blessing us beyond anything we could ever imagine.

Often God chooses to heal! But sometimes He teaches us more and draws us closer when we walk the dark mile of suffering. But to experience such blessing, it is important that we run to God and not away from Him in the midst of the storm.

A Prayer for the Discouraged Heart..Christine Perry

 A Prayer for the Discouraged Heart

By Christine Perry 

“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” Psalm 34:17-19, NKJV

Life is full of unexpected twists and turns. Sometimes it feels like a proverbial rollercoaster ride. We feel tossed from side to side while traveling at supersonic speed. Or it feels as if the bottom has completely dropped, and we’re in a free fall. Other times, life comes to a screeching halt. Especially, in the case of sickness or the loss of a friend or loved one. Keeping our minds on the truth of God’s Word can be challenging.

God never promised an easy life. In fact, the verse above says, “many are the afflictions of the righteous.” Matthew 7:13 says, “narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life.” But Psalms 34:19 also says, “the Lord delivers him out of them all.” 

So, when the emotional waves of life’s circumstances wash over us, and we feel discouraged, where do we find the strength to keep on keeping on? How do we get out of bed when the world seems too daunting? How do we still hold on to hope when nothing ever seems to go right? Remember, no matter what we go through or where we are; we can never outrun our Father in heaven (Psalm 139:7-8). He promises to be with us in every storm, trial, heartbreak, and disappointment; all the while, He says He will strengthen, help, and uphold us (Isaiah 41:10, NKJV).

Right now, let’s do a little exercise. Place your right hand over your heart. Press until you can feel your heartbeat. Breathe and focus on your beating heart. As you do that, remind yourself that if God is still allowing your heart to beat, He’s not done with you or your story yet. He’s still working, and He’s still sustaining your life. Elisabeth Elliot, a missionary widowed twice in her life, said, “Of one thing I am perfectly sure: God's story never ends with 'ashes.” 

Let’s pray:
Dear Gracious Heavenly Father, 

Thank You for the beat in our hearts and the breath in our lungs. Lord, You see the end from the beginning. You know when we rise and when we sit. You know our thoughts before we think them and our words before we speak them (Psalm 139). We know that nothing takes You by surprise and that You work all things together for good to those who love You (Romans 8:28, NKJV).

Lord, in this season of discouragement, please remind us that You are for us and not against us (Romans 8:31, NKJV). Please remind us we are the apple of your eye (Zechariah 2:8, NKJV). And remind us You never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5, NKJV). Please be a shield around us, and when our heads are too heavy for us to lift, please be the Lifter of Our Heads (Psalm 3:3, NKJV). 

Lord, remind us of Your character when all we see is a disappointment; for we know You are our hope and future. Teach our hearts to sing in the midnight hour. Thank You for keeping track of our tears (Psalm 56:8, NKJV). Thank you for hearing our prayer. We believe but help our unbelief. We need You, Father, as much as we need water and food. We love You. Help us to love You more and to be determined to follow hard after You. And when we fail, as we will, help us to get back up and run this race of faith with endurance setting our eyes on You, so we won’t grow weary and discouraged in our soul (Hebrews 12:1-3, NKJV)

I pray You would expedite this season of discouragement and that we would soon see You do exceedingly abundantly more than we can think (Ephesians 3:20-21, NKJV). Amen! 

Resurrected..Sarah Phillips

 Resurrected

by Sarah Phillips

I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD. The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner. This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
Psalms 118:17-23

Most of you will celebrate the Lord's resurrection this month. For many, it will be a glorious day of rejoicing in the miraculous, a day where you reflect not only on the event 2,000 years ago, but on the resurrections in your own life. The day you accepted Christ. The day a long-awaited prayer was answered. The day sickness was healed or sorrow wiped away.

For others, Easter will only serve as a reminder of your cross. You'll feel like you got left at Good Friday, weeping, while the rest of the world moves on to Easter Sunday. You wish you could celebrate, but you don't know how. You may even apologize to God for your somberness.

You're not alone, I assure you.

In the past few months I've watched several Good Fridays and Easters play out in the lives of those around me. Engagements and babies ushered in cries of rejoicing and praises to God. Yet, cancer, infidelity, and financial hardship occurred uncomfortably close to these joyful events.

Most of life is like this. Happiness, unmixed, is not easy to come by.

So how do we deal with this reality? How do we deal with Good Friday and Easter coexisting?

I think we start with recognizing that the first Easter, the real Easter, was not just one event in time that occurred long ago. Christ's resurrection spanned the ages and has eternal consequences. It applies to you and me today just as much as it did to Christ's followers on Easter morning. It also applies to the future. Our hope, no matter where we may be today, is in the transforming truth of Easter.

Second, I think we need to remember that true faith in God does not rely on our emotions. If you cry on Easter morning because life has been wearing you down, God still accepts you. In fact, he died and rose for you so that he could more closely walk with you through these hard times. He knows, more than anyone, the heaviness of the cross.

Third, I think we need to remember that as awe-struck as Christ's first followers felt after his resurrection, they still didn't know what it fully meant… for humanity or for their personal lives. While the resurrection brought their beloved Rabbi back to them, he was different now. The resurrection simultaneously healed some wounds while opening a new can of questions, insecurities, fears, and even pain - at least temporarily.

Ultimately, all Good Fridays will lead to joyful Easter mornings if we cling to Christ. Whether you are in a season of hardship, rejoicing, or a mix of both, the key is to keep walking in faith one step at a time. Only the risen Christ can guide us through the foggy path of life. And when our final Easter morning arrives, we'll finally see with clarity that the journey was worth it.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Reflect on the "little resurrections" in your life - the times God answered a prayer in a very tangible way, the blessings in your life, and the miracles you've witnessed. All these serve as reminders of the great work God will continue to do in your life.

Further Reading

Acts 2:14, 22-33
Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-11
Matthew 28:8-15