Honesty is the Foundation..Craig Denison Ministries

 Honesty is the Foundation

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

Honesty is more than the words we say. It’s a posture of the heart. We weren’t made to try and be something we’re not. God never asks us to keep up appearances. He longs for us to have the courage to be vulnerable. He longs for us to be so founded in his unconditional love that we live honestly. May you experience new levels of peace and joy this week as we discover God’s heart for honesty.

Scripture:

“Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.” 1 Peter 3:10

Devotional:    

Deciding to live openly and honestly is foundational to experiencing fullness of life in God. God doesn’t deal with our facades. He doesn’t speak to, love on, heal, deliver, or empower the fake self we try and portray. Rather, he faithfully pursues who we really are, drawing us out from the walls we’ve built up around our hearts.

1 Peter 3:10 says, “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.” When the Bible talks about honesty, it isn’t just talking about God’s heart for us not to speak lies, but also that we wouldn’t believe or live out lies. In living honestly we will love life and see good days. Nothing good comes from being dishonest. There is no life in trying to appear as something we’re not. Abundant life comes with communion with God, and God always meets us where we’re at.

Assess your life today. Are you living honestly? Are you trying to portray yourself as something you’re not? Are you deceiving yourself or looking at yourself honestly? Are you coming before God just as you are or trying to appear like you have everything together?

Honesty is at the foundation of encountering God, loving others, experiencing abundant life, and doing good, eternal works. Everything God does is about the heart. He’s about that which has substance, that which is real. He’s not calling you to share your “picture-perfect” life with others. He’s calling you to be vulnerable with others that they would see the unconditional, grace-filled nature of relationship with God. He’s not asking you to clean yourself up before you worship him or meet with him. He’s asking you to come as you are that he might reveal the love he already has for you, even in your imperfections.

Take time to make honesty a core value in your life. Reflect on the importance of being open and vulnerable. Allow the Spirit to illuminate any ways in which you are valuing appearance above reality. And choose today to be who you truly are. May you find new peace and joy today as you remove the pressure of appearance.

Guided Prayer: 

1. Meditate on the importance of honesty. May Scripture help you make honesty a core value.

“Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.” 1 Peter 3:10

“For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

“If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.” James 1

2. Assess your heart. In what ways do you value appearance above reality? Where are you working to try and appear as something you’re not. Ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate any ways in which you need to live more honestly.

3. Ask God to reveal his love for you even in your imperfections. Allow his love to fill you with the courage to be honest today. Rest in his unconditional love for you.

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

The only confidence available to us to live honestly is the unconditional love of God. Christ died for you while you were in your sin. He gave his life just to have relationship with you just as you are. Choose to receive his love. Choose to value his opinion over others’ opinions. Let his love be your source over the fickle affections of people. May you find courage to be yourself today and thereby experience true freedom in your heart. 

Extended Reading: 1 Peter 3

Constructing New Prayer Habits this Easter..Meg Bucher

 Constructing New Prayer Habits this Easter

By Meg Bucher 

“Pray continuously.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 

Breathless, a lump creeping up into my throat, I swung the glass door open and tore into the quiet sanctuary. The smell of holy water and wafers enveloped me as I hurried to write a name in the book of prayer requests. The kneeler creaked and then thunked into place as I assumed the position. Head resting on polished wood, warm tears finding a safe place to stream out …I prayed. 

How are we supposed to pray?
I grew up in a denomination where prayers were memorized. My grandmother’s voice still rings in my ears alongside the memory of her hands gripping the beads on her rosary. Prayer was something I learned to do in every circumstance, on every occasion. As I grew into my relationship with Jesus, I realized He spoke the words I obediently prayed from memory: 

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name, your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”Matthew 6:9-13 NIV

Scripture is rich with instructions on how to pray to God. There are many acronyms, shortcuts, and neat memory tricks. But in my experience, understanding what Jesus said about how to pray is the most important guide. Prayer can start by acknowledging who God is and taking a moment to praise Him. Then, prayerfully thanking Him for what He’s done and whom He is followed by confession of our sins and releasing our worries into His arms. Finally, we pray for help, blessing, and healing. Prayer is for protection from evil and a life that brings glory to God.

How do we make our prayers to God personal?
“Pray continuously,” follows Paul’s prose to the Thessalonians which says, “Be joyful always.” The key to remembering the joy we have in Jesus is to pray all of the time. Prayer is meant to become a part of our conversation with the Lord throughout our days. As we learn Scripture and the Holy Spirit grows us through the process of sanctification, we begin to understand the all-day, everyday accessibility of God through prayer. The Lord is able to hear us and help us throughout our days. He wants us to involve Him, so we may live each day to the full. Understanding the Bible, why we pray, and how to pray is important. But involving Him in our inner monologue is, too. We were created in His image. He gets us. He made us, heart-to-head. Living life in conversation with Him is the way to personal prayer. 

Intersecting Faith and Life

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to the dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 NIV

Praying the word is powerful. Scripture assures us God is in the process of answering our prayers before we are finished praying. He hurries through the heavens to our aid. He hears us. He knows us. He provides for us. Prayer is powerful. When we take the time to read the Word daily and apply it to our lives, the Holy Spirit will often bring those verses back to us when we are praying. Nothing is coincidental about God. He is purposeful in all He does, in every way in which He communicates with us. In all the ways He provides for us, and loves us. The way He created us, knitting us carefully in our mother’s womb …with the specific purpose to execute on this earth …to bring glory …to Him. 

In our everyday lives, we cannot control every thought which enters our minds. But we should be aware of them, flicking out the ones meant to distract us from focusing on living a full life to the glory of God. 

Further Reading:

• Philippians 1:9
• Philippians 1:19
• Philippians 4:6

Whatever You Do.. Lynette Kittle

 Whatever You Do

By Lynette Kittle

“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

Do life’s everyday responsibilities like loading and unloading the dishwasher, cause you to mumble under your breath? Or do you find yourself grumbling about the mundane tasks you’re assigned at work? Maybe it’s the wear-and-tear of working weekly in the church’s nursery or serving on the worship team?

It’s easy to grow weary in serving others and even easier to become critical in thoughts and words, rather than to turn to God’s Word in how to respond in various situations. Still God encourages you to do everything without grumbling or arguing (Philippians 2:14).

Scriptural Examples

Sadly the Israelites’ journey in the wilderness reveals a crowd of grumblers. So much so, it led God to respond with ”How long will this wicked community grumble against me?” (Numbers 14:27).

Today in a culture where being outspoken, critical, and argumentative is celebrated and admired, most may not even consider grumbling something to avoid.

Jesus was the subject of grumbling, too, when He went to the home of Zacchaeus. Luke 19:7 states, “All the people saw this and began to mutter, ‘He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.’”

In another situation where a crowd was criticizing Him for some statements He made, Jesus confronted them saying “Stop grumbling among yourselves” (John 6:43).

Because fault-finding is so commonplace now, especially with the opportunities offered on the Internet and through social media to express opinions, the majority of individuals may not know that Scripture strongly cautions people to not grumble against one another (James 5:9).

How to Serve Well

Rather than complaining about serving others at home, on the job, in church, or in your community, Scripture urges you to “serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people” (Ephesians 6:7).

Likewise, Colossians 3:23-24 encourages “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,” knowing “that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:24).

Scripture reveals the truth to serving well, which is to not look to people for your inspiration or reward but to look to God. Doing so makes it easier to “do everything in love,” as directed in 1 Corinthians 15:14.

So next time you're tempted to mumble, grumble, complain, or argue while serving others, instead, consider it as an opportunity to serve God. Focus on Him rather than the task, knowing He sees your heart and actions, and will reward you for your service.

A Prayer of Thanks for God’s Goodness this Easter..Meg Bucher

 A Prayer of Thanks for God’s Goodness this Easter

By Meg Bucher

“I will sing to the LORD because He is good to me.” Psalm 13:6 NLT

"Life is hard, but life is good. It’s both." The words of my late father-in-law often surface in my thoughts and conversations, parenting and writing. The Biblical equivalent to this sentiment spans the pages of Scripture. God’s goodness and blessing overrun the Bible, but alongside is the painful reality of suffering and pain this life on earth guarantees. Good and bad collide every day. The two weave together to create the tapestry of our stories. He is good to me, in Hebrew, means to deal fully with, recompense; to wean a child; to ripen. 

God is good. It’s who He is. When He sent His Son Jesus to earth, He did it because it was part of His good plan. It cost Jesus. He left heaven, was parted from His Father, and lived a human life for three decades. He went through what we go through and made a way for us to come to God through Him. God’s good plan caused even the Savior of the world pain on the way to and during His agonizing crucifixion. It was hard, but it was for our good. In our everyday lives, we can thank God for His goodness, even if the only good about it is Jesus! We are never alone, and that’s a good thing. Our lives have a specific purpose, and that’s good, too. God loves us- we are loved! Another good thing about our lives. Amidst the hard parts of life, let’s also aim to see and focus on what is good right alongside it. 

Let’s pray:
Father in Heaven, 
Praise, glory, honor, and a million notes of gratitude to You, for whom You proclaim we are: good! Perhaps we will recognize this more in our daily lives having spent some time focusing on it here, today. Good. God, You are so good. In a world ridden with hard, bad, ugly, and evil …Your goodness outshines the most painful of realities, even the cross. 

Help us to focus on You, God. On who You are, compared to who we are. When we are having a hard day, we pray You will go before us and remind us of what is good. We believe You go before, behind, and alongside us, always. God, it isn’t You who needs to be reminded of who we are, it’s us! God, You don’t see the ugly parts of us. You know our struggles, sin, and the ways we fall short, yet You still embrace us for who we are …right now. When we’re not so good, or not having such a good day …You are still good. We can find peace and rest in Your consistency, Father. You are who You are. You never change. You never fail us. You never break a promise. Father, You are always for us. 

Life is hard, but life is good. It’s both. Father, we pray the truth of this sentiment sinks deep into our bones, today. Help us to understand and acknowledge the sovereignty of Your goodness in all of our situations. In our lack, You are fully aware and fully capable of caring for us …providing for us. Allow us to see our everyday lives through Your perspective, Father. Through Your good sight. 

Help us to see others the way You see them …to see ourselves the way You see us. For everything bad that has happened and is happening in the world, there is something good to rejoice over. In the midst of the madness ensuing on this planet, God, You make sure we are cared for and loved. You provide for us and love us. When we feel hurt, alone, and empty, remind us of the way You fill our hearts and lives to the brim and overflow them with Your love and goodness. Help us to remember, Your goodness and provision are not the same as what the world considers good and provisionary. But You are perfect God, and You are making us new every day, rich with Your mercy and grace. Continue to drench us in it, Father. Life is hard …but life …is good. Let us remember Jesus’ sacrifice for us, today, and always. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Celebrate, We Will!.. Chelsey DeMatteis

 Celebrate, We Will!

By: Chelsey DeMatteis

“He must increase, I must decrease.” - John 3:30

As we have just walked through the Easter season, looking at Jesus and His life, I find myself so often wondering what it would’ve been like to be there watching his life happen. We read through Scripture and we glimpse into amazing things about Jesus’ life and all that happened to those around him. I get chills when I think about watching his display of love, grace, truth sharing, and obedience to whatever his Heavenly Father directed him to do. So, each Easter season, I find myself in a posture of awe and wonder. The hope-filled joy of knowing who holds the pen to the pages of my life and who walks alongside me through all my seasons. This my friends, is good news.

If you’re like me, I love thinking of Jesus’s whole life, not just his years of ministry. I can hardly imagine watching Jesus take his first steps as a wobbly toddler or watching him walk up to be baptized by John the Baptist or to see him feed the 5,000, or to have the honor of hearing Him teach the Sermon on the Mount. All of these amazing things we hear and picture but wow, to actually see them in the flesh sounds like such a gift, a gift that I’d give just about anything to see.

And while that would be an amazing gift, I am reminded that we have the greatest gift of living on this side of the cross. This side of the cross allows his Spirit to live inside you and me, this side of the cross is where death has no more sting. The gift of living on this side of the cross is a gift that we cannot overlook. We have the Word of God in written form that we are able to dig into to learn more about who our Creator is, what his son’s life was really like, and why we needed a Savior to take our place.

It’s sitting in that awe and wonder that I am reminded of one of my favorite verses, one that has changed my life forever: John 3:30. “He must increase, but I must decrease.” These are seven life-changing, powerful, needed words spoken by John the Baptist. These seven words continue to be a reminder to me of the gift Jesus is to all of us daily. Because of Jesus and His life we are able to live our lives in the posture of decrease so that our lives increase in Him. How amazing is that? Our Heavenly Father sent His perfect, sinless son Jesus to come and take on the penalty of all we would ever do just so we would have the opportunity to be made right with Him and live eternally together. This leaves me speechless. Jesus had to come and take on all you and I would ever do so we could be eternally right with God forever. He had to.

What a powerful, all-consuming love story this is and it’s offered to you and me. We get the choice to accept Christ and all His life was, is, and is to come. Because, Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection is what tethers us to eternity. Without one part of it, there would be no opportunity to have the gift of grace and mercy. There is no defeated grave without the cross. The magnitude of John 3:30 carries so much importance of who Jesus is and what His life means to us. Everything He calls us to is so that our lives would be ones that soak up the goodness of God and all He has for us, this means we have to decrease. His life calls us to not be afraid to pick up our cross and follow Him. It calls us to love Him more than anyone or anything and walk to always hand in hand with His spirit as we point others back to Him. This is what an increase of Christ looks like in our lives. When we die to self to make Him known. This is what we get invited into, and this my sweet friends is something to celebrate and celebrate we will.