Light in the Darkness..Craig Denison Ministries

 Light in the Darkness

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

In response to knowing the heart of God we are called to share the wonders of his invisible nature with a world in desperate need of him. God has chosen to use us to reveal himself. He’s filled us with the Spirit and empowered us to proclaim the good news of salvation and restored relationship with our Creator. May you discover this week that you were made to share God’s heart. And may you find joy and passion in God’s longing to use you in powerful and unique ways.

Scripture:

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

Devotional:    

Jesus’ teaching on salt and light in the Sermon on the Mount is one of my favorite passages of Scripture related to sharing the heart of God with the world around us. In Matthew 5:13-16 Jesus taught:

You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

One of the most powerful aspects of this passage is how Jesus begins by speaking identity over us. God doesn’t tell us to go get some salt and share it. He says we are salt. He doesn’t tell us to go get a light and shine it. He says we are a light. Sharing God’s heart is a part of who we are. As believers we’ve been redeemed—washed clean—that we might proclaim the excellencies of our Savior by living in line with our new identity.

The world is a dark place. It is without hope. It’s filled with the blind leading the blind and the needy seeking fulfillment from the needy. Our only hope is Jesus. The one, true Guide is the Holy Spirit.

We are called to a lifestyle of expelling the darkness around us with the powerful proclamation of God’s heart to love, provide for, and redeem all those who would simply say yes to him. We are called to respond to Jesus’ call and cease putting a basket over the light he’s placed within us.

We don’t have to be apologetic for the hope we have. We don’t have to fear the opinion of man. We can love relentlessly, offer grace unexpectedly, and sacrifice ourselves so that others might see a glimpse of God’s heart. “Let your light shine before others” today. Don’t cover up who you are in Christ. Seek to reveal God’s heart in all you do. And watch as the world around you is drawn to the light of God’s unconditional love revealed through your life.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount. Renew your mind to who you are in Christ.

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16

2. In what ways are you covering up your light? In what ways are you living in fear or according to the ways of the world? Take time to engage in confession and receive God’s forgiveness and love.

3. Receive courage from God to live in accordance with your new identity as salt and light. Ask God how you can be light in the darkness today. Ask him for specific ways you can reveal the hope you have in Jesus to others. Journal his response.

Oftentimes we see the things of God as a part of our life. As soon as God starts trying to change the way we live day-to-day, we put a wall up over our hearts so we don’t have to change. But to sequester God is to value this life over eternity. To care more about the world’s opinion of us than who God says we are is to try and make God a servant of the world and its systems. God is the Creator. He alone is King. And he alone knows best as our loving Father. To section off your life and allow God only into parts is to live foolishly. Crown God as King over every part of you. Choose to live as salt and light. And experience life where God is allowed to manifest himself, bless you in every way he can, and use your life to change the world for the better. May your day today be filled with all the fullness of God. 

Extended Reading: Matthew 5

The Unexpected Gift of Kind Words..CAROLYN LACEY

 The Unexpected Gift of Kind Words

CAROLYN LACEY 

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

When my children were younger, I encouraged a “no banter” rule in our home.

While banter is generally considered good-natured and harmless, I know that teasing remarks, even made in jest, can cause deep hurt. After all, there’s usually some truth behind those lighthearted comments that could spark feelings of failure, guilt or worthlessness.

It’s easy, in an unguarded moment, to join in with banter, make an unkind comment, drop a sarcastic reply or quick-witted retort. But we often don’t stop to think about how our words might land.

A few months ago, I broke my own rule and joined in some lighthearted joking with friends. I made a quip about a friend’s tendency toward pessimism, and as soon as the words left my mouth, I knew they had inflicted pain.

My friend already knew she struggled with negativity — she didn’t need me to point it out, especially in front of others. She felt guilty and frustrated that she wasn’t as cheerfully optimistic as other women. She didn't need me to use her struggle as fuel for entertainment.

As I saw her face fall and later watched her retreat to another room, I felt ashamed. My words were cruel, not kind. They put her down instead of building her up. They caused harm, not good.

I am grateful that my friend was quick to show grace when I asked for forgiveness. She didn’t hold a grudge or try to make me feel worse than I already did. She spoke words of kindness I did not deserve.

And that’s the thing about kindness: It is always undeserved.

Our key verse, Ephesians 4:32, commands us to “Be kind and compassionate to one another.” In the New Testament, the Greek word most commonly used for “kind” has less to do with being nice and sweet and more to do with generosity and grace. It isn’t an automatic response to someone else’s good deeds but is an undeserved and unexpected gift. That’s why kind words can have such a deep and lasting impact on those who receive them.

When we know we deserve rebuke or correction but instead are offered patience or affirmation, it makes all the difference to our day.

This is what God does for us in Christ.

We were His enemies because of our sin, but if we place our faith in Him, He calls us “friends” (John 15:15, NLT). We deserve to be shut out of His Kingdom, but He invites us, “Come” (Matthew 11:28, NLT). We deserve His righteous wrath, but He offers forgiveness. (Ephesians 2:3-7)

He consistently encourages our hearts through the Scriptures with words of kindness. To the lonely, He says, I am with you. To the rejected, I love you. To the weak, I will strengthen you. To the hurting, I will heal you. (Isaiah 43:3; Jeremiah 31:3; Isaiah 41:10; Ezekiel 34:16)

Our heavenly Father lavishes words of kindness on us. And He can shape our speech so that we can learn to do the same.

Father, I often say unkind or hurtful things, but You speak words of kindness and grace. Thank You. Please help me, by Your Spirit, to use my words to show kindness that will reflect Your heart and draw others closer to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Alive and Free, Raised to Life with Christ..Lynette Kittle

 Alive and Free, Raised to Life with Christ

By Lynette Kittle

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” - Colossians 3:1

Each year we celebrate Christ’s resurrection from the dead. It’s a time for us to celebrate how, with His rising, we have been raised too. Ephesians 2:6 explains, “And God raised us with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. “Once enslaved to sin and the things of the earth, through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are now set free from sin to live a new life in Him. Romans 6:4 describes, “We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” As we focus on our risen Savior, we often overlook how His rising raises us, too. 1 Corinthians 6:14 describes how, “By His power God raised the Lord from the dead, and He will raise us also.”

Raised and Made Alive
As Jesus rose from the dead, we are raised from being dead in our transgressions and made alive again. “But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” (Eph 2:4-5) Being dead in our transgressions means we had no way on our own of being made alive again. Only through the resurrection of Jesus, can we be raised and freed from our sinful state. Romans 8:11 describes,

“And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit who lives in you.” 

Raised and Freed from the Agony of Death
We rejoice in Jesus being raised from the dead and set free from death’s grip because it means we are also set free! Jesus defeated death for us, suffering on our behalf. “But God raised Him from the dead, freeing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him” (Acts 2:24). Being raised with Jesus means we are set free from experiencing the agony of death, too. As John 5:24 explains, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”

Like death was unable to keep its hold on Jesus, so now because we are raised with Him, it is unable to have a hold on us. Our risen Savior has set us free from its deadly grip and like Him, we will be with Jesus and alive forevermore. 1 Corinthians 15:54 explains, “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, is your sting?’” 

Intersecting Faith and Life:
Along with rejoicing in the death and resurrection of Jesus, remember to thank God for raising you, too. Ask Him to help you look past everyday distractions and show you ways to set your heart on things above. Look for ways to remind family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors of the benefits we receive through Jesus’ finished work on the cross.

A Prayer for a House of Harmony..Emma Danzey

 A Prayer for a House of Harmony

By: Emma Danzey 

“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” - Joshua 24:15

As I rocked my 3-month-old baby boy to sleep and my husband was getting things done around the house, a feeling of being overwhelmed washed over me. “Jesus!” I prayed aloud. “Jesus, help our house to be a place of peace, give us Your harmony. Jesus! Protect us from the enemy, surround us with Your angels.” 

It might be easy to have in-house frustrations and live out of our flesh as a spouse, roommate, parent, or child. Living in a home together is a recipe for growth and unity, or disaster and discord. As believers we know there is a spiritual battle going on and the enemy does not want our households to serve the Lord. Today, we are going to ask Him to help us to wage war by calling on His name, Jesus, to reclaim any areas where sin and demonic forces have tried to come against us.

Let's Pray:
Jesus,
Thank You for the home which You have blessed me with today. Thank you for giving me the gift of shelter. Thank You for the amazing family You have entrusted to me to learn from, care for, and be refined into Your image. Today, I recognize that I am weak, a sinner, and in need of Your help. I cannot serve You on my own. I need Your help. Holy Spirit, fill me up today to live by Your ways and not my flesh. Remind me of humility and grace. I pray against the spiritual darkness which tries to wreak chaos in our home. In Jesus’ powerful name, I ask that You remove the work of the enemy that seeks to steal, kill, and destroy, and provide us with the fruit of the Spirit lived out daily. Remove the lies and the thoughts that divide and reunite us in any area in which we have been broken. God, You are the great Mender of our messes. Even if the house is a physical mess from our busy lives, help us to not neglect the true mess of our hearts. Fill me up by Your Spirit through pondering Your Scriptures. You say that all Your Scriptures are breathed by You and are useful to me. Give me the ability to choose You over the lesser things. Help me to cling to You and live out of a place of harmony.

I pray that when the enemy sees our family, he knows we are serving the Lord and we are sealed by the blood of Christ. May our home be a place where, when unbelievers walk into it, they experience the power of the presence of God, a peace that surpasses their understanding, and they would witness joy in all circumstances rooted in Christ. Use our home as a place of ministry and witness to the gospel of Jesus. Create a beautiful space of worship and praise for Your glory to fill up every space. 

Bless the meals made, the conversations had, the diapers changed, the visiting guests; bless the vacuuming, the sleeping, the singing, and the laughing. Lord may all we do be a reminder that You are the Giver of life and the Creator of all things. May we remember we are one in You and that no matter what others around us are choosing to do in their households, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Help me to choose today and every day to surrender to You and admit my inability to live for You on my own accord. Jesus, it is only by Your gift of the Holy Spirit that I can live out this deep longing for harmony and peace in our home. You have done it before, and I asked boldly today that You would do it again. Amen.

Listening with Purpose..Dr. Charles Stanley

 Listening with Purpose

Dr. Charles Stanley

1 Samuel 3:1-10

Yesterday we learned about hearing the Word with eagerness and attentiveness. Now, let’s think about approaching the Bible purposefully, expectantly, and prayerfully.

Christians study the Scriptures not just individually but also corporately to learn more about God and His ways. Underlying this simple concept is a big challenge. To gather biblical knowledge with purpose means determining in our heart to obey what we hear (Ps. 119:33). And to do so expectantly means we believe that the Lord is going to speak specifically to us (Ps. 25:4). Sermons, Sunday school lessons, and quiet times on our own are all things to be anticipated. God uses these to build us up, strengthen us, or offer us comfort—He certainly makes listening to Him worthwhile. And obedience is the only proper response to this kind of personal attention.

Approaching the reading of Scripture prayerfully prepares our hearts to listen well and ushers in an attitude of purpose and expectancy. Today’s passage tells the story of young Samuel’s first encounter with God. The priest Eli gives the boy valuable advice—that when the Lord calls, he should say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (v. 9). Pray those simple words with conviction before you open your Bible, and you will hear God more clearly.

If you want to experience God working in your life, come to Scripture with a prayerful, expectant, purpose-filled attitude. The mourner will be comforted. The weary will gain strength. Those convicted of their sin will repent and know peace. All will sense joy. Recognize what a gift God’s Word is.