Grace-filled Presence..Craig Denison Ministries

 Grace-filled Presence

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

Grace is a gift most of us don’t know how to receive. We’ve been so inundated with the earthly systems of give-and-get and work-and-earn that grace is a concept few ever fully grasp. Yet it’s grace alone that has the power to transform lives. Grace alone has the power to bring freedom to the captives. By grace alone we are saved. There could be no better use of our time than consistently and passionately pursuing a greater revelation of God’s grace.

Scripture:“The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.” Numbers 6:25

Devotional:    

The most gracious gift God continues to give us as his children is his presence. Moses writes a beautiful and powerful prayer in Numbers 6:25: “The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.” Rest in the sweet imagery of that prayer for a moment. Reflect on the goodness of having God’s face shine upon you. Feel the peace that comes from God’s graciousness.

There is nothing better in life than encountering God because it’s only in his presence that we are truly satisfied. Scripture illustrates this truth in Psalm 84 when the Psalmist writes:

For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!

To encounter God is to experience his goodness. To spend time in his presence is to experience the very “favor and honor” that only comes from his nearness.

What would it be like to live your life entirely in the presence of God?What would change if you were to experience his goodness with every moment, waking or sleeping? How would the reality of his presence change the way you live your life for the better? The remarkable thing is that we have no reason to live our lives apart from God. When Jesus died, God tore the veil from top to bottom that separated us from him. His tearing of the veil symbolizes the entire reason for the death of Jesus: that God can once again dwell among his people. And furthermore, when you became a Christian you were filled with God himself. He’s closer to you than the very breath that fills your lungs.

You see, it’s by God’s grace that we have his presence. It’s by his love that he makes himself near to us. God’s word tells us we can never escape his presence. Psalm 139:9-10 says, “If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.” Acts 17:27-28 says, “Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for ‘In him we live and move and have our being.’” Your greatest gift is always available to you. No matter where you turn, God will be there. No sin can separate you from his presence because his presence comes to you by grace, not by your works. So great is God’s love for you that he offers you his gracious presence regardless of anything you do, right or wrong.

All that is required of you is to open your heart and receive the gift he offers. There is an endless amount of God’s presence to receive. He is a vast and endless ocean that will never be fully discovered. But still he calls you to come and dive in. The Bible commands us in Ephesians 5:18 to “be filled with the Spirit,” to be filled with God himself. This passage is better translated, “Be being filled.” God asks us to constantly be filled with his presence because he knows it is our greatest gift. And the death of Christ has paved the way for us to receive this gift constantly.

Spend time today simply being filled with God’s presence offered to you by his grace. May you experience the “favor and honor” that can only be found by resting in the presence of your heavenly Father.

Guided Prayer:           

1. Meditate on Scripture about God’s presence. Renew your mind to the fact that he is with you right now and that his presence is your greatest gift.

“For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!” Psalm 84:10-12

2. Receive God’s presence. Open your heart and ask him to come near to you. Take note of how you feel different in response to his presence.

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” James 4:8

“But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.” Psalm 73:28

3. Live today in the continual presence of your heavenly Father. If you notice yourself living outside of the nearness of God, just take a minute and receive his presence again.

“If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.” Psalm 139:9-10

“Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for ‘In him we live and move and have our being.’” Acts 17:27-28

As you go out today in pursuit of the presence of God, keep this quote from Brother Lawrence close to your heart. May it fuel you toward the goodness and simplicity of encountering your heavenly Father in all that you do.

He does not ask much of us, merely a thought of Him from time to time, a little act of adoration, sometimes to ask for His grace, sometimes to offer Him your sufferings, at other times to thank Him for the graces, past and present, He has bestowed on you, in the midst of your troubles to take solace in Him as often as you can. Lift up your heart to Him during your meals and in company; the least little remembrance will always be the most pleasing to Him. One need not cry out very loudly; He is nearer to us than we think (Practicing the Presence of God).

Extended Reading: Psalm 84

The Surprising Benefit of Getting Ruthlessly Honest With God..JENNIFER DUKES LEE

 The Surprising Benefit of Getting Ruthlessly Honest With God

JENNIFER DUKES LEE

“Look deep into my heart, God, and find out everything I am thinking. Don’t let me follow evil ways, but lead me in the way that time has proven true.” Psalm 139:23-24 (CEV)

I have always loved a great question.

My parents tell me that one of my favorite words as a little girl was “why.” Even today, at dinner parties, my friends are used to me asking questions that are sometimes serious or sometimes silly, like: If the same song was played every time you walked into a room, for the rest of your life, what song would it be? What would your dream “last meal” be?

My love of questions even led me to a career in news. I’m no longer a reporter, but I’m still asking questions. I suppose it’s because questions saved my life.

You see, for years, I quietly struggled with a long list of questions. It was as if the answers were hidden in locked rooms with missing keys. They were questions about my past, my purpose, pain in the world, and even the existence of God. I thought God would be offended by my doubting heart.

Even when it came to asking Him for help with some of the hardest things in my life, I avoided it because I was afraid of what His answer — or lack thereof — would be.

But then I met two people in the Bible who changed the way I felt about God’s willingness to let me be brutally honest.

First, I met Thomas in the Gospels. While growing up, I learned of “Doubting Thomas,” who refused to believe in Jesus' resurrection until he touched Jesus' scarred hands. (John 20:24-25) The nickname drips with accusation of faulty thinking. So I stuffed down my unbelief and fears, thinking all doubt was shameful and disrespectful.

But then I opened up my Bible and found this sentence in the study notes about Thomas: “Silent doubts rarely find answers.” In that moment, it was clear to me that Jesus doesn’t reject people for expressing their doubts honestly.

Second, I met David in the psalms. When you read David’s words, it’s like you’re reading a private journal. The psalms have blessed the lives of countless millions, giving us language for our deepest anguish, but when David wrote them, he was simply crying out to God with an honest heart:

How long, O Lord? (Psalm 6:3; Psalm 35:17)
Where are You? (Psalm 13:1)
Why have You forsaken me? (Psalm 22:1)

These questions are not polite. They are raw and gritty. They reveal the truth that no topics are unsuitable for discussion with God.

In Psalm 139, David acknowledged that God knows everything already. And it’s from this place that David sought guidance: “Look deep into my heart, God, and find out everything I am thinking. Don't let me follow evil ways, but lead me in the way that time has proven true” (Psalm 139:23-24).

We learn from both David and Thomas that it’s better to express feelings with brutal honesty than to doubt God in deafening silence. And the same is true for us. Life will never make sense until we get curious enough to ask honest questions.

What questions do you have for God today? What breaks your heart? What makes you so angry you could scream?

Tell your stuff to God. He can take it.

Be encouraged in this, friend. You can learn a great deal about God — and about yourself — by paying attention to whatever comes after the beautiful curve of a question mark.

Lord, thank You for reminding us that our questions don’t have to ruin our faith. They can actually rebuild it. Our doubts don't have to be a curse. They can be a gift when they send us on a quest that ends at the foot of Jesus' cross. I don’t always understand You, God, but I know You’ve promised never to leave me alone in my doubts. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Finding the Disconnect in Our Connection with the Lord..Emily Rose Massey

 Finding the Disconnect in Our Connection with the Lord

By Emily Rose Massey

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33, KJV

“Good morning, sweetheart,” my wonderful husband whispered to me as my eyes struggled to open. I grabbed my cell phone and began to scrolling through my notifications from the night before. “I love you.” “I love you too,” I mumbled as I continued to fix my attention on an inanimate object, instead of the sweet man God has given to me. My husband lovingly snatched my cell phone from my hand and looked me straight in the eyes, longing for me to share a moment with him before he went off to work that day. The sad thing is, this isn’t the first and only time I’ve done this to him, or others for that matter.

Now, I know I’m not the only one who has grabbed their cell phone first thing in the morning or stared at the screen during dinner with a friend, so I must ask: when did we get so consumed with technology that we’ve allowed it to capture our complete attention more than an actual human being? When I had this interaction with my husband, I realized all he wanted was a little attention before he started his day. Imagine how God must feel when we choose not only other people before Him but things. I want to dig even deeper and ask, is this dependency on electronics and technology also affecting our relationship with the Lord? Matthew 6:33 (KJV) asks us to seek the Lord first:

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

This means always putting Him first in our lives, even the first few moments of our day. He is the One who graciously woke us up, gave us the breath in our lungs, and provided us the opportunity to live another day. He deserves our devotion the moment our eyes pop open, even if it is a mere “thank you, God” before our feet even hit the floor.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
As we live in the great information age, we are bombarded with opportunities to fill our time and our minds with many things that can so easily replace our time of fellowship with the Lord. The information available to us, literally at our fingertips, at all times, is a wonderful gift, but that mobile device we carry around in our purses and pockets can also be a mobile distraction that follows us everywhere we go. Although our cell phones, tablets, laptops, etc. are not evil, I do believe we need to be cautious as to how much time we devote to them. We need to be aware of where we are directing our focus. We need to be attentive to what is capturing our attention.

Perhaps you may not have an issue with technology distracting you from the Lord- that’s great! Stay strong and be an accountability partner for those around you who have easily pulled away from the things of God because of the ever-increasing information age. But if you are like me (a stay-at-home/work-from-home mom) and you are finding yourself with limited time to spend with Jesus in prayer and the Word, I challenge you to ask the Lord if there is something you can arrange in your schedule to allow better time management. Also, ask Him if He would like for you to fast (technology, that is) something that could be causing division between you and Him. 

Devote specific time every day to spend some quiet time in fellowship with God and reading your Bible, without your cellphone or iPad within reach- turn them off during that time and perhaps put a timer on the most-used apps that you access throughout your day. Be thankful for the benefits of the tools and global connections that technology brings us, but don’t allow technology to rob you of your connection to Jesus. Let’s un-connect for a while, refocus, and reconnect with the Lord!

Further Reading:

• Psalm 34:9-10
• Mark 10:29-30
• Proverbs 2:1-9

How Springtime Flowers Teach Us..Lia Martin

 How Springtime Flowers Teach Us (Matthew 6:28–29)

By: Lia Martin

Today’s Bible Verse: Why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. – Matthew 6:28–29

Has there ever been a time when worry has served you well? When you’ve been so glad you spent energy conjuring up a potentially bad outcome...or plowing past better thoughts focused solely on your structured vision of security?

Worry can actually weaken us, and yet, we worry still. Hoping all our hand-wringing and hard working grow a shield of protection from life’s inevitables. God knows we’re made this way. Which is why Jesus teaches us how to handle worry when it comes.

Freedom from worry is one of so many reasons he arrived in the flesh. He shepherds our anxious hearts. And he gave us these words about the splendor of flowers, so we can learn from them. His words are alive. When we read or repeat them, they can actually renew us.

This verse in Matthew calls to me now because where I live, it’s almost bloomin’ time. It has me recalling the many times God has spoken to me in the language of flowers. Or trees, mushrooms, birds, and butterflies.

His message of resurrection and renewal is prevalent in all of creation. Waves that ebb and flow, the rhythm of sunrise and sunset, and the return of flowers—are all among many of his mind-blowing “object lessons.”

His work on the branches in springtime to unfold buds into bursts of glory is breathtaking. It’s like seeing a song painted all around you. Every year, spring teaches that no matter what—God is at work. Work we can only receive...not control, direct, or worry into our intended outcome.

I remember when I was a little girl, I would run up to the far back corner of a hill behind my house to be alone with a patch of violets. Their welcome mat was lowly, haphazard, and tiny. From their rocky landing they offered smiles of purple and gold. In a place you wouldn’t expect to find “splendor,” less-than-inch-high wildflowers spoke volumes.

And over the years, here’s what they taught me. They were willing to be overlooked. They were always being trampled. Yet they were consistent in their contribution. Content in sun or rain. And not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

I didn’t know then exactly why in difficult times I would run to be flat-out, face-down connected with these minuscule miracles. I do now. These flowers, decorating the untamed places, were demonstrating what Jesus wants us to know in Matthew 6:28-29. That he is able even if we are not. And his power isn’t reflected in our fancy clothes, or impressive garments, but in our surrendering to what God will do.

Although commentary on this verse explains that the original word “lilies” could be translated into any showy flower of many varieties, Jesus is clear that these blossoms are in the field. They’re not groomed or manicured or planned by humans. Rather, they’re growing freely in his design. Trusting in his provision.

God wants us to see not only their beauty, but their lack of worry. He describes it as laboring and spinning. It’s true that Jesus is acknowledging our basic need for clothes, but he is asking us to shed the layer of worry we spin (which was how they made clothing in ancient times).

In this verse, Jesus isn’t saying “don’t work and don’t get dressed.” He is asking us to take in the lesson of creation. To see how even the most fragile among us rely on God’s provision and are dressed in just the way that gives him glory.

This is how he designed us to flourish...with a soul rooted in faith and at rest in his plan.

A Prayer for Things We Don’t Understand.. Rev. Kyle Norman

 A Prayer for Things We Don’t Understand

By Rev. Kyle Norman

“He saw and believed. As yet they still did not understand from the scriptures that Jesus must rise from the dead.” (John 20:8-9)

The bumblebee should not be able to fly. At least that is what I am told. According to the common understanding of physics and aviation, involving complex equations relating to body mass and air resistance, the bumblebee should not be able to lift its frame off the ground. But every summer we see it buzz from flower to flower. We may not understand it, but we know it to be true.

Understanding can only get us so far. This is true for our spiritual lives as much as it is for our physical lives. Despite our best efforts, and our diligent attempts to understand the intricate ways of God, our understanding will inevitably break down. God’s ways are beyond our ways, God’s thoughts outside our own (Isaiah 55:8). So, what do we do when this occurs? We believe. Daringly. Boldly. Stubbornly. We see this illustrated in John’s Gospel. Mary has just reported the empty tomb to Peter and John. She can’t understand what has taken place. The only rationale she can come up with is that someone has taken the body away; someone has desecrated the tomb of the one they loved but lost in the most demeaning and vile of manners. 

Peter and John race to the tomb to witness this for themselves. John sees the linens and the cloth that enwrapped Jesus’ face separated from the others. It is as Mary had described it. In response we read that John “saw and believed” (John 20:8). Unlike Mary, John believed that something amazing had happened; that somehow God’s power had been revealed, and that Jesus had been vindicated. Somehow, in some miraculous way, the absence of Christ’s body testified that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. But then scripture reveals something curious. Scripture says, “As yet they did not understand that from the scriptures that Jesus must rise from the dead” (20:9). For John, his belief comes before his understanding.

When it comes to our spiritual lives, we sometimes think that we need to have everything all figured out. We believe that our life with God should make complete sense to us. We may even hold our beliefs at bay until our understanding is fully met. Only when faith makes logical sense, we think, when all the pieces fit together in a linear and rational order, will we then get on board. The problem, however, is that if we wait to understand all the ins and outs of our spiritual life before we take a step forward in faith, we may be waiting for an understanding that will never come. 

Don’t get me wrong, understanding is a good thing. I am not suggesting we must cease questioning or exploring. As Christians, we are invited to ask our questions. Jesus encourages us to seek understanding and to dive as deeply into our faith as we can manage. There is a litany of life-giving, soul-enriching insights just waiting for you. But instead of making belief contingent on some level of understanding that you may never achieve, what if we saw our understanding of God’s ways as flowing out of our daring belief? C.S. Lewis once wrote, “I believe in Christianity like I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it, I see everything.”

What do you have a hard time understanding? Is it forgiveness – the daring belief that Jesus has removed every mistake or sin that mars your spiritual life? Is it Christ’s unyielding love – the belief that no matter who you are, or where you are, the love of Christ enfolds you? Is it a new direction, a new vocation, or a new ministry? Whatever it is, do not let a lack of understanding hold you back from where God is leading you. Just because we don’t understand something, doesn’t mean it’s not true.

Let’s pray:
Gracious and Almighty Father, I thank you for equipping me with a mind to think, and an intellect with which I can wrestle with the deep matters of my faith. I thank you for not shying away from my questions. In your gracious love, you invite me to seek always to understand our life together. But your ways are not my ways, and your thoughts are infinitely higher than my own. Thus, there are things about my faith that I do not understand, and at times, this lack of understanding keeps me from stepping further into the life you call me to. There are times when I have a hard time believing what I don’t understand. When this happens, I pray for you to fill me with your grace. Give me the boldness to believe in your direction in my life, even when it makes no earthly sense. Help me to be open to your presence when it catches me unaware. 

O Holy Spirit, I pray that you continue to lead me into all truth. Enlighten my mind to understand your ways more deeply in my life and may this understanding always flow from a heart of faith. May I seek to understand you, not as a combat to doubt, but as a road to deeper intimacy and faith. And in those times when my belief wanes, give me the strength to pray “I believe, help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). pray all these things in the name of my Risen Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Do Not Neglect Your Spiritual Gift..Dr. Charles Stanley

 Do Not Neglect Your Spiritual Gift

Dr. Charles Stanley

1 Timothy 4:12-16

Every Christian is given at least one spiritual gift with which to serve the Lord and build up the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:7). But many believers neglect this special empowerment of the Spirit. Although Timothy had some good reasons to forsake his calling from God, Paul advised him to "take pains with these things" and "be absorbed in them" (v. 15). As you look at Timothy, ask yourself if either of the following situations are hindering you from fully serving the Lord.

Age: No matter how old we are, the Lord wants us to use our spiritual gifts. Because Timothy was young, he could easily have been intimidated by those with more experience. However, youth isn't our only excuse. Some believers think they're too old to serve the Lord. Even though our areas of ministry may change over the years, we're never called into spiritual retirement.

Inadequacy: Have you ever avoided a service opportunity simply because you felt totally unqualified? That's probably how Timothy felt about leading the church at Ephesus. Our spiritual gifts rarely come to us fully developed. God often requires that we step out in faith and trust Him to work in and through us. Over time, as we obey and serve Him in our areas of giftedness, He increases the effectiveness of our ministry.

Is anything keeping you from using your spiritual gifts? Though given to us, these abilities aren't for us; they're for the church. To neglect them would not only deprive fellow believers but also rob ourselves: there is joy and blessing in serving others and doing the work God has designated for us.