Grace-filled Provision..Craig Denison Ministries

 Grace-filled Provision

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:“As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.” 1 Timothy 6:17

Devotional:    

We are the children of a heavenly Father who richly provides everything we need to live, love, and work according to the perfect plans he has for us. Matthew 6:26 beautifully illustrates God’s promise of provision. Jesus says, “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” The earth clearly demonstrates God’s ability to provide for his creation. He gives rain to the grass of the field and trees of the forest. Then as quickly as the clouds come, he rolls them away to bring life-giving sunshine to all of creation. And Jesus’ statement in Matthew 6 makes it clear: we are of far more value to God than any other part of creation. We are of such value to God that he sent his only son Jesus to pay the highest price of an unjust death that we might be able to live an abundant and new life through him.

God provides for us both spiritually and physically because of the abundant grace he has for us. 1 Timothy 6:17 says, “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.” It’s his grace that drives him to richly bless us even though we deserve nothing. His grace drives him to give us every good gift—not our own works. And because of God’s grace, we can place our hope in him for complete provision with full assurance that his promises will come to pass.

1 Timothy 6:17 clearly illustrates a separation between putting our hope in God and putting hope in ourselves or the world. Too often we miss the fact that everything we have was given to us by the grace of God. And in doing so we allow the belief that we’ve earned what we’ve received to creep into our hearts, resulting in a feeling of entitlement rather than thanksgiving.

Entitlement is a disease that’s spread decay and death too far throughout the body of Christ. It kills any area in which it is allowed to enter by leading us to a life of pride and selfishness rather than hope and joy. It enslaves us to ourselves, as if we somehow deserve possession, status, power, friendship, or authority. When we don’t see everything we’ve received as a gift by God’s grace, we live our lives constantly toiling and striving to earn what our heavenly Father has already promised to give us.And when we have failures or problems, we alone carry the burden of need rather than looking to our faithful heavenly Father as our provider.

This life is not about what we have, but relationship with the God who has provided for us. If God has blessed you abundantly in the area of provision, I pray that you use every single possession as another opportunity to give thanks to the God who provided it for you in his grace. Every talent, skill, and dollar you possess was given to you because you are the child of a Father who loves you more deeply than you will ever know. All of us have been richly blessed by a God who faithfully provides for us. May we all walk in the freedom that comes as we live with the hope of God as our sole provider. May we see everything God uses to provide for us as a wonderful gift given to us by our heavenly Father. And may we serve and love God alone as we live our lives free from the slavery of pursuing the world.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s provision. Allow Scripture to transform your belief about who or what is providing for you.

“As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.” 1 Timothy 6:17

“Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” Matthew 6:26

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

2. Now reflect on your own heart. What do you feel enslaved to today? What job, person, or opportunity do you feel has become your master? Where do you feel the pain of entitlement rather than the freedom of a grace-filled perspective?

3. Confess to God any job, person, or opportunity you’ve been serving above him. Give over to him any way in which you’ve been living for your own gain rather than relationship with him. As you confess to God, allow his Spirit to break the chains that have been enslaving you to the world and its principles.

The world constantly attempts to enslave us. It tries to convince us that we need what it has and that it will satisfy our needs. But God’s word and our experience clearly show that the world apart from God only brings pain and dissatisfaction. Proverbs 23:4-5 commands us, “Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.” Satisfaction in the world comes and goes as quickly as an eagle flies across our view. May you find the peace and joy that comes from living your life in total freedom from the world. And may you experience rejuvenated hope and joy that can only come from serving God as your sole Lord and provider.

Extended Reading: Matthew 6

The Grace-Filled Gift of a Do-Over..AMY WHITE

 The Grace-Filled Gift of a Do-Over

AMY WHITE

“And Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him.’ And they called the blind man, saying to him, ‘Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.’” Mark 10:49 (ESV)

I messed up. Quick, thoughtless words flew out of my mouth and hurt my daughter.

I could see it written all over her face. Her shoulders sagged, her face grew long, and her eyes filled with tears. I cringed inside and sighed, feeling disappointed in myself. My daughter was hurt, and I felt like a failure as a mom.

I began to condemn myself … but then I remembered Jesus handling a similar situation. The end of Mark 10 tells the story of Bartimaeus, who was blind and sat by the roadside asking for support from passersby. Jesus was walking on the road with a crowd of people when Bartimaeus heard Jesus was passing by.

Bartimaeus cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:47, NIV).

The crowd of people with Jesus reacted by shushing Bartimaeus, sternly telling him to be quiet! But Jesus stopped walking. He heard the commotion, heard Bartimaeus’ cries for mercy, and also heard the nasty response of the crowd.

It is Jesus’ response to the unkind crowd that moves me: Jesus said to them, “Call him” (Mark 10:49).

With two words, Jesus offered grace. Jesus could have walked over to Bartimaeus or reprimanded the crowd for their pitiless response to someone in need. Instead, Jesus, in His wisdom and love, didn’t scold them but gave them what they needed most: an experience of grace rather than condemnation, a chance to try again to show love to their neighbor. With these simple words, Jesus offered the grace-filled gift of a do-over.

Notice the attitude transformation of the crowd when they were offered a chance to do it over! The same people who were heartlessly trying to silence Bartimaeus’ pleas now said to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you” (Mark 10:49). The words the crowd spoke this time were encouraging and helpful, delivering the sweetest message: Jesus is calling you.

Had they succeeded in shushing him, the crowd’s initial response might have kept Bartimaeus in a life of blindness. Accepting Jesus’ grace-filled do-over allowed them to lead a blind man to Jesus. To a miracle. To a new life.

What might it mean if you were willing to accept the grace-filled gift of a do-over? What healing might it bring to your heart or another’s?

Friend, instead of berating ourselves for our mistakes, let’s remember Jesus didn’t scold the crowd — He offered them grace. He does the same for us. He loves us and gently invites us to try again to offer love to one another.

I knew instantly that my words to my daughter were unkind and uncaring. So I accepted Jesus’ grace-filled gift of a do-over. I went to my daughter and apologized for what I had said. I told her what I should have said instead, words to care for her heart, build her up and show her love.

A do-over is a grace-filled gift from Jesus.

God, You first gave grace to us. Help us to accept this grace, to walk daily in this grace, and to extend this grace to others as You continue to transform our lives into the likeness of Jesus. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

An Oasis in the Desert..Emma Danzey

 An Oasis in the Desert

By Emma Danzey

“‘Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah. So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?’ Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink. There the Lord issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test. He said, ‘If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.’ Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.” - Exodus 15:22-27

From One Trial to the Next
Do you ever feel as if you are exiting one difficult season, only to be met with another challenge? This is life, isn’t it? Right when we feel settled or confident, in comes a curve ball. These are allowed by our sovereign Lord to refine and shape us into His likeness. As the Israelites came out of their intense escape from slavery in Egypt, another opportunity to trust arose. They were in the desert and needed water to survive. I can only imagine their parched lips as they traveled wearily along the hot sandy terrain.

When they came to Marah they realized the water was bitter and unsafe. They asked the question, “What are we to drink?” as they grumbled and complained. This response was not Christ-like, it displayed little faith. However, they were authentically worried for their lives. How could they make it through this? Did God just bring them out of the Red Sea to die in the desert? Did He betray them? I am sure they wrestled with thoughts of doubt and confusion.

God Works in Unexpected Ways
Where the people put their faith in Moses, we see Moses put his faith in God. He prays directly to the only One who can truly change their circumstances. How often do we forget to pray? We try to problem solve but miss out on the calling to rely on our Lord for help. “Moses cried out to the Lord.” This does not sound like it was a casual prayer, but a pleading with God to move. Then, we see the Lord gave instructions and provided clean water for the Israelites to drink. Just when they thought they were going to die, the Lord provided a way out. This reminds us of our Savior Jesus. He was the long-awaited Messiah and He calls Himself the Way. (John 14:6) When our sin was a barrier to eternal life, Jesus took our place. Through His death and resurrection, came to our rescue and made us righteous.

God Provides an Oasis 
After this miracle, God told His people, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.” God is stating He is the Healer; however, the Israelites were also given the freedom to choose if they wanted to follow His way of living, which resulted in protection and blessing, or their way of sin and rebellion, which would lead to diseases. He then provided an oasis with twelve springs and seventy palm trees for them to live near. The Lord invites us into His fullness of life, but we must be willing to seek Him in the desert. There would be no appreciation for the oasis if we were not in a desert. Where there is a need, there is a deep gratitude for provision. Ultimately, we need to trust in Christ as we traverse various deserts. He not only reveals an oasis, He IS our oasis. His Holy Spirit is alive and active in us, and we can be refreshed day by day.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
What trials are you going through right now? How is God working in unexpected ways? God provided an oasis for the Israelites. How can you cling to Him to be your Living Water today?

Further Reading:

• John 7:37-39
• John 14:6
• James 1:1-2

Our Help In Times of Trouble..Lynette Kittle

 Our Help In Times of Trouble

By Lynette Kittle

“My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth”  - Psalm 121:2

When trouble comes, what is our first reaction? Do we turn to God first, seeking His help?

Or, do we first look to other people, like family members, friends, or neighbors to take care of us? Do we check to see what government programs there are to aid and assist us before going to God?

Although God can work through all of the above to help us during times of trouble, He wants us to turn first to Him for help, before asking others for assistance. Yet, why do many of us choose to go to Him as a last resort?

Often the enemy of our soul convinces us that God isn’t willing to help us, especially if we’ve been the one to get ourselves into trouble. He convinces us that because we messed up, we don’t deserve God’s help and therefore we have no right to ask Him because we aren’t innocent in the situation.

Even if so, God wants us to turn to him. Psalm 91:15 explains, “He will call on me, and I will answer Him; I will be with Him in trouble, I will deliver Him and honor Him.”

God’s willingness to help us is not determined on whether or not we’re responsible for the trouble we’re experiencing, but rather on His great compassion and mercy towards us Isaiah 30:18 tells us how God longs to be gracious to us, to rise up and show us compassion.

During times of distresses such as sickness, unemployment, and more, like Job there may people who are quick to point fingers at us, as well as say things about God that aren’t true (Job 42:7).

But rather than agreeing and joining in with them, John 10:10 explains, we need to recognize how the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. Revelation 12:10 explains how Satan the accuser of the brethren, accuses us day and night before God.

So instead of letting accusations keep us away from God, we can to turn to Him. Psalm 34:17 describes, “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.”

Instead of being far away as it may seem and feel to us at times, “The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth” (Psalm 145:18).

God gives us a very clear picture of how He will respond to us when we turn to Him in the day of trouble, as described in the story of the prodigal son who came to the end of his rope. Having nothing left but his failings and sin, he decided to return home to work as a servant.

Luke 15:20, describes his father’s response to his return. “So he got up and went to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”

As well, his father gave him new clothes and accessories, and threw him a party (Luke 15:22, 23), exclaiming, “For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate” (Luke 15:24).

However, unlike the father’s loving response, the prodigal’s brother was angry by his brother’s return, believing he didn’t deserve to be welcomed back into the family (Luke 15:28). Sadly like the prodigal’s brother, not everyone including family and friends, may be supportive of God’s forgiveness and favor to us in times of trouble.

Yet, despite their feelings and disapproval, we can turn to Him in our deepest disappointments and failures, knowing He will be compassionate and not reject us or turn away from us. As Psalm 46:1 reminds us, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

A Prayer to Embrace Beauty in the Present..Emily Rose Massey

 A Prayer to Embrace Beauty in the Present 

By Emily Rose Massey

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11-12, NIV). 

I lived in the Midwest of the United States until two years ago. We would experience all four seasons, but winter seemed to drag on the longest. I remember waiting for Spring to come with great expectations, but by January would grow extremely impatient, ready to pack our family and move somewhere warmer! Honestly, winter was one of the driving forces behind our family’s permanent relocation to the Sunshine State! Many of my friends and family are currently longing for the warmer temperatures of Spring to make their appearance. Soon, the fresh leaves will fully cover what were barren branches and flowers will be in full bloom. None of us must worry if the seasons are going to change, because God is a master artist and has it all under control. 

The seasons are set to a specific time God ordains, as are the events in our lives and the journey He unfolds along the way. He alone knows how to take a rebellious heart of stone and soften it to praise His Holy name. Life transformation is not an overnight event. Like the seasons, the change of life for the glory of Christ is a process. In God’s perfecting timing, we will begin to see new growth. 

The Biblical Book of Ecclesiastes was written by one of the wisest men to live, King Solomon. In this book, Solomon discusses the ebb and flow of life: time, foolishness, suffering, and wisdom are poetically unwrapped throughout this Old Testament book. Chapter 3 of Ecclesiastes focuses on the concept of time in the heart of man, and that God is ultimately sovereign over it: “He has made everything beautiful in its time” (11a). The verse goes on to say God “has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end” (Ecclesiastes 11b, NIV). 

Often, we become extremely discouraged by disappointment or failure, but God is continually working in our hearts and our lives. The process of conforming us to the image of His dear Son rests solely in His hands as we lean not on our understanding, but trust completely in Him and His ways (Proverbs 3:5-6). With the help of the Holy Spirit, we learn to walk in obedience. He leads us into all truth as we study the Word and renew our minds to replace old ways of thinking with God’s perfect will. 

Perhaps this process of renewing our minds and seeing transformation in behavior and attitude is slowed because our eyes become too fixated on the temporal cares of this life. Our hearts were made to look to the hope of eternity, but if we are not careful, we can be consumed with worry when things are not changing as quickly as we would like them to or when our circumstances in our life are challenging or uncomfortable. It can be tempting to grasp for control to avoid discomfort before asking the Lord for His help. We often fail to acknowledge He may be using difficulties to work well in our lives and turn it all into something beautiful. Do you feel like you are stuck in a “winter” season, longing to see blooms of new life? 

Let’s Pray:
Father God, 

I am struggling with disappointment and discontentment about where I am in life right now. Help me to guard my heart against discouragement, ungratefulness, and complaining. Help me to look for the blessings you have already given me in my current circumstances. Teach me how to find ways to praise You when my expectations are not met and learn how to trust Your perfect timing even if I don’t fully understand it. I know I need to trust in Your sovereignty and lean upon Your ways over my own. Your grace is sufficient for me, and I thank You for always guiding me into truth and convicting my heart when I fall into the sins of grumbling and complaining, thinking that I know better than You. My lips long to praise Your great name. Thank You for Your love for me and for changing my heart to reflect Yours. I pray You would use the season You have me in to transform me and strengthen my faith in You. Give me eyes to see the beauty even in my winter season. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

A Caring Church..Dr. Charles Stanley

 A Caring Church

Dr. Charles Stanley

Luke 10:25-37

Do you realize that believers should not have to look beyond the body of Christ to have their needs met? We are meant to be a self-sustaining body. After several decades in ministry, I have seen only one way for the church to function as it should: believers must commit to give of themselves on behalf of others.

For example, a man determines to pray and struggle alongside a hurting brother until the burdensome situation is resolved or peace returns. Or a woman makes herself available to answer a new Christian's questions about the weekly sermon--the two ladies search the Bible and fill their minds with Scripture. And there are countless other ways to serve others, such as driving an elderly member to the service, teaching a Sunday school class, or visiting a weary single mom and listening to her concerns.

Before you become overwhelmed by the variety of needs in your church, let me remind you that loving each other is meant to be a body-wide effort. One person cannot meet every need. But suppose you commit to serving a small group of folks whom God brings into your sphere of influence. If, in order to care for them, you surrender self-focused preferences about resources and time, the Lord will bless you with more joy and contentment than you've ever known.

To serve others before serving yourself is to practice authentic Christianity. I'm certain that if believers commit to meeting as many needs as the Lord brings to their attention, then a lazy church can be transformed, becoming a true body of believers who function together for the glory of God.