God’s Grace Brings Purpose..Craig Denison Ministries

 God’s Grace Brings Purpose

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:“[God] saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.” 2 Timothy 1:9

Devotional:    

One of the greatest gifts we’ve been given by God is purpose. From the time of Adam, God has always made clear the purposes we were created for. In Genesis 1:28 God says, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Throughout time our purposes have changed, but God has made it clear that we all are to have lives that are valuable and effective. Have you lived days where you’re simply going through the motions? Have you had days where you feel as if what you do doesn’t matter? Those days in my life are my absolute worst. I would rather go through trial and persecution with purpose than live a meaningless day. It’s in purpose we find satisfaction. In purpose we find out our lives matter. And in purpose we discover the reason we were created.

2 Timothy 1:9 says, “[God] saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.” Because of God’s grace and purpose we have been called to a life of wonderful and satisfying works. The Bible teaches us a truth in opposition to the teachings of the world. The world says to work enough to live a life of comfort and ease. Work is done for the purpose of relaxation and comfort. God says that we are created for a life of eternal value in which everything we do is to have purpose higher than our own comfort and relaxation.God has placed value and worth on your life to an extent you have yet to discover. He has a plan and purpose for your life that he’s assigned to no one else. Your life is meant to make an eternal impact for his kingdom which will reign for all time. But in his grace he has also given you control of your own life. You can choose to live your life according to his purposes or your own. And you can choose to pursue comfort and meaningless relaxation or a life of true rest and satisfaction that comes only from living entirely for God. My hope is that in looking at two purposes God has for your life, you will choose to live your life completely with and for your heavenly Father. And in doing so, you will discover the incredible joy and passion the Spirit longs to birth in you.

The first purpose for which you were created is relationship with God. Jesus says in Mark 12:30, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The Westminster Shorter Catechism says it this way: “The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.”Loving God is your highest calling, and in loving God you will experience the fullest joy and satisfaction available. When you stand before God in judgment, he will not look for possessions, promotions, or social status, but rather at the fervor with which you loved him. You will be rewarded for acts of love, not self-seeking glorification. And this chief purpose of loving God is the only path to the abundant life he has in store for you here.

The second purpose for which you were created is loving others in response to your love for God. Mark 12:31 says, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Ephesians 5:1-2 says, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Acts 26:16 says,“But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you.” We are called to love others out of the amazing love we’ve been shown. As our hearts are filled with love for God through encountering him in the secret place, we will be filled with a longing to see his desires for others around us come to fruition. God’s greatest longing is for relationship with his crown of creation, and he wants to use us to guide others to himself. In loving others we will discover the incredible satisfaction of seeing the lost and hurting be found and healed. Incredible passion and joy comes from seeing a life transformed through the Spirit working in us.

How incredible is the grace of our God that his purposes would be entirely rooted in love. We are called to simply love him and others with the very love we’ve been shown. He’s like a father who gives his children money to buy him a present. He fills us with the love and enjoyment he feels for us, and then in response we can love him and others. He fills you with the breath of life and then patiently waits for you to live your life as a beautiful song of worship to him. May you experience today all that God’s grace has afforded you. May you choose to live your life with purpose and passion that only comes from loving him and others.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s desire to lead you to a life of abundant purpose.

“[God] saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.” 2 Timothy 1:9

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide.” John 15:16

2. Reflect on your own life. Where have you been living with the purposes of the world rather than God? In what areas are you living for yourself rather than him and others? And in what areas of your life do you feel meaningless and passionless?

3. Receive the rejuvenation that comes from living with his purposes as your chief goals. Allow God to revive relationships that seem tired and passionless. Allow God to fill you with desire for your work, friendships, or marriage. Ask for the Spirit to reveal specific ways he desires to use you today.

The passion and purpose God has for you never ceases. There will be days or seasons he leads you to rest for the purpose of renewing, loving, and filling you. There will be times of work and striving in which he purposes to mold, shape, and use you. Wherever God is leading you today, trust that he absolutely has the best plan for you. Choose to live your life with his purposes in your heart and experience the passion that can only be found in living for God.

Extended Reading: Mark 12

Burned Out? Hope Is the Oxygen Your Soul Needs..BONNIE GRAY

 Burned Out? Hope Is the Oxygen Your Soul Needs

BONNIE GRAY

“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:21-23 (ESV)

My hair was falling out.

Yes, me — the girl with thick, black locks, whose hairstylists always declared, “Wow! You have a LOT of hair!” Now I quietly freaked out every time I shampooed.

It started during the COVID-19 pandemic. At first, I wasn’t too worried. Oh well, it’ll grow back. Things will be better by the summer, I told myself, holding my breath.

With work deadlines hanging over my head, my anxiety climbed as I tried to juggle the gazillion hats I wore — from cheerleading mom to crisis counselor to referee and first-time home-schooling teacher to short-order cook.

My priorities were my husband and kids. Me? I’ll figure that out later. But the longer the pandemic stretched out, my emotional reserves, once filled with optimism, started thinning along with my hair. The more stressed I became, the more hair I seemed to lose.

What I needed was hope. Optimism is imagining how circumstances will get better, but hope is seeing God’s love and care in the midst of bad circumstances. Hope is our refuge in uncertainty even when optimism runs dry.

Are you also feeling weary? Are you in the middle of a hard season you thought was temporary, only to discover you’re stretched so thin that you’re burned out, losing your joy and hope? We often don’t know we’re stressed until our body sends us signals. Our hair starts falling out. Fibromyalgia worsens. We might get migraines, eye twitching or insomnia.

But God cares about you. It breaks His heart seeing you, His little girl, running ragged.

There’s a story of a little girl in the Bible who everyone thought was gone forever as she lay on her bed without breath. Everyone had lost hope, just like I had. But when Jesus came to sit next to her bed and gently hold her hand, His loving touch brought her back to life. Guess what Jesus said first?

“… Give her something to eat.” (Mark 5:43b, CEV)

Jesus didn’t tell her to go greet the crowd gathered outside. Jesus didn’t tell her to go do her chores. Instead, Jesus lovingly focused on her well-being. It’s important to God that we nourish our bodies with rest and take time to feel His loving touch revive us through His Word.

I realized God wanted me to believe I was worthy of care and take action in the midst of my hard, messy moment. To encourage you, here are three practical changes that helped me:

• First, I started healthier eating habits. Because I was trying to squeeze in a bottomless checklist of to-dos, I was skipping lunch and snacking instead. Eat lunch, Bonnie! You need fuel. 
• Second, I faced my fear. I had to let go of responsibilities that were no longer healthy for me. Despite worst-case scenarios playing in my head, I asked God for courage and asked friends to support me to create boundaries.
• Third, I prayed “breath prayers.” These prayers nurtured hope whenever I felt overwhelmed. It’s a simple way to pray using Scripture to release tension in your body and re-oxygenate your soul with God’s peace.

Use this breath prayer from Lamentations 3:21-23: “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

Inhale: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.
Exhale: Your mercies are new every morning.

To hope again is to believe God will help you. Hope gives you permission to do things differently and to believe God will be faithful. His love fuels your hope, and hope is the oxygen your soul breathes.

Since I’ve made changes to my schedule, nutrition and prayer habits, my hair has stopped falling out as much. Over time, I’m hopeful my hair health will be replenished.

God can renew your hope. Jesus tenderly folds your hand in His, loving you unconditionally.

Thank You, Jesus, for being my anchor and hope. Help me rest in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Be Present Today..Whitney Hopler

 Be Present Today

By Whitney Hopler

“Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” – Ephesians 5:15-17 NIV

I used to be proud of how often I practiced multitasking. It seemed like I was using my time well by doing several tasks simultaneously. But one day, I realized what a mistake I was making by not being fully present in each moment. I tried to carry on two different conversations – one in person and one on the phone – while also trying to visit a museum. Ironically, that museum was at the Royal Observatory Greenwich in England, which keeps our planet’s official time. When the chimes of a grandfather clock startled me, I ended up losing my focus entirely and dropped all of my tasks at once. Overwhelmed by stress, I focused on my breathing to try to calm down.

Then something wonderful happened. As I inhaled and exhaled, gradually my awareness of God’s constant presence increased, and my stress level decreased. Then the peace that only God can give settled within my soul. No longer distracted, I could pay full attention to what was happening. That helped me notice the wonder of God’s presence, and receive God’s peace.

After that experience, I researched multitasking and found it makes people less productive. Multitasking divides our attention, making it harder to focus. The result is missing out on the fullness of what God has for us to experience, learn, and accomplish in each moment. Now I try to savor the moments God gives me rather than squander them. I want to live wisely, making the most of every opportunity to be here now. I don’t want to be foolish, living a distracted life rather than fulfilling God’s purposes for my life. Instead, I want to understand God’s will and embrace each moment. I want to be here now!

Our lives often get busy and stressful. We live in a world full of distractions, and our minds are often pulled in many different directions. We may find ourselves constantly checking our phones or thinking about our to-do lists instead of being fully present now. It’s easy to lose our focus and end up missing the moments God wants us to experience fully. So, it’s important to intentionally “be here now” in our lives whenever we can. Ephesians 5:16 NIV urges us to make the most of every opportunity God gives us. We need to be intentional about our choices. Instead of taking the present moment for granted, we can focus on connecting with God’s presence in it to pursue our purpose.

God tells us in Psalm 46:10 NIV: “Be still, and know that I am God.” First, we must be still - stop rushing, and pay attention. Then, we can know God more. God gives us many opportunities to know him. Every moment that God gives us is worth our attention because it can teach us something that moves us closer to Him. When we live fully in the here and now, we can make the most of every opportunity to live our best lives. Living wisely will lead us closer to God and help us fulfill His good purposes for us. 

Intersecting Faith and Life:
As you reflect on the importance of paying attention to the present moment, consider these questions: 

• Are you fully engaged and present during this devotional time, or are you distracted by something else?
• Are you savoring God’s presence with you at this moment, or are you taking it for granted?
• What can you do right now to fully experience this moment?
• What are you grateful for in this present moment?
• How can you make the most of this moment and use it wisely?
• What can you learn from this present moment, and how can you apply that to your relationship with God?
• If you tend to multitask when you’re busy, what strategies can you use to reduce distractions and stay focused on one task at a time?
• What are some ways you can incorporate mindfulness and gratitude into your daily life, so you can savor each moment and use it wisely?

Additional Reading:

• Psalm 118:24
• Psalm 90:12
• Ecclesiastes 3:1
• Matthew 6:33-34
• Philippians 4:6-7

God of All Comfort..Amanda Idleman

 God of All Comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

By: Amanda Idleman

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. - 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Our God is with us when we experience pain, loss, regret, sadness, and all manner of pain. He is not only with us but promises to bring us the comfort we need when we face troubles. He is with us through all things.

“God of Comfort” can also be translated as “God of Compassion.” To have compassion is to have concern for the sufferings of others. This first shows us that God recognizes our need to be seen, to receive the empathy and care of others. God is interested in what we are going through. He does not dismiss our current circumstances or minimize our daily stressors as insignificant. He cares about and is there for each and every up and down that we face.

It’s easy for many of us to think our heartbreak doesn’t count because others have gone through worse. While we should realize the ways we are blessed, that does not mean God doesn’t see your pain as “minimal” compared to others. Compassion and comfort from Jesus are available whenever we need them! God’s grace is not reserved for our hardest moments; it's available to us on a day-by-day and even moment-by-moment basis!

We can call on God’s powerful Holy Spirit when we need comfort because we are having trouble resolving a conflict with those closest to us, when plans have to be scrapped due to unforeseen circumstances, or when disappointment attempts to steal our joy. God comforts us when we face job losses, unmet goals, loneliness, grief, illness, separation, depression, anxiety, relational strife; whatever we face we must remember that we can have confidence in the power of God to help us through the trials in our lives.

The beautiful thing is that God offers us his peace not just to carry us through our own circumstances but so we can also “comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” In God’s economy, nothing is wasted! His power is multiplied through us. His grace overflows from our lives and spills into the lives of those around us.

God gives purpose to our hard places. Genesis 50:20 says, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.” From the beginning, God has re-written the stories of people's lives for His glory. Joseph, who utters the words from Genesis about God’s grace over this life, endured many hardships that began when his brothers sold him into slavery due to jealousy. Rather than letting bitterness steal his future, he relied on God’s comforting strength to help change the narrative of his life. There is no circumstance that God can’t heal and then use as a blessing to others.

When you face difficulties remember God’s Holy Spirit is always at your disposal. While we suffer God comforts. As we heal God mercifully uses our lives to bless others who need a listening ear, wise counsel, or a love-filled embrace. Praise our God for He is a God of all Comfort!

A Prayer to Trust God’s Timing..Megan Evans

 A Prayer to Trust God’s Timing

By Megan Evans

“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” - Psalm 138:8 ESV

It can be hard to trust God’s plan when all we can see is our own. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a flowchart telling us exactly how to plan and prepare? Or quick footnotes to explain how difficulties will turn out for our good and His glory? How convenient that would be! The guesswork of life would be gone, but unfortunately, so would our faith. The Bible teaches us that faith is believing and trusting in what we can’t see (Hebrews 11), and this includes God’s plan for our lives. Regardless of how little we understand His intricate picture, we can trust God has a beautiful purpose for our lives. Psalm 138:8 says the Lord will not forsake the work of His hands. He will never abandon us, and this promise is demonstrated by His steadfast love. His love and purpose endure forever.

We don’t always make great choices and sometimes we try to get ahead of God, but as we walk with Jesus, He leads us. We are never forgotten nor are we haphazardly led. God’s plan is never an oops, but rather help and rescue like the Shepherd who carries home the lost or injured sheep. Praise be to God, we’re never too lost to be found and never too broken to mend. Today, let us rest in the hands of God. It can be scary to face big decisions or take leaps of faith. Yet, when we find ourselves in fear or distress we can call out to God as David did in Psalm 57:2: “I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.” It is here in God’s love that our faith grows and blooms. It is here we can take our focus off worries and wants and begin to ask God to align our hearts with His will.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

How can we know where the Lord wants us to go? How can we trust God’s plan? It starts by walking in fellowship with Him. Spending time in the Bible and prayer prepares our heads and hearts to listen to the guidance and discernment of the Holy Spirit. Proverbs 3:5-6 instructs: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”  The Holy Spirit indwells each believer through Christ’s work on the cross, and we can live out our days and our decisions in His care and by His lead. Daily, we can seek, ask, and trust. Deuteronomy 31:8 reminds us that we can keep walking in courageous steps forward: “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” 

God has a wonderful plan for you and me. We can take courageous steps of faith in His lead. Love, give, and serve as God shows you. Apply for the job, try out for that team, or learn a new skill. It may feel unsure and uncertain at the time, but if we are trusting God’s plan, we can rest in knowing He will open and close doors according to His perfect timing. God wastes nothing and will continue to mold and shape us for the rest of our lives. As we lean into Jesus, we will begin to see our hearts soften, interests change, and confidence grow, as we seek His will.

Let’s pray:
Father God, it can be hard to trust Your plan. Yet by Your Word, I cling to Your promise that You have a purpose for each one of us—and that includes me. On the days I can’t see or understand your ways, remind me of your steadfast love. Forgive me when I doubt your will. Lead me back when I stray. I surrender all the hardships and the broken pieces to the work of Your hands. Lead me by your straight path and show me the next brave step to take today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

How to Serve the Church..Dr. Charles Stanley

 How to Serve the Church

Dr. Charles Stanley

1 Corinthians 12:18-26

When I talk about serving the church with God-given talents and gifts, people oftentimes think too small. They picture the choir singer or the Sunday school teacher. But if they don't happen to be naturallly adept at singing or teaching, they give up.

It's time we stop thinking in terms of a "Sunday only" establishment. The church is not a place or a time; it is a body of believers, each one uniquely gifted by God to guide, help, challenge, and support the rest. In fact, most service to the Lord doesn't take place inside the church building. It happens out in the world, where we do all the things that Scripture commands.

Most believers are not in a position to influence a lot of people. When we act or speak, only those closest to us notice, but a chain reaction ripples outward to affect an entire community. Paul's metaphor of body parts working together harmoniously is a helpful description of how one small action can have a widespread impact. Consider the way tensing your big toe keeps your foot stable and thereby steadies your whole body. In the same way, a gentle rebuke, a listening ear, or a loving deed benefits the church by strengthening one brother or sister, who then supports another...

We are on this earth to serve the kingdom of God and His church. And we do that by ministering to each other in small ways that steady the whole body as we give extra support to one member. In talking about such service, I am challenging you to find a need that God can meet through you.