The Reality of God’s Presence..Craig Denison Ministries

 The Reality of God’s Presence

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview: 

God’s presence is real, full of love, and completely transformational. It takes what was broken and brings healing. It takes what was lost and guides us to our rightful place in the Father. It satisfies the weary, brings light to the darkness, and pours out the refreshing rain of God’s love on the dryest, deepest parts of the soul. Scripture contains story after story of God coming down to meet God’s children where they are, and your heavenly Father has the same heart for you as he did them. He longs to make the reality of his presence known to you. He longs to refresh you with his nearness. You were created for encountering God, and you will never be satisfied until you continually live in the experience for which you were created. Allow your desires to be stirred up to encounter the living God this week as we read powerful stories of God’s people encountering his manifest presence. May you respond to God’s word by seeking out that for which you were made: continual encounter with your heavenly Father.

Scripture:“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!” Psalm 139:7-8

Devotional:    

It’s a troubling truth in Christianity today that many believers don’t know about or aren’t experiencing continual encounter with the real, manifest presence of God. The Bible contains story after story of life-changing, world-altering encounters with the reality of God’s presence. From Moses and the tent of meeting to the disciples at Pentecost, we continually read about God supernaturally encountering his people in real, transformative ways. Jesus died so that we might walk in communion with our heavenly Father not only in heaven, but here on this earth. Biblical characters modeled what it was to experience God consistently in both the New and Old Testaments. God, in his desire to have restored relationship with you, has made the reality of his presence fully available to you. Through the death of Christ there is nothing separating you from him. Before we dive into different stories of God’s manifest presence on the earth, let’s take time to focus on the biblical basis for encountering God. Open your heart and mind to the truth about God’s nearness and allow your faith to be stirred for all the ways your heavenly Father would transform your life through encounter with him.

Psalm 139:7-8 says, “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!” Acts 17:26-28 says,

And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’

Scripture is clear that God is omnipresent and his presence can be tangible to us. David describes God’s presence this way: “In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).

The sons of Korah wrote in Psalm 84:1-2, “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.” Then in verses 10-12 they declare,

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!

There is no doubt in looking at Scripture that God’s presence is real, good, and available to us. Rest in the truth of that for a moment. You can consistently enter into the tangible presence of your heavenly Father anywhere and anytime. Have faith today that God created you to experience him. Encountering his presence is made possible entirely by his grace, so it is available apart from any good or bad thing you do. But, know that God will never force his presence on you. He only fills up what is open and ready to receive. He sweetly calls you to meet with him and waits for you to make space in your life to receive what he longs to give.

There is no more life-giving pursuit you can embark on than the pursuit of God’s presence. Spending time resting in him is meant to be the satisfaction that lays a foundation for you to live the life of abundance made available to you through Jesus. Your role in encountering God is simply seeking him. If you will make time to encounter him, open your heart, and have faith in his word, then you will discover the wellspring of life, joy, love, and transformation that is the presence of our heavenly Father. 

Deuteronomy 4:29 says, “You will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Seek and find the presence of the living God today as you meditate on his word and pray.   

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the availability of God’s presence. Allow your faith to be stirred up in response to God’s word.

“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” Psalm 145:18

“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!” Psalm 139:7-8

“And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’” Acts 17:26-28

2. Now meditate on the goodness of God’s presence. Allow your desires to be stirred as you read about the wonders of encountering the living God.

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11

“How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.” Psalm 84:1-2

3. Open your heart to receive his presence. Ask the Spirit to make known God’s nearness. Seek his presence and have faith in his word that when you seek him you will find him.

“But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Deuteronomy 4:29

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

In his book The Knowledge of the Holy, A.W. Tozer wrote, “With our loss of the sense of majesty has come the further loss of religious awe and consciousness of the divine Presence. We have lost our spirit of worship and our ability to withdraw inwardly to meet God in adoring silence.” May his statement not be true of you. May you discover the majesty of your God. May you be a child of God who consistently spends time in the presence of the Father. May you be a believer who is empowered with the very presence of God himself working in and through your life. Grow in your pursuit of his presence this week. Commit to earnestly seeking him and allow this week to be transformational in the way you spend time with God.

Extended Reading: Psalm 84

The Source of a Mother's Endurance..Meg Bucher

 The Source of a Mother's Endurance

By Meg Bucher 

"When troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow." James 1:2-3 NLT

"I'm so tired ..." The dots of my text app continued to bounce up and down, which I knew meant something might be wrong. A Type 1 Diabetic, my daughter's high blood sugar alarm had disrupted class most of the afternoon. She was undoubtedly tired, mentally and physically. However, she's a teenager who loves to tend to her introverted tendencies instead of the clamor of school on a typical Monday. 

This verse from James pulled the emotions from my heart as I considered the challenge of motherhood which now underlines every day. The empathy in my heart for my daughter wants to lead the way, pick her up from school, and snuggle her until all the things plaguing her dissipate. And some days, I do. The wise momma God has developed knows the steadfast endurance He produces in us as we walk faithfully through the trials on this earth. Sometimes, I allow her to find a way to make it through the day. Honestly, I lean on His wisdom to know which day needs which. Then, when we do our best to obey and follow Him, He is faithful to work out the rest. 

Opportunity for Great Joy

"If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking." James 1:5 NLT

 The opportunity for great joy lives in the belly of our burdens because joy exceeds the fleeting feelings of our emotions. I was never so emotional until I became a mother. Sentimental tears ooze from me at any moment, especially on the first day of school each year. Joy in the context of the original Greek word James chose means "joy, gladness …the joy received from you; the cause or occasion of joy – of persons who are one's joy." Watching my daughters grow up is the most exponentially joyous part of my life outside of my relationship with Jesus! They are miracles. They are not mine, yet I'm privileged to watch them bloom into the girls God created them to be before my eyes. 

Faith is Tested

"Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do." James 1:6-8 NLT

It's impossible not to waver as the waves of life crash onto the shores of our daily reality. Yet, God remains sovereign and unsurprised by the diagnosis, heartbreak, loss, and unfairness of this world. The ESV Study Bible notes remind us why we count it all joy when our faith is tested: "God is sovereign over all things, including trials." We can trust Him as the waves batter our shores. He meets us in the disability we face and walks it through us. His compassion and encouragement are unworldly. He knows how to hold us in comfort and coach us onward. The world's weight dissipates when we trust and cling to Him daily.

Endurance Has a Chance to Grow

"So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing." James 1:3 NLT

Letting go as my daughters grow is difficult. Yet, the more I let go, the more thrilling and fun the next chapter is. Tempting as it is to cling to the past and mourn the loss of days gone by, there is joy in the future God has prepared. As my trust in the Lord grows, His joy overtakes my whole countenance. The world's waves will continue to crash upon our shores, but they cannot shake us or steal our joy. I can trust God will make up for my lack, for He promises when I am weak, He is strong. My endurance as a mother has come from the time I spend clinging, talking, and praying to God. He has held me in the hard moments when no one else can cease a flood of tears. 

Intersecting Faith and Life: 

"God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive a crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." James 1:12 NLT

The habit of carving out time to pray and read Scripture is crucial. I remember locking the bathroom door to steal five minutes with God and my Jesus Calling devotional. He met me there, and as my littles pounded on the door, and filled me with the wisdom and encouragement I needed for that day. Whatever the season, I vowed to put Him first – even if all I could do was roll over and pray between hitting the snooze button. He knows the efforts of our hearts. He loves us completely, and He is for us. Let's never forget how much He loves and cheers us on. The source of a mother's endurance will always be our Good, Good Father in heaven. The One who holds us securely in His arms can be trusted.

Further Reading:

• James 1:9-11 
• James 1:16-18

 

Keep Calm in Chaotic Moments..Meg Bucher

 Keep Calm in Chaotic Moments

By Meg Bucher

“ There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”  - 1 John 4:18 (ESV)

“How was your day?!” I routinely asked my two daughters as they flung open the car doors and clamored with chatter. My older daughter suddenly became serious as she set her book bag down and clicked her seatbelt.

“My head really hurts…”  and that’s when I caught sight of blood dripping down my sweet girl's face.

I admit I reacted rather loudly, which sent her calm demeanor into a frantic set of questions. “What -what is it- is it bad- can you see it?”

As we prayed on the way to the ER, I knew I needed to lessen the emotions in the car with a dose of calm. I prayed out loud, asking God to bring us peace and thanking him for being a good, loving God. And he was there in the car that day, as our evening was re-routed from dance class to the ER. It was pretty bad. A staple in the head bad. As I look back on that day, I'm so thankful that God gave me the clarity I needed to speak peaceful, truthful words to my girls.

1 John 4:18 reminds us why fear is unnecessary. Christ conquered it. What is there to be afraid of, when our God is bigger than all of our fears? Our reactions in frightful seasons say a lot about what we believe about Jesus. When fear threatens to snatch our focus, we need to steer our thoughts to a solid plan of action.

Here are three steps to take to stay calm in chaotic moments.

First, take control of the initial reaction. Somewhere in that heart of hers, my girl found the courage to pick herself back up off of the floor after her head slammed into the metal fire extinguisher box, and muster up enough composure to make it to the car pick line. Likewise, when panic hits our hearts, we must take control of the reaction and replace it with calm action.

Second, get to safe arms, fast. In my daughter, that was me in the car pick up line, right outside. She knows she can count on me to rescue her. It’s our goal, as parents, to eventually point that bridge right to God. Likewise, when chaos rains around you, run fast to Him before your feelings make you frantic.

Third, trust our circumstances in the hands of Love. My daughter sat on the ER bed with her legs crossed, patiently waiting for the medicine-laced cottonball atop her head to numb the hurt. When the time came to put the staple in, she just wanted my hand. Likewise, when we realize our lives are in God’s hands, we start to understand that He will get us through anything…even if it’s home to Him.

New hardware in place, she looked at the doctor and asked,

“Can I dance with this in my head?”

“Well, sure,” he answered …“when is dance?”

“Right now,” she stated matter of factly, “I’m late.”

Today, meditate on the truth that perfect love casts out fear. Decide today to recite this verse to yourself the next time fear begins to creep in and chaos tries to derail your faith.

A Prayer to Honor Moms This Mother's Day.. Ashley Moore

 A Prayer to Honor Moms This Mother's Day 

By Ashley Moore 

“I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you.” - 2 Timothy 1:5 NLT

The work of being a grandmother and a mother is often overlooked and undervalued by the world, but that is not how God sees this high calling. That's not even close to how God views His daughters. In Scripture, we often see Jesus transcend cultural norms to embrace the women overlooked and undervalued by society. 

Our key verse was written at a time when women were oppressed and overlooked. Women were constrained to what the Jewish culture deemed unimportant tasks—they fetched water and cared for the children. Women were just a step above servants. When Paul was still a Pharisee, he likely would have lorded power over the women around him. However, because Paul was a new creation in Christ, he viewed the contribution of women differently. Now we can read how he honored the roles of mother and grandmother as important, significant, and impactful through his words because that's exactly what His savior modeled. 

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus noticed a woman suffering from a bleeding issue. This woman would have been considered "unclean" in that day and time, meaning she would have been constrained to the outskirts of society for the twelve years her bleeding had not stopped. Yet, she bravely disregarded the social restrictions and touched Jesus's robe. Feeling His power released, Jesus halted the entire group to acknowledge this woman's touch, calling her daughter and praising her faith (Luke 8:40-48).

There are more stories where Jesus esteemed overlooked women: He pardoned a woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11); redeemed a Samaritan woman (John 4:1-42); let women accompany him and his disciples (Luke 8:2); and healed Peter's mother-in-law who was ill with a fever (Luke 4:38-39). 

But let's look at how Jesus honored His mother. He joined her at a wedding in Cana. In the Jewish culture, it was common for the family hosting the wedding to serve the best wine first and then bring out cheaper wine later as the party waned into the evening. Running out of wine would have been unthinkable, but that's exactly what happened! Mary desired to help protect the honor of this family. So, she asked Jesus to turn the water at the wedding feast into wine. Even though Jesus initially rebutted, stating that His time for ministry had not come, He honored His mother's request. 

Jesus honored women because He saw their value and need for protection from those in society who held more power than them. He saw their need for healing and attention, the forgiveness of sins, and for purpose and mission. Therefore, he honored His mother by scrapping His plans to accommodate her request. As Paul acknowledged the significant impact mothers and grandmothers have on our faith, might we join in honoring and celebrating the women in our lives this Mother's Day?

Let's pray:
Dear Lord,
Thank you for leaving your place of honor to bring honor to the overlooked. Sadly, Lord, our world undervalues women, mothers, and grandmothers. But Jesus, thank you that you do not! You see the value that mothers contribute to the faith of your people. And you proved this by simply paying attention to women, esteeming their roles, healing, protecting, and honoring them: even your precious mother–Mary. Lord, thank you for leading the way in showing us how to honor women and mothers today and every day. God, would you bless all the mothers today? May they know how your gaze is upon their service, and you are well pleased, honored, and glorified by their contributions to the Kingdom. In Jesus's name, Amen.