God Prunes Us in His Love..Craig Denison Ministries

 God Prunes Us in His Love

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview: 

The absolute, most important single act of the children of God is making space to encounter our heavenly Father in the secret place. Abiding in God is the foundation on which every other aspect of the Christian life finds success. It establishes roots which enable us to receive all that we need to bear the fruit of the Spirit. It guides us to constant refreshment and revival in God’s presence, thereby supplying and sustaining the abundant life God intends for us. My prayer is that you would be marked by wonderful, satisfying, and fulfilling encounters with the presence of God as we look at John 15:1-17 this week. Make room in your heart and mind to rest in the love of your heavenly Father as we look at the different ways we are to abide in true vine of God.

Scripture:“Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:2

Devotional:    

The world teaches that discipline is about shaming us into acting perfectly. Discipline from the world usually comes from a place of selfishness rather than love, a pursuit of perfection rather than godliness, and intends to lead us to the appearance of morality rather than molding and shaping the heart. For this reason, we so often run away from the discipline of our heavenly Father. But, Hebrews 12:5-6 says, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” God loves us, so he disciplines us. He has such incredible plans for us that he must mold and shape us into children ready and equipped for authority, influence, and the power of the Spirit. His discipline is always intended to lead us to abundant life, not to tear us down or shame us. As we look at God’s desire to discipline us, allow his love to open your heart and lead you into the process of pruning intended solely to refine, help, and produce fruit in you.

John 15:2 says, “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” The only way for us to bear more fruit in God is to allow him to prune us. The pursuit and cares of the world are like weeds that crowd out and steal nourishment from the good, fruitful branches rooted in God. God’s plan is to prune, heal and transform us into children who live in the world but are not of it (John 17:14-19). He longs to tear down the strongholds of pride and sin that have kept us from experiencing the fullness of his promises. And he plans to lead us to a lifestyle of important and eternal fruit which will fill us with the fullness of joy.

So how do we allow God to prune us? How can we engage in his process of healing and transformation? It all starts with seeing the depth of his love for us. Psalm 103:2-4 says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.” God’s process of discipline is so different than the world’s because it is all rooted in his unconditional love for us. In order to consistently engage in his loving discipline, we must consistently encounter his love. We have to spend time with the all-loving heart of our heavenly Father to separate his discipline from the unloving discipline of so many of our earthly fathers. His discipline is always solely for our benefit and completely to our good. In order for us to fully give ourselves over to his discipline, we must have continual revelation of the depth of his love for us.

Next we have to choose his ways over the ways of the world. We have to sacrifice what we thought mattered for what he says matters. Romans 12:1 says, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” His discipline will be painful because it will lead you to look different from the world you grew up in. He will take our living sacrifice of the world’s opinions and transform us into children who solely value his opinion. Most of us have valued the ways and opinions of the world so highly that living apart from them feels completely foreign and frightening. So we must choose to trust God over what we have understood to be important or valuable. God will lead all of us to a lifestyle of humility in opposition to the world’s values of pride and success. He will lead all of us to a lifestyle of loving others rather than getting all we can out of others. He will lead all of us to a lifestyle of dependence on him rather than self-empowerment. And he will most certainly lead all of us to a life of relationship with him as our highest priority over the opinions and friendship of others. Every piece of the pruning process is difficult. But, every time you agree with and follow the Holy Spirit through the process you will come out more satisfied, joyful, free, empowered, and fruitful than you were before. Hebrews 12:11 says, “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” After you throw off the weight of the world you will wonder how you ever lived under its burden.

Engage with your loving heavenly Father in the process of pruning. Open your heart and allow him to tear down the walls that have been keeping you from experiencing the flood of abundant life and works he has planned for you. See his love and respond to it by sacrificing your ways of thinking and living. He has plans to heal, transform, and free you today if you will simply follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit through the pruning process.           

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s desire to prune you. Reflect on how God’s discipline is always rooted in his love. Compare God’s desire to discipline you to the world’s desire. Separate his desire from other discipline you have received in the past if it wasn’t done with his heart.

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” Hebrews 12:5-6

“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11

“Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.” Proverbs 13:24

2. Open your heart to the Spirit and ask him to tear away any parts of your life that are not bearing the fruit of God. Follow his leadership as you think about parts of your lifestyle that aren’t filled with the abundant life God desires. What does he want to change about your perspective, time, or relationships? What is he asking you to do or give up so that you might live more freely, empowered, and fruitfully? Take as much time to listen to the Spirit as you need.

“He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.” Titus 3:5

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.” Psalm 103:2-4

3. Agree with his pruning and follow through with whatever he is leading you to do. Make plans to cut out of your life anything he has revealed to you. Call a friend and ask for accountability to hold you to the discipline God has for you. Commit to engaging in the process of discipline on an ongoing basis so that God can continually transform any areas of your life that are hurting you rather than guiding you to abundant life in your heavenly Father.

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” Romans 12:1

One of the greatest gifts of the Holy Spirit we can receive is a desire to be disciplined and pruned by our heavenly Father. May we all have the heart of the Psalmist who wrote in Psalm 51:10-12,

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Extended Reading: Hebrews 12

God Has Not Forgotten You..JODI HARRIS

 God Has Not Forgotten You

JODI HARRIS

“How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? … Consider and answer me, O LORD my God …” Psalm 13:1-3 (ESV)

“I think we should name him Chuck Norris.”

“How about Bruce Lee?”

“I say Chuck Lee … Raise your hand if you vote for Chuck Lee.”

This was a nightly dinner discussion with my then 7- and 9-year-old sons, talking over names for their soon-to-be baby brother.

“How about Zachary? Or Christian?” I added, hoping to sway the crazy talk.

“Ooh! I like Zachary! And Christian!” my oldest said. “Raise your hand for Zachary Christian.”

All hands went up. Whew. That was close. How weird it would have been to explain how my youngest child was named during the karate phase at our house.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you know it’s your life, but you don’t recognize your life? This was me at the table of karate name options.

Our family had moved to minister in a new community, believing God had called us there, but as we stepped out in faith, He went radio silent. He gave marching orders; we charged ahead. When we looked back, He was gone. Or so it seemed.

Maybe you’ve been here too: With all your heart, you knew it. You put all your eggs in the basket. You bought the field for the treasure (Matthew 13:44). You. Were. Sure. And then you weren’t.

Maybe you’ve prayed a prayer of desperation similar to King David’s in today’s key verse: “How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? … Consider and answer me, O LORD my God …” (Psalm 13:1-3).

In my own prayer of desperation, I tagged on the specifics:

Lord, this baby is a miracle. And I'm so thankful for the blessing of a child! But in the stress and overwhelm of our ministry situation, I’m feeling out of sorts and crying over a seemingly small thing — this baby’s name. Nothing seems right. Not my life, not my situation, and not the baby names on my list! Where are You, God? Why have You forgotten me?

Zachary.

That’s all I heard in my spirit. Skeptical, I prayed, For months, You’ve said nothing, and now just this random name? That’s not even on my list!

Maybe there was more to it. I pulled out my book of baby names to search the biblical meaning of the name Zachary:

God has remembered you.

I let it sink in. God has remembered you.

Now it was my turn to be silent as I sat in awe of God’s wisdom and timing.

So distracted by unmet expectations, I had assumed God was nowhere near. But in the midst of my frustrated prayers, He reminded me of His presence by gently whispering the name of my unborn son.

That personal and kind reminder not only touched my heart in that moment but in every moment over the last 14 years when my son Zachary has whispered “I love you” to his mama.

If you’re like me, you tend to look for God in the obvious, over-the-top miracles. You look for Him in mighty displays of power like fireworks, where you can point and say to those around you, “See? Only God could do that!”

While we’re busy seeking the big and boisterous, we often miss His still, small voice that comes in those dark and desperate, very silent nights. In a world of “bigger means better,” we’ve been desensitized to the smaller yet spectacular. We miss the God who sits so close He whispers — with the gentleness and intimacy of a loving Father speaking to His child.

Friend, following God’s call may not meet your expectations. But quite possibly He wants to reveal His heart in new ways that exceed your expectations.

And today, if you’re in the in-between place of surrendering your expectations and looking for how God will move in your situation, let me remind you of this simple truth:

God has not forgotten you.

Lord, thank You for Your nearness even when I don’t feel it. I want to feel it! Help me tune in, listen for Your whispers, and wait well with the expectation that You will remember me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Hope Deferred and Hope Fulfilled..Christine Perry

 Hope Deferred and Hope Fulfilled 

By Christine Perry

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life." - Proverbs 13:12 NKJV

We have two choices when we encounter a delayed answer or an extended waiting period. We can flounder, or we can choose to trust and follow. We can get heartsick when we hope and wait for our circumstances to change. Especially when things seem never to change, we can easily fall into discouragement and question God. This is when the floundering starts.

Henry Blackaby says, "Never allow your heart to question God's love. Settle it on the front end of your quest to know and experience Him: He loves you. Every dealing He has with you expresses His love for you. God would not be God if He expressed Himself in any way other than perfect love! What you believe about God's love for you will be reflected in how you relate to Him. If you really believe God is love, you will also accept that His will is always best." If God loves you and His will is best, our hope is anchored in Him and His character. Psalm 84:11 NKJV says, 

"For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly."

God is our father. He knows what we need when we need it. He also knows where we need to be and when. We can only see what is right in front of us. He can see the entirety of our story and all of human history. Friends, He knows what He is doing. 

Intersecting Life and Faith 
It's tempting to look around and see what others have that we do not. But when we focus on who God is, we realize He is:

• Good (Psalm 107:1)
• Kind (Psalm 145:17)
• Patient (Joel 2:13)
• [God is] For us (Romans 8:31)
• All-knowing (Job 37:15-16)
• Unchanging (Malachi 3:6)
• Compassionate (Exodus 34:6)
• Good to those who wait for Him (Lamentations 3:25-26)
• A mighty warrior who sings over us (Zephaniah 3:17)

Lastly, God is our hope (Romans 15:13)! He is the one we can anchor ourselves to. Although His ways don't always make sense to us, He is steadfast. He promises never to leave us or forsake us. When we focus on God, trust Him, and ask Him to help our unbelief, we begin to see He is intimately acquainted with all our ways. But don't take my word for it. Instead, read Psalm 139 to see how well God knows you and how much He loves you. The truth is, God truly loves you. He wants your best. Our definition and His definition of best don't always align. But God wants to work out the greatest amount of good for the longest time. God is in this for the long haul, whereas we only look for answers to our immediate situation. 

Today, I want to encourage you to do an assignment. I want you to write a letter to yourself. In that letter, I want you to write down God's characteristics with a verse to back it up. It can look similar to the list above. However, I want you to list the characteristics you struggle to believe. If you're in a season of disappointment or loss, it can be hard to see God as good, but this is where the rubber hits the road. If you don't believe God's Word is true, you won't believe God is good. But if God's Word is true, everything He says is true! So, when He says He is good, He is good despite our devastating circumstances. After you've written the letter, read it back to yourself as much as you need to be reminded. At the end of the day, every unfulfilled longing can only be filled and satisfied in Christ. He is the one who gives us hope through who He is. Cling to Christ. He will not disappoint. We will flourish under His tender-loving care.

 Further Reading:

• Psalm 139

God Is Right Next to You.. Anne Peterson

 God Is Right Next to You (Psalm 16:8)

By: Anne Peterson

I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. - Psalm 16:8

I woke up and started reading in the Word. We’re encouraged to do this as Christ-followers. It prepares us for the day. To me, it’s like nourishment. My daily bread. Little did I know one particular day how much I would really need it.

Just a short time later, I received a phone call. Our nephew’s son was on his way to the ER. There would be surgery. Something needed to be done about an infection that was invading the body of the sweet three-year-old.

I immediately went to God’s throne room, as all the verses I had read that morning bombarded my mind. The verses assuring me that God had this under control. His control. God knew beforehand I would need his assurance. Yes, I knew he would never leave me. And he’s always made good on that promise. Psalm 16 reminds us that God is always before us, in all things. And he is also right in the thick of it with us. Because of that, we will not be shaken.

God hears us. In Psalm 16, David reminds us why he prayed to God. David tells us that he prays because he knows God will answer. God bends down to listen as we pray.

David, who is called a man after God’s own heart, tells the Lord to bend down and listen. And I know I can do the same. And the good news is, all of us can. In Matthew 10:29, God tells us that he knows when even a sparrow falls. And he uses those tiny little birds to make a point. He assures us we are worth much more than sparrows.

God cares about what we care about. We know this is true when we read about how God gave us his most precious Son. Nothing can ever compare with that, so how can we think our requests will not be acknowledged?

And yet, we sometimes hear the whispers of the enemy of our soul, who tries telling us that God is finished, tired of listening to our prayers. This is a lie. A bald-faced lie. A desperate measure Satan will use to try and get us to stop talking to God. Satan knows the power that is available when any child of God is on his or her knees.

We are living in a crazy world. People are scared, not knowing what will happen to their families and friends. But God is still sovereign. While he is up above, he is forever watching us here on earth. As Psalm 16 tells us – he is also at our right hand. He is with us and also before us in all things.

God loves his children. So much that he provided a way for us to someday live with him forever. God will never tire of hearing our prayers. He tells us we can come boldly to his throne of grace and obtain mercy when we need it.

Here is a poem I wrote about taking God’s hand. I pray it blesses you today.

Take His Hand

I do not understand my life,
it’s difficult for me.

Some questions have no answers,
at least, that I can see.

And yet, with every year I’ve grown,
there is a truth that God makes known.

I do not have to understand,
but simply take my Father’s hand. - Anne Peterson

A Prayer to Remember His Faithfulness..Ashley Moore

 A Prayer to Remember His Faithfulness

By Ashley Moore 

“We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future your children will ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ Then you can tell them, ‘They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant went across.’ These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever.” - Joshua 4:6-7, NLT

The hand of God was undeniable when we purchased the land where our family now resides. I wanted our kids to grow up with a constant reminder of God's faithfulness and provision. Have you ever set up a memorial to remember God's faithfulness? A friend of ours got a tattoo with the number of stripes that Jesus got when He went to the cross to remind him of the sacrifice of our Savior. One author I know keeps a running list of things she is thankful for to easily recall God's faithfulness. My husband and I set up a stack of stones at the end of our driveway so that when our children and future grandchildren asked about them, we could retell the story of God's provision. 

When God instructed Joshua, the nation of Israel's leader, to get stones from the river to stack as a memorial, He wanted the people to have a visual reminder of His past faithfulness. God wanted the people to have a way to endure their present and future struggles based on His character and not their feelings. And God knew that His people would forget if they didn't have some reminder. And we, too, are forgetful people. 

• We forget where we put our keys. 
• We forget the plans we made for dinner with the neighbor. 
• And we forget the thousands of ways God has been faithful to us.

We don't want to lose our keys, so we only hang them in a particular place at home. We would hate to stand up our friends accidentally, so we put a reminder in our calendars about dinner. And because our relationship with God is vital and important to us, we need to memorialize His faithfulness. 

So maybe you want to stack stones, put marbles in a jar, or write reminders for yourself. Whatever you do, never forget how faithful God is, has been, and will be to you in the future. And every opportunity you have, share why you set those reminders up with those around you too! May none of us neglect to memorialize His faithfulness. 

Let's pray:
Dear Lord, 

We thank you for your faithfulness. Scripture tells us You are faithful from one generation to the next (Psalm 119:90). We see Your faithfulness to the Israelites, Gentiles, foreigners, and the people and nations alive right now. Thank You for the practical ways You instruct us to remind ourselves of who You are and what You've done for us. Lord, forgive us for forgetting all the many ways You have come through for us time and time again. And Lord, forgive us for becoming entitled to Your goodness and grace. Lord, we praise You for Your never-ending mercy and that Your Word never fails (Luke 1:37). 

Thank You that You never leave or abandon us, and You sealed us for eternity with You by giving us Your Spirit (Hebrews 13:5; Ephesians 1:13-14). Lord, thank You for the visual reminder of Your ultimate act of faithfulness to us on the cross. God, if You'll do that for Your undeserving children, will You not be faithful to care for our lesser needs? You are good, only good, and always good. Would You help us find creative and practical ways to remember Your faithfulness? And would You give us the boldness to speak about Your faithfulness out loud to all who see our memorials and ask about their meaning? Lord, help us to bring it up even if they don't ask. Jesus, prepare the hearts of those with whom we will have these conversations to be receptive to Your goodness. In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Dangers of False Teaching..Dr. Charles Stanley

 The Dangers of False Teaching

Dr. Charles Stanley

Galatians 1:6-9

The Word of God is truth that's living and able to penetrate human souls (Heb. 4:12). Consider how powerful Scripture is: it can change hearts, save lives from eternal condemnation, and give hope to the hopeless.

Is it any wonder, then, that the Bible is a battlefield of Satan? The Devil will do his best to destroy its message and truth. In fact, this has been our Enemy's continuous goal since he chose to turn from God.

Our heavenly Father has graciously let us know in advance the outcome of this ongoing battle: Truth will prevail. But while the Lord has the ultimate victory, Satan can gain ground among individuals. His tactics are dangerous and deceptive to the unsuspecting. For this reason, we should carefully guard against his attacks, which are hard to recognize unless we are prepared.

False teaching is one of Satan's preferred tactics for leading us astray. At first glance, such instruction often seems to align with Scripture, but do not be misled by the deception. Two things are essential for standing firm against these slippery falsehoods: to be well grounded in the truth of God's Word and to listen to His Spirit. Only then can we recognize the error and avoid the pitfalls of Satan's lies.

The Enemy longs to mislead believers so they'll be ineffective for the kingdom. He also wants to keep all unsaved souls far from salvation through Jesus Christ. Friends, prepare for battle. Grow in the knowledge of truth, and lean on God's Spirit to guide you moment by moment.