God is Good..Craig Denison Ministries;

 God is Good

Craig Denison Ministries;

Weekly Overview: 

It’s vital to the Christian life that we as sons and daughters of the most high God allow our affections to be stirred by the loving, powerful nature of our heavenly Father. Too often we feel that God is distant or separated from us. Too often we allow misconceptions or lies to place a rift between us and experiencing God. It’s in reminding ourselves of God’s character that lies are broken and a pathway is laid for us to encounter his tangible love. Open your heart and mind and receive fresh revelation of the goodness of God this week. Allow your affections to be stirred and your heart to be filled with desire to seek the face of your heavenly Father.

Scripture:“I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!” - Psalm 27:13

Devotional:

God is good. What emotion does that fact stir in you? I know for some this phrase stirs up unspeakable joy, while others of us seem to be immune to its emotion in our lives. I believe the issue for many of us is that the phrase “God is good” is so frequently said and so infrequently experienced. For many of us we are just told that God is good from a young age, but we are seldom given the chance to experience that goodness. Goodness is something meant to be experienced and then believed, not the other way around.

David said that he would look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. He had already seen God's goodness in his life and believed that he would see it again. He knew for a fact that God was good and therefore he sought to experience that goodness. It's that same heart that the Sons of Korah had in the famous Psalm 84, singing, “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 . . . 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” (Psalm 84:1-2,10). That sounds like the worship of a good God, a goodness that had been experienced.

When was the last time you experienced the goodness of God? Psalm 33:5 says, “The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.” God's goodness is here, just waiting to be experienced. James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” God is always good, and every good and perfect gift you've received is from him! He demonstrates his goodness to us in innumerable ways, all the time. How is it then that we don't recognize it? How is it that we can be surrounded by God's goodness and not experience it?

God has proven in Scripture that he works in our midst demonstrating his goodness, but we have to take time to listen and respond to these demonstrations. In Psalm 27 God says to David, “Seek my face,” and David responds, “My heart says to you, your face, Lord, do I seek.” When God says "seek" he uses a Hebrew word that is meant for more than one person. God calls all of us, his people, to “seek my face.” Then in response we are to say, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”

Take time today to respond to God's invitation of goodness. Seek to look upon his face and to experience his goodness. He has laid a banquet table before you and is simply asking you to come and dine with him.

Guided Prayer:

1. Take time to quiet yourself and receive God's presence. Meditate on this verse:

“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

2. Respond to his goodness by telling the Lord:

“My heart says to you, Your face, Lord, do I seek.” Psalm 27:8

3. Make David's prayer yours today:

“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.” Psalm 27:4

Take time to make that prayer your own throughout your day today. Memorize it. Write it on your heart so that you can experience the goodness of God throughout your day. It only takes a minute to receive his presence and have the joy and peace that can only be found in Christ Jesus.

Extended Reading: Psalm 27

Checked by the Spirit..Annie Yorty

 Checked by the Spirit

By Annie Yorty

“When the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:26-27 NLT)

The leftover birthday cake called me. The moist chocolate topped with pink and purple buttercream flowers lured me to wander into the kitchen for a quick look. My mouth watered. I could taste the decadence. Maybe just a bite . . . or two? You don’t need that. I have something better for you. Another voice countered the cake’s siren song. God’s Spirit checked my longing for something that would harm me.

In hockey, players vie for the puck to score goals. I like this rough game where padded skaters slam one another into the walls. In this move, called a check, a player may drive his upper body or hip into his opponent, knocking him into the boards or the ice. The body contact is intended to wrest control of the puck from the one moving it down the rink toward the goal. I think of the Holy Spirit’s voice as a kinder, gentler check. 

While He still lived on earth, Jesus told His disciples He would give them—and us—the gift of the Spirit. When someone receives salvation through Jesus, God’s Spirit takes up permanent residence. Jesus explained the Spirit would teach us the ways of God. Because we’re forgetful creatures, His Spirit will remind us of the truth so we can get back on the right track. If we’re listening, we will adjust our thoughts and actions to follow the lead of the Spirit. I often need a check from the Spirit because I’ve seized control from God. I dribble the puck of my own life instead of following His lead. Choosing control over trust reveals my innate fear. I fear I’m on my own. I need to take care of myself. At those times, God’s Spirit reminds me of the truth. 

• God created me, so He knows my needs better than I. 
• He commands unlimited resources. 
• He knows the past, present, and future.
• He loves me and wants the best for me.
• He is for me.

What fears might lead you to check the Spirit when He speaks to you? Perhaps job pressures push you to compromise in the workplace. Have you grown bitter amid relationship struggles? Maybe you find yourself avoiding challenges because you cannot tolerate failure. Might fear of being alone lead you into unhealthy relationships? What about the biggest fear of all? Death looms ominous and threatening for those who have not trusted Jesus for salvation. Have you received assurance for your eternal life? If not, investigate how you can receive peace with God.

Even those who have confidence in Christ sometimes falter in fear. We can’t imagine how we’ll survive if someone we love dies. We wonder if God can meet our needs in grief. While fear often convinces us to check the Spirit, we must acknowledge the streak of rebellion that runs through us all. Born with a sinful nature, we spend the rest of our lives after salvation learning to reject our flesh and follow God’s ways. Sometimes we refuse to follow the Spirit’s lead simply because we don’t want to.

True confession—I checked the Spirit that day in the kitchen instead of allowing Him to check me. I suppressed the voice reminding me of the truth of God. I wanted the cake, so I ignored His better way. I slammed my will against Him and grabbed control. Sometimes I resist the Spirit’s check so much that I wind up in the penalty box. God loves me too much to allow me to continue down a path of destruction, so He gives me a consequence. As He disciplines me, I learn to respond obediently to His Spirit. Friends, I hope you see God as a reliable and able guide through every fear and sin. God faithfully guides us back to Him, even when we defiantly check His Spirit. We can trust Him to control our lives. Jesus called His Spirit a gift. 

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27 NLT). 

You will unwrap peace of mind and heart when you consistently accept His influence. Fears and stubborn desires will subside. Will you allow the Spirit to check you and take control?

Intersecting Faith and Life: 
With God’s help, identify any fears or rebellion that cause you to check God’s Spirit. Ask Him to help you resist the temptation and allow God’s Spirit to check you.

Further Reading: 

• Galatians 5:16-25

What Happened When Adam Failed..Betsy St. Amant Haddox

 What Happened When Adam Failed (Genesis 3:12-13)

By: Betsy St. Amant Haddox

The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” -  Genesis 3:12-13 (ESV)

Genesis 3 reads like one intense game of finger-pointing. God questioned Adam while he was hiding, and Adam blamed Eve. Then God questioned Eve, so Eve blamed the serpent.

Sound familiar? I don’t know about you, but I can be pretty quick to cast blame far away from myself after I sin, too. It’s like I try to toss it up in the air, hoping it sticks to anything at all when it lands and distract the attention away from myself. Guess what? That’s part of our depraved nature. I bet your kids do that too, don’t they? They don’t have to be taught to lie, exaggerate, stretch the truth, or point the finger of blame. It comes to them as a fleshly, sinful survival method. 

The ironic truth is the only true survival method is found in confession and repentance. Adam and Eve figured that out eventually, but not before it was too late for their freedom in the Garden.

After the serpent tempted Eve and she fell into sin, it’s noted in verse six that Adam was right there. (Genesis 3:6 ESV) So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

Even as Eve took that first bite, Adam failed his husbandly role with her.

That might sound familiar too, huh? A husband not being protective. A husband causing hurt instead of compassion. A husband following instead of leading. Even as far back as the Garden of Eden, man has struggled to fulfill his God-given role. Adam failed Eve. (Eve also failed Adam, but that’s a devotional for a different day!)

You don’t have to look far to find a woman who has been disappointed by a man. When God questioned Adam, he immediately pointed to Eve and said (vs 3:12 ESV) “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.

I can only imagine Eve’s face when Adam said, “the woman you gave me.” Ouch! Instead of blaming Adam back, Eve turned and blamed the serpent. Sure, the serpent was involved in the deception, but at the end of the day, Eve’s sin was her own choice. Adam’s sin to follow her was his own choice. And in those choices, death sprung to life.

The consequences of this exchange between God, Adam and Eve we still experience today. Man was cursed with futile work. Woman was cursed with painful childbearing and with an endless power struggle against her husband. The earth was cursed. The serpent was cursed. Death entered the world.

But what’s beautiful here is that Jesus, through the Gospel, stepped in and more than fulfilled the role that Adam failed.

Romans 5:19 (ESV) For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.

There’s no good news without bad news. Adam and Eve are the poster kids for the bad news, but in Geneses 3:15 (ESV) we have the first glimpse of hope. “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

The first glimpse of Christ.

Adam failed Eve in the Garden by standing there while she was being deceived by the serpent, by not speaking up for God’s Word, and by not taking charge of the situation and leading her away from temptation. But Jesus stepped in to fulfill all of our failures. Because of God’s love for us, and because of His holiness and justness, He made a way to atone for our sin and failures by becoming the perfect sacrificial lamb. By living a sinless life, dying, experiencing the wrath of God poured out, and rising again, Jesus fulfilled it all. He covered Adam’s sin. Eve’s sin. Yours. And mine.

Your husband will fail you. You’ll fail him too. You’ll fail your kids and your friends and your co-workers. And they’ll all fail you. But because of Christ, we can forgive ourselves and others. As believers in Jesus, we can move forward despite our failures because they’re remembered no more at the foot of the cross.

Because Jesus paid it all.

A Prayer to Audit Our Thoughts..Ashley Moore

 A Prayer to Audit Our Thoughts

By Ashley Moore 

"For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ…" - 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 ESV

I asked my husband to repair a few things around the house, and he said my expectations were unrealistic. I struggled to hide my annoyance but realized my response was due to an underlying lie I've struggled with often. Do you relate to any version of this particular lie?

• I'll be at peace after this house is spotless.
• If I could get my to-do list done, I'd feel better. 
• If I didn't have to worry about everything going wrong around me, I could finally rest. 

On the surface, these lies seem fairly harmless, right? It's not bad to want your yard to be nice, house clean, or have a completed to-do list. The danger of this thought pattern was the underlying belief I needed a certain set of external circumstances to be happy, to rest, and to have peace. External circumstances are not a stable place to put our hope. Only Jesus can sustain our constant need for fulfillment. Everything else is like building our house on sinking sand. As soon as a slight rain or wind comes along, we find our footing washed out from under us (Matthew 7:26-27). 

The battle between our ears has to be fought vigilantly. I was so busy trying to solve the problem I was experiencing in my flesh by making a to-do list, putting my husband to work, and working us both into a tizzy trying to get everything finished. But that is not the way to be victorious over our thought lives. So, how do we fight this unseen battle? We have to audit our thoughts like our bank accounts and account for what we think about. We often become frustrated chasing peace and rest because our thoughts don't align with God's Word. When that happens, we can replace those thoughts with the truth from Scripture. I constantly replace lies with truth, knowing my relationship with Jesus is the only thing that fully satisfies and gives me peace. Jesus is better than a clean house, neat yard, or superhero husband. As we audit our thoughts and align them with the Word of God, we experience what our hearts are truly after. They were designed to be fulfilled by an intimate connection with our Creator. 

Let's pray:
Jesus, 
Thank you for illuminating the vulnerability of our minds and the temptation to remedy weakness in our power. Forgive us for believing other things will satisfy as only You can. It must break your heart to see your children chasing something that will never bring them the peace and rest we desperately crave. But Lord, thank you for gently drawing our attention to these behaviors and beckoning us into a deeper relationship with you. Lord, please continue to show us how you can fully satisfy and give us peace that surpasses our circumstances and understanding. Lord, help us to become great displays of your marvelous power and love to an onlooking world desperate for you! Thank you for using our lives for Your purpose despite our shortcomings. In Jesus' name, Amen. 

Feasting on the Word..Dr. Charles Stanley

 Feasting on the Word

Dr. Charles Stanley

1 Peter 2:2-3

Did you ever watch an infant take a feeding? Hungry little ones clutch the bottle, smack their lips, and make soft contented noises. They thoroughly enjoy their nourishment. But there comes a time when milk isn’t enough to satiate baby’s appetite anymore. That’s when a whole world of culinary possibilities opens up.

Comparing new believers to babies, Peter said that they “long for the pure milk of the word” (v. 2). You wouldn’t feed a newborn steak and spinach, would you? Well, baby Christians must sip scriptural truths that they understand. Then, like a growing child, they shoot up as they feast on Bible passages, gradually taking in more and meatier principles and topics.

Believers are not left alone to make sense of Scripture any more than babies and young children are expected to get their own meals. The Holy Spirit, who indwells God’s followers, illuminates the Word. That is, He makes the meaning clear to those who seek to understand. Moreover, according to Ephesians 4:11-16, God has given gifted Christians to the church to act as pastors and teachers. They are charged with equipping the saints for service (v. 12). These leaders instruct, clarify, and motivate people to grow in their personal faith and to fulfill the church’s purpose of reaching the lost.

God’s Word is a feast for our heart, mind, and spirit. This is one banquet table where there is no such thing as taking too much. In fact, the advice many parents give their children at the dinner table applies to the Christian life as well: “Eat up! Scriptural food makes you grow strong."