Our Sin and the Holiness of God..Craig Denison Ministries;

 Our Sin and the Holiness of God

Craig Denison Ministries;

Weekly Overview:

Living an unveiled lifestyle is the way in which we experience the fullness of what’s available to us in our restored relationship with God. It’s a powerful lifestyle of faith, direct encounters with our heavenly Father, and life transformation. It’s when we live our lives in light of the perfect sacrifice of Jesus that we begin to experience all his death was purposed to bring us. God longs for his children to walk in intimacy with him directly connected to his wellspring of love for us. May you experience a more tangible, loving, and powerful connection with your heavenly Father this week.

Scripture:“But he shall not go through the veil or approach the altar, because he has a blemish, that he may not profane my sanctuaries, for I am the Lord who sanctifies them.” > Leviticus 21:23

Devotional:

Our heavenly Father is both entirely full of love and completely holy. And in the greatest tragedy of all time, our sin caused the love and holiness of our God to be at opposition with one another. His greatest desire was for unadulterated, perfect relationship with us. And with Adam and Eve that longing was fulfilled. He could enjoy communion with us without separation. But when sin entered the grand narrative of human history God’s unshakable, holy nature could not allow him to walk in perfect communion with us any longer. Our sin caused a rift between us and him that his love could not yet overcome.

So great is the holiness of our God and so great was the depth of our sin that a veil was placed between us and our heavenly Father, a veil signifying the horrific separation of God and man. In a description of the veil, Exodus 26:31-33 says, “And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it. And you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold, on four bases of silver. And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil. And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy.”

Only one man, chosen to go before God as Israel’s representative, was allowed to pass through the veil once a year on the Day of Atonement. And so great was God’s holiness and our sin that if anyone else was to enter, the power of God’s holiness would kill them. In Leviticus 16:2, God commanded Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat that is on the ark, so that he may not die. For I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat.”

In order to appreciate the power of Christ’s sacrifice, we must acknowledge the status from which we have been redeemed. In Luke 7:47, in reference to the depth of a prostitute’s love for him, Jesus says, “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” You have been forgiven much regardless of what lifestyle you have come from. So great was the chasm your sin created that you were incapable of communion with your Creator. Without the sacrifice of Christ you would have no restored relationship with God, no Holy Spirit dwelling within you, and no grace, mercy, or total forgiveness.

So that you might greatly love your heavenly Father today, spend time in prayer focusing on the depth of your sin, which has been sacrificially redeemed by the love of Jesus Christ.       Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the depth of your inherited sin. You were, by nature, completely separated from the love of your heavenly Father.

“We all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” > Ephesians 2:3

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” > Romans 6:23

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” > Romans 3:23

2. Take time to reflect on what your life would be like without relationship with your heavenly Father. What would it be like to be without God’s grace and forgiveness? What would it be like to be without his presence for all of your days?

3. Take time to thank God for the abundance of his goodness. Worship him for his sacrifice. Love him greatly in response to the depth of your sins.

“I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise; I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word. On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.” Psalm 138:1-3

“So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.” Psalm 63:2-4               

“The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.” Psalm 145:8-9

Seeing our sin in light of God’s holiness is a difficult but wonderful reminder of how greatly God has loved us. Jesus sacrificed everything when we were deserving of nothing. May you live today in response to God’s unmerited favor and grace on your life.

Extended Reading: Romans 5

Father to the Fatherless..By Ashley Moore

 Father to the Fatherless 

By Ashley Moore

“Father to the fatherless, defender of widows— this is God, whose dwelling is holy.” - Psalm 68:5, NLT

Over the last few months, I've studied God's various names. As I was reading, I came across an entry that encouraged readers to approach our Heavenly Father the way we would our earthly fathers. While I understood the sentiment, sadly, for many, the relationship with their biological fathers is strained or for some, non-existent.

Maybe our dad abandoned us during a season of childhood when we really needed him. Or perhaps our fathers worked far more hours compared to the time he spent with the family. Or maybe our father was emotionally distant or abusive. 

I know the pain of parental abandonment; it is real and raw, and while time lessens the hurt, the scars stay with us throughout our lifetime. For better or worse, our experience with our earthly father often dictates how we relate to our heavenly Father. We assume that God will exhibit the same traits as those who have disappointed, discouraged, and distanced themselves from us.

But God knows how important a secure, fatherly relationship is to His children. He is not okay with us believing that we are not worthy of love. He never, not for a second, wants us to believe the lie that anything is more important than His relationship with us. And He captures every tear we shed in His bottle (Psalm 56:8). He is a safe refuge for us so we can flourish (Psalm 46:1). So let’s examine the attributes of God the Father and who He says we are as His children. 

Heavenly Father

God’s Word tells us that He is our Father, and He can be trusted!

"But for us, there is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created, and through whom we live." - 1 Corinthians 8:6

"And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven." - Matthew 23:9

"Surely you are still our Father! Even if Abraham and Jacob would disown us, LORD, you would still be our Father. You are our Redeemer from ages past." - Isaiah 63:16

"Father to the fatherless, defender of widows— this is God, whose dwelling is holy." - Psalm 68:5

"Even if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will hold me close." - Psalm 27:10

Children of God 

God’s Word says we are His children. We are deeply loved and cared for by our Heavenly Father. 

"For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus." - Galatians 3:26

"Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is." - 1 John 3:2

"And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering." - Romans 8:17

"God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure." - Ephesians 1:5

"So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, 'Abba, Father.'" - Romans 8:15

Even the best dad on this side of heaven will fail us, they are human, and it is to be expected. But our heavenly Father never will. He is a loving father to all, and it is His great delight to become Father to the Fatherless. Laced throughout the pages of Scripture are reminders that God is a good and loving dad who goes to great lengths to bring His children into a forever family.

Intersecting Life and Faith:

Instead of beginning prayers with Dear Lord or God, try calling God Father or Dad instead. If it feels awkward, ask God to reveal Himself to you as Father. Search the Bible for scriptures that illuminate God the Father and how He longs to be with His us, His children. 

How to Live Fear Free in a Fearful World..Lynette Kittle

 How to Live Fear Free in a Fearful World

by Lynette Kittle

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care.” - Matthew 10:29

If you’re feeling anxious, fearful, or distraught over current headlines, you’re not alone. An unstable and volatile world is causing people to feel vulnerable at home, in school, at work, in travel, and as they go about their daily activities.

Still Scripture encourages you to not be afraid of those who kill the body (Matthew 10:28). God doesn’t want you to live a fearful life and urges you to “Have no fear of sudden disaster” (Proverbs 3:25).

So how is it possible to live fear-free in a fearful world?

Since God has not given you a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7), it’s up to you to choose to trust Him no matter what you’re facing, to walk around assured He is with you, and to believe His promise that, “Never will I leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

In life-threatening situations, you can be assured God is with you. Scripture describes what Stephen experienced when he came under attack, how  “Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to Heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:55).

God was with Stephen in the darkest of circumstances and when he died, he passed into new life. Like him, your life in Christ is eternal as explained: “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory’” (1 Corinthians 15:54).

You belong to God and your life is safe and secure in Him. As Jesus said in John 11:25, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die.”

The Apostle Paul understood God’s eternal provision for life when he stated, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

Even if threats of death increase in the world, you don’t have to live a fearful life because nothing, not even death, can separate you from His care. Romans 8:38, 39 states, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Whatever situations life may bring, resist the urge to be afraid. As Stephen did, look to God, being assured He is with you knowing, “He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart” (Psalm 91:4).

A Father's Day Prayer for Those Far from Their Dads..Meg Bucher

 A Father's Day Prayer for Those Far from Their Dads

By Meg Bucher

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

"Can you hear me ... it's windy hear today."

Every morning, doggo walking alongside, I pop my air pods in and call my dad. Often, we talk through the entirety of my three-mile walk. Clearly, we're very close. It's something I don't take lightly as we both grow older. It was a difficult adjustment when they moved from down the street to across the country ten years ago. Younger than all the other dads and retired by the time I had my first baby girl, he ran errands, went on walks, and had adventures with my girls and me every day when they were little. Whenever we're together, the laughter is endless. The physical loss of his company felt somber as I learned to navigate my days without him by my side. That's when the daily calls began. A few years ago, I flew down instantly after my mom got into an accident on her bike. It was the first time the three of us had been together since my sister and brother were born four and five years behind me. After that, I made it a tradition to spend a week with them every year, just the three of us. It's time I'll never regret spending with them. Now, my parents visit us up north in the summertime, but I know the painful sting of being halfway across the country from my dad on Father's Day. A call from thousands of miles away isn't the same as an in-person hug. 

For those who are far from, or without, their dads this Father's Day, know you are not alone in how you feel. We look to our heavenly Father for comfort today, as we miss being near our dads here on earth. Whether we are parted from our fathers by distance, divorce, or death, prayer is God's gift of comfort. When we don't understand, we can turn to Him knowing He holds all the answers. 

Let's Pray:
Father, praise You for our fathers here on earth. We know that you placed them perfectly and precisely in our lives. And though life doesn't always look on this earth like we feel it should in our hearts, we trust Your perfect love, plan, and purpose. Thank You for our dads. Without them, we would cease to be. They are part of your plan for our lives. 

Some dads provide for us in ways that simply amaze us. Dedicated to their families, they work countless hours to foster our happiness and dreams. Other fathers are gifted at connecting with us emotionally, guiding and encouraging us down hard paths and through difficult journeys of decision. Thank You for their faithful pursuit of You and diligence in pointing us to You, too. 

Some of us don't know who our dads are or have adopted dads with whom You have blessed our lives. Still, others of us mourn the complete loss of our fathers through death on this earth and desperately need to remember Your goodness, Lord. When Father's Day reminds us of the gaping hole they have left in our hearts, heal any hurts we harbor, and help us to hold on to all of the love we have experienced from our relationship with them. 

Help us to find peace in Your will for our lives and their absence. In the ways of the world that we don't understand, swoop in with Your Spirit and remind us that we don't need to understand …and sometimes can't. In our faith, we trust You and Your love for us. Help us to fill in the gaps that we are incapable of. 

Fathers living far away from us don't love us any less. Please help us find peace in that gap this Father's Day, too. Though miles separate us, nothing can part the love of a father for his child, innately placed by You alone. Remind us to be thankful for our loving fathers, though they may be far away. To be in touch emotionally spans the empty distance between us. Bless our fathers while we are away from them. We pray for frequent visits and blessed reunions. 

Forgive us, Father, for the things we want to blame our earthly fathers for. Remind us of their humanity. We are imperfect and can never expect any human being to fill our hearts and provide for us completely. That role is reserved for You alone, God. You deserve the vast space of our hearts, and we must remember that. 

As much as we love dads, miss, and look up to our dads, they are only people, just like us. Maybe some of us feel bitterness, anger, and resentment towards our dads … but we must remember to compassionately embrace their humanity amid our feelings. They battle the same curse of sin we do, incapable of perfection. Whether we look to our fathers' leadership in faith or pray for their salvation, we have to release our judgment to You, God. 

Father, bless our dads today in a special way. Release them from any guilt they may harbor for mistakes they have made as parents, knowing we also travel that road. Bless and heal any heartaches or physical hurts that ail them. Lift their spirits, as they may miss us today due to the physical distance between us. Assure them they hold a special place in our hearts, lives, and Your love. In Jesus' Name, Amen.