Faith Guides Us In..Craig Denison Ministries;

 Faith Guides Us In

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: “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.” Hebrews 10:22

Devotional: 

To see the living God face-to-face is to have our spiritual eyes opened through the important practice of faith. The entirety of our relationship with God really boils down to faith. By faith we trust in him even though we haven’t seen him. By faith we believe the Bible is truly his word. And it is by faith that we enter into his tangible presence where our hearts are transformed and our lives changed.

Paul prays an important prayer at the beginning of Ephesians that I believe God desires for you and me today. Ephesians 1:17-18 says, “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.” We need the eyes of our hearts enlightened. We need to develop spiritual eyes to see all that is available to us in God. We need faith to guide us into the deeper things of God.

Hebrews 10:19-23 says,“Therefore, brothers,since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”

God longs for us to draw near to him. He longs for us to experience him unveiled, face-to-face with the eyes of our hearts open and our hearts full of awe and wonder. The single most exciting truth of our lives is that the God of the universe, the Creator of all, can be seen and known. Spending time with him is more satisfying, entertaining, uplifting, and better than any other way our time could be spent. If we will have the faith to make time and let God move in and on our hearts, practicing faith as God’s word tells us to, we will experience a reality unknown and unseen to the naked eye. We will experience the reality of heaven: God and man joined together in communion.

Faith is a gift given to those who cry out to know God. It is a gift given by the Holy Spirit in response to our desperation for relationship. If you will seek out more in your communion with your heavenly Father, he will respond with an increase of faith. He will answer your call by carrying you into the depths of his endless love where you belong—where you’ve always belonged.

May God grant you a “Spirit of wisdom and revelation” and open “the eyes of your heart” today as you spend time in prayer.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the importance of faith in seeking the face of God.

“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

“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.” Hebrews 10:22

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened.” Ephesians 1:17-18

2. Ask God to give you an increase of faith. Ask him to open the eyes of your heart to see him. Ask him for the Spirit of wisdom of revelation in the knowledge of him. Wait on him and allow him to fill you with faith.

3. Spend time seeking the face of your heavenly Father. Rest in his presence. Allow him to show you new things about himself. Ask him how he feels about circumstances going on in your life.

“You have said, ‘Seek my face.’ My heart says to you, ‘Your face, Lord, do I seek.’” Psalm 27:8

May we be a people that seek out the fullness of God. May we be children awed by the beauty, majesty, mystery, and love of our Father. God has more in store for us than we could ever ask or imagine if we will seek him with all of our hearts. Fight the mediocrity of this world for the higher calling of experiencing all that God longs to give you.

Extended Reading: Psalms 27

Choosing the Right Building Material..Dr. Charles Stanley

Choosing the Right Building Material

Dr. Charles Stanley

1 Corinthians 3:12-15

Believers build their lives on the Rock of Ages: Jesus Christ. Every motive, every deed, and every word is material for our spiritual house. The apostle Paul warned followers to construct with care because on the day of judgment, fire will test the quality of each person’s work. This refers not to a literal fire but to the purifying presence of Jesus Christ.

When I stand in the Savior’s perfectly holy and just presence, all the wood, hay, and stubble in my life will disappear. Good things done with wrong motives will vanish along with secret sins and bad attitudes. Only what has been done and said in Jesus’ name remains. And the moment the chaff is gone, we will see that God is right—those things didn’t fit the life of His child.

On hearing this explanation, someone usually says, “All that matters is that I get into heaven.” But that attitude is shortsighted because the judgment of believers is about rewards. In the parable of the unrighteous steward, Jesus explained the basic concept to His disciples: “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much” (Luke 16:10). Our time on earth is the beginning of an eternity serving and rejoicing in the Lord. God will reward us with heavenly responsibility according to our faithfulness here.

Wise people plan for the future (Prov. 27:12).I want to receive as much of God’s goodness as He offers, so I am determined to build with top-quality, enduring materials. The privilege of serving is only the beginning of the rewards. In heaven, God’s generosity will be even more abundantly unleashed. 

Hope for the Downcast..Jessica Van Roekel

 Hope for the Downcast

By Jessica Van Roekel

“Why are you downcast, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation, and my God” -  Psalm 42:5 ESV

I love living in a part of the world where we experience all four seasons to the extreme. From the unfolding of springtime, the blaze of the summer heat, the brilliant beauty in the fall, and the barrenness of winter, I’m grateful for the variety these seasons bring. I’m especially grateful for the singing birds this spring after a white winter that was way too silent!

Experiencing a downcast soul is disarming. Sometimes I don’t feel I have time for my soul to be downcast, yet it happens. Sometimes it’s for days, weeks, or months. When I was a young woman, these moments unnerved me. I thought they would last forever, but they didn’t. As I reach middle age, I’ve learned not to freak out when I feel blue but to sit in it. It’s like experiencing the four seasons. There are good and bad things about each.

In spring, the grass turns green, trees unfurl their leaves, and days grow longer. But we also have forty-mile-an-hour sustained winds and freezing mornings followed by scorching afternoons. In summer, flowers bloom everywhere, and the scent of freshly mown grass joins the scorching heat and high humidity. Then fall arrives and brings beauty through different shades of colors but violent wind. Winter blows in with gorgeous snowfalls, frost-covered limbs, and vicious blizzards.

Living through the seasons shows me I can live through the winters of my soul when I feel downcast and barren. Our hope is not found in external sources, like entertainment, a new workout plan, or a new diet, even though they can bring temporary relief. No, our hope is found in God. Only he can make a way when we can’t find the way. Only He can sustain us when we don’t feel we can take another step.

This verse from Psalms gives insight into what we can do when we feel downcast. Hope rises when we praise God. The English word for praise can be traced to seven distinct Hebrew words. One of them, yadah, is lifting our hands to the Lord. When my small children lifted their arms to me, I reached down and picked them up to hold them close. We can have a similar relationship with the Lord.

We can reach out to him when our hearts weigh us down. He longs to save us and be our God. Will we turn to him? 2 Chronicles Chapter 20 captures another story of a group of people with a troubling situation that made their hearts downcast. It is the story of Jehoshaphat and the Israelites. The Bible says a great multitude was coming against them. This was the greatest crisis of Jehoshaphat’s reign. It’s also a great example of what happens when people choose to trust in God. Jehoshaphat didn’t let his fear drive a hasty decision. Instead, he drove his fear to God through fasting and prayer.

He called everyone to gather to seek the Lord. They stood before God, recounted their impossible situation, admitted their helplessness, and fixed their eyes on him. They didn’t know what to do but knew they needed him. God gave them hope and instructions. He planned to fight for them, and they needed to praise him by saying, 

“Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever.” 

They lifted their hands to him, and he responded. God knew what was coming against them, and in their downcast moment, they hoped in him. They praised him even when their souls felt downcast in the face of an insurmountable enemy.

Intersecting Faith and Life: 
Our enemies might look different than the armies of 2 Chronicles 20. Ours might look like disappointment, rejection, doubt, betrayal, pride, or habits that don’t align with living right with God. And sometimes, we experience periods of sadness that linger for days, weeks, or months. Finding help through therapy or medication is one way to navigate these times. Hoping in God and praising him follows the examples set before us in the Bible. If you feel downcast today, take a moment and praise God with your thoughts, attitudes, and words. Then take another moment and another. Remind your soul to praise God.

Further Reading:

• Psalm 42

How to Grow in Your Salvation..Lynette Kittle

 How to Grow in Your Salvation

by Lynette Kittle

“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your Salvation”—1 Peter 2:2

Many think, once we accept Jesus as our Savior, we’ll just know what is true. However, if we aren’t studying God’s Word and feeding spiritually on His truth, we’re vulnerable to living more by what we feel than what is true, which over time is sure to lead us astray.

Too often we don’t realize if we don’t know the Word of God, even when we are believers, we can be led astray. Knowing what Scripture says helps us to discern if what we are hearing and reading is based on God’s truth or on the enemy’s lies.

Like 1 Peter 2:2 encourages, when it comes to the Word of God, we want to be like newborn babies who crave pure spiritual milk, so that we may grow up in our Salvation.

So what is this pure spiritual milk? Hebrews 5:12 explains how the elementary truths of God’s Word is the milk needed for our lives to grow spiritually and mature, so that we can progress to eating solid foods, which are the deeper truths.

If we don’t feed on Scripture, 1 Corinthians 3:1 describes what stage of spiritual growth we’ll remain in. “Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ.”

So why is it so important to grow spiritually as a Christian? Isn’t it enough to be saved?

1 Timothy 4:1, points out the dangers of not growing in our faith. “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.”

If we don’t grow in our knowledge of God’s Word, we become vulnerable to being deceived and led astray by the evil one. 2 Timothy 4:3, warns of what can happen if we haven’t matured in our faith. “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desire, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”

So what can we do to make sure we’re progressing in our spiritual growth? 2 Timothy 2:15 urges us to “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”

So many Christians become discouraged, feeling like they can’t even read God’s Word on their own, thinking they don’t have the education or capability to understand it. However, Jesus tells us in John 14:26, we can rely on the Holy Spirit to teach us all things.

As well, if we are diligent to read it, we will gain understanding and grow in our Salvation knowing, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrew 4:12).

A Prayer to Stop Mourning People Who Let You Down..Meg Bucher

 A Prayer to Stop Mourning People Who Let You Down

By Meg Bucher

"You have mourned long enough for Saul." 1 Samuel 16:1 NLT

God places people in our lives purposefully. We are not meant to live alone. However, we were also never meant to loft any human relationship over the one we have with our Father, God. In the verse above, God pretty much tells Samuel to get over the fact Saul has disappointed his expectations and move on. Has God ever bluntly told you to move on from someone who has let you down?

"Now the LORD said to Samuel, 'You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.'" 1 Samuel 16:1 NLT

The word for mourned in this passage of Scripture means to mourn and lament. Those words carry a dramatic undertone! Mourn is to express such sorrow as if someone has died; lament is feeling grief, sorrow, or regret. I would love to label Samuel overdramatic, but I have felt this way over a friend who has devastated me with disappointment. Dramatic, I know! But that's how it feels. Regret is a terrible emotion, circling sorrow, remorse, fault, and disappointment. It's a vicious cycle we can really get stuck in!

Samuel did snap out of it and moved on to obey God and anoint David as the next king. David looked nothing like King Saul nor someone the people would pick. But that is the heart of God. When someone disappoints us, it hurts. When a close friend, one we thought would stick closer than a brother, betrays us – it's a tough pill to swallow. God will snap us out of our mourning when the time is right, and if we obey Him, we will find another friend. On the other side of heartache, we are one lesson closer to the person we are becoming in Christ. God prepared David to be king through suffering (ESV Global Study Bible). When someone disappoints us, we have to look in the mirror and realize we have fallen short and disappointed people. Jesus promised:

"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

The world will not tell us to forgive and pray for the person who disappointed us. But Jesus does. I don't know about you, but I'll take the peace that surpasses all understanding and choose to look confidently ahead, knowing God is the guardian of my soul. I will anticipate the friendships to come expectantly and refuse to look back.

Let's Pray:
Father,

It's so hard to forgive people who have disappointed us. We remember their lack of loyalty whenever we see them, and it hurts! But God, we trust You to guide us through the process of forgiveness and choose to leave reconciliation in Your hands. If You call us to snap out of it and move on, we will! Please teach us how to pray for our enemies, and love those who have hurt us, God. We can only do it through the power of Your Holy Spirit in us, through Christ Jesus. We are so thankful for our salvation, God! Without it, we would be a mess of mourning, lament, regret, and disappointment. Instead, we can hand it all over to You, obey Your wisdom, and walk in Your will. God, thank You for guarding our souls! Thank You for loving us and filling the gap of our grudges with Your love until our humanity catches up with our obedience! Because even when we want to obey and forgive …even when we know we have to move on and let go … it's tough for us, God! You are patient, kind, and compassionate with our hearts, and we love You so much for it. You are everything we need. Don't let us get trapped in the King Saul relationships in our lives, God. Let us know when it's time to move on and let go graciously. We love You so much, God! Thank You for easing the pain of disappointment as only You can. In Jesus' Name, Amen.