The Lord Gives Direction..Craig Denison Ministries;

 The Lord Gives Direction

Craig Denison Ministries;

Weekly Overview:

Our heavenly Father is the giver of every good gift. His mercies are vast, powerful, and real. His love has the ability to completely overwhelm and satisfy every one of our needs. Everything he gives us satisfies, transforms, and leads us to abundant life. As we spend this week stirring up our affections toward God, allow your heart to become soft and open. Allow his loving character to draw you close and provide life to every dry and weary place in your soul.

Scripture:“The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way.”Psalm 37:23

Devotional:   

Isaiah 48:17-18 offers a hopeful yet heart-wrenching promise of God. Scripture says, “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go. Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.” What would it be like to experience peace like a river? What would it feel like to float on a continual stream of rest and contentment? How would past circumstances have turned out differently if only we would have listened to the commandments of God? Isaiah makes it clear that a lifestyle of peace and righteousness is readily available to us if we will simply follow the Lord our God “who leads [us] in the way [we] should go.” Let’s open our hearts and minds to the Spirit of the living God today and ask him to mold and shape us into followers of his direction.

Psalm 32:8-9 says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you.” The Lord is faithful to give direction. Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” God’s word illuminates the ways in which we should go physically, emotionally, and mentally. His word is designed to influence the ways we think, feel, and act. If we will choose to follow the direction offered to us in Scripture, we will discover a wellspring of peace and righteousness that completely drenches every part of our hearts with passion and purpose.

Scripture is also clear that God continues to speak to us and offer us direction straight from his voice. John 10:27 says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” All throughout the New Testament we see God’s people living and working by the direct word of the Lord. The Holy Spirit loves to speak to us and give us knowledge of his plans for us. Our job is to keep our ears open to him and to respond anytime he offers us direction. He longs to lead us daily into the incredible plans he has for us. He longs to direct us into abundant peace, joy, and purpose. As his sheep we must acknowledge the leadership of our Shepherd and trust in his guidance.

What situation lies before you today in which you need the direction of your all-knowing, loving heavenly Father? Where do you need peace and righteousness today? Where do you need your path illuminated? Dive into the word and God’s heart under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and search out his commandment for your life. Tune your ears to the frequency of God’s Spirit and listen to whatever he would say to you. May you discover the direction you need today as you pray.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s desire and ability to offer you direction through his word and voice.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105

“The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way.”Psalm 37:23

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” >John 10:27

2. Where do you need God’s direction today? Where do you need the peace that comes from knowing God’s will and desire for you?

“Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go. Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.’” >Isaiah 48:17-18

3. Ask the Spirit to direct you right now, and dive into what God’s word says about your circumstances. Trust that God will speak to you perfectly because he loves you. He will make his will known to you if you ask him.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you.”Psalm 32:8-9

God never desires to send you out into this world on your own. He longs to establish you as a good follower of his direction. He longs to teach you how to live your life under the guidance of the Spirit and the word. Spend time receiving fresh revelation on what it looks like to follow your heavenly Father and receive his will. Ask him to guide you throughout your day today and teach you how to be a good follower.

Extended Reading: Psalm 37

A Clean Heart..Dr. Charles Stanley

 A Clean Heart

Dr. Charles Stanley

Psalms 119:9-11

Reaching our full potential begins with a clean heart—one that loves the Lord and desires to obey Him. However, each of us was born with a nature bent away from God. Jeremiah 17:9 describes the heart as deceitful and inclined towards wickedness. Pleasing self is man’s normal state.

Salvation changed our hearts and lives. Jesus’ death on the cross paid the penalty for our sin and broke its power over us. By receiving Christ as Savior, we each became a new creation—with a heart sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading and a mind that strongly desires to know the Father better. We also received the Spirit’s power to deny our selfish desires and obey God. With clean hearts, we can begin to realize the capabilities our loving Lord has given us.

The best way to maintain a clean heart is by meditating on Scripture. It acts like a mirror in which we see ourselves as God does. Through it, we discover the areas where we have been faithful and also the places where we’ve veered from His path. Expressing genuine repentance brings God’s forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1:9).

The heart represents the seat of our mind, will, and emotions. When we strive to keep it pure, we will more easily discern the Lord’s plan, submit our will to His, and follow Him obediently.

Becoming the person God planned for each of us to be requires an intimate relationship with Him and a desire to obey His Word. Apart from Jesus, we can’t achieve anything of lasting value (John 15:5). Cooperating with the Holy Spirit’s transforming work will help us keep our hearts clean.

Healing from Church Hurt..Emily Rose Massey

 Healing from Church Hurt

By Emily Rose Massey

“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,  from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:15-16, ESV). 

Last year, one of my closest friends and I began an online support group for women who have escaped false teaching. Once a month, we gather on a video call to share our stories from our former churches, encourage one another in scripture, and pray together. It’s such a wonderful time of fellowship with sisters from all over the country that truly warms my heart.  

But on the other hand, I also experience heartache for these women who are trying to navigate this journey of coming out of error and often spiritually abusive situations. Some haven’t attended another church in many years because they are so fearful that they will be hurt again. Church hurt is a real thing. Spiritual manipulation and abuse harm countless people in the church, and the wounds can run quite deep. Although the severity of these harmful and hurtful situations cannot be denied, it is important to speak truth to those who have been hurt by the church- Christ died for His church and He longs for every believer to find their place in His body. The life of the Christian is about growing in Christ together as a body of believers.

The Apostle Paul explains in his letter to the church at Ephesus the function within the body of Christ:

“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,  from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:15-16, ESV).

Intersecting Faith and Life:

Each believer is responsible for the church's growth as a whole, as they depend upon Christ and walk in love with one another. By God’s design, this happens within the context of the gathering of believers in corporate worship (Hebrews 10:25) as well as interacting with each other on a daily basis, as we seek to glorify God and walk out our salvation, growing in Christlikeness day by day. Christ is the One who joins us and holds us together, and He has given us leaders and shepherds to guide us and equip us for the ministry (Ephesians 4:11) to see the Kingdom of God advanced in the earth. We cannot do this solo or in isolation; We need accountability; We need community. Just like the human body functions, each member in the body serves a specific purpose with their unique gifting to operate properly, all for the glory of God. We need to have consistent interaction with an overseer who has been gifted and trained to edify. It is for our good to have a shepherd who will give an account for how he cared for the souls the Lord entrusted to him. I say this in love, your favorite pastor/preacher on YouTube will never be your pastor! We can definitely glean and learn from teaching online, but that person will never be able to counsel you when your marriage is falling apart or pray for you when you are wrestling with a particular sin. The same can be said regarding other brothers and sisters the Lord has placed around you. Christianity is about intentional relationships- vertical and horizontal. 

If you have experienced church hurt and are struggling with committing to a local church, what is the one thing that is holding you back? We can trust that the Lord’s ways are better than our own, and His ways are that we become joined together in a body of believers. Just like other types of pain and wounds we experience in life, we must surrender it all to Christ; He will bring healing to your heart as you yield to Him, and He will often use His body to bring about that healing as we grow together.  We must shake off self-preservation and fear and trust the Lord wants to challenge us when others are watching. Our self-centered heart or past hurt can often get in the way and can lead us to isolate and choose selfishness over investing in meaningful involvement and commitment within the local church. We must press past these temptations to build up walls around our heart or seek only things that satisfy self. Healing awaits you as you make yourself vulnerable to other believers and become fitly joined and connected to the body, just as the Lord designed.

Further Reading:

• Romans 12
• Ephesians 2:19-22
• 1 Corinthians 12:25-26

Will We Remember Our Sin in Heaven?..Matt Fuller

 Will We Remember Our Sin in Heaven?

By Matt Fuller

“I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more. - Isaiah 43:25

What is it you most look forward to about heaven? Freedom from suffering, perhaps, or being reunited with loved ones you’ve lost. Certainly, we look forward to meeting Jesus face to face. But here’s a wonderful truth about heaven that I’m sure I don’t dwell enough: there will be no more sin in us.

We currently live our lives as “perfect sinners”. We are already perfectly justified and loved by God as our Father. That will never end. But sin will end. In the new creation we will be “simply” perfect. When Christ returns, our justification will be declared before all creation and we’ll be perfected.

The Bible happily gives us a variety of pictures of our future in glory and yet, the things we are shown about the new creation are only seen in comparison with this sinful earth. It’s surely going to be far greater than all we can ask or imagine!

Here are some of things we know will be true:

1. We’ll not battle against sin

Nothing impure will ever enter it … but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. (Revelation 21:27) There is no sin in heaven and there can be no sin in us. We’ll all be given a white robe (Revelation 6:11) to show we’re without sin. Won’t that be wonderful?! No longer will we know the temptation to do wrong. No longer the frustration of falling into sin. No longer the misery of causing hurt. No longer times of losing in our battle. We will sin no more.

2. We’ll cherish Christ rightly

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2) How wonderful that I’ll never again have a devotional time that’s dry and leaves me unaffected. We will see Christ, hear his voice and respond passionately. It will be impossible to “go through the motions” of the Christian faith. Impossible to be half-hearted. Impossible to doubt.

3. We’ll delight in others truly

It’s frustrating that here on earth, there are Christians we don’t always see eye to eye with. They’re our brothers and sisters, yet we disagree on some issues and ideas. We’re a little nervous in their company; we’re careful with what we say in case we cause offence or irritate them. I’m so looking forward to being perfectly one in heart and mind. We’ll also fully enjoy the gifts others have without any hint of jealousy. The green-eyed monster is locked out of heaven.

So, will we remember our sins?

I’m not sure the Bible addresses this question directly, yet it’s one I’ve been asked plenty of times. How can we rejoice in being forgiven but not look back in pain at our sin? In the end, we trust the Lord with this question, yet I think we are pointed towards the answer.

There are many wonderful descriptions of how the Lord views our sin. It is blotted out, wiped out, not remembered and cast into the depths of the sea (Isaiah 43:25; Acts 3:19; Hebrews 8:12; Micah 7:19). But these are descriptions of the guilt and consequences of our sin. It’s not that the Lord has selective amnesia. He chooses to not remember sin. The point is that our sin and its consequences cannot be found because they have been dealt with.

A Prayer to Enjoy Each Season..Laura Bailey

 A Prayer to Enjoy Each Season 

By Laura Bailey

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:” - Ecclesiastes 3:1

School’s out for the Summer!

This little phrase brings many emotions as a mom of three small children. At the end of May, my hopes are high, and my energy level spiked in excitement for lazy mornings, afternoons with friends by the pool, and time to be with my rapidly maturing kids. But, after a few weeks, when the newness, lack of routine, boredom, familiarity, and discord descend on my little ones, I can’t help but ask, “Is it time to go back to school?” Maybe you don’t have small children at home, but can you relate to one of these scenarios?

• You finally get the opportunity to take your dream vacation, but when there’s discord with your travel partners, you long to get the trip over and go home.
• You and your spouse have been scrimping and saving and decided to renovate your house, but at the first sign of tension, you just want to throw in the towel and be done.
• Your little one is graduating and headed off to school; you’ve been waiting for this day but are paralyzed by worry. You wish they would abandon their plan and stay home with you; where’s it safe?

Why do we struggle to embrace our current season, wrestling with change at the slightest hint of opposition? Why do we allow what-ifs to keep us from enjoying our present season of life?

King Solomon was busy; he built grand structures, governed people, and tended to his large brood of wives. He was a man who knew how to check off a task list, and yet, he penned the words of Ecclesiastes as a reflection and reminder to embrace each season of life. 

Why must we be reminded to enjoy our present circumstances? Because we are short-sighted people! Time is short, and even though we are not promised tomorrow, we become so consumed with future situations that we forget to embrace today's blessings and gifts.

Countless times I’ve been offered this advice, “The days are long and the years are short,” meant to encourage me to embrace each day of motherhood. However, I think we could easily apply this to our entire lives. Our trivial, mundane days creep along, but when the clock strikes midnight, and the calendar turns to another year, we are mystified by where our time went. Whatever season you are in today, I encourage you not to wish the time away. For many of us, each season contains intense stress, grief, or all-consuming caregiving duties, often paired with moments of joy and contentment. Whatever your situation, know that things will eventually change. Our sovereign God has a purpose and appointed time for every activity under heaven. 

Let’s Pray:
Heavenly Father, just like we are often refreshed by the physical changing of the seasons, we are so grateful for the changing seasons of life. We pray that we do not just embrace our current season but find joy and contentment in it, knowing in Your divine providence, You have placed us right where we need to be.

Help us, Lord, be grateful, and see each day as a blessing and an opportunity to serve You. For those in a season of hurt, despair, or trials, we pray for comfort, strength, and peace that only You can give. Lord, we ask that we see people and circumstances as You do, an opportunity to show Christ’s love and share the Gospel message. 

Our time on this earth is so short—a vapor, our lives a dot in the pages of history. Guide us as we embrace this reality and live each day with eternity in mind. We love You, Lord; You are greater than the highest highs and lowest lows. You are with us in the valleys and the mountaintops; You never leave or forsake us. In Jesus’ name, Amen!