Praying with the Holy Spirit..Craig Denison Ministries

 Praying with the Holy Spirit

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

As believers, we’ve been given the Holy Spirit as a Helper, Teacher, Friend, and seal for the promised inheritance of eternal life with God. His presence, guidance, and wisdom in our lives are our greatest gifts while here on earth. Through him we have access to direct connection with our heavenly Father. Through him we receive spiritual gifts to empower us. And through him we are able to bear the incredible fruit of abundant life. Open your heart and mind to all that the Holy Spirit would give you, show you, and lead you to this week.

Scripture:“But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.” Jude 1:20-21

Devotional:

God loves to respond to the prayers of his people. We see him respond to the desire of Adam for a helpmate with Eve, the prayer of Abraham in saving Lot and his family, the prayer of Moses in the salvation of his people, the prayer of Elijah in sending down fire upon an altar, and the cry for a Savior in sending his only son, Jesus. And through the death of Jesus we’ve been filled with the Holy Spirit,  God himself sent as our Helper. Our Helper not only longs to guide us and empower us, but also to help us pray and to pray for us.

Jude 1:20-21 says, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.” We’ve been given the incredible gift of praying with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit who searches the deep things of God desires to help us pray. He desires to reveal God’s desires to us in the midst of our circumstances, relationships, and opportunities and longs to help us pray in line with God’s will. When we pray in the Spirit we are praying along with the will of God himself. When we pray in the Spirit we are asking God to do the very thing he desires to do. It’s crucially important that we as children of God learn how to discern the will of our Father through the Holy Spirit and pray according to that will.

Matthew 21:22 says, “And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” And Romans 10:17 teaches us, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Scripture tells us to pray in full faith that God will give us what we ask for because faith is always meant to begin with the word of God. Prayer is meant to be as simple as asking God to fill us with the knowledge of his desire and then praying in accordance with that desire in full faith because God will always fulfill his promises.

What’s more, when we don’t know what to pray we can trust in and lean on the groanings of the Spirit. Romans 8:26 says, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” Did you know that the Holy Spirit prays for you? Did you know that he intercedes on your behalf? So great is his love for you that he asks God to help you. So great is his desire for you to walk in abundant life that he intercedes on your behalf when you don’t know how to pray.

Aren’t you thankful for the grace of God? In his grace he’s blessed you with the Holy Spirit to help you pray and intercedes for you, all because he loves you. You’ve been given an incredible, powerful gift in praying with the Holy Spirit. Take time today to listen to your Helper as you enter into a time of prayer.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the Spirit’s desire to help you pray and to intercede for you.

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.” Jude 1:20-21

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:26-27

2. Ask the Spirit to fill you with the knowledge of God’s will for whatever it is you desire to pray about. Before you speak, listen.

3. Pray in line with what the Spirit has revealed to you. Ask God, in faith, to bless you with whatever you feel he has shown you. Pray along with Scripture! Rest in the assurance that God will provide you with any and every thing that is in his perfect will for you when you ask him to.

“And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” Matthew 21:22

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17

God loves to make the Christian life simpler than we often make it out to be. I used to believe that to discover God’s will I had to ask God for things and wait to see if life’s circumstances panned out in line with those prayers. But God longs to fill us with the knowledge of his will even before you ask so that we can simply pray in full faith and joy in accordance with what he already desires to do. He blesses us with a life of simplicity if we will simply, wholeheartedly follow him. Take time today to search out the will of God for your life and rest in assurance of his faithfulness as you pray.

Extended Reading: Hebrews 11

Answers in Times of Great Disaster..Dr. Charles Stanley

 Answers in Times of Great Disaster

Dr. Charles Stanley

Deuteronomy 29:29

Almighty God reserves the right to reveal some things and conceal others. Although we may not know why natural disasters occur, the biblical truths we do know with absolute certainty allow us to trust the Lord even in times of great suffering. These include:

1. God is in control (Ps. 103:19). Nothing in heaven or on earth is outside of His rule and authority. He does not react to events but sovereignly ordains or permits them to run their course. Although we cannot know for certain if He has sent a catastrophe or allowed it, we can trust in His goodness and wisdom.

2. The Lord loves people and wants them to be saved (John 3:16-17). Giving His Son for the salvation of the world proves without a doubt that He loves each person. This truth stands firm despite the fact that many reject the Savior. He cares for us, even when we can’t feel it or won’t accept it.

3. God ordains or permits events for His good purpose (Isa. 46:10). Though we cannot fully comprehend what He is doing in each incident, every disaster is a wake-up call for humanity. He is alerting us of the need to repent—so the lost can be saved and the saved can be revived to live totally for Him. Catastrophes open our ears to hear from the Lord.

The One who loves us perfectly is in full control, working everything out according to His good purpose. Knowing this should fill us with hope, even in the midst of crisis situations. The Lord even promises to turn disaster to good for those who “are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28).

Intentional Kindness..Whitney Hopler

 Intentional Kindness

By Whitney Hopler

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” - Ephesians 4:32 NIV

Our world often celebrates random acts of kindness, such as giving directions to a stranger who’s lost or buying a meal for a homeless person. There’s even a holiday called National Random Acts of Kindness Day here in the United States. We can do good and feel good through random acts of kindness. But kindness goes much deeper than occasional random acts.

Where I work at George Mason University, my colleagues and I lead an initiative called “Mason Chooses Kindness”. We educate students, employees, and other people in our community about why it’s important to choose kindness as a lifestyle. We celebrate a holiday we call “Mason Intentional Kindness Day” to spread awareness about being kind on purpose, every single day rather than just randomly. We publish resources about kindness to help people in our university put kindness into action regularly. We even nominate people to serve as “kindness ambassadors” to encourage serving others in our community on a regular basis.

Performing random acts of kindness is fine. But it’s much better to intentionally make kindness a part of our daily lives. While random acts of kindness can be impactful, intentionally choosing to be kind on a consistent basis can have a more profound and lasting effect on those around us.

God calls us to make kindness a lifestyle. Ephesians 4:32 NIV exhorts us to “be kind and compassionate to one another” and Galatians 5:22-23 NIV lists kindness among the “fruit of the Spirit” that the Holy Spirit wants to help us develop. Colossians 3:12 NIV urges us: “…  as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Kindness is a vital way of showing people God’s love in action. Proverbs 3:3-4 NIV says: “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.”

Intentional kindness allows us to cultivate a spirit of compassion and empathy toward others. When we intentionally choose to be kind to others, we are able to see them as valuable and worthy of love and respect, regardless of their circumstances or background. Intentional kindness also creates opportunities for deeper and more meaningful connections with others. When we consistently show kindness to those around us, we open ourselves up to building relationships based on trust, respect, and mutual care. This can be especially powerful in times of difficulty or crisis when our acts of kindness can provide comfort and support to those who are struggling. Finally, intentional kindness can have a ripple effect on the world around us. When we choose to be kind to others, we inspire others to do the same. Our acts of kindness can create a chain reaction of positive change, spreading kindness and love throughout our communities and beyond.

Of course, practicing intentional kindness is not always easy. It requires a willingness to step outside of our comfort zones and to put the needs of others before our own. It can be challenging to put others before ourselves, especially when we’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed. However, God will help us make a conscious effort to be kind if we pray for his help to do so. As we choose kindness, more of God’s love will flow through our lives, making it easier for us to open our hearts on a regular basis. We can intentionally spread kindness anytime and anywhere. That will bring glory to God and reflect God’s love to a world in need.

Intersecting Faith and Life:

As you reflect on intentional kindness, consider these questions: 

• Why do you think kindness should be a deliberate and consistent part of your life, rather than just random acts of kindness you pursue occasionally?
• How does your faith in God inspire you to be kind to others? What specific teachings or examples from the Bible encourage you to practice intentional kindness? 
• Reflect on a time when someone showed intentional kindness to you. How did it make you feel? How did it impact your day or even your life? 
• What are some specific ways you can be more intentional about making kindness a part of your daily life? 
• What are some challenges that you sometimes face in practicing kindness? How can you overcome those challenges? 
• How can your kindness make a positive difference in our world?

Further Reading:

• Galatians 6:10
• Romans 12:10
• Luke 6:31
• Proverbs 19:17
• Proverbs 11:25

How to Overlook an Offense ..Lynette Kittle

 How to Overlook an Offense (Proverbs 19:11)

by Lynette Kittle

“A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense”—Proverbs 19:11

In a world of hurtful social media tactics and more, how do we move past offenses where others knowingly or unknowingly wound us?

It can be even more disappointing when a fellow Christian offends us, because we have higher expectations for them. Like Romans 12:10 encourages, we hope believers will give preference to one another.

Likewise, we hope Christians grasp the importance of the words we speak, remembering how one day we will all give an account for every empty word spoken (Matthew 12:36).

Still, even in the midst of these hurtful experiences, God gives us the opportunity to learn how to work through offenses. And if we’re willing to submit to Him, He will refine and fine-tune our hearts during the process.

Looking Honestly at Ourselves

Overlooking offenses is good work for us to do. As we work to truly forgive others, we uncover and discover weaknesses in ourselves, ones we most likely didn’t know were even residing within us.

Offenses have a way of shining a spotlight within us, exposing areas in our hearts that could use revealing. If we truly want God to transform and renew us, then we want to be willing to examine our own behaviors and attitudes, like 2 Corinthians 13:5 urges us to do.

So overall if we are willing, this purging process can help us experience a godly type of gratefulness for the cleansing work it does within us (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

In the sitcom “King of Queens” Lyin’ Hearted episode, Carrie’s (Leah Remini) father, Arthur (Jerry Stiller), is in hospital for heart surgery. While looking through his important papers, Carrie discovers her dad withheld opportunities from her that would have made her life better.

Deeply hurt, offended, and disappointed by these discoveries, Carrie’s first reaction is to lash out and hurt him back. But in a split moment, where it looks likes she’s losing him to cardiac arrest, her heart dramatically changes to forgive him. Within minutes Carrie realizes how her father’s offenses do not outweigh her love for him.

Like her character experienced, when it comes to responding to an offense, it’s beneficial to look at the whole picture to see what really matters most to us, especially when it comes to responding to the failures of others.

In overlooking offenses, we can seek God for wisdom, asking Him to lead us in our responses and actions, and to reveal how they may affect our relationships in the long run.

Instead of focusing on others’ lack of love towards us, we can turn our love towards them, choosing to offer them forgiveness and patience even when it seems like they don’t deserve it.

Like Colossians 3:13 reminds us, “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

God’s Word explains that when we overlook offenses, it reflects well on us. Godly handling of offense also helps us to experience it less and less, not because others aren’t offending us, but because we aren’t receiving it into lives.

Who has offended you? Who do you need to forgive? Take time today to pray forgiveness over any offenses you are holding onto.

A Prayer to Make Praising God a Habit..Ashley Moore

 A Prayer to Make Praising God a Habit

By Ashley Moore 

“Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous rules.” - Psalm 119:164, ESV 

Have you ever heard of habit stacking? This is a practice you can implement when trying to create a new habit, where you attach the new habit to something you already have a habit of doing. For example, if you want to begin a new habit of drinking 16 extra ounces of water a day, each night, you would place a fresh bottle of water beside your toothbrush. So that as soon as you are done brushing your teeth in the morning (existing habit), you can chug the water bottle (new habit). 

So often, our new habits fail to truly become second nature because we make them too difficult to incorporate or, rather, too easy to gloss over in our day-to-day routine. Have you ever experienced failing to create a new habit? 

Maybe you bought a membership to the gym but only went a couple of times because the trip across town was too much trouble. Perhaps you wanted to start eating healthier, but the added meal prep was so hard to incorporate that you found yourself opting for the drive-thru again. 

Finally, you set a new goal to read the Bible right before calling it a night but find yourself crawling into bed after a busy day, unable to read without drifting off. These habits didn’t stick because they were too hard to implement. They worked against your already well-ingrained routine, and in the end, the resistance overpowered your willpower to create a new routine.

When I read the Psalmist’s devotion to praise God seven times a day in Psalm 119:164, I have to wonder if habit stacking was involved. Commentators are divided on whether praising seven times is literal or if the number seven signifies multiple times a day when the author stopped to praise. Nonetheless, we all can agree that praising God many times a day can only positively impact a person. 

Maybe our other habits weren’t sustainable, and I hope that habit stacking can be a useful tool to help us give healthier habits another shot. But perhaps we can give habit stacking a shot by trying to implement more praise into something we already do multiple times a day. Perhaps let each time you check your phone today prompt you to offer up short and sweet praises to God. 

Let’s pray:

Dear Lord, 
You are worthy of our praise. All day, every day, our lives should be full of us offering our praise to you! You created everything. The sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains, and the trees. You made a spread of creatures and a diverse group of image-bearers that reflect Your glory! You gave us the law by which to live a perfect life, and when we failed to live up to it because of our sins, you sent Your Son to live it in our places on our behalf. In an upside-down deal, you exchange Your righteousness for our transgressions, Lord. So that we could inherit eternal life with you forever in Paradise. Lord, what else could we ask for? Oh, but how we do ask for more? Sadly, we are easily discontented and distracted by the pleasures of this life. 

Lord, forgive us when we fixate more on what we don’t have and forget to thank You and praise You for all that You have given to us in addition to eternal life. Lord, You didn’t have to; you didn’t have to make food taste sweet or clothe flowers with your brilliant color palette. You didn’t have to give us satisfying friendships and relationships on Earth. You didn’t have to paint beautiful sunrises and sunsets each day for us. But you did, and you continue to do things that prompt us to praise You! Lord, You didn’t have to create us to enjoy it when we offer You praise, but in Your goodness, you made praise beneficial to us by increasing our joy! Thank You, Lord. I ask that You would help each of us to practice habit stacking our praises to You with something we regularly do so that our praise would increase, Jesus.
In Your name, I pray, amen.