Things Unseen..Craig Denison Ministries

 

Things Unseen

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

As children of God, we have been given a new home and a new hope. May your heart be set aflame by the joy and purpose of living out God’s command to live for heaven this week: “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” Colossians 3:1-4

Scripture:“We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18

Devotional:

We have been trained through the prideful perspective of many that we are only to look to and believe that which we can see and physically experience here on earth. We’re told that there couldn’t possibly be more to life than what we’ve seen because the unseen can’t be experienced in the physical. What a self-centered perspective! Why do we have to know and be able to presently experience all there is in order for it to be real? Why are we, with our limited capacities, the ultimate judge in the debate of what is real and important? In Ephesians 1:18-20, Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus praying,

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, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places.

“Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened . . . .” What does it mean for our hearts to have eyes? And what does it mean for those eyes to be enlightened? The truth is that all of us are given spiritual eyes. All of us know and experience things that can’t be physically seen. We’ve all received and given some type of love. We’ve all had an intuition or belief that couldn’t be physically proven. And as believers, we’ve been filled with the Holy Spirit who longs to guide us to a perspective that far exceeds the span of this world.

2 Corinthians 4:18 says, “We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” Our Savior is calling us to a life lived for that which is unseen: the eternal. He is calling us out of the cycle of worldly pursuit into a greater calling of eternal significance. To live for heaven is to cast off that which is fleeting and temporary and seek that which can only be found with our heavenly Father.

Take time in guided prayer to look to that which is unseen. Ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten the eyes of your heart. Ask him to give you spiritual insight into your own life and the lives of others that you might call all those around you to live for heaven. Cast off those pursuits which tie you down to this world, and ask the Spirit to guide you into a lifestyle of seeking the kingdom of God above all else. May you discover the abundant life available to you in the Spirit as you worship your Father in both spirit and truth today.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the importance of looking to that which is unseen. Allow Scripture to fill your heart with a longing to live for heaven.

“We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” Hebrews 11:1-3

“By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” Hebrews 11:7

2. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any pursuits which are solely fleeting and temporary. Write down any ways in which you have not been looking to the unseen enough.

3. Ask the Spirit to enlighten the eyes of your heart that you might experience all that God has for you today.

“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, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 1:18-20

Looking to that which is unseen is the door through which we experience the fullness of God’s presence available to us on the earth. As Jesus taught us, “God is spirit,” and to truly experience him we must cultivate a lifestyle of opening the eyes of our hearts. Our Father longs to lead us to a lifestyle of continual and transformational encounters with him. He longs to meet us at the doors of our hearts every morning that we might let him in to love us, speak to us, fill us, and transform us. May looking to that which is unseen guide you into deeper and more impactful encounters with the living God.

Extended Reading: 2 Corinthians 4

God Honors Our Commitment to Him..Dr. Charles Stanley

 God Honors Our Commitment to Him

Dr. Charles Stanley

Daniel 1

Daniel and his friends faced the same dilemma we do--how to live a holy life in a godless culture. At one time, our society readily accepted Christian values and standards, but that era is quickly passing. Our challenge today is to live under God's authority while remaining in submission to the law of the land. At times we are forced to choose between the two, but if we'll seek the Lord's guidance before marching defiantly forward, He may open an alternative approach for us.

Had Daniel bluntly declared, "I won't eat this food!" he wouldn't have lasted long, and we wouldn't have the book of Daniel in the Bible. But the Lord gave him the wisdom to humbly seek permission from the person who was in a position of authority over him. God honored his commitment and provided a way for him to live righteously in a pagan world.

We tend to hold up Daniel and his three friends as extraordinary people who lived amazing lives. But have you ever wondered what the Lord could do in the life of an ordinary person like you? The determining factor is not the greatness of the individual but, rather, his commitment to a God who can do remarkable things in a life fully devoted to Him. That's the kind of people our Lord is looking for.

Although we don't know all that God could do in our lives if we'd radically commit ourselves to Him, the thought of missing out on His plans should be enough to motivate us to obey. You don't want to arrive in heaven and discover you forfeited blessings because you weren't fully devoted to Him.

My Strength and Defense..Emma Danzey

 My Strength and Defense

By Emma Danzey

Isaiah 12:2 says, "Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.”

Surely God Is My Salvation 
It is great to be reminded that we have salvation through Jesus. In Isaiah 12, the promised Messiah, Jesus, had not yet come to earth. However, the people of God believed Him at His Word. The Lord used many prophets to speak truth into hard situations and to share about the coming Savior. Isaiah was one of these prophets. In Isaiah 12, Isaiah writes a song of praise after Isaiah 11 just shares about the coming Messiah. The Israelites were well aware that they were sinful and rebellious people. This start to Isaiah 12:2 “Surely” is a confidence that the promised Messiah would be coming and their faith in the Lord who had a redemption plan to cover their sins once and for all.

I Will Trust and Not Be Afraid
The Israelites were a fearful people. Many of them wanted to go back to slavery in Egypt in the difficulty of escape, many of them did not trust in God and took matters into their own hands, and many of them lived out of fear and not faith in the Lord. In this time, Isaiah is reminding the people of their anchor in the Lord. Isaiah encourages us still today to place our trust in the Lord because He is our Peace, and we do not have to be afraid when we are resting in Him.

Our momentary trials and hardships might be extremely painful and difficult, but we can get through knowing that the Lord is with us and we have eternal security in Heaven because of Jesus. We can each declare this in our own lives today, “I will trust and not be afraid.”

The LORD, the LORD Himself Is My Strength and My Defense
When LORD is mentioned in all caps, it is referring to the proper name of God, YHWH. We as believers agree with Isaiah’s statement that God, our God Himself, is our strength and our defense. He helps us to move forward but also protects us from the attacks of the enemy. He is the perfect sacrifice from eternal separation from the Lord. When we undergo spiritual attacks from the enemy, His Spirit within us strengthens and empowers us to stand firm not in our own strength but in leaning on God’s.

In what ways do you need to be reminded that God is your strength and your defense? He is fighting for you, and He is guarding You. I love how we know that it is the Lord who holds the victory, and we are His beloved children. Even when the war seems to tarry, our Savior reminds us of His everlasting presence and His power in the midst of the battle. We can have eternal mindsets with the help of His Spirit.

He Has Become My Salvation 
More valuable than a temporary victory is the fact that when we place our faith in Jesus, He has become our salvation. This is eternal security. This is forever hope and confidence of life with Him in heaven. I love how Isaiah begins and ends this verse with this truth. He is reminding us twice that our story, our lives, begin and end with God. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
Is Jesus your salvation? If you have never accepted this gift through His death and resurrection, ask Him into your heart today. When He is our salvation, we have full victory in Christ. In what ways has it been difficult for your to trust God right now? How can this verse remind you not to be afraid and to fully rely on Him? How has the Lord been a strength and defense on your behalf in the past? How does this give you encouragement that He is fighting for you now and in the future?

Further Reading:

• Exodus 15:2
• Psalm 59:16
• Revelation 22:13

When You Ask “Why, God?”..Dr. Jeff Schreve

 When You Ask “Why, God?”

By Dr. Jeff Schreve

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?' that is, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?'"  - Matthew 27:46

We all grieved and mourned the brutal, unimaginable horror that took place November 5, 2017, at First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs. A deranged and demonized (if not demon-possessed) gunman shot and killed 26 people and wounded 20 others in the worst church shooting America has ever witnessed. The loss of life and utter decimation to individual families and the church family at large are simply heartbreaking to contemplate.

In times like this, we naturally ask, “Why, God? What gives here? These people were worshiping You, and they were senselessly and viciously gunned down in cold blood. I cannot understand why, on earth or in heaven, You would have allowed this to happen.”

You know, it is normal and natural to ask God why. Jesus asked why when He was on the cross, dying for the sins of the world. We just need to know that God does not often answer our question of why. He is not in the business of explaining. He is in the business of sustaining. We will probably never know the answer to our whys this side of heaven. But, what we can know and cling to are these truths:

God is good.
God is love.
God is perfect.

God is in control.
God never makes a mistake.
God cares for us.

God allows things to happen in life that don’t make sense to us… but they do make sense to Him. His understanding compared to our understanding is like the Pacific Ocean compared to a tea cup. When we ask God our why questions, His response is typically something akin to this, “My child, you would not understand even if I explained it to you. (Our teacup minds cannot begin to contain the enormity of the Pacific Ocean.) So how about this: just trust Me.”

TRUST AND PRAY

In the midst of this tragedy, may we trust God and pray that He would use this somehow and some way to further His Kingdom. May He use this as an opportunity for people like you and me to have spiritual conversations with those who do not know Christ. May we be faithful to pray for the families of those killed … and for the church, the pastor and the entire community. May we remember that this fallen world is not our home. We are citizens of heaven who are to hold all things loosely while on this earth. Nothing really belongs to us, not even our own children. Everything belongs to God — “Behold, all souls are Mine” (Ezekiel 18:4). We are simply the managers of His stuff. May we manage well, trusting Him to do “all things well” and “work all things together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

A Prayer for Strength..Meg Bucher

 A Prayer for Strength

By Meg Bucher

“So we can say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?’” Hebrews 13:6 NLT

“You will never believe it mom …”

Junior high tales often begin this way, and I’ve not been able to predict what precedes them yet. Usually, someone was hurt, left out, insulted, betrayed or broken up with. The worst hurt seems to come from close proximity. Typically, kids do not set out with the intent to hurt each other. Misunderstanding, poor planning, lack of communication, and forgetfulness contribute to a lot of hurt feelings in all ages and stages of life. 

The author of Hebrews reminds us not to seek comfort in the material things of this world. In the previous verses, the author speaks of the importance of remaining faithful in our marriages and not to become reliant on wealth for contentment and comfort. Instead, we can put our confidence in the Lord. We don’t have to fear being misunderstood, forgotten, or left out, and we don’t have to cloud our minds in an attempt to identify the intentions of others. 

Our confidence is in Christ Jesus, and our choice to focus on Him over all fear and offense changes everything. It affects our relationships, from the top level of marriage down to figuring out friendship as children. It rearranges our support system, removing money and worldly comforts and cravings and placing the Lord at the center of our hearts. Rooted confidence in the Lord gives life more meaning, depth, and decisiveness. It’s not easy. People are difficult, ourselves included. 

The temptation to accumulate “stuff” is prevalent. God is faithful to strengthen us as we lean into Him for daily guidance through prayer and time in His Word. Then, we can become confident, obedient, and self-controlled Christ followers. The gifts of the Spirit will begin to activate in our lives. We won’t ever be perfect! We, too, will hurt, misunderstand, plan poorly, and forget people. And we, too, will find ourselves on the apologizing end of the spectrum in life. But our confidence in the Lord allows us to keep growing through what we go through.

Let’s pray:

Father,
We are all flawed, sinful people, but there is also good in all of us, too. Father, You see the good in us and in others. When we can’t see past our own hurt and offense, please clear our minds and our hearts so we may see others through Your eyes. Let Your truth reign over our hearts when we are hurting or afraid. 

You are our Helper, Lord. You see us, hear us, and answer our prayers. We are known by You individually and personally. There isn’t a single note of our lives which passes by You- You are all-knowing and everywhere. You are always with us through Christ Jesus. 

Father, when someone hurts us, it feels awful. To be misunderstood, judged, forgotten, or left out is gut-wrenching. Catch us in those moments, God, and remind us of You quickly and swiftly. Let the Truth You say speak louder than any other voice in our lives. When we are tempted to believe negative insults, by Your Holy Spirit, remind us who and Whose we are. When we are afraid and clinging to the material comforts of this world, please come fast to us and steer our hearts back towards You, God. 

God, we pray for marriages that are and will be today. Strengthen and root them in You, Father God. Let Christ be at the center, for we know when couples seek You individually, they meet up with each other on the common ground of faith. We pray for relationships, friendships, neighbors, and co-workers. Help us to communicate clearly with each other, in love. Let us forgive quickly and seek Your help for reconciliation, Lord. 

Bless and protect us from material temptations, God. Guard us from becoming reliant on money and status. Forgive us when we are tempted to put other things and people before You. Restructure our hearts, Father, and reign our lives. Thank You for Your mercy, forgiveness, and grace, Father, to hang in there with us while we stumble through this sinful world. Help us to extend love and grace to others in our lives. Equip us to disciple others, being boldly rooted in Your truth as the source of our confidence. 

In Jesus’ name, amen.