Following God into the Light..Craig Denison Ministries

 Following God into the Light

 Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

We live in the reality that there is both light and darkness around us at all times. This world has both good and evil, right and wrong. As believers we must grow in both our acceptance of this reality and our pursuit of the light. We must allow God to mold and shape us into those who rid ourselves of any darkness, become fully known to God, and allow his light to transform us into reflections of his Son. May the Lord open our eyes to see the glorious light before us this week.

Scripture:“And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them.” Isaiah 42:16

Devotional:

The Holy Spirit dwelling within is always leading us out of darkness and into the light. He is ready and available to guide us through every decision, temptation, trial, tribulation, and circumstance that we might experience all the abundance available to us in his light.

God promises us in Isaiah 42:16, “And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them.” You serve a loving, good Father who doesn’t leave you to figure out life on your own. He doesn’t even leave you just with Scripture to find your way into the light. He knows that we are blind without him. He knows that we are in immense need of his help. And he is constantly leading us into the better things he has for us.

1 Corinthians 10:13 encourages us that, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” With every temptation the enemy brings, God is leading us in a great escape. You and I so often don’t know the way out of temptation. It feels impossible to find the path to righteousness when all we feel is wrongful desire welling up within us. But if we will acknowledge that we are indeed blind and reach out our arms for the guiding hand of God, he “will turn the darkness before [us] into light” (Isaiah 42:16). He is our faithful Shepherd to the abundant pastures available to us on the other side of temptation.

Hebrews 2:18 says, “For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” Our God is compassionate because he has felt the temptations we feel. He has walked through this life and lived in the light. You are not alone in your sin. You are not alone in your temptations. You are not alone in the trials, decisions, and circumstances that seem to draw you into darkness. Your Savior has compassion on you and longs for you to simply lean on his strength, trust him, and follow him.

“He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). You will overcome your enemy if you reach out for the help of God. He will lead you away from the sin that entangles you and direct you to his perfect, peaceful paths of righteousness. Have faith in the love and ability of your God and follow him throughout your day to the still, calm waters of his presence.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s desire and ability to lead you into the light. Allow Scripture to stir up your faith to follow God in the midst of trials, circumstances, and temptations.

“And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them.” Isaiah 42:16

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13

2. What temptations seem to envelop you where you feel no way out? What wrongful desires do you not seem to be able to get rid of?

3. Ask God how he is leading you away from those temptations. Ask him to help you reach for his help in the midst of darkness that you might follow him to the light. Take time to reflect on and journal the ways in which he will lead you to the light.

“For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” Hebrews 2:18

May Psalm 23:1-6 fill your heart with a longing for close, open relationship with your good Shepherd today as you seek to live in the light:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Extended Reading: Hebrews 2

Victory Over Unforgiveness..Dr.Charles Stanley

 Victory Over Unforgiveness

Dr.Charles Stanley

Daniel 6

Immediately after teaching His followers to pray, Jesus gave a warning about allowing unforgiveness to reside in the heart. He said that those who refuse to forgive others won't be forgiven by the Father.

Do not misunderstand Jesus' meaning here. Believers don't lose their salvation when they refuse to forgive. Rather, they break fellowship with God because their unrepentant attitude gets in the way of regular confession and repentance. The Lord cannot ignore sin, and His Spirit will bring wrong behavior to the believer's attention until he or she deals with it.

Forgiveness is an act of the will more than an act of the heart. Often people don't feel like being merciful to someone who has wronged them. But a resentful spirit grows into a terrible burden. The Lord knows that forgiveness is best, even when it is difficult.

You won't deal with a sin until you see it as God does. So assume full responsibility for your unforgiving attitude, and acknowledge that it is a violation of His Word. Claim the divine mercy He offers, and ask Him to enable you to lay aside anger and resentment against the other person(s). As part of the decision to move forward in grace, make a habit of praying for those who hurt you. And if God so leads, seek their forgiveness for your wrong attitude.

A bitter and resentful spirit doesn't fit who we are in Christ. Nor is it healthy to carry an angry attitude through life. That's why Scripture emphasizes the need to forgive. Choose to be liberated from your burden--Jesus promised to make us free when we release our sins to Him (John 8:36).

Faith and Our Mental Health..Amanda Idleman

 Faith and Our Mental Health

By Amanda Idleman

Jesus replied: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ - Matthew 22:37

When we are suffering due to an ailment, we need the peace of God to help us to endure our trials. We need to make changes in the ways we care for our bodies in order to experience healing. We need a community to call on to support us on our journey. Diligently praying that God offers us healing should be a part of our response. In addition to these practical steps, we often rely on the expertise of professionals, and oftentimes, this includes taking medication as a way for us to find that healing. 

All of the actions described above are the same steps that are necessary for a person to find healing or relief from mental illness. Yet, just last week I sat in a service where those taking anti-anxiety medications were a group being called out. It’s clear that we still are lacking in our ability to address mental illness in church with grace and understanding. Some Christians believe that mental illness is more than an ailment; some think it is a spiritual failure. 

Empathy Is Required When Discussing Mental Health 
If you’ve never struggled with your mental health, it can be hard to understand what it feels like to have your mind and body hijacked by the crushing weights of anxiety, depression, or other debilitating mental illnesses; I assure you, as someone that has walked this trying road, there is more to these terrifying experiences than a lack of a proper understanding of God’s Word. 

God’s Word is an amazing tool that does help us all find healing in our lives. Nonetheless, many times when we are experiencing clinical forms of mental distress, we also need the help of our community and professionals to find balance in our bodies again. 

Just as the church would not shame, discourage, or call out a diabetic for taking insulin, we also should be careful not to stigmatize treatments for a person being treated for mental illness. Spiritual leaders need to take note of this mental health crisis that is happening in their communities. The body of Christ should begin to educate itself on how to love people that are navigating this struggle.

Anxiety and Depression Are Caused by Physical Imbalances
It is well-documented that our behavior, thoughts, and trauma cause anxiety and depression. Those are all things that we need the help of others and the Holy Spirit to work through. Counselors, therapists, and a strong community are key to finding healing. In addition to these traumas, stresses, and losses, these mental illnesses are also triggered by physical imbalances in my body. 

Understanding the physical connections between our bodies and minds helps to free us of the shame and guilt that holds us back from seeking healing through a holistic approach. The church needs to expand the conversation from us seeking peace not only through our connection to the Bible but also through seeking health in our bodies through practices that promote our physical and mental well-being. 

Christ Alone Has the Perfect Mind 
Part of the church's struggle with this topic stems from an incomplete understanding of the many verses that address our mental battles with fear and anxiety. God over and over comforts us, telling us that when we are afraid, we can trust him. God knows our minds are weak, and fear will be a part of our human experience. This is why he kindly addresses our fears with words of comfort, but somehow those same words have been a catalyst to point blame at ourselves or other believers as if we are lesser in our faith because we are enduring a battle of the mind. 

One wise friend explained that we all have fallen minds; only Christ had the perfect mind. We often pray that God would give us the mind of Christ because it’s impossible to live our lives with peace and wisdom without access to our Father. All of us struggle to see our world, circumstances, relationships, and futures without struggles. 

This grace that says there is not one of us that gets our thoughts right helps to break the stigma around anxiety or depression. We need to be sharing the truth that God sees that our minds and bodies struggle. He is here for us on a journey that looks like prayer, self-care, medical care, and more.

Life is complex, and how we find freedom is often different for every person. Leaders of the faith, as we talk about this very complex issue, let’s be open to hearing, willing to learn, and filled with love. 

Intersecting Faith and Life:
If you are a faith leader, take time to hear the lived experiences of those who have endured struggles with their mental health. Listening leads to compassion and understanding. This will provide context and depth the next time you share a message concerning our mental well-being. If you are in a season in which you are struggling with mental illness, take time to do more than just lean on God’s word. Invest in the health of your body which will make way for a more peaceful mind. Seeking the assistance of professionals on how to find balance in your body is always a wise step toward healing. 

3 Steps from Psalm 139 to Declutter Your Heart..Kia Stephens

 3 Steps from Psalm 139 to Declutter Your Heart

By Kia Stephens

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24

If we’re not careful, our hearts can become like double-sided tape, picking up slights and hurts with increasing ease. And God is never duped by our outward appearance. He, better than anyone, knows that no human being is exempt from needing to declutter our hearts.

Even David, described as a man after God’s own heart, asked God to examine the contents of his soul in Psalm 139:23-24 (NIV).

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

His prayer gives us three practical steps to follow in decluttering our hearts.

#1 Ask God

David courageously asked God to conduct an internal excavation. This was a brave request considering God knows all things, even that which we hide from ourselves.

And though the combination of our mind, will, and emotions may look like a long overdue garage sale, He is not hesitant to delve inside. He is not repelled by the complexity of our soul. Fully aware of the sum total of who we are, He delights in us.

#2 Listen to God

David not only asked, but was prepared to listen to all that God would reveal to him about his heart. This was evident by his words “See if there is any offensive way in me.” David wanted to know God’s opinion of who he was at his core.

If we choose, like David, to declutter our hearts, we need to be prepared for what God has to say about us. He may ask us to part with a piece of ourselves we feel intimately connected to. Though it may be difficult, we can rest in the truth that God loves us extravagantly.

He is a master heart pruner, who purges because He knows it will make us better. Gently he persistently prompts us to release the jumbled hodgepodge of clutter we’ve piled up in our hearts. As our Creator, we can trust He has a purpose when He says “Let it go.”

He alone knows what needs to be kept or discarded.

#3 Follow God

David ends his Psalm by saying “. . . Lead me into the way of everlasting.” If you are like me, sometimes I think I am a shepherd instead of a sheep. Foolishly, I get confused into thinking I can do a better job leading myself; but I can’t.

This is futile because a self-led person is headed for ruin. It is better to be led by God who sees our beginning and our end. If He can speak to the waves and bring peace then he can speak to our cluttered souls and bring order. We must surrender to Him: believing His infinite understanding of who we are is far superior than our finite perspective.

A Prayer for Suffering..Ashley Moore

 A Prayer for Suffering 

By Ashley Moore 

“But then I recall all you have done O LORD; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago.” - Psalm 77:11, NLT

Many are reluctant to cry out to God when suffering for fear their complaints would offend Him. And rightly so! Remember in Exodus when the Lord burned with anger at the Israelites for grumbling? But there is a significant difference between complaining about God versus complaining to God.

In Psalm 77, the psalmist lamented, meaning he cried out to God about a loss he was experiencing. The NLT version says he even shouted to God about the difficulty of his circumstances. Questioning if God had abandoned him, the Psalmist couldn’t sleep. He was in deep trouble. And he was so distressed the text says he couldn’t even pray (Psalm 77:1-7). 

Have you ever been in a situation like this before? Maybe your struggle feels insignificant, like a relational tension. Or perhaps, you've suffered an unexpected tragedy. Whatever the case, as humans with limited understanding, we struggle to understand why God allows suffering into our lives. In our darkest moments, we wonder if questioning God is sinful. 

Does He get tired of hearing me vent? Does God care about my problems, or does He hear my cries as nagging complaints?

But think about the character and nature of God from scripture. He is a relational God, inviting us to be part of a family (2 Corinthians 6:18). He desires that we talk with Him about everything, especially the things that break our hearts (1 Peter 5:7). He longs to comfort us through His Holy Spirit (John 14:16). He is also an all-knowing God, meaning nothing we experience, feel, or think about is hidden from Him (Psalm 139). Not only does He know everything about us, but He understands His creation's complete dependency and frailty and loves us despite us (Jeremiah 31:3).

God longs for us to lament the hardships we face to Him. When we courageously share the burdens of our lives with our all-powerful God, He does something wonderful. He reminds us of the good news of Christ! We remember Jesus suffered too. And because He took all the penalty of our sin onto Himself, we can trust the day is approaching when we will be restored to perfection with our Heavenly Father just as He was. However, like Christ, while on earth, we will endure suffering and trials of many kinds (1 Peter 5:10). We will never stop needing this reminder and the good news of Christ, especially on the hard days.

We draw closer to God when we humble ourselves by bringing our laments before Him. This shifts our focus from our circumstances to our good God. When we experience the presence of God by reading His Word or in prayer, we are flooded with recollections of all the amazing things He has done. Remembering His faithfulness causes us to overflow with praise. And God hardwired us to experience deep pleasure and joy when we praise Him. So even in the middle of hardship, we can still rejoice. 

God desires we bring our complaints to Him because we can’t praise or experience joy if we bypass the process of lamenting our suffering. We don't have to be afraid of offending God because lamenting is not complaining about God but rather complaining to Him. We can cry out to God about our trials. And allow Him to turn the pain into praise so we can experience joy that transcends our troubles. 

Let’s pray: 

Dear Lord,
I thank you for who you are and who I am in light of that. God, you are faithful, slow to anger, and abounding in love for me (Psalm 103:8). Thank you that you can handle every big emotion I experience. Thank you for inviting me to place all my disappointments onto your strong shoulders. 

Lord, forgive me when I wrongly believe that you are bothered by my problems or I fear that you will become angry about my complaints and grief. God help me courageously bring these things before you. Help me recall all the wonderful things you’ve done, including the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Thank you for helping me put my problems into perspective. 

God, help me surrender to the process of lamenting so I can experience joy and peace that surpasses my understanding. You are a good God! Thank you that you bend down to hear my prayers even now (Psalm 116:2).
In your name, I pray, amen.

Be Thankful for People..Robin Dugall

 Be Thankful for People

Robin Dugall

I thank my God every time I remember you. 
—Philippians 1:3 

Thanksgiving season is here, and across our country, pastors will preach sermons pointing out the need for Christ-followers to be thankful people. As a pastor, I’ve made impassioned pleas for Christ-followers to rise above our culture… to resist the temptation for the holiday season to be simply another opportunity for us to be self-focused and self-indulgent. Thanksgiving isn't just about eating to the brink of explosion; shopping to the brink of bankruptcy; watching television to the brink of insanity. I've tried to make the point that Thanksgiving for a person who loves God can be so much more.

Even so, I discovered in my own life that despite what I've preached, I have missed a crucial element in the process of being a thankful follower of Jesus in my own life. I found that over the years I have been mostly thankful for the THINGS in my life; for food, finances, the house I have lived in, the clothes I have worn, and so on. While there’s nothing wrong with being thankful for these things, I have missed the boat on giving thanks for the biggest blessings of God in my life… PEOPLE.

Consider how empty, purposeless, and meaningless our lives would be without relationships. Relationships have shaped who we are and who we are becoming. Without exception, everyone I know has been positively influenced by other people. While it is easy to thank God for the THINGS in our lives, we should remember to be equally thankful for the PEOPLE God has placed in our lives as well!

Let me give you just one example. I am thankful for my Aunt Patty. She had suffered a brain injury when she was a small child severe enough that by the time I was born, she had become mentally disabled. But, when I was a child, she would play games and entertain me for hours. She loved me unconditionally. We would play Beatles records and pretend to be Paul McCartney and John Lennon. It was her love for music that infected my soul for the rest of my life. I thank God for her!

How about you? Who do you thank God for? Today, take a few moments and thank God for the relationships in your life. Truthfully, it can revolutionize your life. Happy Thanksgiving!

GOING DEEPER:

1. Make a list of the people who have shaped your life. Share the list with your friends and family.

2. How easy is it to just thank God for things in your life? How can you live a lifestyle of thankfulness more consistently?

FURTHER READING:

[Psalms 150; Philemon 1]