The Blessing of Spiritual Poverty..Craig Denison Ministries

 The Blessing of Spiritual Poverty

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

The biblical concept of being poor in spirit is foundational to every aspect of the Christian life. Foundational to salvation is a heart-level acknowledgment of our need for a Savior. Foundational to experiencing God’s love is acknowledging our great need of love. Foundational to heavenly peace and joy is an acknowledgment that this world truly offers us neither. If we want all that God in his grace offers, we must pursue a lifestyle of being poor in spirit. May you experience more of the depth of God’s love this week as you discover God’s heart to minister to those desperate for him.

Scripture:“I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” Isaiah 57:15

Devotional:

To be rich in spirit based on our own accomplishments is to bear the weight of our own spiritual growth. In comparison, when we acknowledge our spiritual poverty before God, thereby contributing all that we do and are to his limitless grace, the weight of our spirituality is lifted off and placed squarely on the shoulders of Jesus, where it belongs. To be spiritually poor is to be incredibly blessed.

I’ve spent much of my Christian life seeking to do good. I’ve gone to church, Bible studies, small groups, accountability groups, and have played in worship bands. I’ve gone on mission trips, fed the homeless, served at food pantries, given up sleep, spent nights out to invest in others, and even dedicated my career to God. But it seemed like with every good work I was doing I had to continually look to the next. I couldn’t take time to rest or enjoy God because the weight of my righteousness and the fruit of my life rested solely on my shoulders. I didn’t know how to live by grace, so instead I filled every waking moment with a fight to do all I could on my own.

Now it’s not that any of those works were inherently bad. In fact, I am continuing to do most of those things today. The difference is found in John 15:5-9 where Jesus says,

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.

When we live in acknowledgement of our immense need for God’s help, we place ourselves on the path to abiding. Just as a sheep cannot find food, shelter, or water without abiding in the help of a shepherd, we are in immense need of our Good Shepherd. Problems arise when we see ourselves as more than helpless sheep and try to go our own way by living in our own strength. Pride covers up our true state of need. Being poor in spirit opens our eyes to see our true state of helplessness and helps us lean on the ever ready, capable, and available help of our good and faithful Father.

“For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite’” (Isaiah 57:15). May your day be blessed by abiding in a God who is “high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy,” but is “with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit.” May your spiritual poverty lead you to a life filled with the glorious, incomprehensible presence, grace, and love of your Good Shepherd. And may you abide in the loving arms of your heavenly Father as he wholly enriches your life with his loving-kindness.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the blessing of being spiritually poor. Allow Scripture to fill you with courage to look at the state of your life and acknowledge your need of God.

“For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.’” Isaiah 57:15

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

2. Where have you been living life in your own strength? Where is your life not marked by the fruit of abiding in God’s grace and presence?

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.” John 15:5-9

3. Take time to cast the weight of your spirituality on the shoulders of your Good Shepherd. Abide in the love of your heavenly Father. Allow him to take the weight of all you’ve been working toward and replace it with the joy of simply knowing him.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7

“As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!” Psalm 40:17

It is a process to learn to bear fruit out of abiding in God. It’s a place of trust to begin good works by simply enjoying the love of your Father. But Scripture is clear that it is only in resting in the grace and help of our Shepherd that we will bear any form of good fruit. God has good works in store for you that will extend far past the reach of this life. He has an amazing plan to use you to bring his kingdom to earth all around you. But the blessing of making a deep and lasting impact all begins by continually enjoying the love of a good God who would come down to meet you even in your weakness, need, and sin. Rest in the love of your Father today and allow him to plant desires in you that he will come and fulfill by his limitless grace.

Extended Reading: John 15

How to Show Your Thanksgiving This Thanksgiving..Aaron D’Anthony Brown

 How to Show Your Thanksgiving This Thanksgiving

By Aaron D’Anthony Brown

“Give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

The Reason for Gratitude
Thanksgiving is the reason many of us are grateful for the month of November. Yet, while we may be preoccupied with stuffing our faces or talking to our kids about the Pilgrims and the Native Americans, we should strive to turn the feastful day into something representative of its name - a day where we express thanksgiving.

Gratitude is the cornerstone to experiencing a happy and fulfilling life. No empirical study is needed to reach this conclusion, though we can find plenty. No wise teacher needs to instruct us, though many certainly have. All we have to do is look inward - our happiest moments occur when we feel most grateful.

The birth of a baby, a new friendship, a promotion at work. Gratitude and happiness go hand in hand, like peanut butter and jelly, or turkey with gravy. And the shorter the gratitude, the more fleeting the happiness, while more sustained gratitude leads to longer happiness.

Without an appreciation for the things we have, we’re left in a state of dissatisfaction. No matter what comes our way, nothing is enough. Have you ever met someone who complains about everything and everyone? Such a person seemingly has not one grateful bone in their body, and their words, actions, and lives reveal that. Thus, they’re left unhappy and unfulfilled.

As Christians, we strive to live differently; in fact, we’re called to practice very intentional gratitude. Scripture helps us understand that gratitude achieves these three things.

Appreciation
Gratitude is the way we showcase our appreciation of God, of others, and the things we possess. We express gratitude through both our words and actions, indicating for others just how much value they bring to our lives. In effect, we treat God, people, and things, with a tender care that we otherwise would not.

Remembrance
According to Scripture, every single one of us is bound to encounter some form of tribulation in our lives (John 16:33). Moreover, many of us will at one point or another struggle with gratitude because of our suffering. However, maintaining gratitude aids us with remembering God and His blessings during those down seasons.

With gratitude we more easily maintain the perspective that God is good and that however we suffer, there is purpose in the pain, and at some point, the bad will come to an end.

Worship
Gratitude through prayer is one way to worship God, but certainly not the only. In fact, worshiping God whether at home, church, through song or dance, are all ways to bring Him honor. Scripture calls on us to express gratitude not because God needs our admiration, but in doing so we bring Him glory, bring others to Christ, and keep focused on what’s most important - God.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
This Thanksgiving holiday, find some practical ways to showcase your gratitude to family, friends, and more with these ideas:

Thank You Cards
Place them in someone’s mailbox, in their hands, or even more fun, hide them somewhere for the recipient to find!

Prayers of Gratitude
Thank God for His blessings, trials, mercy, etc. and once you finish, or before, thank God for how He’s been active in someone’s life too.

Worship Music
Sing and dance along to the tunes of worship music as you lift praise to the Lord.

Show Someone
For some people, actions speak louder than words. Consider buying someone a gift, fixing them a meal, or performing some other act of service. If you don’t know what to do for them, ask.

Tell Someone
Words can be a great way to show appreciation. Besides giving a simple “thank you,” explain to someone just how much you’re grateful, why, and what you hope for the future of your relationship.

Keep a Journal
God blesses us daily in more ways than we will ever know, understand, or appreciate. Though, where we can express gratitude, we should, and one way to do that is through a gratitude journal. Keep track of how God is working in your life, especially during those moments when life gets tough.

Gratitude is not always easy to maintain but having even just an ounce can make a world of difference in our lives.

Further Reading:

• 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17
• 1 Peter 1:3-7
• Matthew 6:25-34
• Ephesians 1:16

A Prayer for Thanksgiving..Emma Danzey

 A Prayer for Thanksgiving

By Emma Danzey

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of the year. As the United States celebrates this holiday of God’s provisions, many of us will be cooking casseroles, watching the Macy’s parade, playing football in the backyard, and visiting with loved ones. This is not just a gathering, this is an opportunity to live out giving thanks in all circumstances. This is not just God’s will for one day a year, but for every day of our lives. As we pray for Thanksgiving may it remind us to be thankful always.

Let's Pray:

Dear Lord,
Thank You for holidays. Thank you for times when we can gather with loved ones and celebrate all of Your blessings. We pray that this Thanksgiving is a time of great gratitude and love for those around us. Whether relationships are strong or rocky, we are grateful for the opportunity to invest in them and nurture them.

Thank You for the witnessing opportunities that many of us will have with family or friends. Help us not to live in a spirit of fear, but of power and confidence in You. May our words of the gospel be pleasing like honey to them. Would you open their eyes to see the truth and that it will set them free? Jesus, would you please help us to live out the fruits of the Spirit and not to live by our flesh? We pray that we would be a light even in situations that arise which are uncomfortable or hurtful towards our Christian faith in You.

We pray for those who are grieving this Thanksgiving and the table does not feel the same without a certain loved one. Would you hold them near this holiday? Give them strength to make new memories and to be at peace with missing their loved one. Help them not to feel guilty or ashamed of their deep love. We pray that they would not sit in the grief, but that they would be able to find gratitude even in just one thing.

Would You open our eyes to anyone in the community or in our neighborhood who we should invite to our Thanksgiving table? We see so many times that You Jesus welcomed people to the table and ate with a variety of people. May we not forget the powerful witness that this is to You. Help us to let go of selfish traditions and exchange them for new gospel focused opportunities. You say in Philippians 2:3, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.” Help us to remember to consider others before ourselves.

Please go before the food that we prepare. Thank You for the opportunity to have such an amazing meal. Please protect homes from fires and burnt turkeys. Please protect little ones from getting burned. Protect those making dishes from any mishaps with knives. We pray protection over every aspect of the meal preparation. Help those who have cooked and worked hard for the meal feel greatly appreciated and valued. It is often an under-appreciated job to do. Give us fresh ways to say thank you to others in the ways that they step in.

Help us to remember the most important thing to be thankful for is You and Your gift of salvation Jesus. The holiday and the food are temporary, but Your forgiveness lasts forever to those who accept You as Savior. Remind us of ways in which You have saved us from the pit and restored us to the Father. Help us to be starters of spiritual gratitude during our conversations and as we eat. Reveal any ways that we try to put You outside of this holiday and focus on lesser things. You are the most important part of Thanksgiving.

We pray that faith in Christ, prayer, and edifying Christian community would be visual examples to the next generation about what we are truly more grateful for even though some years are more challenging than others. We praise You Lord for so many blessings that You have provided for us. Amen.

A Prayer for Thanksgiving Day..Debbie McDaniel

 A Prayer for Thanksgiving Day

By Debbie McDaniel

“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness, come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God, it is he who made us, and we are his, we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise, give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good; his love endures forever, his faithfulness continues through all generations.” Psalm 100:1-5

All across our nation, Thanksgiving is a day that we set aside in order to do one thing.

Be thankful.

And usually what goes along with it, is lots of food, family and friends, laughter and fun, times of giving to others in need, maybe some football, or traditions that you’ve recognized through long years.

And sometimes too, there is also loneliness. And struggle. Or deep loss. Feelings of hurt and painful circumstances that you’re still trying to hurdle over.

Whatever you’re facing this Thanksgiving Day, in the midst of all of it, may we remember again that God gives us the opportunity each and every day, to give worship and thanks to Him. Every morning He gives us breath, is His invitation to come joyfully into His Presence. He reminds us that He alone is God and we belong to Him. He assures us that His plans in our lives are for good, that his love covers us securely, and His faithfulness extends from generation to generation.

No matter what, He’s given us so many reasons to choose thankfulness and joy this day. Let’s do what the Psalmist of this great chapter says:

- Shout for joy.

- Worship the Lord with gladness.

- Come before Him with joyful songs.

- Know that He is God.

- Enter His gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise.

- Give thanks to Him and praise His name.

- Recognize His goodness, love, and faithfulness, through all the generations of our family.

Dear God,
Thank you for your goodness and for your blessings over our lives. Forgive us for when we don't thank you enough, for who you are, for all that you do, for all that you've given. We’re so grateful  for your amazing love and care, for your mercy and grace, for always working on our behalf, even behind the scenes when we’re unaware. Thank you that you are always with us and will never leave us, even through loss and the most difficult of times. Thank you for your incredible sacrifice so that we might have freedom and life. Help us to set our eyes and our hearts on you afresh. Renew our spirits, fill us with your peace and joy, this Thanksgiving Day and every day.
We give you thanks and praise, for You alone are worthy!
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.