Being a Person of Vision..Craig Denison Ministries

 Being a Person of Vision

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

We serve a God of boundaries. In his limitless capacity, endless creativity, and boundless existence he still chose to create boundaries. He still had vision for what was good, right, pleasing, and perfect. And as children made in his image, we are to live, think, and create as he does. In a world marked by busyness from seemingly infinite opportunities, it’s important now more than ever for us to create boundaries. May you find freedom and joy this week as you receive vision and set boundaries under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

Scripture:

“Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.” Proverbs 29:18

Devotional:

The world we live in constantly bombards us with attempts to define who we are and what we should do. Advertisements tell us what we need. Our jobs tell us how we should spend our time and find a sense of self-worth. Our families and friends often define us by what we’ve done or said in the past. And even our churches sadly define us according to how we can best meet the needs of the church rather than getting to know who we truly are.

But we serve a God who knows us even better than we know ourselves. Psalm 139:1-4 says, “O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.” And then later in verse 16 David writes, “Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”

From the foundation of the earth, God knew he would make us. On the day we took our first breath he already had perfect, pleasing plans for us. He’s known our every thought and looked upon our every action with grace. We could not be more known than we are by our heavenly Father. And there couldn’t be a better guide through the chaos of this life than the Holy Spirit.

To be a person with healthy, life-giving boundaries starts with being a person of vision. And the only place to get true vision is from the only One who truly knows you. God longs to be the north on your compass. He longs to give you honest insight into how he’s made you. He longs to give you a sense of how he sees you and feels about you. And in receiving a revelation of who you are you will be better equipped to follow his leadership into his perfect and pleasing will.

Begin this week of vision and boundaries by meeting with your heavenly Father in prayer. May you be overwhelmed by a fresh revelation of how loved you are—just as you are.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the simple truth that God truly knows you. Allow Scripture to lead you to a place of faith and trust in God’s knowledge of you.

“O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.” Psalm 139:1-4

“Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” Psalm 139:16

2. Ask God to give you a revelation of how he sees you. Ask him for a revelation of his nearness and love. Begin to talk to him about any insecurities you have.

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:29-31

3. Ask God for a revelation of what he has called you to. Ask him about your role in your family and his calling on your life as a spouse, child, or parent. Ask him for vision for your work. Ask him for vision for your relationship with him. Journal his responses.

“For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” Romans 11:29

“To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

Often in my life I feel like a horse with blinders just putting my head down and running as fast as I can to only end up right back where I started. God doesn’t desire to put blinders on us. He doesn’t treat us just as tools to accomplish tasks. He’s about relationship with us. He’s about guiding us in having vision for our lives. He longs to help us see ourselves, this world, and opportunities before us as he does that we might gain wisdom and insight. Choose to be a person of vision. Choose to pick your head up and put on the lens of the Holy Spirit. Ask God questions. Inquire of him about your life and opportunities. And in response he will provide the leadership you need, exactly how you need it.

Extended Reading: Psalm 139

The Season of Hope..Meg Bucher

 The Season of Hope

By Meg Bucher 

“O LORD God of Heaven’s Armies! Where is there anyone as mighty as you, O LORD? You are entirely faithful.” - Psalm 89:8 NLT

“It’s here!!!” Though not as thick as the one delivered in my childhood, the toy catalog brought a lot of excitement to our house each holiday season. Things my kids didn’t even know existed became things they hoped they would get for Christmas. 

The Christmas Season has also been called the Season of Hope. Much deeper than the wishes circled in toy catalogs and commercialized in gift wrap, Hope is anchored in the faithfulness of God. The psalmist wrote, “You are entirely faithful.” Christmas reminds us of the evidence of God’s faithfulness. Though we cannot see Him, we know He works miracles. We trust the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. Psalm 36:5 reads: 

“Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.” Psalm 36:5 NLT

Beyond the clouds! The clouds are layered into the sky as the seasons change in the North, ushering in the holiday season. What causes those last leaves to cling to the trees after the winds of change have scattered the rest amidst the ground? God’s creation reminds us of His consistency. He is faithful. His beauty permeates every atmospheric change. He is in charge of the change. Our hope is in Him because of Who He is …entirely faithful.

Christ Jesus was born a babe in Bethlehem, proof of God’s faithfulness and love. He didn’t have to save us or show us how much He loved us. He wanted to. He is entirely faithful. He is in charge of the change. The VOICE paraphrase of Psalm 89:8 reads:

“O Eternal God, Commander of heaven’s armies, who is mighty like You? You are completely faithful; that’s why we trust in You.”

“How is your hope?” an article, “Hope Bible Verses,” compiled by Bible Study Tools Staff, asked, “Does it bounce back after being hit? Does it cause you to doubt when you lose hope in a situation? God knows that we all struggle with finding and holding onto hope.” Christmas is an opportune time to remember the babe born in Bethlehem, coming down from heaven to bring us hope without end. The author of Hebrews wrote: 

“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise.” Hebrews 10:23 NLT

The birth of Jesus reminds us of the faithfulness of God. 

Intersecting Faith and Life:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” - Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

The world is chaotic, but God is in control. The Christmas season itself brings an additional element of busyness. Jesus came into the world by God’s design and in His time. There is nothing that surprises God. We, too, were born under His timing and orchestration. He is always aware, ready, and active. God does not need to sleep. He is mighty to save and defends us with a heavenly army of angels. He is the God of miracles. The Voice paraphrase of Jeremiah 29:11 reads:  “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Eternal, “plans for peace, not evil, to give you a future and hope- never forget that.”

Christmas gives us an opportunity to embrace a season of hope. God’s people looked forward to the coming Messiah for centuries. Faithfully, He came and brought hope which does not fade when the Christmas lights are taken down. It remains constant, as God remains faithful. Our hope, daily, is in Him.

Father, 
Thank You for Christmas and the reminder this season of Hope brings to our hearts and homes. Thank You for the lights which brighten dark and long winter days, reminding us Jesus brought light and hope into a dark and hopeless world. Father, we embrace Your hope and faithfulness and pray it propels us into obedience and big risks as we faithfully follow Your Son, Christ Jesus, by the gift of His Holy Spirit. 
In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Further Reading 

• Psalm 91:4-6
• Isaiah 7:14
• Matthew 1:21
• Luke 2:6-7

Wisdom of the Aged..Jennifer Waddle

 Wisdom of the Aged (Job 12:12)

By Jennifer Waddle

Today’s Bible Verse - Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding? (Job 12:12)

There’s great value in the lessons that can be learned between generations. Just as Paul encouraged Timothy in the Bible not to let anyone look down on him for his youth, but to be an example in love, faith, and purity, the younger generation can teach the older generation valuable things in both faith and life.

I still remember hearing a young girl speak, who had suddenly lost her sight due to an unexpected illness. She stood before a room full of women and gave her testimony with boldness and clarity. Then, as she closed her message, she encouraged all of us to view life’s major setbacks as brand new opportunities to serve God in ways we never imagined. Needless to say, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room, as we learned something beautiful from a young girl steadfast in the Lord.

As I get older, I’m finding that wisdom goes both ways. There is just as much to glean from the “young’uns” as there is to be gathered from the aged. As Job rightly pointed out, “Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?” Job had lived long enough—and been through enough—to know that the older generations had wisdom that needed to be passed on. The question for us today is, are we actively sharing our wisdom and experience with the younger generation?

If you feel like you have wisdom to share, but aren’t sure where to begin, here are a few ideas to consider:

1. Start a small group Bible study for young married couples.

Marriage is no easy thing. Young couples are in desperate need of older couples to mentor them and walk with them through the tough stuff. Prayerfully consider leading a Bible study for married couples within your sphere of influence, and watch your God-given wisdom be used for His glory!

2. Offer to mentor young adults.

Many churches have young-adult groups that meet together for fellowship and fun. However, there is also a need for the older generation to offer mentorship for these young adults. Get in touch with the young-adult leader in your church and offer to be a listening ear. You might be surprised at the warm welcome you’ll receive!

3. Adopt a college student who is far from home.

Out-of-state college students often feel a bit displaced, especially around the holidays. Consider “adopting” a college student by inviting them to your home on weekends and holidays. This will mean so much to them as they find a welcoming family they can depend on.

4. Volunteer in the youth department of your church.

Youth groups almost always need extra volunteers to oversee youth events and activities. This is one area where you can definitely offer wisdom, guidance, and direction to the next generation.

Many times, all it takes is getting out there and putting yourself in the position of availability. The younger generation needs the wisdom of the aged, but they are often too busy and independent to reach out. By showing up within their circles of life, you are saying, “I’m here for you.”

Keep in mind, you don’t have to have all the answers. Pouring into the younger generation is more about relationship building than instructing. And as Proverbs 27:17 reminds, “Iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

Both young and old have valuable things to share with each other. The key is to be open to God’s leading. Pray for opportunities to reach across generational lines and offer camaraderie to someone today. You never know who might be blessed by your wisdom, understanding, and willingness to invest in their life!

An Advent Prayer for Hope..Emma Danzey

 An Advent Prayer for Hope

By Emma Danzey

Isaiah 9:6 says, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Advent is a time of year celebrated in the preparation for Jesus’ birth. It is the last 4 Sundays which lead to December 25th. As a four-part series, we will pray through the meaning of each candle as we prepare our own hearts for Christmas. Actual Advent goes from Sunday, November 27th through December 24th this year. For more information about Advent, you can visit Christianity.com Justin Holcomb shares that “The most common Advent candle tradition, however, involves four candles. A new candle is lit on each of the four Sundays before Christmas. Each candle represents something different, although traditions vary. The four candles traditionally represent hope, faith, joy, and peace.”

Today as we pray through the first candle, hope, may we be reminded of the fulfilled promise of Jesus as the Messiah long awaited by the people of God.

Let's Pray:

Our Great Messiah,
Thank You for being the fulfillment of the promise of eternal life to come. Thank You that You came down to this earth to die for our sins. Jesus, please help us to reflect on Your faithfulness through and through. You give hope to this dark world and You show us how to live with eternal perspective. Help us today and this week not to live with worldly eyes, but to see through Spiritual eyes and know that You are over all and working everything out according to Your purposes.

God, You humbled Yourself to come here and live the life that I could not live. Thank You for standing in my place and taking away my sins. Help me not to go a day without being thankful for that. Lord, I confess areas in my life where I feel hopeless or doubtful for You to work. Would You please remind me that just as You have worked in the past, throughout the Bible, that You are still working today. Remind me that the hope that comes from You does not disappoint. Help me feel confident to trust in the One who never fails.

Lord, You say in Romans 5:5 “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.” You have given us as believers the gift of Your Spirit in us. Hoping in You will not disappoint us. Thank You for your overflowing love.

As we look at the world around us, everything is falling apart. Sin is rampant, lives are broken, people are confused, and the enemy appears to be winning in so many ways, remind us how You have already won the battle and that Your name and Your word prevail and are living and active. Please change hearts, redirect lives, and heal what has been broken.

Where there is distrust and doubts, replace them with faith and hope. As we all come into this season of Christmas with different experiences and various kinds of years, would You meet us where we are? Would you please show us Your glory and draw near to us as we draw near to You?

We pray over those in our lives who need extra hope right now. Give us the words to say and prayers to pray over them and with them so that they would know the freedom and the joy that they can have in You. Whether it be grief, loneliness, anxiety, depression, illness, etc. We ask for discernment how to be love them and point them to Your hope this Christmas season.

God we pray that we are passing on this joyous hope to the next generation. You say in Psalm 145:4, “One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.” Help us to declare this hope that we have because of what You have done Jesus. If we are ever tempted to hold it back, move in us to act and to share this hope that we have. You say in 1 Peter 3:15 to always be ready to give an answer for the hope that we have, may we not neglect telling those younger than us and encouraging them in faith. Amen.

The Strains of Christmas..John UpChurch

 The Strains of Christmas

by John UpChurch

But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. (Galatians 4:4-5)

Christmas at my house meant preparing for the worst. The worst didn’t always come, but you couldn’t be too careful.

You see, the thing about holidays is that people tend to be together, pushed into the same room by tradition and baked turkey. My family spent most of the year avoiding such things, as we hurried off to school or work, buried ourselves in music and books, and generally enjoyed the comfort of a closed door.

We could usually navigate the raging Scylla and Charybdis of Thanksgiving because it only meant a day together before we scattered again. But while we chewed stuffing, my father would chew on his disappointment over his life and his family. My older brothers would try not to notice. The tryptophan made us all too sleepy for much more—at least, that’s what I like to think.

But then Christmas came lumbering into the UpChurch household with all its vacation days. We had too much time off, and too many unspoken issues. We were like a pot of boiling potatoes with the water sloshing out on the stove. There’d be some sizzling over a lack of job, a splash or two over how much something cost, and then boom… the lid blew off.

An hour and two new holes in the wall later, we surveyed the wreckage of the yuletide cheer. My brothers would fume back into the basement, my father would escape to his computer, and my mom would try to figure out what to do. Usually, the anger just sunk back into the pot for another year.

When I moved out of my house, it took years for Christmas to reclaim its festive atmosphere. Even when the war ended, the shellshock didn’t. There were too many things unsaid, too many things not dealt with. The embers of home-fought battles wouldn’t die down.

Then, Christ.

Describing salvation couldn’t be better summed up than in those two words set apart in their own paragraph: then, Christ. There was no choir of angels singing (audibly to me, at least) or a special star shining light down on my apartment, but it was a moment that clearly separates time into two epochs. That separation is for both BC/AD and OJ/NJ—Old John and New John.

As this New John, though, I noticed something that might as well have been as miraculous as angels breaking out the tunes over my head. When Christmas came, the dread didn’t. I’d plucked the Christ off Christmas, and the mass didn’t seem so heavy. In fact, I even looked forward to it.

No, the tension didn’t suddenly melt away. The tempers weren’t all snuffed out. There were still moments that stretched tightly across our gatherings. But I now knew something just slightly flip-the-world-upside-down, mind-blowingly awesome: A baby, born poor and away from home, had taken the worst this world had to offer. A king wanted Him dead, and His country had no place for Him. But still He came… for me.

For you.

Intersecting Faith and Life: Christmas has no shortage of strains. It’s a holiday that seems perfectly designed for stress—at least, in the way we Westerners celebrate. Family tension has a way of bubbling up with the egg nog, and old arguments never seem to die.

But my prayer is that you aren’t afraid to face the day, and not just face it, but be filled with the mystery of it all. Here is a day to remember our God adding humanity to deity and giving up the sweet spot in heaven to plop Himself into our world. He came because He didn’t hold our sin against us; He wanted to hold it for us.

And when you keep that perspective, family arguments and stress suddenly seem trivial amid the menagerie of hams and yams and red velvet cakes.