Vision for Community..Craig Denison Ministries

 Vision for Community

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:“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” Matthew 18:20

Devotional:

God didn’t design you to do life on your own. Scripture is filled with exhortations to engage in community with fellow believers. Galatians 6:2 says, “Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Psalm 133:1-3 says, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! . . . For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.” And Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says,

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Taking time to invest fully and rightly in community takes both vision and boundaries. Without a sense of God’s heart and leadership into fellowship with believers, we’ll pull back and isolate when problems arise. And without healthy boundaries around community, we can either allow others to take life from us or not make enough space to give rightly of ourselves.

Take a moment to think about the people God has given you. Think about your friends and family. Think about those around you at church you feel close to. What would life be like if you were all alone? What would your hardships have been like if you absolutely had no one to endure them with? God loves to use others as instruments of his healing. He loves to speak life and restoration into his people through the words and actions of those around them.

But to experience healing, life, and restoration from others is to have the courage to call upon others and be vulnerable. To be in community is to be willing to be the hands and feet of Jesus yourself. It’s for that reason that God would have us set healthy, life-giving boundaries for community. If we don’t have any margin in our lives to help meet the needs for others, then we’ve overcommitted ourselves out of a chance to be used by God. And if we don’t make time to simply develop friendships and be loved by others, then we miss an opportunity to receive the love and power of God in a real, unique way.

Whether you find yourself overcommitted with community to the level of running on empty, or under-committed to where you feel like you have to do life on your own, there is grace for you today. Today is a new day in which you can make different, life-altering decisions. Today is a day that you can redraw your boundaries and allow God to pour out his Spirit through community.

Take time in guided prayer to receive God’s heart for your community. Allow him to fill you with courage to be vulnerable and receive life from others. And ask him to help you draw healthy boundaries that you might give of yourself freely to see others experience life and restoration through the power of God poured out in you.

Guided Prayer:

1. Take time to meditate on the importance of community. Allow God to re-envision you for doing life with others.

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! . . . For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.” Psalm 133:1-3

“Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

2. What’s going on in your life that needs healing and restoration? In what ways would God use others to bring about that healing and restoration?From whom can you seek wisdom? What friend would God use to fill your life with joy?

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” James 5:16

3. Who in your life would God call you to minister to today? Take time to pray for that person and ask God for his heart. Ask him for wisdom and power to love that person well.

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Proverbs 17:17

In Acts 2:44-47 we see the power of believers who live in authentic community. Scripture says,

And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

When God’s people gather together and do life in his name, he is there (Matthew 18:20). Seek to develop community that is both fun and representative of the kingdom. Look for others whom you can bring into the community that God’s given you. Dwelling in unity with your fellow believers is both a powerful picture of God’s heart and a public declaration of his reality and will. May God pour out his Spirit in mighty and powerful ways as you seek to live in God-honoring community.

Extended Reading: Acts 2

Accepted in Christ..Jessica Van Roekel

 Accepted in Christ

By Jessica Van Roekel

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” - Ephesians 2:10 ESV

“Why did you make that decision? It was dumb.”

“Do you have to talk all the time? You have nothing important to say.”

“Why are you here? You’ll never qualify.”

Statements like these hit my heart like a broadhead arrow released from a compound bow. My heart heard that I was stupid, unqualified, and should be silenced. To stop the bleeding, I attempted to be whatever made someone else happy. I qualified or disqualified myself based on other people’s opinions. My opinion of myself got tangled like sheep’s wool on a thorn bush in the woods.

How about you? Do you carry the burden of heart wounds that make it hard for you to see yourself as God’s beloved and chosen child?

We can note several things from Ephesians 2:10 that can help us see ourselves the way God sees us. First, we are God’s workmanship. In the original Greek, workmanship literally means “a person of notable excellence.” That might be hard to receive. One look in the mirror, and we might keel over laughing. Or our resume might reveal that we can’t seem to stick with something long enough to be excellent at anything. Maybe we think that since we don’t have a talent, then excellence can’t be used to describe us.

But God says that we are excellent because he made us. We are his prized creation. He made you. He made me. He calls you excellent. You are his notable treasure.

Second, God’s creation of you is in Jesus. God’s love for you caused him to give up his only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on a cross and rise from the grave so that when you believe in him, you will be saved. His love, before you said yes to him, was infinite. He didn’t start loving you when you believed but before you believed. His love for you doesn’t grow greater after you believe but starts out as an infinite love that doesn’t diminish or change.

Third, God re-creates you in Jesus. Part of what this means involves putting off the old creation—past sins and any messages about inabilities and inferiority. He uses what he’s already put in you—your personality and potential—to bring you to your full capabilities in Jesus. Through your surrender and cooperation, Jesus works in you rather than you pursuing someone’s positive opinion of you.

Fourth, God created you for good works, which means that he has a purpose, a plan, and a place designed just for you. Comparison to what other people do or disqualification of yourself based on what another person says about you distracts you from the discovery of God’s plan for you. God placed potential in you. As you trust him to release your potential through your willingness to work hard at whatever he puts in front of you, he will bring about an amazing change in you.

When we can take these important facts to heart, our confidence grows in God’s acceptance of us. God calls us an excellent creation, he loves us with infinite love, and he has a purpose for us to fulfill. It won’t matter what other people say about us or if they turn away from us because we know that God accepts us.

God doesn’t use a sliding scale of acceptance, either. Someone else’s opinion doesn’t mean we’ve failed. Our own failures and mistakes don’t remove God’s acceptance of us. As we confess our struggles and choose repentance, God’s forgiveness flows into our lives. We don’t have to disqualify ourselves because we allow our missteps to confirm the negative words someone spoke to us. Instead, we can reach for God’s forgiveness and remember that he accepts us.

Intersecting faith and life:
Do you have messages in your memory that prevents you from taking Ephesians 2:10 to heart? When you base your merit on other people’s opinions, you set yourself up to struggle to receive God’s acceptance. But when you base your merit on God’s infinite love for you, you can take steps toward replacing the negative messages with God’s truth: you are the work of his hands—most notable and excellent.

Further Reading:
Ephesians 2:1-10

When Life Is Like a Breath..Lynette Kittle

 When Life Is Like a Breath (Psalm 39:5)

By Lynette Kittle

“You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure” - Psalm 39:5

Have you noticed how time can seem like it’s moving fast? Before you know it, ten years ago can seem like yesterday.

Scripture describes how each of our lives is like a breath, explaining, “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14).

For some, this truth brings great sadness at the thought of the shortness of life. The realization of how days on earth pass by quickly, stirs up feelings of it not being long enough to accomplish all they want to achieve, and of the shortness of time with those they love on earth.

For others, it brings hope that their present-day sufferings will not last forever. Like the Apostle Paul wrote, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).

Hope puts into perspective how the sorrows and pains of this life are short-lived in the light of eternity. It gives those whose lives are difficult, those who daily face tough challenges, something to hold onto and look forward to in the future.

As well, understanding life on earth is fleeting encourages those whose lives haven’t taken the direction they had hoped it would take, with the promise of a new beginning.

Likewise, it causes some to evaluate their daily decisions, to decide whether putting their own goals and happiness above others is worth the cost of such temporary satisfactions. The brevity of life causes some to make the most of each and every day.

Comparatively, God’s time is different than our time. Psalm 90:4 explains it this way, “A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.”

Because life on earth is so momentary, some may feel like our lives don’t really matter to God, asking, “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?”(Psalm 8:4).

Yet John 3:16 describes how God’s great love for the world was the motivation for sending Jesus to us. Hebrews 2:9 explains how He came and suffered death for everyone, becoming an atoning sacrifice for our sins so we can receive eternal life (1 John 4:10).

Although earthly lives are fleeting like a breath, it’s not an indication of worthlessness to God but rather of His great love and mercy towards us. God offers us life eternal where we’ll live forevermore free from all suffering and sorrow.

As Revelation 21:4 describes, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Although life on earth is brief, our future is bright because God has a much better life ahead for us. Like the popular saying asserts, “The best is yet to come.”

A Prayer to Look to the Lord as Mighty God..Chelsey DeMatteis

 A Prayer to Look to the Lord as Mighty God

By Chelsey DeMatteis 

“In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings. And He who searches the hearts knows the Spirit’s mind-set, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” - Romans 8:26

For two weeks, I sat fumbling with words, thoughts, and feelings that felt contrary to the faith I knew lived inside my heart. "Why me? Why now? Why am I wrestling with this?" These are three things that came to my mind during the swirling chaos. I’m sure you’ve felt this at some point too.

On a Thursday night, I sat with the word "unspoken" stirring in my heart. I'd had two friends recently share the word with me all in a matter of a week. When the stirring wouldn't subside (thank you Holy Spirit!), I decided to look up what God’s Word had to say about this word. It's referenced twice, once in the Old Testament (Proverbs 27:5) and once in the New Testament (Romans 8:26). 

"In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings. And He who searches the hearts knows the Spirit’s mind-set, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." (Romans 8:26).

Moments into reading this scripture and sitting with the truth of God's Word, I felt the words well up in me that I couldn't quite articulate days prior. The Holy Spirit finally brought to the surface all the lies from the enemy that were coming against me. Lies of deceit and confusion. And I knew in that moment the Holy Spirit was rebuking the things going on in my heart that I couldn't see or speak of. 

Ponder this with me, the Holy Spirit, which was gifted to us by our Mighty God, lives within our hearts and rebukes things within us we cannot detect in the flesh. How amazing is this? How MIGHTY of God is this and John 16:13 gives us the explanation. "When this Spirit of Truth comes, it will guide you into all truth." John 16:13

My heart is deeply encouraged and grateful for this gift. We will all find ourselves in a season of spiritual battles being waged against us. It may be sensing something is off, something is unsettling in your spirit, or the things you're thinking are clearly not from God. When you sense these things, tune into the Holy Spirit. Pray the truth of Romans 8:26 and trust that the Holy Spirit is interceding when we can't see what's taking place inside our hearts and in the Spiritual realm. 

As we find ourselves in the season of celebrating Jesus’ birth and all He is to us, I pray that your heart would be softened to see the great, intricate works of our Mighty God. And may your will find yourself in awe and wonder at His works.

Let’s Pray:

Father, thank you for sending your son, Jesus, to dwell among us. Thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit that we get because of what your son did on the cross. I pray for a heart that seeks you above all things during this season of Advent. I praise you for being Mighty God. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

A Prayer to Put Jesus First This Christmas Season..Debbie McDaniel

 A Prayer to Put Jesus First This Christmas Season

 By Debbie McDaniel

“And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:7

No room for them. No vacancy. No place. Words that still seem to hang close, even today.

In a world that seeks to crowd Jesus out, where busyness abounds, and hearts are stirred to focus on other things, it can be hard sometimes to choose to keep Him first. It’s all too easy to get caught up in the whole hurried dash of the holidays, and to give our attention to what seems more urgent. Our focus gets blurred; and the most important gets pushed aside.

It takes an active and daily choice to put Christ first, especially in a culture that says you’re too busy to focus there. Or that life is too full. And there’s no more room.

May God help us to choose wisely, what voices we listen to, and where we give our attention today.

He is the One who brings true meaning to Christmas.

He is the One who brings real peace in this all-too-often hectic season.

He is the only One worthy of our time and attention as we slow down the maddening rush around our lives.

We can know all of this in our heads, but may He help us to really believe it in our hearts...and choose to live it out this season.

Renewed.

Refreshed.

Making room for Him, first.

Dear God, 

Help us to keep our focus first on Christ this season. Please forgive us for giving too much time and attention on other things. Help us to reflect again, on what Christmas is really all about. Thank you that you came to give new life, peace, hope, and joy. Thank you that your power is made perfect in our weakness. Help us to remember that the gift of Christ, Immanuel, is our greatest treasure, not just at Christmas, but for the whole year through. Fill us with your joy and the peace of your Spirit. Direct our hearts and minds towards you. Thank you for your reminder that both in seasons of celebration and in seasons of brokenness, you’re still with us. For you never leave us. Thank you for your daily powerful Presence in our lives, that we can be assured your heart is towards us, your eyes are over us, and your ears are open to our prayers. Thank you that you surround us with favor as with a shield, and we are safe in your care. We choose to press in close to you today…and keep you first in our hearts and lives.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.