The Longing for Fascination..Craig Denison Ministries

 The Longing for Fascination

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

All of us have insatiable longings that can only be satisfied in communion with our heavenly Father. The longing to be enjoyed, fascinated, to gaze upon beauty, and to be someone great are driving forces within each of us. The longing to experience intimacy without shame, to be wholehearted, and to make a deep and lasting impact resound within each of us at the foundation of who we are. God created these longings knowing that they can only be fully satisfied in him—that they would be avenues to deeper relationship with him. As we look at each of these longings individually, I pray your heart would find its fulfillment in the loving nearness of your heavenly Father.

The titles and main concept for this week are all derived from The Seven Longings of the Human Heart by Mike Bickle and Deborah Hiebert.

Scripture: "Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things." Romans 1:22-23

Devotional:

All of humanity is marked by an insatiable desire for fascination. We long for that which is unexplainable, intensely interesting, and unfathomable. But too often we settle for being temporarily fascinated by the things of the world. We look at concepts, cultures, and man-made creations and find fascination in that which is meant to lead us to the One who is most fascinating—our heavenly Father.

You and I were created to be fascinated by the invisible nature and miraculous, supernatural works of God. We were created to know personally the God who created a universe so vast that its enormity is beyond measure. We’re created to experience communion with the God who created that which is so miniscule even our largest microscopes can’t capture it. We serve a God of wonder who alone can satisfy our insatiable longing for fascination.

But somewhere along the way we’ve chosen as a people to seek fascination in the world over God. Romans 1:22-23 gives us insight into this destructive pursuit. Scripture says that early on in history humans “claiming to be wise… became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.” Sin turned our gaze from God to his creation. We exchanged that which would wholly fascinate us for all of eternity for idols that were never designed to satisfy us at all. You can see it all around. In our culture, we idolize the created over the Creator. We lift up men and women instead of looking to the King of kings. We spend hours placing our hope in that which will never fully satisfy us. I can see it in myself. I jump from material thing to material thing, TV show to TV show, idea to idea, just looking for something to fascinate me. I'll be fascinated with something for a week or month at most, and then I get bored. We buy and sell, get in and out of relationships, and ride emotional roller coasters, the whole time thinking, “This will be it; this is what I'm missing.”

God is calling us to a restored life where our need for fascination is satisfied in him—producing peace, joy, fulfillment and purpose. He is calling us to stop seeking fascination in that which is fleeting and to root ourselves in him who is eternally satisfying. He is calling us to look at the world through a heavenly perspective to see that all of his creation, good or bad, would draw us to himself.

Take some time in guided prayer to assess the ways in which you are seeking satisfaction for your longing to be fascinated. May you be wholly fascinated by your present, eternal, and loving heavenly Father today.           

Guided Prayer: 

1. Assess your own heart. Where do you seek fascination? Are you looking to the created or the Creator to satisfy your need to be fascinated?

2. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you explore the depths of God. Have faith in God's word:

“These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:10

“It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.”Proverbs 25:2

3. Ask God to teach you something new about himself.Ask him to show you how he desires to satisfy your longing for fascination.

“Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house; I will worship at your Temple with deepest awe.”Psalm 5:7 (NLT)

“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him! Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.” 1 Chronicles 16:29

God designed the world in such a way that it would direct us back to him. He wants you to be fascinated with your spouse, nature, ideas, creation, and even entertainment, as long as they direct you back to their true source! He wants to fascinate you both through the works of his hands and in spending time with him in meditation, worship, study of the word, and simply listening as he speaks. He’s designed so many wonderful avenues with which to satisfy your longings—just don't get caught up with the created things themselves. May God satisfy your longing for fascination today and every day. May he remain the source of your wonder and awe. The choice is up to you! What will you spend your time and energy seeking today?

Extended Reading: Romans 1

3 Keys to Serving God..Jessica Van Roekel

3 Keys to Serving God
By Jessica Van Roekel

"We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you," (1 Thessalonians 1:2-4, ESV)

This passage from 1 Thessalonians holds three keys to serving God. When we learn to leverage these keys, we discover that we can continue when the way grows wearying or frustrating. Serving God by serving people brings with it a whole host of issues. We rub each other wrong, and our flesh expresses itself through our irritated responses to one another. We fight for dominance and wrestle with selfish ambition. We lobby for our great ideas and fuss when they get put aside. Instead of getting caught up in these traps, we can consider what gets us started, drives us, and sustains us.

Faith starts us because God chooses us. God has already taken the first step in renewing our personal relationship with him by sending Jesus to pay for our offenses against God. Jesus bridged the gap between God and us. We simply respond by saying yes to God and begin a life anchored by faith. Walking by faith means that sometimes we don’t see all the steps we need to take; instead, we only see the next one and then the next one. Serving God is an expression of our faith in him, and faith is an important key in believing that our service is not in vain.

Love for the Lord is the engine that rumbles beneath all we do and drives us forward. At times the labor involved in serving God surprises us. Hardships happen, and we wonder if something so noble can bring such difficulties. But this life is not without trials, even when we serve with pure motives. We need to have something that keeps up moving forward when the way grows long and scattered with boulders and steep inclines. Love for God is the key to pressing on when discouragement comes.

Hope fuels us and gives us endurance. We find our hope in Jesus, who is steadfast and true, strong and mighty, and ever-present. When we grow weary in service, we can fix our eyes on Jesus. He is our hope. He doesn’t disappoint. Because sanctification is a process, we wrestle with the ways of our “self” and must carry our cross. While this battle within rears its ugly head from time to time, we can stay the course by allowing steadfast hope to build endurance in us. Hope in Jesus is the key that fuels our service.

Throughout my life, I’ve served God by serving the Church through my involvement in various ministries, from children’s church to youth group to women’s ministries. My involvement in each area ministered to my heart and helped me mature. Maturity came through diligence to honor God through every issue each ministry brought as I focused on faith, love, and hope.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
God calls us to serve him, and it is work produced by faith. However, it is not always easy or pretty. It can get discouraging, and we can lose sight of why we began serving in the first place. When we volunteer our time and serve others, we serve God. Sometimes, though, we run out of motivation, especially when the way grows difficult. It’s in these moments when we reach for these three keys found in 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4. Faith is the starter that gets us going. Love is the engine that drives us forward. Hope is the fuel that helps us last. If you are weary or burdened, take some time to remember how faith blossomed in your heart. Allow the love of God to fill you to overflowing, and let the steadfast hope of Jesus be your fuel so you can serve once again. We work by faith, labor with love, and endure because of steadfast hope.

Further Reading:

• 1 Thessalonians 1

A Prayer for Patience ..Rev. Kyle Norman

 A Prayer for Patience

By Rev. Kyle Norman

“You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” - James 5:8

I used to have the proverbial lead foot. Every journey was taken to be a race. I would zip around in my car, weaving in and out of traffic. Other drivers were mere obstacles in my way. I saw the estimated times of arrival on my GPS to be nothing more than a challenge; How many minutes could I shave off my time? 

The outward effect of speeding was obvious; I received speeding tickets ... a lot of speeding tickets. What I was unaware of, however, was the inward toll that such impatience was having. Internally, my spirit was never at peace. My heart and my mind were always projected onto a journey I had to rush into. I was time-bound, ruled by the clock. Thus, I was never present. I wasn’t present to others; I wasn’t present to myself. Nor was I ever fully or truly present to God. After all, it’s hard to be present to God when you are too busy speeding to the next thing.

I bet I’m not alone in this. We live in a fast-paced world, a world that continually tells us to maximize our time and increase our efficiency. And with the call of impatience playing in the background, we often find ourselves facing a rising discouragement with our spirits; we feel unmoored from that which can truly satisfy our restless hearts. 

Psalm 31 says, “I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “you are my God” My times are in your hands.” See, ultimately, a patient spirit is about recognizing the Lordship of Jesus in our lives. Patience reminds us that we are not more important than the people around us. Our time is not more valuable, and our work not of higher quality. Patience helps us recognize that God’s plan for this moment is of more importance than our plans, and it may just be that God’s desire for us is to share, or receive, an expression of Christ’s love. What might the Lord be asking you at this moment? 

Let us pray:

Gracious Lord, my heart can become easily overwhelmed by the busyness of my life. Please forgive me when the tasks of the day, and the demands of my schedule, crowd out the space needed to be still in your presence. I know your promise that I can do all things through you who strengthen me, but I can become so easily flustered as I try to muscle my way through life in my own effort. 

I pray that you increase within me the capacity for patience. Lead me into times where I am called to rely not on my strength but yours; move me into places where I am called only to stop, to rest, to breath, or to listen. Help me be still and know you here, now.

More than anything, Jesus, help me to observe the hours and the minutes of my day as set firmly in your schedule. Give me the strength to step outside of my plans for this moment so that I can enter more deeply into your will. You are Lord of this time, and I lay before you as your servant. 

I pray all of this in the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen.

How We Know That God is Good..Carrie Lowrance

 How We Know That God is Good

By: Carrie Lowrance

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good.” Luke 18:19

God is good in so many ways--the way he provides for us, guides us, and watches over us--but it goes even deeper than that. God's goodness is who he is, and we are created in his image, so, therefore, we share his goodness.

God’s goodness shows up in our lives every single day. Although we often think of his goodness when something big happens, his goodness abounds all the time--in every hour, minute, and second of the day, in the smallest of things around us. Here are five examples of his goodness in our everyday lives.

1. Waking Us Up

Every day that God wakes us up is an example of his goodness. This means we are still working towards the purpose and gifts he has given us. It shows us that he isn’t finished with us yet and that we still have a mission to fulfill. We shall not grumble and complain about getting out of bed and going to work. We should be happy that we are still breathing and living for him. Many are worse off than us who need to see our light shining in the world every day.

2. Pouring His Favor on Us

On the days when we are surrounded by the smallest and most significant of blessings, we know that God is pouring his favor on us. This can be anything from your coworker bringing you your favorite coffee to your boss calling you in their office to discuss a raise or promotion. We need to pay attention to all the little things in our day, both big and small, that are a blessing to us. A lot of times, it’s the little things that mean so much.

3. Protecting Us

We have all heard about the woman who had car trouble and missed being in a massive pile-up on the interstate. We have heard about the disease/cancer detection that almost did not happen due to a practically-missed appointment. These are the significant ways he protects us, but he works in the smaller things too: for example, the gossip that is going around that never reaches your ears or the coworker that is trying to sabotage you but your boss, instead, sees the honest and hard work that you do. These are all ways he protects us on a daily basis.

4. Speaking to Us through Prayer

Prayer is our most powerful connection to God. It is how we express our thanks and gratitude, make our petitions known, and intercede for others. Sometimes we get an answer of “yes,” sometimes, “no” and sometimes, “wait.” Sometimes, he gives us specific instructions and, sometimes, he is silent. Other times, he speaks to us and provides us with an answer in the most surprising of ways. No matter what, he always answers, and we need to look for those answers every day. In issues big and small, he will often nudge our hearts and draw our attention in the right direction.

5. Guiding Us

We make a thousand little decisions a day, everything from deciding whether we will do our job well or whether or not to take on a client. Sometimes, we have to determine whether an opportunity is right for us and if we should follow a particular path. In these moments, God is guiding us. We need to stop, take a breath and pay attention. How do we feel in our hearts? How do we feel in our gut?  We need to be still and listen to that small voice we know so well. Listen to him whispering to our hearts about what choices are right for us. Pay attention to the signs he sends us. This is his way of guiding us and nudging us to our best selves, so that we may live in the gifts we have been given and the purpose he has for us.

The 3 Things We Can Give to God This Year..Greg Laurie

 The 3 Things We Can Give to God This Year

Greg Laurie

As we enter into a new year, here is something to remember: When it’s all said and done, we have three things we can offer God—our treasure, our talent, and our time. Each of these is given to us by God, and each of them should be given back in generous portions.

First, there is our treasure. I urge you to commit yourself to give faithfully and generously to the Lord in this coming year. Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21 NKJV). Whenever we put our money into something, we develop a vested interest in it. It makes sense to us that we would place our treasures where our hearts are. If we love reading books, or being entertained, or the latest technology, we spend our treasure on those things. And if our heart’s desires change, that changes where we put our treasure.

But it works the other way too: Where we put our treasures, our heart will follow. Do you want your heart to be in the things of God? Then put your treasures in the things of God! Develop a vested interest in God’s kingdom.

The second thing we can give to God is our talent. God has gifted each believer in different ways. Everyone has something to offer for the work of the kingdom. Romans 12 says, “Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are all parts of his one body, and each of us different work to do” (NLT).

Finally, there is our time. Let’s say that one day your phone rang and it was the president of the bank that you use. He told you that an anonymous donor who loved you very much had decided to deposit 86,400 pennies into your bank account each and every morning. At first, maybe that didn’t seem like a lot. But then you figured out that it was $864 a day. At seven days a week and 52 weeks a year, those pennies add up to almost $315,000 each year! But the bank president added one thing: “The anonymous giver said you must spend all of the money on the day you receive it! No balance will be carried over to the next day. Each evening the bank must cancel whatever sum you failed to use! Remember, what you don’t spend is lost.”

That may sound like fantasy, but here’s the reality: Every morning, Someone who loves you very much deposits into your “bank of time” 86,400 seconds, which represent 1,440 minutes, which of course equals 24 hours each and every day. God gives you that much to use each day. Nothing is ever carried over on credit to the next day. There is no such thing as a 27-hour day. It’s called time, and you can’t escape it. Time is ticking away right now. The Bible tells us to “redeem the time”—to make sacred and wise use of every opportunity.

Offer God your treasure, your talent, and your time. Live this next year as if it were your last, because it could be. Make those minutes count!