God Speaks through His Creation

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

You and I have been given the invaluable gift of communication with God. Last week we learned about the process of making the soil of our hearts soft and receptive to God. This week we’ll learn some different ways to receive the seed of his word. May your communion with God flourish as you engage in continual conversation with your loving, present heavenly Father.

Scripture: “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.” Romans 1:20

Devotional:

Nature has an ability to bring me peace in a way nothing else does. Sure I get annoyed by bugs or tired from hiking. But seeing the beauty, creativity, and complexity of what God has made has had a profound effect on my spiritual life. Have you ever just spent some time in God’s creation? Maybe it was hiking, lying on the beach, swimming in an ocean or a lake, fishing, gazing over the grand canyon, driving through the mountains, watching a thunderstorm or just playing in the rain. Take a minute to reflect on that time and what you felt. Looking back, do think you might have felt God’s presence? Did the awe and wonder of nature’s splendor bring you peace, or even lead you to thoughts about God?

The more I’ve come to know God the more there has grown in me an adoration and appreciation for his creation. Romans 1:20 states that God’s “invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.” Nature is meant to declare to us the “invisible attributes” of God. And Scripture is clear that God is at work in his creation—maintaining and facilitating all that happens in the world. Psalm 147:8-9, 15-18 tells us,

He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills. He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that cry... He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes. He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before his cold? He sends out his word, and melts them; he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.

When you see animals eating, you are witnessing God’s provision in the earth and can, as a result, know that he will provide for you. When you see snow fall, ice form, and springtime come to melt away the cold you can know that God is at work around you and in your life. To miss out on all creation speaks to us is to miss an important part of God’s voice.

You see, while God does an incredible job taking care of a world wrought with the effects of sin, he promises to take care of you even more. Jesus commands us in Matthew 6:26-30,

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Jesus teaches us to look upon creation and listen as it declares to us the nature of God. In fact, he commands us to do so. You can look at the grass of the field and know of God’s unwavering faithfulness for you. You can look at the birds and never wonder if you will get your next meal. Nature declares to us that God has and will provide for us all of our days. Nature tells us not to worry because God is both powerful and near. Nature tells us that God is creative, practical, brilliant, loving, and full of mystery and wonder. Nature tells us that God speaks.

God created the cosmos so that you might have another mysterious yet clear way of hearing his voice. Whether you live in the city or country, look upon God’s creation and listen for his voice. Ask him what he wants you to know as you see all the wonders of his hands. Let the beauty and mystery of all of God’s creation fill you with a deeper longing to know your heavenly Father. Listen to God today and allow your heart to be stirred as you discover his unwavering desire to speak to you through his creation.

Guided Prayer:

1. Take some time to go out in God’s creation.

2. Now ask God what he wants to tell you through his creation. Let him speak in whatever way he desires.

"For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made." Romans 1:20

3. Meditate on the truth he reveals to your heart and take some time to rest in his presence.

As children of an infinite, paradoxical God we must learn to embrace and value mystery. God longs to speak through his creation. He longs to satisfy your longing for fascination as you ponder the mystery and beauty of that which we will never fully understand. May you hear the loving voice of the Father today as you allow the Creator to speak through his creation.

Extended Reading: Psalm 19

What to Do with Wayward Thoughts..Joe McKeever

 What to Do with Wayward Thoughts

By: Joe McKeever

“We are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” - 2 Corinthians 10:5.

Everyone has errant thoughts from time to time. If we handle them well and send them on their way, in no way should we feel shame or guilt.

Martin Luther said, “You cannot keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building nests in your hair.” You thought that line was original with your grandma? I have a hunch Luther didn’t make it up either, but was quoting something he had heard all his life. No telling where it originated. But it’s the solid truth.

Thoughts of all kinds flit through our minds. We reject the bad ones and go forward. But we should not feel guilty that they appeared, if only momentarily. Only had we welcomed them inside and let them entertain us with their juicy (scary!) scenarios should we feel that we have done wrong.

No one should ever rationalize that “Well, it was just a thought and thoughts are harmless.”

They are not harmless. The thought is the preparation for the act.

Every wrong deed begins with a wrong thought. And seriously wrong deeds are almost always preceded by a full-scale onslaught of impure thinking, planning and daydreaming.

As serious disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, we fill our minds with thoughts proper and healthy, godly and edifying. “Whatsoever things are true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things”(Philippians 4:8).

This is not a new idea, but consistently taught throughout Scripture…

“His delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in that Law doth he meditate day and night”(Psalm 1:2).

“Thy word have I treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against Thee” (Psalm 119:11).

“But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart” (Luke 2:19).

Never mind the television commercial that asks, “What’s in your wallet?” Better to ask, “What’s on your mind?” What are you thinking about? What are you dwelling upon? Where does your mind go to rest and when it settles down? What is it feasting upon?

“A man may not be what he thinks he is, but what he thinks, he is.” – Anonymous and true.

“Blessed are the pure in heart” (Matthew 5:8).

Flourishing in Christian Friendships..Emily Rose Massey

 Flourishing in Christian Friendships

By Emily Rose Massey

“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:15-16, ESV).

In a recent research survey, 61% of people ages 18-25 reported miserable loneliness in our post-pandemic world and felt as if no one cared for them. No matter if you are single or married, experiencing isolation and loneliness can often lead to depression that can be crippling. People in the world are looking to belong. In Christ, as His followers, we have the answer.

The Church is a family, and we should seek out those who are isolated because they may be truly suffering. We enlarge our hearts and become vulnerable with each other, by God’s grace, to enjoy meaningful and fruitful friendships that are soul-quality and one-souled, knit closely together with one another. Do you struggle with being vulnerable with others? What is causing you to hold back from being transparent and open with someone? Perhaps you have been hurt in previous relationships- rejection or betrayal may have wounded your soul, and you are scared to become vulnerable with others again. We must trust that Christ will heal that hurt and will bring you into healthy Christian friendships for His glory. 

To be able to build intimate Christian friendships, we must also learn how to go beyond surface-level conversations and move into heart-to-heart type of conversations. It’s easy in our society to be self-isolated and guarded in the name of privacy. Sadly, consumerism in our culture has infiltrated our relationships too. If friendships don’t enhance value in our life, we see them as disposable and easily replaceable or even ditch friendships altogether. As members of the Body of Christ and brothers and sisters in the family of God, He has called us to be joined together, as Ephesians 4 tells us: 

“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (15-16, ESV).

Intersecting Faith and Life: 
To be able to speak the truth in love to one another, we must cultivate trust in our friendships. True Christian friendships are rare and costly because they require a lot of work, selfless commitment, and intentional engagement. Our self-centered heart or past hurt can get in the way and can lead us to isolate and choose selfishness over investing in meaningful Christian friendships. We must press past these temptations to build up walls around our hearts or seek only things that satisfy us.

The foundation of good friendships must begin with Christ (vertical then horizontal) to be able to sustain loyal, sacrificial, intentional, caring, and committed relationships. We must also remember that friendship with the things of this world is to make one an enemy of God (James 4:4) and will keep you from growing in love- love for Christ and love for others. What worldly pursuits have become a stumbling block to your friendship with Jesus that may be keeping you from getting to know Him in a deeper way? Remember, the nearness of God is for our good (Psalm 73:28).

The more we grow in our relationship with Christ, the more we will grow in our friendships as well. The Lord wants us to flourish in both areas. To flourish in Christ means we must become fluent in friendship. Jesus is the ultimate friend and wants to have a friendship with us so that we can participate in His mission, which is discipleship. The consistent pattern in our life should be to draw near to Him to then draw near to others and grow in Christ together- for our good and for His glory.

Further Reading:

• Colossians 3:12-13
• 1 Thessalonians 5:11
• Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

A Prayer for God to Make it Happen..Meg Bucher

 A Prayer for God to Make it Happen

By Meg Bucher

“God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.” 1 Thessalonians 5:24 NLT

Prayer is powerful. Our prayers are heard in heaven. Scripture says the Lord is already on the move in response before we are done praying. He loves us, His children. So why does it feel like our prayers go unnoticed and unanswered at times? When bad things happen to good people, it can feel like God is far off. But Paul’s words today remind us of the Father’s promise to hear us. He is not far off. He is close. The verse previous to the one above reads: 

“Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23 NLT

Surely, only the Lord’s movement on, in, and through our lives can cause such a profound effect! Holy in every way is a status we will only achieve as we step into heaven! But on the way there, He is making us holier and holier each day we wake to breathe on this earth. It sure doesn’t feel like it some days! But, when we seek the Lord with all of our hearts, the slow and steady change is an inevitable result of the perfecting of our faith. 

Perhaps the hardest thing to work out in our faith is the way God answers our prayers. We can be certain He hears and answers. But it’s not always in our way and in the timing we pray for. Day by day, our faith and trust in Him grows as we seek Him with all of our hearts. And the things we don’t understand become smaller in amount and significance.

Let's pray:

Father, 
God, we believe You make things happen in our lives. You are faithful and transforming us into people who resemble Christ Jesus! Only Your miraculous hand on our lives could produce the supernatural change we experience when we seek You with all of our hearts, Lord. We are thankful for this day, which You have awakened us to live fully in order to bring glory to You. 

Father, today we bring to You the impossible prayers we have been praying to You. We lay the burden of them down at Your feet, the worry we won’t see the answer we want in the time we want on this earth we lift up to You. You are in control, God, even when it feels like everything is out of control. When people are taken from us too soon, and sickness and tragic accidents seem to win, we are shaken, Father. In those moments when we feel our prayers have failed us, remind us of Your sovereignty, God. Remind us of Your goodness, and set a peace in our hearts that allows us to cope, embrace comfort, and submit to Your compassionate encouragement and faithful direction on our lives, Lord. 

This is a prayer to make it happen, God. We will continue to pray for miraculous healing, even though we can’t see when it will come. Today, we choose to believe Your timing over our agenda, knowing the years of our lives are but a fast lap around the track in comparison to Your Eternal existence, God. Make peace happen in our lives today, God. We pray for miraculous reconciliation where there has been discord and division, conflict and misunderstanding. We trust Your movement in our hearts and the hearts of those on the other side of the line, God. Do what only You can do in the minds and hearts of humanity. 

Father, this is a prayer to make it happen. We pray for Your will to come to fruition in our lives. Let today be a step in Your direction, and let every day we live on this earth bring glory to You, God. Show us the way You have marked out for us. Give us the courage we need and the confidence required to walk in Truth for the rest of our lives, God. Help us to notice and embrace the people You have placed around us. To apologize when warranted and forgive without being asked. Father, let our lives be a channel of Your love. This is a prayer to make it happen …by Your hand, in Your time, according to Your will. 

In Jesus’ Name, 
Amen.