Author: Brooke Singleton

I don’t know about you, but God’s creativity in nature leaves me without words. We’re in the midst of pumpkin season, and this year I was struck by the thought that if I were God on the day pumpkins were made, I would have created one fat orange pumpkin and been pretty proud of myself! After all, it was something out of nothing! But not God…He couldn’t help His creativity, and the day pumpkins and gourds were made He made 700 types that look nothing alike! It’s like He just couldn’t hold it in. I think scripture is clear our Father takes joy in creating, similar to you and I when we were small and made a playdough something-or-other. We wanted to share the joy that thing brought us with everyone who’d bother to look. Well, we are just that, the favorite of His creation. And like everything God does, He wants us to come alongside what He is doing, so He shared nature with us, to take care of and to enjoy. I sometimes think we may not realize how much God still takes care of us through nature.

You see, nothing can calm my insides quite like nature (mosquitos excluded). If I’m stressed, I walk on park trails, and the trees give me a sense of being closed in by something bigger than myself, a sense of being held. When I feel overwhelmed, I like to find a quiet spot outside and steal a minute to take in the sky. What a gift a fresh morning is to us, to remind us that each day really is a new beginning, no matter how the last one ended. There’s nothing like the sense I get from a sunny afternoon...almost like God is smiling, to remind me that no matter the chaos of my day, there is a Father who is constant in His joy, hope, and pleasure. And the peace in a vast starry night reminds me of my smallness…not a feeling of insignificance, but a reminder of how enormously in control our God is and that I am treasured even more than those beautiful stars.

And then there are the daily lessons He gives me through nature. We all have the privilege of taking care of His creation. For me, I get to work with flowers in a space on our small farm. The beauty we’re rewarded with as spring rolls to summer is a gift that boggles my mind. But I’m telling you, flower farming is way more work than we would have ever imagined starting out a few years back. The lessons I’ve learned through waiting and praying for seeds to sprout (like some people I love), battling seemingly endless weeds (those nagging struggles in life), and tearing down what’s still producing for a new year I can’t yet see (stepping out in faith), have been more than I can count. I have grown a great appreciation for how effortlessly God holds all natural things in balance, an act I couldn’t maintain without Him. And I’m aware now more than ever, that if we’re willing to look, if we’ll ask Him to keep our eyes open, He has a lesson for whatever life we live, in everything around us. Isn’t that just like God, to squeeze every last ounce of goodness and purpose out of His gifts to us, whether those gifts look like challenges or peaceful lessons from the creation He gave us. But I have learned that even when the lessons are tough…there is the hope that nature reminds me of, that God always produces something beautiful in the end.

Genesis 1:30-2:3 (ESV)

And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

Explanation:

God has just finished creating the universe, looked around, and was pleased with what He made. Just a few verses earlier in this chapter, God created man. He wanted man to rule over His creation as God’s “representatives.” Man was made to care for God’s creation. What a responsibility! He expected humans to use the earth wisely, and oversee it with the same care and responsibility God did when He created it. When He finished, He said it was all “very good.”

A week earlier, the world was this big, empty void, and by His voice, it was filled with wonder. At the end of each day of creation, God would deem His creation “good.” Once He finished, however, it was “very good.” Everything He created reflects His goodness. Even when sin came into the world, God’s creation was still “very good” because it was, and is, a constant reminder of the greatness of His power and imagination.

When creation was complete, God rested. He didn’t rest because He was tired. He is God. “Tired” isn’t possible for Him. Yet He modeled that once a week, we should rest. He was establishing a pattern for man to follow, a pattern where we take a day to reflect and to rest. A day we can say is “very good” because we look at all God has done in our lives, all the creation surrounding us, we thank Him for all that He has done, and rest.

Application:

1. What do you think about when you reflect that God made creation for man to tend to? Have we done a good job with this responsibility?

2. God deemed all that He created “very good.” Do you think that “very good” describes creation adequately? What other words come to mind when you think about all that has been made for us to reign over?

3. Are you honoring God by having a day that you rest? Time that you worship Him and reflect on His goodness?

Prayer Prompts:

• Thank God for His “very good” creation. Take time to ask Him to help you appreciate its beauty and respect what He’s given us.

• Ask God to help you find time to dedicate one day each week to rest. Limit technology…spend time in His Word and allow yourself to hear from Him as you pray.

Devo Plus:

• Psalm 95:4-5; Romans 1:20; Job 12:7-10

Genesis 1:1-25 (ESV)

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.

And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.

And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.

And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

Explanation:

God creates and what He makes is good…period. It doesn’t necessarily matter how we feel and think about some of the things He created. In God’s eyes, it is all good. That could be the end of it; however, the passage in Genesis is saying more. God goes further and creates a specific environment that is made perfect for His creation. Why? Because He cares about His creation and designs a world where we can not only survive but thrive. In the first four days, Genesis tells us that God speaks a world into order, a world made for abundant life. Oxygen and hydrogen are combined to make water, light is separated from darkness, land appears, “the earth sprouts vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit.” On the fifth day, the planet earth becomes a utopia for living animals. Plants are also created for a sustainable food source, through their seeds. Sea life swim in the great bodies of water and winged birds fly across the sky. From the smallest “creeping thing” to the largest beast of the land, the earth is teaming with life. Not only does God create life, He blesses them to multiply and live in every kind of terrain. After every day of the account of creation, God stops and sees that what He creates is good. God’s intricate work to make this earth assures us that everything has a plan and purpose. Our God is so good.

Application:

1. After reading this and knowing God is the Creator of all things, how does that make you approach a loving God?

2. Choose one of the five days in the scripture above. If it were omitted, how would that affect the following days? Then thank God for the intelligent order He designed.

Prayer Prompts:

• God, I thank you so much for the way you designed the earth and the perfect order You designed it in. Help me to quiet my mind and focus on Your amazing creation, and see the world through Your eyes. You are my Maker, and I want to thank You for the amazing gift of life. In the powerful and mighty name of Your Son, Jesus. Amen.

Devo Plus:

• “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.” (Psalm 33:6, ESV)

Isaiah 45:12 (NLT)

I am the one who made the earth and created people to live on it. With my hands I stretched out the heavens. All the stars are at my command.

Explanation:

This verse is plucked out of a chapter of verses spoken to remind God’s children that their future was in His control. Creation tells of God’s power and the Bible tells of His salvation. The two combined reveal His glory! In this verse, God is reminding them of His creative power and His vast provision, not only in creating the earth and galaxies…but in creating the intricacies of people! He didn’t create the world to be chaos, but to be inhabited and enjoyed. What more can be needed by people than the friendship and protection of Him who made the heavens and the earth, and who still controls the stars!

“I have made the earth” - God asserts that He had made all things, doubtless with a view to show that He was able to hear their cry and to grant an answer to their requests. His work was visible everywhere, in forming and sustaining all things, and in raising up for them a deliverer. They might, therefore, go before Him with confidence, and spread out all their needs.

Application:

1. The same God who created Mt. Pleasant, Niagara Falls, Old Man’s Cave, and the Grand Canyon, created our sun and moon AND created YOU!

2. Ponder your worth. You were wanted and designed with as much care as the Milky Way. He demonstrated your value by giving you a soul and an invitation to live with Him for eternity.

3. Anyone who has studied the solar system is awed by the order of it all. If our sun or moon moved, we would all die. But as our verse tells us, the solar system is still under His control. The same is true for all the working parts of your life that need His attention and care. He needs you to believe in His power and involve Him in whatever chaos you need sorted out in your life.

4. What needs His command in your life?

Prayer Prompt:

• For your edification, find and play “Worthy of It All” by David Brymer. As you listen, savor His majesty and allow His presence to touch you.

Devo Plus:

• “He is before all things and in Him all things hold together!” (Colossians 1:17, NIV)

Romans 8:26-27 (ESV)

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Explanation:

In his letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul speaks to the reality of suffering in the lives of believers. Everyone faces hard times, and the church in Rome was not any different. In fact, Paul tells them that all of creation is under a curse, the effects of sin in the world. That curse plays out in the suffering of creation itself, and our own suffering. It’s in this context that Paul pens today’s verse.

Though we suffer, we are not left to face our suffering alone. God, through His Holy Spirit, lives inside of us, and even when it hurts too bad to pray…the Spirit speaks to God for us. For many, this plays out in a personal prayer language (a form of speaking in tongues). For others, it plays out in a desperate desire to connect with God, yet not fully understanding what to say, or how to convey the hurt and pain that you feel. Sufferings will come, but God is with us…and He does hear us.

Application:

1. What is one thing that stands out to you in today’s reading?

2. Is there something you have been “suffering” through?

3. Does it help to know that the Spirit of God is with you in it?

4. Take some time today and just spend it in prayer. Let the God of all comfort bring peace to your heart as you seek Him.

Prayer Prompts:

• Ask God for the gift of tongues in your prayer time.

• Ask God to help you deal with the suffering you are facing.

Devo Plus:

• Read Romans 8 in its entirety, and pay close attention to the promises for those who are suffering.

Romans 8:5-11 (ESV)

5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.

6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Explanation:

Today’s reading is rich. It’s like a piece of chocolate, peanut butter cheesecake with whipped cream on top. Yeah, that rich! It’s jammed packed full of goodness; however, it’s probably best to eat it in small bites. So, let’s focus on just two of the passages from today’s reading. Let’s specifically look at verses five and six, because I think they set the tone for the rest of the reading. The Apostle Paul uses these verses to uncover two distinctively different powers that can be at play within us. The first of these two is the flesh. This is a much more extensive topic than can be covered in a devotional, but to keep things simple, let’s define the flesh as the sinful nature of man. The second that Paul mentions is the Holy Spirit. You notice for each of these two powers, he uses the same phrase to set them up. He says that those who live according to either the flesh or the Holy Spirit will “set their minds” on or toward that power. Simply put, it’s the way your mind thinks or is aimed.

Like a ship set to sail in a particular direction, we can get our minds on course for either the flesh or the Spirit. To have our minds set on the flesh (sin) will ultimately lead us to sin, and to have our minds set on the Spirit will ultimately lead us to walk in the Spirit. Now don’t miss this. Read verse six again. What does Paul say will be the fruit for each of those powers, if we set our minds on them? For the flesh, it is death. Sin will destroy us if we set our minds on it. It will leave us like an abandoned house scheduled for demolition. For the Spirit, it is life and peace. The Spirit will restore us if we set our minds on Him. It will leave us a beautifully ordained temple set to stand firm through all things.

Friends, don’t miss this powerful truth that Paul is speaking. God has given us His very Spirit inside of us, and His Spirit is life and peace. Who wouldn’t want that? Deep down, that is what we are all striving for. We can attempt to find it in sin, which we know will never happen, or we can find it from the true source, the Holy Spirit. This is available to you today, in this very moment, and in every other moment where you find yourself en route to living in the flesh. Go now and set your mind on the Spirit.

Application:

1. With this devotional thought in mind, what other truths can you discover from today’s reading?

2. In your own life, do you notice the difference between when you are setting your mind on the Spirit and when you are setting your mind on the flesh?

3. How is your life different when you have your mind set on the Spirit? On the flesh?

Prayer Prompt:

• Holy Spirit, we give You access to our minds and hearts. Help us to recognize when our minds are set on the flesh. Lead us this day by your Spirit toward life and peace.

Devo Plus:

• Read Roman 8:11 and ask the Spirit to help you make a list of the ways He has given life to you. Make a second list for the areas where you could still use the Spirit’s life. Thank Him for the first list, and surrender to Him the second list.

2 Corinthians 3:3, 17-18(ESV)

And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Explanation:

In verse 17, Paul declares that the Holy Spirit is, in fact, the living God. And wherever the Spirit is, we can be confident it is God working and moving. Where we find the Spirit, we find freedom. Because of the sacrifice of Jesus, we have access to God unlike people ever had before. God knew we would need a helper, so He gave us the Spirit.

When we make the decision to follow God, the Spirit becomes an active part of our relationship. Walking with us, guiding us, leading us, protecting us, and giving us full access to God in all things at all times. The more we follow the leading of the Spirit, the more transformation we see in our lives. The more we walk in obedience to the Spirit’s leading, the more we become like Him. And just as Paul encourages the followers in Corinth, when we allow the Spirit to move and work in our lives, the transformation becomes evident to the world around us.

Application:

1. What have your interactions with the Holy Spirit been like through your faith journey?

2. Do you have a hard time hearing from the Spirit?

a. If yes, why do you think that is?

b. If no, how do you know the Spirit’s voice in speaking to you?

3. How is the Holy Spirit transforming your life?

Prayer Prompts:

• Take some time to talk with God today. Ask Him to give you guidance in an area where you are needing help. Then take time to sit and listen. Ask God to show you, to help you recognize His voice, and to help you walk in obedience.

Devo Plus:

• Read all of 2 Corinthians 3 to understand this passage more deeply.

Author: Danielle Disbennett

How amazing is it that God takes time to speak into our lives? I am so humbled every time I hear from God, and it always builds my faith and encourages me. Hearing from God is what being in a relationship with Him is all about. If you don’t take time to listen to your spouse, would you say that is a good relationship? What about your friends? Would you be a good friend if all you did was talk about yourself, but never took time to listen to what they have to say? Our relationship with God is the same way. We have to have open ears and hearts, and be willing to quiet ourselves before God.

Two years ago, I was at LCC (in the old building) lost in worship, and I felt God clearly speak to me in a soft, loving voice that I needed to apply for the Office Manager position at the church. It was so clear, and I had that feeling in my gut. You know that feeling, when something is the right thing to do. A couple weeks before that, while volunteering on Thursdays at LCC, I heard that a position was going to be available. When I heard that, I instantly thought I would be interested. I absolutely loved volunteering on Thursday mornings in Children’s Ministry, but that feeling was instantly followed up by fear and insecurity, so I didn’t think about it again until God brought it up during worship.

After that Sunday, I couldn’t shake the feeling in my gut that I had to apply. I decided I would text Tiffany and tell her that I was interested so she could put my name out there. I remember feeling so nervous, because I didn’t really know what to expect, and was just relying on what I felt like God was telling me to do. That can be a scary place to be in, but it can also be a place filled with hope. I went through the interview process, which was completely out of my comfort zone, and in the end, I got the job. The whole process wasn’t easy. To be honest, most things that God calls us to do aren’t easy, BUT they are always worth it, and he always blesses our obedience. I am so honored to work for The Tree, and I am so thankful that God takes the time to speak to us. I know if I didn’t hear from God, I wouldn’t have had the confidence to go through with the process.

Friends, I tell you this story to encourage you. God wants to speak into your life. He wants to encourage you, He wants to give you wisdom, He wants to challenge you, He wants to teach you, and most of all, He wants a relationship with you. I know for me, my challenge is letting the busyness of this world keep me from spending quiet time with God and just listening to Him. Let’s not be people who only want to talk to God about all our problems and our desires, but let’s come to God with open hearts that want to listen to our heavenly Father. I encourage you this week to spend some quiet time with God. Remove all distractions and let Him speak to you.

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your father, who sees in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:6, ESV)

1 John 3:24-4:6 (ESV)

Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Explanation:

John knew what we all experience. There are a lot of different ideas and voices in the world that proclaim “truth.” In the passage above, he is writing to a church trying to figure out what God was saying to them through the Spirit. John confirms that the Spirit does speak to them, and then gives them a crucible to test these thoughts, words, and ideas. He tells them they can know it is the Spirit if the words point people to Jesus. If the words confirm that Jesus is Messiah, that He is truly came as a man, that He is raised from the dead and is Lord of all, then it is of the Spirit.

We can and should hold the messages we experience against the message of Scripture and the testimony of Christ being Lord and Savior. It is how we will know the Spirit is leading us in our lives.

Application:

1. What is one thing that stands out to you in today’s passage?

2. Is there an area of your life where you are receiving conflicting advice and you are not sure what do?

3. What do you feel like the Spirit is saying to you in that situation?

Prayer Prompts:

• Ask God to give you wisdom in the situation you are facing.

• Ask God to show you how the Spirit is speaking to you.

Devo Plus:

Spend time today searching what the Bible says about the situation you are walking through. (The trick is to Google, “What does the Bible say about,” and fill in the blank.)

1 Corinthians 2:9-14 (ESV)

But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

Explanation:

A common getting-to-know-you question floating around in social circles is, “Would you rather have the ability to read minds or have some other (fill in the blank) superhuman ability?” As fictional as this question is, there is a part of us that pauses for a second and imagines a life where we could know the thoughts of others. Wherever you fall on how you answer that question, we all can agree that the human mind is a fascinating, complex place. If we, who are created beings, are complex, just try and imagine the depth of complexity that occurs in the mind of the Creator God. We may not want to know the thoughts of others around us, but wouldn’t it be magnificent to know how God thinks? So, can we? According to today’s reading, it is possible, but here are some things to keep in mind (pun intended). The Holy Spirit is the secret ingredient. The Apostle Paul says the Holy Spirit, “comprehends the thoughts of God.” Furthermore, he goes on to say the Holy Spirit wants to help us understand. Paul says, as ministers of the gospel, we then speak and interpret what the Holy Spirit has taught us to others who are also “spiritual.” In other words, to those who are being led by the Holy Spirit.

There is a cycle at play here. One individual, led by the Spirit, conveys truths and understanding they have gained to another person, then that person does the same with someone else. And before you know it, you have a community of Spirit-filled people who are discipling and encouraging one another. Please bear in mind this is only possible through the power of the Holy Spirit. He is the only one who knows the mind of God, and can therefore make known to us the wisdom and grace of God. Let’s be a community that seeks the Holy Spirit’s understanding, and is able to spiritually discern (perceive) the movement of God in our lives and the lives of those around us.

Application:

1. Why is the Holy Spirit necessary for any understanding of God?

2. Why is it more challenging to live life without the understanding of the Holy Spirit?

3. What are some of the dangers of living by our own understanding versus living with the Spirit’s understanding? Give a personal example of when you’ve done both.

Prayer Prompt:

• Holy Spirit, we are a fortunate people to get to peer into the mind of God. We would not be able to do this life without You. Thank You for the power of Your presence in our lives.

Devo plus:

• Find two or three other verses that tell you about the mind or thoughts of God, and then answer the following question: How can I acknowledge God in all my ways (Proverbs 3:5-6)?