Daily Devotional by Max Lucado
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
August 30
Godliness with contentment is great gain.
1 Timothy 6:6 (NKJV)
When we surrender to God the cumbersome sack of discontent, we
don't just give up something; we gain something. God replaces it with a
lightweight, tailor-made, sorrow-resistant attaché of gratitude.
What will you gain with contentment?
You may gain your marriage.
You may gain precious hours with your children.
You may gain joy.
Titus 3
Doing What is Good
1Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.
3At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.
9But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. 10Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. 11You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.
Final Remarks
12As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to winter there. 13Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way and see that they have everything they need. 14Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives.
15Everyone with me sends you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith.
Grace be with you all.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Colossians 1:9-14
9For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[a] to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14in whom we have redemption,[b] the forgiveness of sins.
August 30, 2008
Change Of Address
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READ: Colossians 1:9-14
He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love. —Colossians 1:13
If you keep in touch with family and friends through the postal service or e-mail, you probably have received or sent a change of address notice. It goes something like this: “I will no longer be receiving mail at _____________. My new address will be _____________. Thank you for making a note of this change.”
Paul reminded the believers in Colosse that they had “a change of address” and that they should share it with others. They had been moved from one community and “conveyed” or transplanted, by the grace of God, into a new community. They had been rescued from the kingdom of darkness and been brought into the kingdom of Jesus (1:13). Their old address was sinner@kingdomofdarkness. But when they became followers of Jesus, their new address became saved@kingdomofHisdearSon.
In Philippians 3:20, Paul declared that all believers are citizens of heaven and should live worthy of their new address. He encouraged the Christians in Colosse to walk in wisdom toward those who were outside the faith so that people could see and hear about the changes (Col. 4:5-6).
If you have had “a change of address,” tell someone about what Jesus has done in you. — Marvin Williams
When we’re reborn—made new in Christ—
It should be plain for all to see
That God has changed us from within
And placed us in His family. —Sper
When Jesus comes into a life, He changes everything.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
August 30, 2008
Usefulness or Relationship?
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READ:
Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven —Luke 10:20
Jesus Christ is saying here, "Don’t rejoice in your successful service for Me, but rejoice because of your right relationship with Me." The trap you may fall into in Christian work is to rejoice in successful service— rejoicing in the fact that God has used you. Yet you will never be able to measure fully what God will do through you if you have a right-standing relationship with Jesus Christ. If you keep your relationship right with Him, then regardless of your circumstances or whoever you encounter each day, He will continue to pour "rivers of living water" through you ( John 7:38 ). And it is actually by His mercy that He does not let you know it. Once you have the right relationship with God through salvation and sanctification, remember that whatever your circumstances may be, you have been placed in them by God. And God uses the reaction of your life to your circumstances to fulfill His purpose, as long as you continue to "walk in the light as He is in the light" (1 John 1:7 ).
Our tendency today is to put the emphasis on service. Beware of the people who make their request for help on the basis of someone’s usefulness. If you make usefulness the test, then Jesus Christ was the greatest failure who ever lived. For the saint, direction and guidance come from God Himself, not some measure of that saint’s usefulness. It is the work that God does through us that counts, not what we do for Him. All that our Lord gives His attention to in a person’s life is that person’s relationship with God— something of great value to His Father. Jesus is "bringing many sons to glory . . ." ( Hebrews 2:10 ).