Daily Devotional by Max Lucado
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
October 8
Set Apart
The Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Galatians 5:22-23 (NCV)
In the third century, St. Cyprian wrote to a friend named Donatus:
This seems a cheerful world, Donatus, when I view it from this fair
garden.... But if I climbed some great mountain and looked out... you know
very well what I would see; brigands on the high road, pirates on the seas, in
the amphitheaters men murdered to please the applauding crowds....
Yet in the midst of it, I have found a quiet and holy people.... They are
despised and persecuted, but they care not. They have overcome the world.
These people, Donatus, are Christians....
What a compliment! A, quiet and holy people....
Quiet. . . . Not obnoxious. Not boastful. Not demanding. Just quiet....
Holy.... Set apart. Pure. Decent. Honest. Wholesome....
Revelation 5
The Scroll and the Lamb
1Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?" 3But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."
6Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits[a] of God sent out into all the earth. 7He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9And they sang a new song:
"You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased men for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth."
11Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12In a loud voice they sang:
"Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!"
13Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:
"To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!" 14The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Matthew 5:21-26
Murder
21"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder,[a] and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother[b]will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,[c]' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.
23"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
25"Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.[d]
October 8, 2008
Erev Yom Kippur
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READ: Matthew 5:21-26
First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. —Matthew 5:24
In Judaism, the holiest day of the year is Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. On that day, the nation seeks God’s forgiveness for sins both personal and national.
What is interesting, however, is the day before Yom Kippur, known as Erev Yom Kippur. It represents a person’s last opportunity to seek forgiveness from other people before Yom Kippur begins. This is important because, in Jewish thought, you must seek forgiveness from other people before you can seek the forgiveness of God.
Today, we are called to do the same. Jesus pointed out that in order to worship Him with all our heart, we first need to resolve matters with others. In Matthew 5:23-24, He said, “If you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”
Even in a matter so basic as our giving, the ability to truly worship God is hindered by the reality of relationships broken by our wrong actions, attitudes, and words.
So that our worship can be pleasing and acceptable to God, let us make every effort to be reconciled to one another—today. — Bill Crowder
Have you hurt a friend or brother?
Go at once and make things right;
From your heart say, “Please forgive me.”
How these words bring God delight! —D. De Haan
An offense against your neighbor is a fence between you and God.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
October 8, 2008
Coming to Jesus
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READ:
Come to Me . . . —Matthew 11:28
Isn’t it humiliating to be told that we must come to Jesus! Think of the things about which we will not come to Jesus Christ. If you want to know how real you are, test yourself by these words— "Come to Me . . . ." In every dimension in which you are not real, you will argue or evade the issue altogether rather than come; you will go through sorrow rather than come; and you will do anything rather than come the last lap of the race of seemingly unspeakable foolishness and say, "Just as I am, I come." As long as you have even the least bit of spiritual disrespect, it will always reveal itself in the fact that you are expecting God to tell you to do something very big, and yet all He is telling you to do is to "Come . . . ."
"Come to Me . . . ." When you hear those words, you will know that something must happen in you before you can come. The Holy Spirit will show you what you have to do, and it will involve anything that will uproot whatever is preventing you from getting through to Jesus. And you will never get any further until you are willing to do that very thing. The Holy Spirit will search out that one immovable stronghold within you, but He cannot budge it unless you are willing to let Him do so.
How often have you come to God with your requests and gone away thinking, "I’ve really received what I wanted this time!" And yet you go away with nothing, while all the time God has stood with His hands outstretched not only to take you but also for you to take Him. Just think of the invincible, unconquerable, and untiring patience of Jesus, who lovingly says, "Come to Me. . . ."
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
The Rewards of Not Moving - #5673 - October 8, 2008
Category: Your Most Important Relationship
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
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Over many years of flying commercially, I really learned to like those frequent flyer miles, you know, that they give to high mileage passengers. You know, it's getting a little tougher with those, but I'll tell you what, I think it was a great idea. When it was time to book another flight, I didn't have to think twice about which airline I'd try first. I would just stick to the one particular airline. And you know what? I'm not even going to do free advertising for them. Unless the schedule or the fare was out of line, I'd go with that airline. Why? I'm just a loyal kind of guy? No. Because they credited me with mileage awards that convert into discounts, upgrades, and free trips. That bonus incentive really succeeded in getting me to stay with one carrier. It worked on millions of other flyers like me, as well. It's a pretty good system - the biggest rewards are for those who stick with the same carrier.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want A Word With You today about "The Rewards of Not Moving."
Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Hebrews 10:35-36. "Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what was promised." Notice the principle here about your relationship with God, about so many areas of your life: "Persevere so that you will receive." This was originally addressed to people whose commitment to Christ was being tested by some very hard times. Times that might make it tempting to change carriers. But God says, "The rewards are for those who stay put." If you fly with Jesus some of the time but don't stay with Him, you will miss His wonderful rewards that are reserved for those who persevere with Him.
That "persevere so you will receive" principle applies to many areas of your life. It's sure true of marriage, for example. Today, many people make a commitment to fly the rest of their life with one person, but one day they start getting restless, they get frustrated, they look at what seems to be greener grass on the other side.
My wife and I have enjoyed a lot of years together. I'll tell you, as millions of others would, that the best of married love and friendship and intimacy isn't in the passionate days of courtship - the honeymoon - it comes from the long years of weathering storms together, facing problems, praying through situations, learning each other's languages of love. One day the sun rises on a deep trust, a belonging, a sense of safety that you can only know by staying with the same partner. It's a joy and love that the bailer-outers will never know. You persevere; you receive the reward.
I've seen the same principle at work in ministry. People who jump from place to place never know the tremendous payoff of sticking it out in one place. There's a harvest that comes only through patient, persevering work. So often the jumpers leave just before the real harvest starts to come. They put in the work, but they don't get to see the bonuses because they change carriers before they hit the reward level.
This persevering payoff is about friendship, too, the great rewards of being someone's friend come from staying with that friend no matter what and not changing friends all the time. The principle applies to making a commitment to a cause and sticking with it; to seeing a job through. But most important of all, it's a key to following Christ patiently, stubbornly, every day even when it's tempting to leave Him for another loyalty. The songwriter captured it beautifully, "The longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows."
Stay with the one you started with. You'll love the rewards that belong to the ones that do.
