Daily Devotional by Max Lucado
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
January 30
What Size Is God?
God can do all things.
Matthew 19:26 (NCV)
Nature is God's workshop. The sky is his resume. The universe is his calling card. You want to know who God is? See what he has done. You want to know his power? Take a look at his creation. Curious about his strength? Pay a visit to his home address: 1 Billion Starry Sky Avenue.
He is untainted by the atmosphere of sin, unbridled by the time line of history, unhindered by the weariness of the body.
What controls you doesn't control him. What troubles you doesn't trouble him. What fatigues you doesn't fatigue him. Is an eagle disturbed by traffic? No, he rises above it. Is the whale perturbed by a hurricane? Of course not, he plunges beneath it. Is the lion flustered by the mouse standing directly in his way? No, he steps over it.
How much more is God able to soar above, plunge beneath, and step over the troubles of the earth!
Psalm 19
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
3 There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard. [a]
4 Their voice [b] goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,
5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is hidden from its heat.
7 The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever.
The ordinances of the LORD are sure
and altogether righteous.
10 They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the comb.
11 By them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then will I be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.
14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Galatians 6:6-10 (New International Version)
6Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.
7Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature[a]will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
January 30, 2009
Planting Time
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READ: Galatians 6:6-10
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. —Galatians 6:7
Somewhere in the world right now a farmer is dropping seeds into the ground. Soon those seeds will begin to change the place where they were planted. The carefully prepared soil that appears barren today will become a field ready for harvest.
In the same way, New Year’s resolutions can be seeds to alter the landscape of life for others and ourselves. This prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi is a powerful model of this longing to bring positive change in a hurting world:
Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.
A farmer who sows wheat is never surprised when wheat grows from the ground where it was planted. That’s the universal law of sowing and reaping. Paul used it to illustrate a corresponding spiritual principle: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Gal. 6:7). Our sinful nature says, “Satisfy yourself,” while the Spirit urges us to please God (v.8).
Today is planting time. God has promised: “In due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (v.9). — David C. McCasland
Let’s sow good deeds though life be grim
And leave the harvest time with Him;
Let’s give and serve as to the Lord
And look to Him for our reward. —Jarvis
Sow today what you want to reap tomorrow.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
January 30, 2009
The Dilemma of Obedience
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READ:
Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision —1 Samuel 3:15
God never speaks to us in dramatic ways, but in ways that are easy to misunderstand. Then we say, "I wonder if that is God’s voice?" Isaiah said that the Lord spoke to him "with a strong hand," that is, by the pressure of his circumstances (Isaiah 8:11). Without the sovereign hand of God Himself, nothing touches our lives. Do we discern His hand at work, or do we see things as mere occurrences?
Get into the habit of saying, "Speak, Lord," and life will become a romance (1 Samuel 3:9). Every time circumstances press in on you, say, "Speak, Lord," and make time to listen. Chastening is more than a means of discipline— it is meant to bring me to the point of saying, "Speak, Lord." Think back to a time when God spoke to you. Do you remember what He said? Was it Luke 11:13 , or was it 1 Thessalonians 5:23? As we listen, our ears become more sensitive, and like Jesus, we will hear God all the time.
Should I tell my "Eli" what God has shown to me? This is where the dilemma of obedience hits us. We disobey God by becoming amateur providences and thinking, "I must shield ’Eli,’ " who represents the best people we know. God did not tell Samuel to tell Eli— he had to decide that for himself. God’s message to you may hurt your "Eli," but trying to prevent suffering in another’s life will prove to be an obstruction between your soul and God. It is at your own risk that you prevent someone’s right hand being cut off or right eye being plucked out (see Matthew 5:29-30 ).
Never ask another person’s advice about anything God makes you decide before Him. If you ask advice, you will almost always side with Satan. ". . . I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood . . ." (Galatians 1:16 ).
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Deadly Magic - #5755
Friday, January 30, 2009
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When I was a kid, I used to like to put on shows for the other kids in the neighborhood. Hey, wait a minute, am I still doing shows for the kids in the neighborhood? Anyway, I bought a couple of cheap books on magic back then and this little kit of magic tricks. Even at my juvenile level, I soon learned that magic wasn't really magic - it was illusions. My beginner magic book talked about this basic magician skill called misdirection. The idea is that while you're doing the trick over here you do something that will get everybody looking over there. They said it helped to talk a lot. I knew I'd at least be good at that part.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Deadly Magic."
So one of the secrets of fooling people is to get them looking at something other than what's really going on. That is a tactic employed by someone with far more sinister intentions than some magician or illusionist. This misdirection ploy is being used to keep a lot of people from going to heaven. That could be you or someone you love.
This deadly strategy is revealed in our word for today from the Word of God in 2 Corinthians 4:4. The devil is called here "the god of this age." And it says, "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ." Satan doesn't really want you, or anyone, to see who Jesus really is and what Jesus could really do to light up your life. So he blinds you. He keeps you from seeing Jesus, because if you ever really give yourself to Jesus, the devil has lost you forever.
Of course, few people are going to knowingly follow the devil or cooperate with his plans to have them in hell forever. So Satan works his deadly magic of getting us to look at something other than Jesus - anything other than Jesus.
He may be trying that blinding, misdirecting strategy on you right now. Again, he doesn't care what you focus on, as long as it isn't Jesus. So maybe the deceiver's got you focused on Christians, instead of Christ; the hypocrites, the professed Christians who've hurt you, the inconsistencies of the Church. But that isn't Jesus...and Jesus is the issue. Or maybe the devil's got you all wrapped up in your religion, even a religion that's very much about Jesus. He doesn't care as long as your depending on your religion makes you miss Jesus.
Maybe the deceiver's blinding you by getting you focused on personal spirituality, or a career that's keeping you too busy for God. Maybe he's got you looking at your pain, your past, your family, a love relationship, the fine points of theology, a sin you can't let go of. Satan will use anything to keep your eyes off Jesus; to keep you from getting to that cross where God's only Son paid the awful price for your sin where you can finally face your sin, be forgiven of your sin, and receive the guarantee of being in heaven forever.
But today, right now, Jesus is coming to you where you are, reaching out His hand, and offering you His awesome love. The moment you die, you will know that the only thing that really mattered was what you did with Jesus. But then it will be too late to change it. Today, you can still open your heart to Him. Today you can finally turn your eyes to Jesus.
If you want to begin your personal relationship with Him today...get this settled, would you tell Him that right now, "Jesus, I'm Yours." And then I would invite you to go to our website where so many people have found a beginning with Jesus Christ with the help they were able to locate there. The website is YoursForLife.net. Visit us right away, would you? Or if you would like to get the booklet Yours For Life at no charge, you can call toll free for it at 877-741-1200.
Satan has desperately been trying to get you to look at anything but Jesus so he can have you forever. But today you can finally see the light he's been trying to keep you from for so long, because this is your Jesus-day!