Daily Devotional by Max Lucado
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
May 27
A Load Too Heavy
Do not be bitter or angry or mad. Never shout angrily or say things to hurt others.
Ephesians 4:31 (NCV)
Oh, the gradual grasp of hatred. Its damage begins like the crack in my windshield. Thanks to a speeding truck on a gravel road, my window was chipped. With time the nick became a crack, and the crack became a winding tributary.... I couldn't drive my car without thinking of the jerk who drove too fast. Though I've never seen him, I could describe him. He is some deadbeat bum who cheats on his wife, drives with a six-pack on the seat, and keeps the television so loud the neighbors can't sleep. . . .
Ever heard the expression "blind rage"?
Let me be very clear. Hatred will sour your outlook and break your back. The load of bitterness is simply too heavy. Your knees will buckle under the strain, and your heart will break beneath the weight. The mountain before you is steep enough without the heaviness of hatred on your back. The wisest choice--the only choice--is for you to drop the anger. You will never be called upon to give anyone more grace than God has already given you.
Nehemiah 6
Further Opposition to the Rebuilding
1 When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it—though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates- 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: "Come, let us meet together in one of the villages [a] on the plain of Ono."
But they were scheming to harm me; 3 so I sent messengers to them with this reply: "I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?" 4 Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer.
5 Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his aide to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter 6 in which was written:
"It is reported among the nations—and Geshem [b] says it is true—that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king 7 and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: 'There is a king in Judah!' Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us confer together."
8 I sent him this reply: "Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head."
9 They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed."
But I prayed, "Now strengthen my hands."
10 One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, "Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you—by night they are coming to kill you."
11 But I said, "Should a man like me run away? Or should one like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!" 12 I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me.
14 Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who have been trying to intimidate me.
The Completion of the Wall
15 So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days. 16 When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.
17 Also, in those days the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and replies from Tobiah kept coming to them. 18 For many in Judah were under oath to him, since he was son-in-law to Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah. 19 Moreover, they kept reporting to me his good deeds and then telling him what I said. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Psalm 82
A psalm of Asaph.
1 God presides in the great assembly;
he gives judgment among the "gods":
2 "How long will you [a] defend the unjust
and show partiality to the wicked?
Selah
3 Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless;
maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.
4 Rescue the weak and needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
5 "They know nothing, they understand nothing.
They walk about in darkness;
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 "I said, 'You are "gods";
you are all sons of the Most High.'
7 But you will die like mere men;
you will fall like every other ruler."
8 Rise up, O God, judge the earth,
for all the nations are your inheritance.
May 27, 2009
None So Blind
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READ: Psalm 82
Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me. —Matthew 25:40
Singer Ray Stevens is generally given credit for writing the phrase “There is none so blind as he who will not see,” a line from the song “Everything Is Beautiful.” But preacher Matthew Henry used the phrase 250 years ago when commenting on the lyrics of another songwriter, Asaph.
Asaph’s lyrics were not as upbeat as those of Stevens. His song was a rebuke to the Israelites for failing to fulfill their God-given purpose. God had chosen them to show the world how to live right and judge justly, but they were failing miserably. Instead of defending the weak and fatherless, they were defending the unjust and showing partiality to the wicked (Ps. 82:2-3).
In his commentary on Psalm 82, Henry wrote: “A gift in secret blinds their eyes. They know not because they will not understand. None so blind as those that will not see. They have baffled their own consciences, and so they walk on in darkness.”
Jesus confirmed God’s interest in the weak and helpless. He explained that whatever is done for the “least of these” is done for Him (see Matt. 25:34-40). And He chided His disciples for keeping children away from Him (Luke 18:16).
Those who have eyes that see what God sees find ways to help the helpless. — Julie Ackerman Link
Love through me, Love of God,
There is no love in me;
O Fire of love, light Thou the love
That burns perpetually. —Carmichael
© Dohnavur Fellowship.
A test of true Christian love: Do you help those who can’t help you in return?
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
May 27, 2009
The Life To Know Him
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READ:
. . . tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high —Luke 24:49
The disciples had to tarry, staying in Jerusalem until the day of Pentecost, not only for their own preparation but because they had to wait until the Lord was actually glorified. And as soon as He was glorified, what happened? "Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear" ( Acts 2:33 ). The statement in John 7:39 — ". . . for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified"— does not pertain to us. The Holy Spirit has been given; the Lord is glorified— our waiting is not dependent on the providence of God, but on our own spiritual fitness.
The Holy Spirit’s influence and power were at work before Pentecost, but He was not here. Once our Lord was glorified in His ascension, the Holy Spirit came into the world, and He has been here ever since. We have to receive the revealed truth that He is here. The attitude of receiving and welcoming the Holy Spirit into our lives is to be the continual attitude of a believer. When we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive reviving life from our ascended Lord.
It is not the baptism of the Holy Spirit that changes people, but the power of the ascended Christ coming into their lives through the Holy Spirit. We all too often separate things that the New Testament never separates. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not an experience apart from Jesus Christ— it is the evidence of the ascended Christ.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit does not make you think of time or eternity— it is one amazing glorious now. "This is eternal life, that they may know You . . ." ( John 17:3 ). Begin to know Him now, and never finish.
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Speeding by the Cross - #5838
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
We were speeding along an interstate in Texas, and suddenly there it was - a huge, illuminated metal cross. It just dominated the landscape, especially on the flatlands of Texas. That cross is actually 19 stories high and it can be seen from 20 miles away. They claim it's the largest cross in the Western Hemisphere. We've been by there before, but this was the first time we ever stopped and looked at it more closely.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Speeding by the Cross."
We had been like most people, not stopping to check it out. As impressive as that cross is, most folks just speed right by it, which is okay with that cross. But it's dangerous to do it with the cross - the one where Jesus died to pay for every wrong thing you and I have ever done.
But for all its eternal importance in determining our heaven or our hell, too many of us just glance briefly at Jesus' death on the cross, think it's nice, and drive on by. It could be that you've made many stops on your life-journey, looking for that spiritual or emotional fill-up that would satisfy your soul. But nothing ever has: none of those relationships, none of those accomplishments, none of your religious or spiritual experiences. So you keep speeding along on your journey, looking for a better place to stop; maybe driving right by the only place where your lifelong search will end.
In our word for today from the Word of God in Mark 15:39, we see what a life-changing thing it can be to stand at Jesus' cross. The man we're about to read about was a Roman officer. He was the man in charge of the execution of the Son of God. But before this day ends, this hardened executioner has a dramatic change of heart. Here's what the Bible says, "When the centurion who stood there in front of Jesus...saw how He died, he said, 'Surely this man was the Son of God!'"
What happened here? This man comes to this hill to execute Jesus and apparently leaves believing in Jesus. What was it about "how He died" that changed this man's heart? It had to be the things Jesus said from that cross, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they're doing"..."Today you will be with Me in paradise"..."It is finished!" Jesus was forgiving the very people who were responsible for Him being on that cross. In a very real way, that's me - that's you. Because it was our sins that Jesus went there to pay for. And now He can say to anyone who puts their trust in Him, "You will be with Me in paradise. I'm taking you to heaven with Me!"
If you've never stopped at the cross to make your peace with God, would you finally stop today? Maybe right now, right where you are. Tell Him, "Jesus, I get it now. Some of those sins you were dying for were the things I've done. You died for me and I've never responded. Jesus, I'm giving you what you died for. I'm giving You me."
Now, if you want to reach out and begin your personal relationship with Jesus, you can do that right where you are and just tell Him, "Jesus, I'm Yours." And if that's what you want, I would invite you just to check out our website. I've got a lot of information there and presented really in a non-religious way to help you know how to be sure you've begun your relationship with Jesus Christ. Many people have gone there wondering if they had a relationship with Him and left there knowing they did. Let me invite you to check it out. It is YoursForLife.net. Or I could send you the little booklet Yours For Life that I wrote at no obligation to you. Just call toll free at 877-741-1200.
There's so many miles you've traveled, and maybe so many times you've breezed by the Son of God who died for you. But this is your day to stop and experience for yourself what Jesus died on the cross to give you. You will never be the same.
