Daily Devotional by Max Lucado
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 30
Don’t Give Up!
“It is finished.”
John 19:30 (NCV)
Our inability to finish what we start is seen in the smallest of things:
A partly mowed lawn.
A half-read book.
Or, it shows up in life’s most painful areas:
An abandoned child.
A wrecked marriage.
Any chance I’m addressing someone who is considering giving up? If I am, I want to encourage you to remain. I want to encourage you to remember Jesus’ determination on the cross.
Jesus didn’t quit. But don’t think for one minute that he wasn’t tempted to. Did he ever want to quit? You bet.
That’s why his words are so splendid. “It is finished.”
John 17
Jesus Prays for Himself
1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed. He said,
"Father, the time has come. Bring glory to your Son. Then your Son will bring glory to you. 2 You gave him authority over all people. He gives eternal life to all those you have given him.
3 "And what is eternal life? It is knowing you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth. I have finished the work you gave me to do. 5 So now, Father, give glory to me in heaven where your throne is. Give me the glory I had with you before the world began. +&
Jesus Prays for His Disciples
6 "I have shown you to the disciples you gave me out of the world. They were yours. You gave them to me. And they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 I gave them the words you gave me. And they accepted them. They knew for certain that I came from you. They believed that you sent me.
9 "I pray for them. I am not praying for the world. I am praying for those you have given me, because they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. Glory has come to me because of my disciples.
11 "I will not remain in the world any longer. But they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them safe by the power of your name. It is the name you gave me. Keep them safe so they can be one, just as you and I are one.
12 "While I was with them, I guarded them. I kept them safe through the name you gave me. None of them has been lost, except the one who was sentenced to be destroyed. It happened so that Scripture would come true.
13 "I am coming to you now. But I say these things while I am still in the world. I say them so that those you gave me can have all my joy inside them. 14 I have given them your word. The world has hated them. This is because they are not part of the world any more than I am. 15 I do not pray that you will take them out of the world. I pray that you will keep them safe from the evil one.
16 "They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to it. 17 Use the truth to make them holy. Your word is truth. 18 You sent me into the world. In the same way, I have sent them into the world. 19 I make myself holy for them so that they too can be made holy in a true sense. +&
Jesus Prays for All Believers
20 "I do not pray only for them. I pray also for those who will believe in me because of their message. 21 Father, I pray that all of them will be one, just as you are in me and I am in you. I want them also to be in us. Then the world will believe that you have sent me.
22 "I have given them the glory you gave me. I did this so they would be one, just as we are one. 23 I will be in them, just as you are in me. I want them to be brought together perfectly as one. This will let the world know that you sent me. It will also show the world that you have loved those you gave me, just as you have loved me.
24 "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am. I want them to see my glory, the glory you have given me. You gave it to me because you loved me before the world was created.
25 "Father, you are holy. The world does not know you, but I know you. Those you have given me know you have sent me. 26 I have shown you to them. And I will continue to show you to them. Then the love you have for me will be in them. I myself will be in them."
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Luke 19
Zacchaeus the Tax Collector
1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man named Zacchaeus lived there. He was a chief tax collector and was very rich.
3 Zacchaeus wanted to see who Jesus was. But he was a short man. He could not see Jesus because of the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore?fig tree. He wanted to see Jesus, who was coming that way.
5 Jesus reached the spot where Zacchaeus was. He looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, come down at once. I must stay at your house today." 6 So Zacchaeus came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
7 All the people saw this. They began to whisper among themselves. They said, "Jesus has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.' "
8 But Zacchaeus stood up. He said, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of what I own to those who are poor. And if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay it back. I will pay back four times the amount I took."
9 Jesus said to Zacchaeus, "Today salvation has come to your house. You are a member of Abraham's family line. 10 The Son of Man came to look for the lost and save them."
June 30, 2009
Search And Rescue
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READ: Luke 19:1-10
The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. —Luke 19:10
Almost every week we see news about a search-and-rescue mission. It may involve a child who wandered away from a family picnic and is lost, or a hiker stranded on a mountain, or people trapped in the rubble following an earthquake. In every case, the people at risk are unable to help themselves. Those who are found and saved usually have lasting gratitude for those who joined in the search and rescued them.
The account of Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10 is a story of search and rescue. At first glance it may seem like a series of chance events—Jesus was passing through Jericho and a rich tax collector climbed a tree to catch a glimpse of the miracle-working teacher. But this encounter with Jesus was not a coincidence. At the end of the narrative, Luke deliberately included Jesus’ words to Zacchaeus, “Today salvation has come to this house . . . ; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (vv.9-10).
Jesus began His search-and-rescue operation on earth by His life, death, and resurrection. He continues it today through the power of the Holy Spirit, and He graciously invites us to participate with Him by loving those who are lost. — David C. McCasland
People can’t believe in Jesus
If the gospel they don’t hear,
So we must proclaim its message
To the world—both far and near. —Sper
Those rescued from sin are best able to rescue those in sin.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 30, 2009
Do It Now!
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READ:
Agree with your adversary quickly . . . —Matthew 5:25
In this verse, Jesus Christ laid down a very important principle by saying, "Do what you know you must do— now. Do it quickly. If you don’t, an inevitable process will begin to work ’till you have paid the last penny’ ( Matthew 5:26 ) in pain, agony, and distress." God’s laws are unchangeable and there is no escape from them. The teachings of Jesus always penetrate right to the heart of our being.
Wanting to make sure that my adversary gives me all my rights is a natural thing. But Jesus says that it is a matter of inescapable and eternal importance to me that I pay my adversary what I owe him. From our Lord’s standpoint it doesn’t matter whether I am cheated or not, but what does matter is that I don’t cheat someone else. Am I insisting on having my own rights, or am I paying what I owe from Jesus Christ’s standpoint?
Do it quickly— bring yourself to judgment now. In moral and spiritual matters, you must act immediately. If you don’t, the inevitable, relentless process will begin to work. God is determined to have His child as pure, clean, and white as driven snow, and as long as there is disobedience in any point of His teaching, He will allow His Spirit to use whatever process it may take to bring us to obedience. The fact that we insist on proving that we are right is almost always a clear indication that we have some point of disobedience. No wonder the Spirit of God so strongly urges us to stay steadfastly in the light! (see John 3:19-21 ).
"Agree with your adversary quickly . . . ." Have you suddenly reached a certain place in your relationship with someone, only to find that you have anger in your heart? Confess it quickly— make it right before God. Be reconciled to that person— do it now!
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Uncontrolled Fire - #5862
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
It seems as if every summer there are raging fires in the American West that destroy hundreds of thousands of acres of timberland, and sometimes homes, businesses, and sadly, even lives. When a major fire broke out near an Indian reservation that our Native team had ministered on only a few months ago, I paid pretty special attention. Sadly, that fire spread to parts of the reservation, consuming the timber that is a major part of their already impoverished economy; along with homes and property outside the reservation. It is going to take a long time to recover. The cause of that very costly fire made the whole thing even sadder. It was started by a government firefighter who was hoping there would be a small fire that would give him some work.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Uncontrolled Fire."
A man let a fire start to help meet a personal need he had. It raged out of control; it did more damage than he could have imagined in his worst nightmares. Well, that is a mistake many a man has made - and even some women - with a deadly fire that the Bible calls lust.
In a passage that warns against the costly mistakes we can make when we follow our sexual passions, God vividly describes what lust is really like. It's in Proverbs 6:25-28, our word for today from the Word of God. Here's what He says about misguided passion, "Do not desire her beauty in your heart...Can a man take fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burned? Or can a man walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched.?" Lust is fire...it's hot coals. In the previous chapter, God described the way sexual passion was created to be. He says, "Rejoice with the wife of your youth...be ravished with her love" (Proverbs 5:18-19). In other words, save it for your wife, buddy!
It could be, though, that you are playing with the fire of sexual lust; maybe thinking, like that firefighter, that you can keep it under control. For a little while, maybe. But lust is a fire that will suddenly take you over and engulf you, and things and people that you care about as well. You may just be trying to meet a personal need, but you have no idea what a blazing inferno this can become and the damage it will do.
You may be playing with fire on the Internet, in magazines you look at or movies you watch, or just in the way you look at the opposite sex, or the way you push all the boundaries in what you're doing physically with someone. If you'll be honest with yourself, you will see increasing evidence that you're not controlling your passions. They're beginning to control you. The fire is spreading.
The first thing they do to stop a fire is burn the ground ahead of it so it will run out of fuel. You've been feeding the fire of lust. Now, while there's still time, you've got to start to starve that fire. No more fuel. Get rid of it all! And get some help to put out the fire. Confide in a spiritually mature person you trust; tell them you want to beat this and meet with them regularly as an accountability partner. And every new day, give this battle to your all-holy, all-powerful Lord to help you win it one day at a time. You have His promise in Romans 6:14, "Sin shall no longer be your master!"
Before the fire spreads, before it does any more damage, please turn and fight it with everything you've got. The landscape is scorched and scarred with the desolation of those who didn't.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
John 16, daily reading and devotions
Daily Devotional by Max Lucado
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 29
The Greenhouse of the Heart
People harvest only what they plant.
Galatians 6:7 (NCV)
Think for a moment of your heart as a greenhouse....And your heart, like a greenhouse, has to be managed.
Consider for a moment your thoughts as seed. Some thoughts become flowers. Others become weeds. Sow seeds of hope and enjoy optimism. Sow seeds of doubt and expect insecurity....
The proof is everywhere you look. Ever wonder why some people have the Teflon capacity to resist negativism and remain patient, optimistic, and forgiving? Could it be that they have diligently sown seeds of goodness and are enjoying the harvest?
Ever wonder why others have such a sour outlook? Such a gloomy attitude? You would, too, if your heart were a greenhouse of weeds and thorns.
John 16
1 "I have told you all of this so that you will not go down the wrong path. 2 You will be thrown out of the synagogue. In fact, a time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing God a favor. 3 They will do things like that because they do not know the Father or me.
4 "Why have I told you this? So that when the time comes, you will remember that I warned you. I didn't tell you this at first because I was with you.
What the Holy Spirit Will Do
5 "Now I am going to the One who sent me. But none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' 6 Because I have said these things, you are filled with sadness.
7 "But what I'm about to tell you is true. It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Friend will not come to help you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will prove that the world's people are guilty. He will prove their guilt concerning sin and godliness and judgment.
9 "The world is guilty as far as sin is concerned. That is because people do not believe in me. 10 The world is guilty as far as godliness is concerned. That is because I am going to the Father, where you can't see me anymore. 11 The world is guilty as far as judgment is concerned. That is because the devil, the prince of this world, has already been judged.
12 "I have much more to say to you. It is more than you can handle right now. 13 But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own. He will speak only what he hears. And he will tell you what is still going to happen.
14 "He will bring me glory by receiving something from me and showing it to you. 15 Everything that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Holy Spirit will receive something from me and show it to you.
16 "In a little while, you will no longer see me. Then after a little while, you will see me."
The Disciples' Sadness Will Turn Into Joy
17 Some of his disciples spoke to one another. They said, "What does he mean by saying, 'In a little while, you will no longer see me. Then after a little while, you will see me'? And what does he mean by saying, 'I am going to the Father'?" 18 They kept asking, "What does he mean by 'a little while'? We don't understand what he is saying."
19 Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about those things. So he said to them, "Are you asking one another what I meant? Didn't you understand when I said, 'In a little while, you will no longer see me. Then after a little while, you will see me'? 20 What I'm about to tell you is true. You will cry and be full of sorrow while the world is full of joy. You will be sad, but your sadness will turn into joy.
21 "A woman giving birth to a baby has pain. This is because her time to give birth has come. But when her baby is born, she forgets the pain. She forgets because she is so happy that a baby has been born into the world.
22 "That's the way it is with you. Now it's your time to be sad. But I will see you again. Then you will be full of joy. And no one will take your joy away.
23 "When that day comes, you will no longer ask me for anything. What I'm about to tell you is true. My Father will give you anything you ask for in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask, and you will receive what you ask for. Then your joy will be complete.
25 "I have not been speaking to you plainly. But a time is coming when I will speak clearly. Then I will tell you plainly about my Father. 26 When that day comes, you will ask for things in my name. I am not saying I will ask the Father instead of you asking him. 27 No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me. He also loves you because you have believed that I came from God.
28 "I came from the Father and entered the world. Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father."
29 Then Jesus' disciples said, "Now you are speaking plainly. You are using examples that are clear. 30 Now we can see that you know everything. You don't even need anyone to ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God."
31 "At last you believe!" Jesus said. 32 "But a time is coming when you will be scattered and go to your own homes. In fact, that time is already here. You will leave me all alone. But I am not really alone. My Father is with me.
33 "I have told you these things, so that you can have peace because of me. In this world you will have trouble. But cheer up! I have won the battle over the world."
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Isaiah 6
The Lord Appoints Isaiah to Speak for Him
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord. He was seated on his throne. His long robe filled the temple. He was highly honored.
2 Above him were seraphs. Each of them had six wings. With two wings they covered their faces. With two wings they covered their feet. And with two wings they were flying. 3 They were calling out to one another. They were saying,
"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord who rules over all.
The whole earth is full of his glory."
4 The sound of their voices caused the stone doorframe to shake. The temple was filled with smoke.
5 "How terrible it is for me!" I cried out. "I'm about to be destroyed! My mouth speaks sinful words. And I live among people who speak sinful words. Now I have seen the King with my own eyes. He is the Lord who rules over all."
6 A seraph flew over to me. He was holding a hot coal. He had used tongs to take it from the altar. 7 He touched my mouth with the coal. He said, "This has touched your lips. Your guilt has been taken away. Your sin has been paid for."
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord. He said, "Who will I send? Who will go for us?"
I said, "Here I am. Send me!"
June 29, 2009
Macauley
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READ: Isaiah 6:1-8
I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” —Isaiah 6:8
Macauley Rivera, one of my dearest friends in Bible college, had a passion for the Savior. His heart’s desire was to graduate, marry his fiancée Sharon, return to the inner city of Washington, DC, and plant a church to reach his friends and family for Christ.
That dream ended, however, when Mac and Sharon were tragically killed in an accident, leaving the student body stunned at the loss. At Mac’s memorial service, the challenge was issued: “Mac is gone. Who will serve in his place?” As evidence of the impact of Mac’s example, more than 200 students stood to take up the mantle of Christ’s fallen servant.
The response of those students echoes the commitment of Isaiah. In a time of fear and insecurity, the prophet was summoned into the throne room of God, where he heard Him say, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Isaiah responded, “Here am I! Send me” (Isa. 6:8).
God still calls men and women to be His ambassadors today. He challenges us to serve Him—sometimes close to home, sometimes in distant lands. The question for us is, How will we respond to His call? May God give us the courage to say, “Here am I! Send me.” — Bill Crowder
Take the task He gives you gladly;
Let His work your pleasure be;
Answer quickly when He calleth,
“Here am I, send me, send me.” —March
Whom God calls, He qualifies; whom He qualifies, He sends.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 29, 2009
The Strictest Discipline
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READ:
If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell —Matthew 5:30
Jesus did not say that everyone must cut off his right hand, but that "if your right hand causes you to sin" in your walk with Him, then it is better to "cut it off." There are many things that are perfectly legitimate, but if you are going to concentrate on God you cannot do them. Your right hand is one of the best things you have, but Jesus says that if it hinders you in following His precepts, then "cut it off." The principle taught here is the strictest discipline or lesson that ever hit humankind.
When God changes you through regeneration, giving you new life through spiritual rebirth, your life initially has the characteristic of being maimed. There are a hundred and one things that you dare not do— things that would be sin for you, and would be recognized as sin by those who really know you. But the unspiritual people around you will say, "What’s so wrong with doing that? How absurd you are!" There has never yet been a saint who has not lived a maimed life initially. Yet it is better to enter into life maimed but lovely in God’s sight than to appear lovely to man’s eyes but lame to God’s. At first, Jesus Christ through His Spirit has to restrain you from doing a great many things that may be perfectly right for everyone else but not right for you. Yet, see that you don’t use your restrictions to criticize someone else.
The Christian life is a maimed life initially, but inMatthew 5:48 Jesus gave us the picture of a perfectly well-rounded life— "You shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
A Man's Lasting Legacy - #5861
Monday, June 29, 2009
My dad was a great man, and I still miss him, even though he's been gone for a lot of years now. I'll often think about his laugh, his favorite sayings, his great personality, his fun sense of humor, his unconditional love and support for me. Because he's buried in a place where I don't often get to go, it's been quite a while since I've been able to visit his grave. But I did not too long ago. And I was impressed with the simplicity of what, besides the dates of his birth and death, is engraved on his gravestone. It just says, "John Hutchcraft, husband and father."
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "A Man's Lasting Legacy."
I guess standing at my father's grave after all these years was sort of a values clarification reminder for me, and maybe for you. My dad held many titles in his life; he was chairman of our church board, chairman of the board of a youth ministry, foreman, and plant manager. But other people held those titles before him and after him. He's the only husband my Mom ever had. He's the only father I ever had. His tombstone honors him accurately; it's what he did as a husband and a father that is the most lasting legacy of his life. That's something for any man to consider.
God seems to put a pretty high priority on those life-roles. You can see it even in His list of requirements for those who aspire to positions of spiritual leadership. In 1 Timothy 3, beginning with verse 2, our word for today from the Word of God, He says, "An overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife...He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity, (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?)." God seems to be saying here, "If he isn't being the right kind of husband and father, please don't spread the infection to the church!" But this isn't just about leadership credentials. It's obviously a statement about what God values in a man.
Tragically, too many of us men have fallen for lies about what will give our lives significance. We go after comparatively trivial pursuits: a promotion at work, the next rung on the ladder, an award, a higher income, the acclaim of our organization, our church, or some important person, or just that bigger title. But there is no bigger title than husband or dad.
I have friends that I respect greatly because they've been offered some great promotions in their company, but they turned them down because they realized that it would hurt their family and it would make them less of a husband and less of a father. To be a hero at work or a hero at church and a zero at home is a price too high to pay. Sadly, even many women in our day have now fallen for the lies about significance that have literally been killing their men. They have been chasing the same pursuits and finding the same lack of fulfillment we did there. God says there is nothing more significant, there is nothing more lasting, or there is nothing more profitable you can do than the mark you make at home.
Those lives that you mark at home; whether it's by your involvement positively or your neglect negatively, that is the lasting legacy of your life. There is no greater legacy you can leave them than to introduce them to the Father, the God who gave up His one and only Son so we could be His sons and daughters. Give your best to the legacy that will truly define the impact of your life.
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 29
The Greenhouse of the Heart
People harvest only what they plant.
Galatians 6:7 (NCV)
Think for a moment of your heart as a greenhouse....And your heart, like a greenhouse, has to be managed.
Consider for a moment your thoughts as seed. Some thoughts become flowers. Others become weeds. Sow seeds of hope and enjoy optimism. Sow seeds of doubt and expect insecurity....
The proof is everywhere you look. Ever wonder why some people have the Teflon capacity to resist negativism and remain patient, optimistic, and forgiving? Could it be that they have diligently sown seeds of goodness and are enjoying the harvest?
Ever wonder why others have such a sour outlook? Such a gloomy attitude? You would, too, if your heart were a greenhouse of weeds and thorns.
John 16
1 "I have told you all of this so that you will not go down the wrong path. 2 You will be thrown out of the synagogue. In fact, a time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing God a favor. 3 They will do things like that because they do not know the Father or me.
4 "Why have I told you this? So that when the time comes, you will remember that I warned you. I didn't tell you this at first because I was with you.
What the Holy Spirit Will Do
5 "Now I am going to the One who sent me. But none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' 6 Because I have said these things, you are filled with sadness.
7 "But what I'm about to tell you is true. It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Friend will not come to help you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will prove that the world's people are guilty. He will prove their guilt concerning sin and godliness and judgment.
9 "The world is guilty as far as sin is concerned. That is because people do not believe in me. 10 The world is guilty as far as godliness is concerned. That is because I am going to the Father, where you can't see me anymore. 11 The world is guilty as far as judgment is concerned. That is because the devil, the prince of this world, has already been judged.
12 "I have much more to say to you. It is more than you can handle right now. 13 But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own. He will speak only what he hears. And he will tell you what is still going to happen.
14 "He will bring me glory by receiving something from me and showing it to you. 15 Everything that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Holy Spirit will receive something from me and show it to you.
16 "In a little while, you will no longer see me. Then after a little while, you will see me."
The Disciples' Sadness Will Turn Into Joy
17 Some of his disciples spoke to one another. They said, "What does he mean by saying, 'In a little while, you will no longer see me. Then after a little while, you will see me'? And what does he mean by saying, 'I am going to the Father'?" 18 They kept asking, "What does he mean by 'a little while'? We don't understand what he is saying."
19 Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about those things. So he said to them, "Are you asking one another what I meant? Didn't you understand when I said, 'In a little while, you will no longer see me. Then after a little while, you will see me'? 20 What I'm about to tell you is true. You will cry and be full of sorrow while the world is full of joy. You will be sad, but your sadness will turn into joy.
21 "A woman giving birth to a baby has pain. This is because her time to give birth has come. But when her baby is born, she forgets the pain. She forgets because she is so happy that a baby has been born into the world.
22 "That's the way it is with you. Now it's your time to be sad. But I will see you again. Then you will be full of joy. And no one will take your joy away.
23 "When that day comes, you will no longer ask me for anything. What I'm about to tell you is true. My Father will give you anything you ask for in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask, and you will receive what you ask for. Then your joy will be complete.
25 "I have not been speaking to you plainly. But a time is coming when I will speak clearly. Then I will tell you plainly about my Father. 26 When that day comes, you will ask for things in my name. I am not saying I will ask the Father instead of you asking him. 27 No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me. He also loves you because you have believed that I came from God.
28 "I came from the Father and entered the world. Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father."
29 Then Jesus' disciples said, "Now you are speaking plainly. You are using examples that are clear. 30 Now we can see that you know everything. You don't even need anyone to ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God."
31 "At last you believe!" Jesus said. 32 "But a time is coming when you will be scattered and go to your own homes. In fact, that time is already here. You will leave me all alone. But I am not really alone. My Father is with me.
33 "I have told you these things, so that you can have peace because of me. In this world you will have trouble. But cheer up! I have won the battle over the world."
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Isaiah 6
The Lord Appoints Isaiah to Speak for Him
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord. He was seated on his throne. His long robe filled the temple. He was highly honored.
2 Above him were seraphs. Each of them had six wings. With two wings they covered their faces. With two wings they covered their feet. And with two wings they were flying. 3 They were calling out to one another. They were saying,
"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord who rules over all.
The whole earth is full of his glory."
4 The sound of their voices caused the stone doorframe to shake. The temple was filled with smoke.
5 "How terrible it is for me!" I cried out. "I'm about to be destroyed! My mouth speaks sinful words. And I live among people who speak sinful words. Now I have seen the King with my own eyes. He is the Lord who rules over all."
6 A seraph flew over to me. He was holding a hot coal. He had used tongs to take it from the altar. 7 He touched my mouth with the coal. He said, "This has touched your lips. Your guilt has been taken away. Your sin has been paid for."
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord. He said, "Who will I send? Who will go for us?"
I said, "Here I am. Send me!"
June 29, 2009
Macauley
ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download
READ: Isaiah 6:1-8
I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” —Isaiah 6:8
Macauley Rivera, one of my dearest friends in Bible college, had a passion for the Savior. His heart’s desire was to graduate, marry his fiancée Sharon, return to the inner city of Washington, DC, and plant a church to reach his friends and family for Christ.
That dream ended, however, when Mac and Sharon were tragically killed in an accident, leaving the student body stunned at the loss. At Mac’s memorial service, the challenge was issued: “Mac is gone. Who will serve in his place?” As evidence of the impact of Mac’s example, more than 200 students stood to take up the mantle of Christ’s fallen servant.
The response of those students echoes the commitment of Isaiah. In a time of fear and insecurity, the prophet was summoned into the throne room of God, where he heard Him say, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Isaiah responded, “Here am I! Send me” (Isa. 6:8).
God still calls men and women to be His ambassadors today. He challenges us to serve Him—sometimes close to home, sometimes in distant lands. The question for us is, How will we respond to His call? May God give us the courage to say, “Here am I! Send me.” — Bill Crowder
Take the task He gives you gladly;
Let His work your pleasure be;
Answer quickly when He calleth,
“Here am I, send me, send me.” —March
Whom God calls, He qualifies; whom He qualifies, He sends.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 29, 2009
The Strictest Discipline
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READ:
If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell —Matthew 5:30
Jesus did not say that everyone must cut off his right hand, but that "if your right hand causes you to sin" in your walk with Him, then it is better to "cut it off." There are many things that are perfectly legitimate, but if you are going to concentrate on God you cannot do them. Your right hand is one of the best things you have, but Jesus says that if it hinders you in following His precepts, then "cut it off." The principle taught here is the strictest discipline or lesson that ever hit humankind.
When God changes you through regeneration, giving you new life through spiritual rebirth, your life initially has the characteristic of being maimed. There are a hundred and one things that you dare not do— things that would be sin for you, and would be recognized as sin by those who really know you. But the unspiritual people around you will say, "What’s so wrong with doing that? How absurd you are!" There has never yet been a saint who has not lived a maimed life initially. Yet it is better to enter into life maimed but lovely in God’s sight than to appear lovely to man’s eyes but lame to God’s. At first, Jesus Christ through His Spirit has to restrain you from doing a great many things that may be perfectly right for everyone else but not right for you. Yet, see that you don’t use your restrictions to criticize someone else.
The Christian life is a maimed life initially, but inMatthew 5:48 Jesus gave us the picture of a perfectly well-rounded life— "You shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
A Man's Lasting Legacy - #5861
Monday, June 29, 2009
My dad was a great man, and I still miss him, even though he's been gone for a lot of years now. I'll often think about his laugh, his favorite sayings, his great personality, his fun sense of humor, his unconditional love and support for me. Because he's buried in a place where I don't often get to go, it's been quite a while since I've been able to visit his grave. But I did not too long ago. And I was impressed with the simplicity of what, besides the dates of his birth and death, is engraved on his gravestone. It just says, "John Hutchcraft, husband and father."
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "A Man's Lasting Legacy."
I guess standing at my father's grave after all these years was sort of a values clarification reminder for me, and maybe for you. My dad held many titles in his life; he was chairman of our church board, chairman of the board of a youth ministry, foreman, and plant manager. But other people held those titles before him and after him. He's the only husband my Mom ever had. He's the only father I ever had. His tombstone honors him accurately; it's what he did as a husband and a father that is the most lasting legacy of his life. That's something for any man to consider.
God seems to put a pretty high priority on those life-roles. You can see it even in His list of requirements for those who aspire to positions of spiritual leadership. In 1 Timothy 3, beginning with verse 2, our word for today from the Word of God, He says, "An overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife...He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity, (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?)." God seems to be saying here, "If he isn't being the right kind of husband and father, please don't spread the infection to the church!" But this isn't just about leadership credentials. It's obviously a statement about what God values in a man.
Tragically, too many of us men have fallen for lies about what will give our lives significance. We go after comparatively trivial pursuits: a promotion at work, the next rung on the ladder, an award, a higher income, the acclaim of our organization, our church, or some important person, or just that bigger title. But there is no bigger title than husband or dad.
I have friends that I respect greatly because they've been offered some great promotions in their company, but they turned them down because they realized that it would hurt their family and it would make them less of a husband and less of a father. To be a hero at work or a hero at church and a zero at home is a price too high to pay. Sadly, even many women in our day have now fallen for the lies about significance that have literally been killing their men. They have been chasing the same pursuits and finding the same lack of fulfillment we did there. God says there is nothing more significant, there is nothing more lasting, or there is nothing more profitable you can do than the mark you make at home.
Those lives that you mark at home; whether it's by your involvement positively or your neglect negatively, that is the lasting legacy of your life. There is no greater legacy you can leave them than to introduce them to the Father, the God who gave up His one and only Son so we could be His sons and daughters. Give your best to the legacy that will truly define the impact of your life.
John 15, daily reading and devotions
Daily Devotional by Max Lucado
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 28
Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation.
1 Thessalonians 5:8 (THE MESSAGE)
Don't put your hope into things that change--relationships, money
talents, beauty, even health.
Set your sights on the one thing that can never change: trust
in your heavenly Father.
John 15
The Vine and the Branches
1 "I am the true vine. My Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch joined to me that does not bear fruit. He trims every branch that does bear fruit. Then it will bear even more fruit.
3 "You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain joined to me, and I will remain joined to you. No branch can bear fruit by itself. It must remain joined to the vine. In the same way, you can't bear fruit unless you remain joined to me.
5 "I am the vine. You are the branches. If anyone remains joined to me, and I to him, he will bear a lot of fruit. You can't do anything without me. 6 If anyone does not remain joined to me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and dries up. Branches like those are picked up. They are thrown into the fire and burned.
7 "If you remain joined to me and my words remain in you, ask for anything you wish. And it will be given to you. 8 When you bear a lot of fruit, it brings glory to my Father. It shows that you are my disciples.
9 "Just as the Father has loved me, I have loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love. In the same way, I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy will be in you. I also want your joy to be complete.
12 "Here is my command. Love each other, just as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than the one who gives his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
15 "I do not call you servants anymore. Servants do not know their master's business. Instead, I have called you friends. I have told you everything I learned from my Father.
16 "You did not choose me. Instead, I chose you. I appointed you to go and bear fruit. It is fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you anything you ask for in my name.
17 "Here is my command. Love each other.
The World Hates the Disciples
18 "Does the world hate you? Remember that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you like one of its own. But you do not belong to the world. I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
20 "Remember the words I spoke to you. I said, 'A servant is not more important than his master.'—(John 13:16) If people hated me and tried to hurt me, they will do the same to you. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you like that because of my name. They do not know the One who sent me.
22 "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Those who hate me hate my Father also.
24 "I did miracles among them that no one else did. If I hadn't, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen those miracles. And still they have hated both me and my Father. 25 This has happened so that what is written in their Law would come true. It says, 'They hated me without any reason.'—(Psalms 35:19; 69:4)
26 "I will send the Friend to you from the Father. He is the Spirit of truth, who comes out from the Father. When the Friend comes to help you, he will give witness about me.
27 "You also must give witness. This is because you have been with me from the beginning.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Acts 13
Barnabas and Saul Are Sent Off
1 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers. Among them were Barnabas, Simeon, and Lucius from Cyrene. Simeon was also called Niger. Another was Manaen. He had been brought up with Herod, the ruler of Galilee. Saul was among them too. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke. "Set apart Barnabas and Saul for me," he said. "I have appointed them to do special work." 3 The prophets and teachers fasted and prayed. They placed their hands on Barnabas and Saul. Then they sent them off.
Events on Cyprus
4 Barnabas and Saul were sent on their way by the Holy Spirit. They went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 They arrived at Salamis. There they preached God's word in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.
June 28, 2009
Are You Ready?
ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download
READ: Acts 13:1-5
As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work.” —Acts 13:2
Three months before a planned missions trip, a friend and I were talking about the upcoming event. He said to me, “If anyone can’t go, I’d be willing to step in and join you.” This was not going to be an easy 8 days, for we would be painting, repairing, and fixing stuff in the July heat of Jamaica. Yet my friend seemed eager to go.
About 6 weeks before we were scheduled to leave, there was an opening. I e-mailed my friend—whom I hadn’t seen in the interim—and asked if he was still interested. He immediately responded, “Sure! And I got a passport just in case you asked.” He had made sure he was ready—just in case he got the call to go.
My friend’s preparation reminds me of what happened back in the first century at Antioch. Paul and Barnabas were among a number of people getting themselves ready spiritually for whatever God might ask them to do, or wherever He might send them. They didn’t prepare by getting a passport, but they “ministered to the Lord and fasted” (Acts 13:2). And when the Holy Spirit said, “Separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work” (v.2), they were all set for the journey.
Are you preparing for what God might want you to do? When the Spirit says, “Go,” will you be ready? — Dave Branon
Available for God to use me,
Available, if God should choose me;
Should it be here or there, it doesn’t matter where;
My waiting heart prepare. —Anthony
© 1971, Dick Anthony.
Keep your tools ready—God will find work for you.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 28, 2009
Held by the Grip of God
ODB RADIO: | Download
READ:
I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me —Philippians 3:12
Never choose to be a worker for God, but once God has placed His call on you, woe be to you if you "turn aside to the right hand or to the left" ( Deuteronomy 5:32 ). We are not here to work for God because we have chosen to do so, but because God has "laid hold of" us. And once He has done so, we never have this thought, "Well, I’m really not suited for this." What you are to preach is also determined by God, not by your own natural leanings or desires. Keep your soul steadfastly related to God, and remember that you are called not simply to convey your testimony but also to preach the gospel. Every Christian must testify to the truth of God, but when it comes to the call to preach, there must be the agonizing grip of God’s hand on you— your life is in the grip of God for that very purpose. How many of us are held like that?
Never water down the Word of God, but preach it in its undiluted sternness. There must be unflinching faithfulness to the Word of God, but when you come to personal dealings with others, remember who you are— you are not some special being created in heaven, but a sinner saved by grace.
"Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do. . . I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" ( Philippians 3:13-14 ).
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 28
Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation.
1 Thessalonians 5:8 (THE MESSAGE)
Don't put your hope into things that change--relationships, money
talents, beauty, even health.
Set your sights on the one thing that can never change: trust
in your heavenly Father.
John 15
The Vine and the Branches
1 "I am the true vine. My Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch joined to me that does not bear fruit. He trims every branch that does bear fruit. Then it will bear even more fruit.
3 "You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain joined to me, and I will remain joined to you. No branch can bear fruit by itself. It must remain joined to the vine. In the same way, you can't bear fruit unless you remain joined to me.
5 "I am the vine. You are the branches. If anyone remains joined to me, and I to him, he will bear a lot of fruit. You can't do anything without me. 6 If anyone does not remain joined to me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and dries up. Branches like those are picked up. They are thrown into the fire and burned.
7 "If you remain joined to me and my words remain in you, ask for anything you wish. And it will be given to you. 8 When you bear a lot of fruit, it brings glory to my Father. It shows that you are my disciples.
9 "Just as the Father has loved me, I have loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love. In the same way, I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy will be in you. I also want your joy to be complete.
12 "Here is my command. Love each other, just as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than the one who gives his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
15 "I do not call you servants anymore. Servants do not know their master's business. Instead, I have called you friends. I have told you everything I learned from my Father.
16 "You did not choose me. Instead, I chose you. I appointed you to go and bear fruit. It is fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you anything you ask for in my name.
17 "Here is my command. Love each other.
The World Hates the Disciples
18 "Does the world hate you? Remember that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you like one of its own. But you do not belong to the world. I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
20 "Remember the words I spoke to you. I said, 'A servant is not more important than his master.'—(John 13:16) If people hated me and tried to hurt me, they will do the same to you. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you like that because of my name. They do not know the One who sent me.
22 "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Those who hate me hate my Father also.
24 "I did miracles among them that no one else did. If I hadn't, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen those miracles. And still they have hated both me and my Father. 25 This has happened so that what is written in their Law would come true. It says, 'They hated me without any reason.'—(Psalms 35:19; 69:4)
26 "I will send the Friend to you from the Father. He is the Spirit of truth, who comes out from the Father. When the Friend comes to help you, he will give witness about me.
27 "You also must give witness. This is because you have been with me from the beginning.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Acts 13
Barnabas and Saul Are Sent Off
1 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers. Among them were Barnabas, Simeon, and Lucius from Cyrene. Simeon was also called Niger. Another was Manaen. He had been brought up with Herod, the ruler of Galilee. Saul was among them too. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke. "Set apart Barnabas and Saul for me," he said. "I have appointed them to do special work." 3 The prophets and teachers fasted and prayed. They placed their hands on Barnabas and Saul. Then they sent them off.
Events on Cyprus
4 Barnabas and Saul were sent on their way by the Holy Spirit. They went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 They arrived at Salamis. There they preached God's word in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.
June 28, 2009
Are You Ready?
ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download
READ: Acts 13:1-5
As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work.” —Acts 13:2
Three months before a planned missions trip, a friend and I were talking about the upcoming event. He said to me, “If anyone can’t go, I’d be willing to step in and join you.” This was not going to be an easy 8 days, for we would be painting, repairing, and fixing stuff in the July heat of Jamaica. Yet my friend seemed eager to go.
About 6 weeks before we were scheduled to leave, there was an opening. I e-mailed my friend—whom I hadn’t seen in the interim—and asked if he was still interested. He immediately responded, “Sure! And I got a passport just in case you asked.” He had made sure he was ready—just in case he got the call to go.
My friend’s preparation reminds me of what happened back in the first century at Antioch. Paul and Barnabas were among a number of people getting themselves ready spiritually for whatever God might ask them to do, or wherever He might send them. They didn’t prepare by getting a passport, but they “ministered to the Lord and fasted” (Acts 13:2). And when the Holy Spirit said, “Separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work” (v.2), they were all set for the journey.
Are you preparing for what God might want you to do? When the Spirit says, “Go,” will you be ready? — Dave Branon
Available for God to use me,
Available, if God should choose me;
Should it be here or there, it doesn’t matter where;
My waiting heart prepare. —Anthony
© 1971, Dick Anthony.
Keep your tools ready—God will find work for you.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 28, 2009
Held by the Grip of God
ODB RADIO: | Download
READ:
I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me —Philippians 3:12
Never choose to be a worker for God, but once God has placed His call on you, woe be to you if you "turn aside to the right hand or to the left" ( Deuteronomy 5:32 ). We are not here to work for God because we have chosen to do so, but because God has "laid hold of" us. And once He has done so, we never have this thought, "Well, I’m really not suited for this." What you are to preach is also determined by God, not by your own natural leanings or desires. Keep your soul steadfastly related to God, and remember that you are called not simply to convey your testimony but also to preach the gospel. Every Christian must testify to the truth of God, but when it comes to the call to preach, there must be the agonizing grip of God’s hand on you— your life is in the grip of God for that very purpose. How many of us are held like that?
Never water down the Word of God, but preach it in its undiluted sternness. There must be unflinching faithfulness to the Word of God, but when you come to personal dealings with others, remember who you are— you are not some special being created in heaven, but a sinner saved by grace.
"Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do. . . I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" ( Philippians 3:13-14 ).
Saturday, June 27, 2009
John 14, daily reading and devotions
Daily Devotional by Max Lucado
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 27
He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole.
Job 5:18 (NKJV)
Oh, the hands of Jesus.
Hands of incarnation at his birth.
Hands of liberation as he healed.
Hands of inspiration as he taught.
Hands of dedication as he served.
And hands of salvation as he died....
The same hand that cleansed the Temple cleanses your heart.
The hand is the hand of God.
John 14
Jesus Comforts His Disciples
1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God. Trust in me also.
2 "There are many rooms in my Father's house. If this were not true, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go and do that, I will come back. And I will take you to be with me. Then you will also be where I am.
4 "You know the way to the place where I am going."
Jesus Is the Way to the Father
5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going. So how can we know the way?"
6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father also. From now on, you do know him. And you have seen him."
8 Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father. That will be enough for us."
9 Jesus answered, "Don't you know me, Philip? I have been among you such a long time! Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. So how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
10 "Don't you believe that I am in the Father? Don't you believe that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. The Father lives in me. He is the One who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say I am in the Father. Also believe that the Father is in me. Or at least believe what the miracles show about me.
12 "What I'm about to tell you is true. Anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. In fact, he will do even greater things. That is because I am going to the Father.
13 "And I will do anything you ask in my name. Then the Son will bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name. I will do it.
The Father Will Send the Holy Spirit
15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 I will ask the Father. And he will give you another Friend to help you and to be with you forever. 17 The Friend is the Spirit of truth. The world can't accept him. That is because the world does not see him or know him. But you know him. He lives with you, and he will be in you.
18 "I will not leave you like children who don't have parents. I will come to you.
19 "Before long, the world will not see me anymore. But you will see me. Because I live, you will live also. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father. You will know that you are in me, and I am in you.
21 "Anyone who has my commands and obeys them loves me. My Father will love the one who loves me. I too will love him. And I will show myself to him."
22 Then Judas spoke. "Lord," he said, "why do you plan to show yourself only to us? Why not also to the world?" The Judas who spoke those words was not Judas Iscariot.
23 Jesus replied, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love him. We will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. The words you hear me say are not my own. They belong to the Father who sent me.
25 "I have spoken all these things while I am still with you. 26 But the Father will send the Friend in my name to help you. The Friend is the Holy Spirit. He will teach you all things. He will remind you of everything I have said to you.
27 "I leave my peace with you. I give my peace to you. I do not give it to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be troubled. And do not be afraid.
28 "You heard me say, 'I am going away. And I am coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad I am going to the Father. The Father is greater than I am. 29 I have told you now before it happens. Then when it does happen, you will believe.
30 "I will not speak with you much longer. The prince of this world is coming. He has no power over me. 31 But the world must learn that I love the Father. They must also learn that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me to do.
"Come now. Let us leave.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Proverbs 1
Purpose
1 These are the proverbs of Solomon. He was the son of David and the king of Israel.
2 Proverbs teach you wisdom and train you.
They help you understand wise sayings.
3 They provide you with training and help you live wisely.
They lead to what is right and honest and fair.
4 They give understanding to childish people.
They give knowledge and good sense to those who are young.
5 Let wise people listen and add to what they have learned.
Let those who understand what is right get guidance.
6 What I'm teaching also helps you understand proverbs and stories.
It helps you understand the sayings and riddles of those who are wise.
Main Point
7 If you really want to gain knowledge, you must begin by having respect for the Lord.
But foolish people hate wisdom and training.
Think and Live Wisely
A Warning Against a Life of Crime
8 My son, listen to your father's advice.
Don't turn away from your mother's teaching.
9 What they teach you will be like a beautiful crown on your head.
It will be like a chain to decorate your neck.
June 27, 2009
Advice For The Groom
ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download
READ: Proverbs 1:1-9
My son, hear the instruction of your father. —Proverbs 1:8
The custom of a bachelor party before a wedding is often characterized by drunkenness and carousing. The party-hearty attitude seems driven by the belief that the groom will soon be married and have to settle down to a life of domestic boredom.
Not long ago, one of my nephews got married. The best man planned a get-together for Joel, but with a refreshing difference. Those invited were asked to bring some thoughts to share that would help him in this new chapter of life.
When I arrived at the informal breakfast, I found a cheerful spirit of camaraderie. Fathers, uncles, brothers, and friends were animated in lively discussion. The father of the bride and the father of the groom were asked to share their advice on what they had learned in their own Christian marriage. Their thoughts were personal, realistic, and biblical.
The book of Proverbs mirrors this kind of mentoring in facing life’s challenges and rewards. “My son, hear the instruction of your father . . . for [it] will be a graceful ornament on your head” (Prov. 1:8-9).
How God-honoring it would be if more couples began their marriage with an attitude that heeded the wisdom of those who walked the path before them. — Dennis Fisher
Lord, give us ears to hear advice
From loved ones wise and humble,
So when life’s challenges appear
We will not have to stumble. —Sper
He is truly wise who gains his wisdom from the experience of others.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 27, 2009
The Overshadowing of God’s Personal Deliverance
ODB RADIO: | Download
READ:
. . . I am with you to deliver you,’ says the Lord —Jeremiah 1:8
God promised Jeremiah that He would deliver him personally— ". . . your life shall be as a prize to you . . ." (Jeremiah 39:18 ). That is all God promises His children. Wherever God sends us, He will guard our lives. Our personal property and possessions are to be a matter of indifference to us, and our hold on these things should be very loose. If this is not the case, we will have panic, heartache, and distress. Having the proper outlook is evidence of the deeply rooted belief in the overshadowing of God’s personal deliverance.
The Sermon on the Mount indicates that when we are on a mission for Jesus Christ, there is no time to stand up for ourselves. Jesus says, in effect, "Don’t worry about whether or not you are being treated justly." Looking for justice is actually a sign that we have been diverted from our devotion to Him. Never look for justice in this world, but never cease to give it. If we look for justice, we will only begin to complain and to indulge ourselves in the discontent of self-pity, as if to say, "Why should I be treated like this?" If we are devoted to Jesus Christ, we have nothing to do with what we encounter, whether it is just or unjust. In essence, Jesus says, "Continue steadily on with what I have told you to do, and I will guard your life. If you try to guard it yourself, you remove yourself from My deliverance." Even the most devout among us become atheistic in this regard— we do not believe Him. We put our common sense on the throne and then attach God’s name to it. We do lean to our own understanding, instead of trusting God with all our hearts (see Proverbs 3:5-6 ).
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 27
He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole.
Job 5:18 (NKJV)
Oh, the hands of Jesus.
Hands of incarnation at his birth.
Hands of liberation as he healed.
Hands of inspiration as he taught.
Hands of dedication as he served.
And hands of salvation as he died....
The same hand that cleansed the Temple cleanses your heart.
The hand is the hand of God.
John 14
Jesus Comforts His Disciples
1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God. Trust in me also.
2 "There are many rooms in my Father's house. If this were not true, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go and do that, I will come back. And I will take you to be with me. Then you will also be where I am.
4 "You know the way to the place where I am going."
Jesus Is the Way to the Father
5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going. So how can we know the way?"
6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father also. From now on, you do know him. And you have seen him."
8 Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father. That will be enough for us."
9 Jesus answered, "Don't you know me, Philip? I have been among you such a long time! Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. So how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
10 "Don't you believe that I am in the Father? Don't you believe that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. The Father lives in me. He is the One who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say I am in the Father. Also believe that the Father is in me. Or at least believe what the miracles show about me.
12 "What I'm about to tell you is true. Anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. In fact, he will do even greater things. That is because I am going to the Father.
13 "And I will do anything you ask in my name. Then the Son will bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name. I will do it.
The Father Will Send the Holy Spirit
15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 I will ask the Father. And he will give you another Friend to help you and to be with you forever. 17 The Friend is the Spirit of truth. The world can't accept him. That is because the world does not see him or know him. But you know him. He lives with you, and he will be in you.
18 "I will not leave you like children who don't have parents. I will come to you.
19 "Before long, the world will not see me anymore. But you will see me. Because I live, you will live also. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father. You will know that you are in me, and I am in you.
21 "Anyone who has my commands and obeys them loves me. My Father will love the one who loves me. I too will love him. And I will show myself to him."
22 Then Judas spoke. "Lord," he said, "why do you plan to show yourself only to us? Why not also to the world?" The Judas who spoke those words was not Judas Iscariot.
23 Jesus replied, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love him. We will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. The words you hear me say are not my own. They belong to the Father who sent me.
25 "I have spoken all these things while I am still with you. 26 But the Father will send the Friend in my name to help you. The Friend is the Holy Spirit. He will teach you all things. He will remind you of everything I have said to you.
27 "I leave my peace with you. I give my peace to you. I do not give it to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be troubled. And do not be afraid.
28 "You heard me say, 'I am going away. And I am coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad I am going to the Father. The Father is greater than I am. 29 I have told you now before it happens. Then when it does happen, you will believe.
30 "I will not speak with you much longer. The prince of this world is coming. He has no power over me. 31 But the world must learn that I love the Father. They must also learn that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me to do.
"Come now. Let us leave.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Proverbs 1
Purpose
1 These are the proverbs of Solomon. He was the son of David and the king of Israel.
2 Proverbs teach you wisdom and train you.
They help you understand wise sayings.
3 They provide you with training and help you live wisely.
They lead to what is right and honest and fair.
4 They give understanding to childish people.
They give knowledge and good sense to those who are young.
5 Let wise people listen and add to what they have learned.
Let those who understand what is right get guidance.
6 What I'm teaching also helps you understand proverbs and stories.
It helps you understand the sayings and riddles of those who are wise.
Main Point
7 If you really want to gain knowledge, you must begin by having respect for the Lord.
But foolish people hate wisdom and training.
Think and Live Wisely
A Warning Against a Life of Crime
8 My son, listen to your father's advice.
Don't turn away from your mother's teaching.
9 What they teach you will be like a beautiful crown on your head.
It will be like a chain to decorate your neck.
June 27, 2009
Advice For The Groom
ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download
READ: Proverbs 1:1-9
My son, hear the instruction of your father. —Proverbs 1:8
The custom of a bachelor party before a wedding is often characterized by drunkenness and carousing. The party-hearty attitude seems driven by the belief that the groom will soon be married and have to settle down to a life of domestic boredom.
Not long ago, one of my nephews got married. The best man planned a get-together for Joel, but with a refreshing difference. Those invited were asked to bring some thoughts to share that would help him in this new chapter of life.
When I arrived at the informal breakfast, I found a cheerful spirit of camaraderie. Fathers, uncles, brothers, and friends were animated in lively discussion. The father of the bride and the father of the groom were asked to share their advice on what they had learned in their own Christian marriage. Their thoughts were personal, realistic, and biblical.
The book of Proverbs mirrors this kind of mentoring in facing life’s challenges and rewards. “My son, hear the instruction of your father . . . for [it] will be a graceful ornament on your head” (Prov. 1:8-9).
How God-honoring it would be if more couples began their marriage with an attitude that heeded the wisdom of those who walked the path before them. — Dennis Fisher
Lord, give us ears to hear advice
From loved ones wise and humble,
So when life’s challenges appear
We will not have to stumble. —Sper
He is truly wise who gains his wisdom from the experience of others.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 27, 2009
The Overshadowing of God’s Personal Deliverance
ODB RADIO: | Download
READ:
. . . I am with you to deliver you,’ says the Lord —Jeremiah 1:8
God promised Jeremiah that He would deliver him personally— ". . . your life shall be as a prize to you . . ." (Jeremiah 39:18 ). That is all God promises His children. Wherever God sends us, He will guard our lives. Our personal property and possessions are to be a matter of indifference to us, and our hold on these things should be very loose. If this is not the case, we will have panic, heartache, and distress. Having the proper outlook is evidence of the deeply rooted belief in the overshadowing of God’s personal deliverance.
The Sermon on the Mount indicates that when we are on a mission for Jesus Christ, there is no time to stand up for ourselves. Jesus says, in effect, "Don’t worry about whether or not you are being treated justly." Looking for justice is actually a sign that we have been diverted from our devotion to Him. Never look for justice in this world, but never cease to give it. If we look for justice, we will only begin to complain and to indulge ourselves in the discontent of self-pity, as if to say, "Why should I be treated like this?" If we are devoted to Jesus Christ, we have nothing to do with what we encounter, whether it is just or unjust. In essence, Jesus says, "Continue steadily on with what I have told you to do, and I will guard your life. If you try to guard it yourself, you remove yourself from My deliverance." Even the most devout among us become atheistic in this regard— we do not believe Him. We put our common sense on the throne and then attach God’s name to it. We do lean to our own understanding, instead of trusting God with all our hearts (see Proverbs 3:5-6 ).
Friday, June 26, 2009
John 13, daily reading and devotions
Daily Devotional by Max Lucado
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 26
The Only Path
Tolerance. A prized virtue today. The ability to be understanding of those with whom you differ is a sign of sophistication. Jesus, too, was a champion of tolerance:
o Tolerant of the disciples when they doubted.
o Tolerant of the crowds when they misunderstood.
o Tolerant of us when we fall.
But there is one area where Jesus was intolerant. There was one area where he was unindulgent and dogmatic....
As far as he was concerned, when it comes to salvation, there aren't several roads . . . there is only one road.... There aren't several paths, .. there is only one path. And that path is Jesus himself.
That is why it is so hard for people to believe in Jesus. It’s much easier to consider him one of several options rather than the option. But such a philosophy is no option.
John 13
Jesus Washes His Disciples' Feet
1 It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world. It was time for him to go to the Father. Jesus loved his disciples who were in the world. So he now showed them how much he really loved them.
2 The evening meal was being served. The devil had already tempted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. He had told Judas to hand Jesus over to his enemies. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put everything under his power. He also knew he had come from God and was returning to God.
4 So he got up from the meal and took off his outer clothes. He wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a large bowl. Then he began to wash his disciples' feet. He dried them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6 He came to Simon Peter.
"Lord," Peter said to him, "are you going to wash my feet?"
7 Jesus replied, "You don't realize now what I am doing. But later you will understand."
8 "No," said Peter. "You will never wash my feet."
Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you can't share life with me."
9 "Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet! Wash my hands and my head too!"
10 Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs to wash only his feet. The rest of his body is clean. And you are clean. But not all of you are."
11 Jesus knew who was going to hand him over to his enemies. That was why he said not every one was clean.
12 When Jesus finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes. Then he returned to his place.
"Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. 13 "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord.' You are right. That is what I am. 14 I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet. So you also should wash one another's feet. 15 I have given you an example. You should do as I have done for you.
16 "What I'm about to tell you is true. A servant is not more important than his master. And a messenger is not more important than the one who sends him. 17 Now you know these things. So you will be blessed if you do them.
Jesus Tells What Judas Will Do
18 "I am not talking about all of you. I know those I have chosen. But this will happen so that Scripture will come true. It says, 'The one who shares my bread has deserted me.'—(Psalm 41:9)
19 "I am telling you now, before it happens. When it does happen, you will believe that I am he. 20 What I'm about to tell you is true. Anyone who accepts someone I send accepts me. And anyone who accepts me accepts the One who sent me."
21 After he had said this, Jesus' spirit was troubled. Here is the witness he gave. "What I'm about to tell you is true," he said. "One of you is going to hand me over to my enemies."
22 His disciples stared at one another. They had no idea which one of them he meant. 23 The disciple Jesus loved was next to him at the table. 24 Simon Peter motioned to that disciple. He said, "Ask Jesus which one he means."
25 The disciple was leaning back against Jesus. He asked him, "Lord, who is it?"
26 Jesus answered, "It is the one I will give this piece of bread to. I will give it to him after I have dipped it in the dish."
He dipped the piece of bread. Then he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.
"Do quickly what you are going to do," Jesus told him.
28 But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Judas was in charge of the money. So some of the disciples thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Feast. Others thought Jesus was talking about giving something to poor people.
30 As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.
Jesus Says That Peter Will Fail
31 After Judas was gone, Jesus spoke. He said, "Now the Son of Man receives glory. And he brings glory to God. 32 If the Son brings glory to God, God himself will bring glory to the Son. God will do it at once.
33 "My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me. Just as I told the Jews, so I am telling you now. You can't come where I am going.
34 "I give you a new command. Love one another. You must love one another, just as I have loved you. 35 If you love one another, everyone will know you are my disciples."
36 Simon Peter asked him, "Lord, where are you going?"
Jesus replied, "Where I am going you can't follow now. But you will follow me later."
37 "Lord," Peter asked, "why can't I follow you now? I will give my life for you."
38 Then Jesus answered, "Will you really give your life for me? What I'm about to tell you is true. Before the rooster crows, you will say three times that you don't know me!
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Revelation 15
Seven Angels With Seven Plagues
1 I saw in heaven another great and miraculous sign. Seven angels were about to bring the seven last plagues. The plagues would complete God's anger.
2 Then I saw something that looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire. Standing beside the sea were those who had won the battle over the beast. They had also overcome his statue and the number of his name. They held harps given to them by God.
3 They sang the song of Moses, who served God, and the song of the Lamb. They sang,
"Lord God who rules over all,
everything you do is great and wonderful.
King of the ages,
your ways are true and fair.
4 Lord, who will not have respect for you?
Who will not bring glory to your name?
You alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship you.
They see that the things you do are right."
5 After this I looked, and the temple was opened in heaven. The temple is the holy tent where the tablets of the covenant were kept.
6 Out of the temple came the seven angels who were bringing the seven plagues. They were dressed in clean, shining linen. They wore gold strips of cloth around their chests.
7 Then one of the four living creatures gave seven golden bowls to the seven angels. The bowls were filled with the anger of God, who lives for ever and ever. 8 The temple was filled with smoke that came from the glory and power of God. No one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
June 26, 2009
The Song Of The Saints
ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download
READ: Revelation 15
Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. . . . Your judgments have been manifested. —Revelation 15:4
We’ve all heard the expression, “I don’t get mad; I just get even.” Reading about the judgments described in Revelation, one might assume that God will get “even” with sinners for their phenomenal offenses throughout the history of mankind.
The truth is that God’s final judgment is a necessary expression of His holy justice. He can’t turn a blind eye to sin. In fact, if He doesn’t finally carry out justice as described in Revelation, it would be a denial of His holy character. That’s why in the midst of His judgments, the saints will sing His praise: “Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. . . . Your judgments have been manifested” (15:4). Those who know God best do not judge Him for His judgments; rather, they worship and affirm His actions.
What should surprise us is not the massive scale of God’s judgments, but that He’s waiting so long! Desiring that none should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9), God is now mercifully restraining His judgment and giving maximum space to His marvelous mercy and grace. Now is the time to repent and take advantage of His patient love. And when we do, we’ll join the saints in praising Him for all eternity! — Joe Stowell
O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—
The saints’ and angels’ song. —Lehman
© Renewal 1945, Nazarene Publishing.
When God’s justice is finally and fully revealed, His praises will resound!
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 26, 2009
Drawing on the Grace of God— Now
ODB RADIO: | Download
READ:
We . . . plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain —2 Corinthians 6:1
The grace you had yesterday will not be sufficient for today. Grace is the overflowing favor of God, and you can always count on it being available to draw upon as needed. ". . . in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses"— that is where our patience is tested ( 2 Corinthians 6:4 ). Are you failing to rely on the grace of God there? Are you saying to yourself, "Oh well, I won’t count this time"? It is not a question of praying and asking God to help you— it is taking the grace of God now. We tend to make prayer the preparation for our service, yet it is never that in the Bible. Prayer is the practice of drawing on the grace of God. Don’t say, "I will endure this until I can get away and pray." Pray now — draw on the grace of God in your moment of need. Prayer is the most normal and useful thing; it is not simply a reflex action of your devotion to God. We are very slow to learn to draw on God’s grace through prayer.
". . . in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors . . ." ( 2 Corinthians 6:5 )— in all these things, display in your life a drawing on the grace of God, which will show evidence to yourself and to others that you are a miracle of His. Draw on His grace now, not later. The primary word in the spiritual vocabulary is now. Let circumstances take you where they will, but keep drawing on the grace of God in whatever condition you may find yourself. One of the greatest proofs that you are drawing on the grace of God is that you can be totally humiliated before others without displaying even the slightest trace of anything but His grace.
". . . having nothing . . . ." Never hold anything in reserve. Pour yourself out, giving the best that you have, and always be poor. Never be diplomatic and careful with the treasure God gives you. ". . . and yet possessing all things"— this is poverty triumphant ( 2 Corinthians 6:10 ).
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
No Such Thing as Mission Impossible - #5860
Friday, June 26, 2009
"Good morning, Mr. Phelps." If you were a fan of the classic TV series, "Mission Impossible," you know those words always began a riveting adventure. Jim Phelps, the head of the Mission Impossible Force, would listen to a tape, outlining this assignment that seemed, well, impossible. Key word - seemed. And even in more modern times when it's not a tape anymore, and when it's Tom Cruise who's doing Mission Impossible, it's still the same idea. You begin building a team of specialists, you concoct this elaborate, perfectly-timed plan to do what couldn't be done, and every time they got it done.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "No Such Thing as Mission Impossible."
That's the conclusion you reached after watching that show for a while. For them, there was no such thing as Mission Impossible. That's great fantasy stuff. It's a much greater reality when it comes to rescue missions undertaken by the One of whom the Bible says, "For with God, nothing shall be impossible" (Luke 1:37). That might be important for you to know right now, because there is a person in your life that seems beyond His reach. But there's no such person.
The living proof of that is in our word for today from the Word of God. Saul, the man leading the crusade to eradicate the early Christians, is on the way from Jerusalem to Damascus to round up more of these hated believers. Acts 9:3 says, "As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?' 'Who are You, Lord?' Saul asked. 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting...'"
After this dramatic encounter with Jesus, the Bible says, "Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind..." You probably know that this persecutor of Jesus' followers will ultimately become the greatest proclaimer of Jesus in the world; the world-changing Apostle Paul.
I can't imagine anyone in the world of the early Christians whom they would have considered a greater "mission impossible." But there's no such thing when it comes to God, including that person in your life who seems to be so hard, so far from God, so antagonistic, so impossible to get through to. In fact, maybe you've almost stopped believing, stopped seeking opportunities to point them in Jesus' direction, and maybe even stopped praying very much for them.
Don't stop going to God on their behalf. Ask God, "Lord, do whatever it takes within Your will to get through to their heart." That's a powerful prayer...the "whatever it takes" prayer. He may have to knock them off their high horse, as He did Saul. He may have to bring them to a position where they're helpless, as He did with Saul. He may have to show up dramatically in front of them, but Jesus didn't die for them just to give up on them now.
As you pray, this very moment, Jesus the ultimate Mission Impossible Man, is moving people and events to bring someone you love face to face with Him. You may not even be here for the answer to your prayers, but God says in Galatians 6:9, "we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
Mission Impossible? For Jesus, there's no such thing.
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 26
The Only Path
Tolerance. A prized virtue today. The ability to be understanding of those with whom you differ is a sign of sophistication. Jesus, too, was a champion of tolerance:
o Tolerant of the disciples when they doubted.
o Tolerant of the crowds when they misunderstood.
o Tolerant of us when we fall.
But there is one area where Jesus was intolerant. There was one area where he was unindulgent and dogmatic....
As far as he was concerned, when it comes to salvation, there aren't several roads . . . there is only one road.... There aren't several paths, .. there is only one path. And that path is Jesus himself.
That is why it is so hard for people to believe in Jesus. It’s much easier to consider him one of several options rather than the option. But such a philosophy is no option.
John 13
Jesus Washes His Disciples' Feet
1 It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world. It was time for him to go to the Father. Jesus loved his disciples who were in the world. So he now showed them how much he really loved them.
2 The evening meal was being served. The devil had already tempted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. He had told Judas to hand Jesus over to his enemies. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put everything under his power. He also knew he had come from God and was returning to God.
4 So he got up from the meal and took off his outer clothes. He wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a large bowl. Then he began to wash his disciples' feet. He dried them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6 He came to Simon Peter.
"Lord," Peter said to him, "are you going to wash my feet?"
7 Jesus replied, "You don't realize now what I am doing. But later you will understand."
8 "No," said Peter. "You will never wash my feet."
Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you can't share life with me."
9 "Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet! Wash my hands and my head too!"
10 Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs to wash only his feet. The rest of his body is clean. And you are clean. But not all of you are."
11 Jesus knew who was going to hand him over to his enemies. That was why he said not every one was clean.
12 When Jesus finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes. Then he returned to his place.
"Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. 13 "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord.' You are right. That is what I am. 14 I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet. So you also should wash one another's feet. 15 I have given you an example. You should do as I have done for you.
16 "What I'm about to tell you is true. A servant is not more important than his master. And a messenger is not more important than the one who sends him. 17 Now you know these things. So you will be blessed if you do them.
Jesus Tells What Judas Will Do
18 "I am not talking about all of you. I know those I have chosen. But this will happen so that Scripture will come true. It says, 'The one who shares my bread has deserted me.'—(Psalm 41:9)
19 "I am telling you now, before it happens. When it does happen, you will believe that I am he. 20 What I'm about to tell you is true. Anyone who accepts someone I send accepts me. And anyone who accepts me accepts the One who sent me."
21 After he had said this, Jesus' spirit was troubled. Here is the witness he gave. "What I'm about to tell you is true," he said. "One of you is going to hand me over to my enemies."
22 His disciples stared at one another. They had no idea which one of them he meant. 23 The disciple Jesus loved was next to him at the table. 24 Simon Peter motioned to that disciple. He said, "Ask Jesus which one he means."
25 The disciple was leaning back against Jesus. He asked him, "Lord, who is it?"
26 Jesus answered, "It is the one I will give this piece of bread to. I will give it to him after I have dipped it in the dish."
He dipped the piece of bread. Then he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.
"Do quickly what you are going to do," Jesus told him.
28 But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Judas was in charge of the money. So some of the disciples thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Feast. Others thought Jesus was talking about giving something to poor people.
30 As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.
Jesus Says That Peter Will Fail
31 After Judas was gone, Jesus spoke. He said, "Now the Son of Man receives glory. And he brings glory to God. 32 If the Son brings glory to God, God himself will bring glory to the Son. God will do it at once.
33 "My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me. Just as I told the Jews, so I am telling you now. You can't come where I am going.
34 "I give you a new command. Love one another. You must love one another, just as I have loved you. 35 If you love one another, everyone will know you are my disciples."
36 Simon Peter asked him, "Lord, where are you going?"
Jesus replied, "Where I am going you can't follow now. But you will follow me later."
37 "Lord," Peter asked, "why can't I follow you now? I will give my life for you."
38 Then Jesus answered, "Will you really give your life for me? What I'm about to tell you is true. Before the rooster crows, you will say three times that you don't know me!
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Revelation 15
Seven Angels With Seven Plagues
1 I saw in heaven another great and miraculous sign. Seven angels were about to bring the seven last plagues. The plagues would complete God's anger.
2 Then I saw something that looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire. Standing beside the sea were those who had won the battle over the beast. They had also overcome his statue and the number of his name. They held harps given to them by God.
3 They sang the song of Moses, who served God, and the song of the Lamb. They sang,
"Lord God who rules over all,
everything you do is great and wonderful.
King of the ages,
your ways are true and fair.
4 Lord, who will not have respect for you?
Who will not bring glory to your name?
You alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship you.
They see that the things you do are right."
5 After this I looked, and the temple was opened in heaven. The temple is the holy tent where the tablets of the covenant were kept.
6 Out of the temple came the seven angels who were bringing the seven plagues. They were dressed in clean, shining linen. They wore gold strips of cloth around their chests.
7 Then one of the four living creatures gave seven golden bowls to the seven angels. The bowls were filled with the anger of God, who lives for ever and ever. 8 The temple was filled with smoke that came from the glory and power of God. No one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
June 26, 2009
The Song Of The Saints
ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download
READ: Revelation 15
Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. . . . Your judgments have been manifested. —Revelation 15:4
We’ve all heard the expression, “I don’t get mad; I just get even.” Reading about the judgments described in Revelation, one might assume that God will get “even” with sinners for their phenomenal offenses throughout the history of mankind.
The truth is that God’s final judgment is a necessary expression of His holy justice. He can’t turn a blind eye to sin. In fact, if He doesn’t finally carry out justice as described in Revelation, it would be a denial of His holy character. That’s why in the midst of His judgments, the saints will sing His praise: “Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. . . . Your judgments have been manifested” (15:4). Those who know God best do not judge Him for His judgments; rather, they worship and affirm His actions.
What should surprise us is not the massive scale of God’s judgments, but that He’s waiting so long! Desiring that none should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9), God is now mercifully restraining His judgment and giving maximum space to His marvelous mercy and grace. Now is the time to repent and take advantage of His patient love. And when we do, we’ll join the saints in praising Him for all eternity! — Joe Stowell
O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—
The saints’ and angels’ song. —Lehman
© Renewal 1945, Nazarene Publishing.
When God’s justice is finally and fully revealed, His praises will resound!
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 26, 2009
Drawing on the Grace of God— Now
ODB RADIO: | Download
READ:
We . . . plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain —2 Corinthians 6:1
The grace you had yesterday will not be sufficient for today. Grace is the overflowing favor of God, and you can always count on it being available to draw upon as needed. ". . . in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses"— that is where our patience is tested ( 2 Corinthians 6:4 ). Are you failing to rely on the grace of God there? Are you saying to yourself, "Oh well, I won’t count this time"? It is not a question of praying and asking God to help you— it is taking the grace of God now. We tend to make prayer the preparation for our service, yet it is never that in the Bible. Prayer is the practice of drawing on the grace of God. Don’t say, "I will endure this until I can get away and pray." Pray now — draw on the grace of God in your moment of need. Prayer is the most normal and useful thing; it is not simply a reflex action of your devotion to God. We are very slow to learn to draw on God’s grace through prayer.
". . . in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors . . ." ( 2 Corinthians 6:5 )— in all these things, display in your life a drawing on the grace of God, which will show evidence to yourself and to others that you are a miracle of His. Draw on His grace now, not later. The primary word in the spiritual vocabulary is now. Let circumstances take you where they will, but keep drawing on the grace of God in whatever condition you may find yourself. One of the greatest proofs that you are drawing on the grace of God is that you can be totally humiliated before others without displaying even the slightest trace of anything but His grace.
". . . having nothing . . . ." Never hold anything in reserve. Pour yourself out, giving the best that you have, and always be poor. Never be diplomatic and careful with the treasure God gives you. ". . . and yet possessing all things"— this is poverty triumphant ( 2 Corinthians 6:10 ).
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
No Such Thing as Mission Impossible - #5860
Friday, June 26, 2009
"Good morning, Mr. Phelps." If you were a fan of the classic TV series, "Mission Impossible," you know those words always began a riveting adventure. Jim Phelps, the head of the Mission Impossible Force, would listen to a tape, outlining this assignment that seemed, well, impossible. Key word - seemed. And even in more modern times when it's not a tape anymore, and when it's Tom Cruise who's doing Mission Impossible, it's still the same idea. You begin building a team of specialists, you concoct this elaborate, perfectly-timed plan to do what couldn't be done, and every time they got it done.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "No Such Thing as Mission Impossible."
That's the conclusion you reached after watching that show for a while. For them, there was no such thing as Mission Impossible. That's great fantasy stuff. It's a much greater reality when it comes to rescue missions undertaken by the One of whom the Bible says, "For with God, nothing shall be impossible" (Luke 1:37). That might be important for you to know right now, because there is a person in your life that seems beyond His reach. But there's no such person.
The living proof of that is in our word for today from the Word of God. Saul, the man leading the crusade to eradicate the early Christians, is on the way from Jerusalem to Damascus to round up more of these hated believers. Acts 9:3 says, "As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?' 'Who are You, Lord?' Saul asked. 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting...'"
After this dramatic encounter with Jesus, the Bible says, "Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind..." You probably know that this persecutor of Jesus' followers will ultimately become the greatest proclaimer of Jesus in the world; the world-changing Apostle Paul.
I can't imagine anyone in the world of the early Christians whom they would have considered a greater "mission impossible." But there's no such thing when it comes to God, including that person in your life who seems to be so hard, so far from God, so antagonistic, so impossible to get through to. In fact, maybe you've almost stopped believing, stopped seeking opportunities to point them in Jesus' direction, and maybe even stopped praying very much for them.
Don't stop going to God on their behalf. Ask God, "Lord, do whatever it takes within Your will to get through to their heart." That's a powerful prayer...the "whatever it takes" prayer. He may have to knock them off their high horse, as He did Saul. He may have to bring them to a position where they're helpless, as He did with Saul. He may have to show up dramatically in front of them, but Jesus didn't die for them just to give up on them now.
As you pray, this very moment, Jesus the ultimate Mission Impossible Man, is moving people and events to bring someone you love face to face with Him. You may not even be here for the answer to your prayers, but God says in Galatians 6:9, "we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
Mission Impossible? For Jesus, there's no such thing.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Matthew 18, daily reading and devotions
Daily Devotional by Max Lucado
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 25
An Uncommon Call
The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others.
1 Corinthians 12:7 (CEV)
You have one. A divine spark. An uncommon call to an uncommon life.
“The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others.” So much for the excuse “I don’t have anything to offer.” Did the apostle Paul say, “The Spirit has given some of us…”? Or, “The Spirit has given a few of us…”? No. “The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others.” Enough of this self-deprecating “I can’t do anything.”
And enough of its arrogant opposite: “I have to do everything.” No, you don’t! You’re not God’s solution to society, but a solution in society. Imitate Paul, who said, “Our goal is to stay within the boundaries of God’s plan for us” (2 Cor. 10:13 NLT). Clarify your contribution.
Don’t worry about skills you don’t have. Don’t covet strengths others do have. Just extract your uniqueness.
Matthew 18
Who Is the Most Important Person in the Kingdom?
1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus. They asked him, "Who is the most important person in the kingdom of heaven?"
2 Jesus called a little child over to him. He had the child stand among them. 3 Jesus said, "What I'm about to tell you is true. You need to change and become like little children. If you don't, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Anyone who becomes as free of pride as this child is the most important in the kingdom of heaven.
5 "Anyone who welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.
6 "But what if someone leads one of these little ones who believe in me to sin? If he does, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and be drowned at the bottom of the sea.
7 "How terrible it will be for the world because of the things that lead people to sin! Things like that must come. But how terrible for those who cause them!
8 "If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It would be better for you to enter the kingdom of heaven with only one hand or one foot than to go into hell with two hands and two feet. In hell the fire burns forever. 9 If your eye causes you to sin, poke it out and throw it away. It would be better for you to enter the kingdom of heaven with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.
The Story of the Lost Sheep
10-11"See that you don't look down on one of these little ones. Here is what I tell you. Their angels in heaven can go at any time to see my Father who is in heaven.
12 "What do you think? Suppose a man owns 100 sheep and one of them wanders away. Won't he leave the 99 sheep on the hills? Won't he go and look for the one that wandered off? 13 What I'm about to tell you is true. If he finds that sheep, he is happier about the one than about the 99 that didn't wander off. 14 It is the same with your Father in heaven. He does not want any of these little ones to be lost.
When Someone Sins Against You
15 "If your brother sins against you, go to him. Tell him what he did wrong. Keep it between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won him back.
16 "But what if he won't listen to you? Then take one or two others with you. Scripture says, 'Every matter must be proved by the words of two or three witnesses.'—(Deuteronomy 19:15) 17 But what if he also refuses to listen to the witnesses? Then tell it to the church. And what if he refuses to listen even to the church? Then don't treat him as your brother. Treat him as you would treat an ungodly person or a tax collector.
18 "What I'm about to tell you is true. What you lock on earth will be locked in heaven. What you unlock on earth will be unlocked in heaven.
19 "Again, here is what I tell you. Suppose two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for. My Father in heaven will do it for you. 20 Where two or three people meet together in my name, I am there with them."
The Servant Who Had No Mercy
21 Peter came to Jesus. He asked, "Lord, how many times should I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
22 Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but 77 times.
23 "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to collect all the money his servants owed him. 24 As the king began to do it, a man who owed him millions of dollars was brought to him. 25 The man was not able to pay. So his master gave an order. The man, his wife, his children, and all he owned had to be sold to pay back what he owed.
26 "The servant fell on his knees in front of him. 'Give me time,' he begged. 'I'll pay everything back.'
27 "His master felt sorry for him. He forgave him what he owed and let him go.
28 "But then that servant went out and found one of the other servants who owed him a few dollars. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he said.
29 "The other servant fell on his knees. 'Give me time,' he begged him. 'I'll pay you back.'
30 "But the first servant refused. Instead, he went and had the man thrown into prison. The man would be held there until he could pay back what he owed. 31 The other servants saw what had happened. It troubled them greatly. They went and told their master everything that had happened.
32 "Then the master called the first servant in. 'You evil servant,' he said. 'I forgave all that you owed me because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn't you have had mercy on the other servant just as I had mercy on you?' 34 In anger his master turned him over to the jailers. He would be punished until he paid back everything he owed.
35 "This is how my Father in heaven will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Numbers 14
The People Refuse to Obey the Lord
1 That night all of the people in the community raised their voices. They sobbed out loud.
2 The people of Israel spoke against Moses and Aaron. The whole community said to them, "We wish we had died in Egypt or even in this desert. 3 Why is the Lord bringing us to this land? We're going to be killed with swords. Our enemies will capture our wives and children. Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?"
4 They said to one another, "We should choose another leader. We should go back to Egypt."
5 Then Moses and Aaron fell with their faces to the ground. They did it in front of the whole community of Israel that was gathered there.
6 Joshua, the son of Nun, tore his clothes. So did Caleb, the son of Jephunneh. Joshua and Caleb were two of the men who had checked out the land. 7 They spoke to the whole community of Israel. They said, "We passed through the land and checked it out. It's very good. 8 If the Lord is pleased with us, he'll lead us into that land. It's a land that has plenty of milk and honey. He'll give it to us.
9 "But don't refuse to obey him. And don't be afraid of the people of the land. We will swallow them up. The Lord is with us. So nothing can save them. Don't be afraid of them."
10 But all of the people talked about killing Joshua and Caleb by throwing stones at them.
Then the glory of the Lord appeared at the Tent of Meeting. All of the people of Israel saw it.
June 25, 2009
Chimp Eden
ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download
READ: Numbers 14:1-10
If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us. —Numbers 14:8
Eugene Cussons rescues chimpanzees. Orphaned by those in the business of bush-meat trade and taken from the jungle as infants, many have lived their entire lives confined in a space smaller than a prison cell. When Cussons arrives to take them to the game reserve he calls “Chimp Eden,” he often finds them hostile and untrusting.
“These chimps don’t realize that I am one of the good guys,” Cussons says. When he tries to put them into a smaller crate for the trip to their new home, they put up quite a fight. “They don’t know that I’m going to take them back to Chimp Eden and give them a life so much better.”
On a much grander scale, God’s offer to liberate us from the slavery of sin is often met with resistance. When He rescued the children of Israel from Egypt, God took them through difficult places that caused them to doubt His good intentions. “Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” they cried (Num. 14:3).
On our journey of faith, there are times when the “freedom” of sin that we left behind is more appealing than the restrictions of faith that lie ahead. We must trust the protective boundaries found in God’s Word as the only way to get to the place of ultimate freedom. — Julie Ackerman Link
Sin’s lure may look like freedom
But in its grip we’re bound;
It’s when we’re bound to Jesus
Real freedom will be found. —D. De Haan
Obedience to God is the key to freedom.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 25, 2009
Receiving Yourself in the Fires of Sorrow
ODB RADIO: | Download
READ:
. . . what shall I say? ’Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. ’Father, glorify Your name’ —John 12:27-28
As a saint of God, my attitude toward sorrow and difficulty should not be to ask that they be prevented, but to ask that God protect me so that I may remain what He created me to be, in spite of all my fires of sorrow. Our Lord received Himself, accepting His position and realizing His purpose, in the midst of the fire of sorrow. He was saved not from the hour, but out of the hour.
We say that there ought to be no sorrow, but there is sorrow, and we have to accept and receive ourselves in its fires. If we try to evade sorrow, refusing to deal with it, we are foolish. Sorrow is one of the biggest facts in life, and there is no use in saying it should not be. Sin, sorrow, and suffering are, and it is not for us to say that God has made a mistake in allowing them.
Sorrow removes a great deal of a person’s shallowness, but it does not always make that person better. Suffering either gives me to myself or it destroys me. You cannot find or receive yourself through success, because you lose your head over pride. And you cannot receive yourself through the monotony of your daily life, because you give in to complaining. The only way to find yourself is in the fires of sorrow. Why it should be this way is immaterial. The fact is that it is true in the Scriptures and in human experience. You can always recognize who has been through the fires of sorrow and received himself, and you know that you can go to him in your moment of trouble and find that he has plenty of time for you. But if a person has not been through the fires of sorrow, he is apt to be contemptuous, having no respect or time for you, only turning you away. If you will receive yourself in the fires of sorrow, God will make you nourishment for other people.
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Going Where You've Never Gone - Seeing What You've Never Seen - #5859
Thursday, June 25, 2009
One of our staff came back from his vacation and reported on how exciting it had been for him and his family to see the sights of Washington, D.C. I asked him if he had ever been to the nation's Capitol before, and he said, "No. None of them had ever seen it." He went on to explain, "You know I'm sort of a hometown kind of guy." And that's true. He actually has lived most of his life within a relatively short distance of home base. My friend said, "I sort of had to stretch to do this, but I'm really glad we did."
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Going Where You've Never Gone - Seeing What You've Never Seen."
My friend actually had to move out of where he felt comfortable to experience some exciting things he'd never experienced before. So do you and I. That is, in fact, a fundamental principle of getting all our Lord Jesus wants us to experience. And maybe it's important we talk about that today, because someone who's listening may be stuck in their comfort zone, missing some scary but exciting things that God wants you to see.
I love the picture that God gives of this dynamic in Matthew 14, beginning with verse 25, our word for today from the Word of God. Jesus had told His disciples to go on across the Sea of Galilee without Him. They encountered a violent storm, during which, the Bible says, "Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake." The disciples were understandably freaked out. The Bible says, "but Jesus immediately said to them: 'Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid.' 'Lord, if it's You,' Peter replied, 'tell me to come to You on the water.' 'Come,' Jesus said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, and came to Jesus."
Peter did what no man, other than Jesus, had ever done before or has ever done since: he walked on water! The boat was obviously the safe place to be. But Peter was willing to leave where it was safe on one condition, "Lord, if it's You." And that's got to be our bottom line, too. Is that You, Lord, leading me out of the boat I've been in and out into the "wild water" of something new? If it's You, I'm going!
Like my friend who saw some memorable new things when he moved beyond where he felt comfortable, you will see powerful things you've never seen before if you'll get out of the boat. God is leading you beyond where you feel adequate, where you can figure it out, where you can pull it off. But what a great place to be - you're in the miracle zone! He's leading you into a new episode where you'll need Him more than you've ever needed Him before and have Him as you've never had Him before. It's not the water that's going to hold you up, it's Jesus. You're headed where it's going to be not much of you and a whole lot of God! That is something to be excited about!
One day this same Peter who dared to get out of the boat would be led by his Lord to preach the Gospel boldly on the streets of Jerusalem, calling to Christ some of the very people who had wanted Jesus crucified. (Talk about getting out of your comfort zone!) And Jesus would ask him to go where no Jew ever thought he'd go - to introduce those nasty Gentiles to Jesus.
Once you stop defining your decisions by what's comfortable, once you follow Jesus into a place where He is everything, you have begun to blow the lid off your life. Living by faith turns out to be the only really safe way there is to live! But you'll never walk on water if you never get out of the boat!
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 25
An Uncommon Call
The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others.
1 Corinthians 12:7 (CEV)
You have one. A divine spark. An uncommon call to an uncommon life.
“The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others.” So much for the excuse “I don’t have anything to offer.” Did the apostle Paul say, “The Spirit has given some of us…”? Or, “The Spirit has given a few of us…”? No. “The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others.” Enough of this self-deprecating “I can’t do anything.”
And enough of its arrogant opposite: “I have to do everything.” No, you don’t! You’re not God’s solution to society, but a solution in society. Imitate Paul, who said, “Our goal is to stay within the boundaries of God’s plan for us” (2 Cor. 10:13 NLT). Clarify your contribution.
Don’t worry about skills you don’t have. Don’t covet strengths others do have. Just extract your uniqueness.
Matthew 18
Who Is the Most Important Person in the Kingdom?
1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus. They asked him, "Who is the most important person in the kingdom of heaven?"
2 Jesus called a little child over to him. He had the child stand among them. 3 Jesus said, "What I'm about to tell you is true. You need to change and become like little children. If you don't, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Anyone who becomes as free of pride as this child is the most important in the kingdom of heaven.
5 "Anyone who welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.
6 "But what if someone leads one of these little ones who believe in me to sin? If he does, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and be drowned at the bottom of the sea.
7 "How terrible it will be for the world because of the things that lead people to sin! Things like that must come. But how terrible for those who cause them!
8 "If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It would be better for you to enter the kingdom of heaven with only one hand or one foot than to go into hell with two hands and two feet. In hell the fire burns forever. 9 If your eye causes you to sin, poke it out and throw it away. It would be better for you to enter the kingdom of heaven with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.
The Story of the Lost Sheep
10-11"See that you don't look down on one of these little ones. Here is what I tell you. Their angels in heaven can go at any time to see my Father who is in heaven.
12 "What do you think? Suppose a man owns 100 sheep and one of them wanders away. Won't he leave the 99 sheep on the hills? Won't he go and look for the one that wandered off? 13 What I'm about to tell you is true. If he finds that sheep, he is happier about the one than about the 99 that didn't wander off. 14 It is the same with your Father in heaven. He does not want any of these little ones to be lost.
When Someone Sins Against You
15 "If your brother sins against you, go to him. Tell him what he did wrong. Keep it between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won him back.
16 "But what if he won't listen to you? Then take one or two others with you. Scripture says, 'Every matter must be proved by the words of two or three witnesses.'—(Deuteronomy 19:15) 17 But what if he also refuses to listen to the witnesses? Then tell it to the church. And what if he refuses to listen even to the church? Then don't treat him as your brother. Treat him as you would treat an ungodly person or a tax collector.
18 "What I'm about to tell you is true. What you lock on earth will be locked in heaven. What you unlock on earth will be unlocked in heaven.
19 "Again, here is what I tell you. Suppose two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for. My Father in heaven will do it for you. 20 Where two or three people meet together in my name, I am there with them."
The Servant Who Had No Mercy
21 Peter came to Jesus. He asked, "Lord, how many times should I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
22 Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but 77 times.
23 "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to collect all the money his servants owed him. 24 As the king began to do it, a man who owed him millions of dollars was brought to him. 25 The man was not able to pay. So his master gave an order. The man, his wife, his children, and all he owned had to be sold to pay back what he owed.
26 "The servant fell on his knees in front of him. 'Give me time,' he begged. 'I'll pay everything back.'
27 "His master felt sorry for him. He forgave him what he owed and let him go.
28 "But then that servant went out and found one of the other servants who owed him a few dollars. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he said.
29 "The other servant fell on his knees. 'Give me time,' he begged him. 'I'll pay you back.'
30 "But the first servant refused. Instead, he went and had the man thrown into prison. The man would be held there until he could pay back what he owed. 31 The other servants saw what had happened. It troubled them greatly. They went and told their master everything that had happened.
32 "Then the master called the first servant in. 'You evil servant,' he said. 'I forgave all that you owed me because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn't you have had mercy on the other servant just as I had mercy on you?' 34 In anger his master turned him over to the jailers. He would be punished until he paid back everything he owed.
35 "This is how my Father in heaven will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Numbers 14
The People Refuse to Obey the Lord
1 That night all of the people in the community raised their voices. They sobbed out loud.
2 The people of Israel spoke against Moses and Aaron. The whole community said to them, "We wish we had died in Egypt or even in this desert. 3 Why is the Lord bringing us to this land? We're going to be killed with swords. Our enemies will capture our wives and children. Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?"
4 They said to one another, "We should choose another leader. We should go back to Egypt."
5 Then Moses and Aaron fell with their faces to the ground. They did it in front of the whole community of Israel that was gathered there.
6 Joshua, the son of Nun, tore his clothes. So did Caleb, the son of Jephunneh. Joshua and Caleb were two of the men who had checked out the land. 7 They spoke to the whole community of Israel. They said, "We passed through the land and checked it out. It's very good. 8 If the Lord is pleased with us, he'll lead us into that land. It's a land that has plenty of milk and honey. He'll give it to us.
9 "But don't refuse to obey him. And don't be afraid of the people of the land. We will swallow them up. The Lord is with us. So nothing can save them. Don't be afraid of them."
10 But all of the people talked about killing Joshua and Caleb by throwing stones at them.
Then the glory of the Lord appeared at the Tent of Meeting. All of the people of Israel saw it.
June 25, 2009
Chimp Eden
ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download
READ: Numbers 14:1-10
If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us. —Numbers 14:8
Eugene Cussons rescues chimpanzees. Orphaned by those in the business of bush-meat trade and taken from the jungle as infants, many have lived their entire lives confined in a space smaller than a prison cell. When Cussons arrives to take them to the game reserve he calls “Chimp Eden,” he often finds them hostile and untrusting.
“These chimps don’t realize that I am one of the good guys,” Cussons says. When he tries to put them into a smaller crate for the trip to their new home, they put up quite a fight. “They don’t know that I’m going to take them back to Chimp Eden and give them a life so much better.”
On a much grander scale, God’s offer to liberate us from the slavery of sin is often met with resistance. When He rescued the children of Israel from Egypt, God took them through difficult places that caused them to doubt His good intentions. “Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” they cried (Num. 14:3).
On our journey of faith, there are times when the “freedom” of sin that we left behind is more appealing than the restrictions of faith that lie ahead. We must trust the protective boundaries found in God’s Word as the only way to get to the place of ultimate freedom. — Julie Ackerman Link
Sin’s lure may look like freedom
But in its grip we’re bound;
It’s when we’re bound to Jesus
Real freedom will be found. —D. De Haan
Obedience to God is the key to freedom.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 25, 2009
Receiving Yourself in the Fires of Sorrow
ODB RADIO: | Download
READ:
. . . what shall I say? ’Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. ’Father, glorify Your name’ —John 12:27-28
As a saint of God, my attitude toward sorrow and difficulty should not be to ask that they be prevented, but to ask that God protect me so that I may remain what He created me to be, in spite of all my fires of sorrow. Our Lord received Himself, accepting His position and realizing His purpose, in the midst of the fire of sorrow. He was saved not from the hour, but out of the hour.
We say that there ought to be no sorrow, but there is sorrow, and we have to accept and receive ourselves in its fires. If we try to evade sorrow, refusing to deal with it, we are foolish. Sorrow is one of the biggest facts in life, and there is no use in saying it should not be. Sin, sorrow, and suffering are, and it is not for us to say that God has made a mistake in allowing them.
Sorrow removes a great deal of a person’s shallowness, but it does not always make that person better. Suffering either gives me to myself or it destroys me. You cannot find or receive yourself through success, because you lose your head over pride. And you cannot receive yourself through the monotony of your daily life, because you give in to complaining. The only way to find yourself is in the fires of sorrow. Why it should be this way is immaterial. The fact is that it is true in the Scriptures and in human experience. You can always recognize who has been through the fires of sorrow and received himself, and you know that you can go to him in your moment of trouble and find that he has plenty of time for you. But if a person has not been through the fires of sorrow, he is apt to be contemptuous, having no respect or time for you, only turning you away. If you will receive yourself in the fires of sorrow, God will make you nourishment for other people.
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Going Where You've Never Gone - Seeing What You've Never Seen - #5859
Thursday, June 25, 2009
One of our staff came back from his vacation and reported on how exciting it had been for him and his family to see the sights of Washington, D.C. I asked him if he had ever been to the nation's Capitol before, and he said, "No. None of them had ever seen it." He went on to explain, "You know I'm sort of a hometown kind of guy." And that's true. He actually has lived most of his life within a relatively short distance of home base. My friend said, "I sort of had to stretch to do this, but I'm really glad we did."
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Going Where You've Never Gone - Seeing What You've Never Seen."
My friend actually had to move out of where he felt comfortable to experience some exciting things he'd never experienced before. So do you and I. That is, in fact, a fundamental principle of getting all our Lord Jesus wants us to experience. And maybe it's important we talk about that today, because someone who's listening may be stuck in their comfort zone, missing some scary but exciting things that God wants you to see.
I love the picture that God gives of this dynamic in Matthew 14, beginning with verse 25, our word for today from the Word of God. Jesus had told His disciples to go on across the Sea of Galilee without Him. They encountered a violent storm, during which, the Bible says, "Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake." The disciples were understandably freaked out. The Bible says, "but Jesus immediately said to them: 'Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid.' 'Lord, if it's You,' Peter replied, 'tell me to come to You on the water.' 'Come,' Jesus said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, and came to Jesus."
Peter did what no man, other than Jesus, had ever done before or has ever done since: he walked on water! The boat was obviously the safe place to be. But Peter was willing to leave where it was safe on one condition, "Lord, if it's You." And that's got to be our bottom line, too. Is that You, Lord, leading me out of the boat I've been in and out into the "wild water" of something new? If it's You, I'm going!
Like my friend who saw some memorable new things when he moved beyond where he felt comfortable, you will see powerful things you've never seen before if you'll get out of the boat. God is leading you beyond where you feel adequate, where you can figure it out, where you can pull it off. But what a great place to be - you're in the miracle zone! He's leading you into a new episode where you'll need Him more than you've ever needed Him before and have Him as you've never had Him before. It's not the water that's going to hold you up, it's Jesus. You're headed where it's going to be not much of you and a whole lot of God! That is something to be excited about!
One day this same Peter who dared to get out of the boat would be led by his Lord to preach the Gospel boldly on the streets of Jerusalem, calling to Christ some of the very people who had wanted Jesus crucified. (Talk about getting out of your comfort zone!) And Jesus would ask him to go where no Jew ever thought he'd go - to introduce those nasty Gentiles to Jesus.
Once you stop defining your decisions by what's comfortable, once you follow Jesus into a place where He is everything, you have begun to blow the lid off your life. Living by faith turns out to be the only really safe way there is to live! But you'll never walk on water if you never get out of the boat!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Matthew 17, daily reading and devotions
Daily Devotional by Max Lucado
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 24
Led by the Spirit
The true children of God are those who let God's Spirit lead them.
Romans 8:14 (NCV)
To hear many of us talk, you'd think we didn't believe that verse. You'd think we didn't believe in the Trinity. We talk about the Father and study the Son--but when it comes to the Holy Spirit, we are confused at best and frightened at worst. Confused because we've never been taught. Frightened because we've been taught to be afraid.
May I simplify things a bit? The Holy Spirit is the presence of God in our lives, carrying on the work of Jesus. The Holy Spirit helps us in three directions--inwardly (by granting us the fruits of the Spirit, Gal. 5:22-24), upwardly (by praying for us, Rom. 8:26) and outwardly (by pouring God's love into our hearts, Rom 5:5).
Matthew 17
Jesus' Appearance Is Changed
1 After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John the brother of James with him. He led them up a high mountain. They were all alone. 2 There in front of them his appearance was changed. His face shone like the sun. His clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then Moses and Elijah appeared in front of them. Moses and Elijah were talking with Jesus.
4 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters. One will be for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
5 While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud surrounded them. A voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, and I love him. I am very pleased with him. Listen to him!"
6 When the disciples heard this, they were terrified. They fell with their faces to the ground. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Don't be afraid." 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.
9 They came down the mountain. On the way down, Jesus told them what to do. "Don't tell anyone what you have seen," he said. "Wait until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."
10 The disciples asked him, "Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah has to come first?"
11 Jesus replied, "That's right. Elijah is supposed to come and make all things new again. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come. People didn't recognize him. They have done to him everything they wanted to do. In the same way, they are going to make the Son of Man suffer."
13 Then the disciples understood that Jesus was talking to them about John the Baptist.
Jesus Heals a Boy Who Had a Demon
14 When they came near the crowd, a man approached Jesus. He got on his knees in front of him. 15 "Lord," he said, "have mercy on my son. He shakes wildly and suffers a great deal. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 I brought him to your disciples. But they couldn't heal him."
17 "You unbelieving and evil people!" Jesus replied. "How long do I have to stay with you? How long do I have to put up with you? Bring the boy here to me."
18 Jesus ordered the demon to leave the boy, and it came out of him. He was healed at that very moment.
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private. They asked, "Why couldn't we drive out the demon?"
20-21He replied, "Because your faith is much too small. What I'm about to tell you is true. If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, it is enough. You can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there.' And it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
22 They came together in Galilee. Then Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be handed over to men. 23 They will kill him. On the third day he will rise from the dead."
Then the disciples were filled with deep sadness.
Jesus Pays the Temple Tax
24 Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum. There the tax collectors came to Peter. They asked him, "Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax?"
25 "Yes, he does," he replied.
When Peter came into the house, Jesus spoke first. "What do you think, Simon?" he asked. "Who do the kings of the earth collect taxes and fees from? Do they collect from their own sons or from others?"
26 "From others," Peter answered.
"Then the sons don't have to pay," Jesus said to him. 27 "But we don't want to make them angry. So go to the lake and throw out your fishing line. Take the first fish you catch. Open its mouth. There you will find the exact coin you need. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours."
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Romans 12:4-13 (New International Reader's Version)
4 Each of us has one body with many parts. And the parts do not all have the same purpose. 5 So also we are many persons. But in Christ we are one body. And each part of the body belongs to all the other parts.
6 We all have gifts. They differ in keeping with the grace that God has given each of us. Do you have the gift of prophecy? Then use it in keeping with the faith you have. 7 Is it your gift to serve? Then serve. Is it teaching? Then teach. 8 Is it telling others how they should live? Then tell them. Is it giving to those who are in need? Then give freely. Is it being a leader? Then work hard at it. Is it showing mercy? Then do it cheerfully.
Love
9 Love must be honest and true. Hate what is evil. Hold on to what is good. 10 Love each other deeply. Honor others more than yourselves. 11 Never let the fire in your heart go out. Keep it alive. Serve the Lord.
12 When you hope, be joyful. When you suffer, be patient. When you pray, be faithful. 13 Share with God's people who are in need. Welcome others into your homes.
June 24, 2009
Postponement Problems
ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download
READ: Romans 12:4-13
We have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function. —Romans 12:4
Many of us struggle with them—postponement problems. A professor at the University of Calgary in Alberta studied the problem of procrastination for 5 years and reported that 95 percent of us put off doing one thing or another. One estimate showed that Americans lose approximately $400 million a year by putting off filing taxes! Because of fear of failure or other insecurities, we wait and wait before starting a project or making a decision.
Procrastination is a problem in the church too. Many of us postpone serving God. We know we should reach out to others, but we feel insecure or worried about what to do. Because we’re unsure of our gifts or interests, we put off our involvement in the church. We worry, What if I do a poor job? What if I find out I can’t even do it?
Romans 12 gives us some encouragement. Serving starts with presenting ourselves to God as “a living sacrifice” (v.1). Pray and give yourself anew to the Lord and His work. Then look around at what others are doing in your church and ask if you can join in. Start small if you need to, and try a number of things.
Your church needs you. Ask God to help you overcome your postponement problems.
— Anne Cetas
Don’t put off for tomorrow
What you can do today;
Postponement may bring sorrow,
Prompt action is the way. —Hess
For a healthier church, exercise your spiritual gifts.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 24, 2009
Reconciling Yourself to the Fact of Sin
ODB RADIO: | Download
READ:
This is your hour, and the power of darkness —Luke 22:53
Not being reconciled to the fact of sin— not recognizing it and refusing to deal with it— produces all the disasters in life. You may talk about the lofty virtues of human nature, but there is something in human nature that will mockingly laugh in the face of every principle you have. If you refuse to agree with the fact that there is wickedness and selfishness, something downright hateful and wrong, in human beings, when it attacks your life, instead of reconciling yourself to it, you will compromise with it and say that it is of no use to battle against it. Have you taken this "hour, and the power of darkness" into account, or do you have a view of yourself which includes no recognition of sin whatsoever? In your human relationships and friendships, have you reconciled yourself to the fact of sin? If not, just around the next corner you will find yourself trapped and you will compromise with it. But if you will reconcile yourself to the fact of sin, you will realize the danger immediately and say, "Yes, I see what this sin would mean." The recognition of sin does not destroy the basis of friendship— it simply establishes a mutual respect for the fact that the basis of sinful life is disastrous. Always beware of any assessment of life which does not recognize the fact that there is sin.
Jesus Christ never trusted human nature, yet He was never cynical nor suspicious, because He had absolute trust in what He could do for human nature. The pure man or woman is the one who is shielded from harm, not the innocent person. The so-called innocent man or woman is never safe. Men and women have no business trying to be innocent; God demands that they be pure and virtuous. Innocence is the characteristic of a child. Any person is deserving of blame if he is unwilling to reconcile himself to the fact of sin.
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Bigger Than You Realize - #5858
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Our friends bought a new horse lately. Her name is Peanut. Now, what kind of horse does that suggest to your imagination? Maybe a cute little Shetland Pony? Nope. Try again. Peanut is the biggest horse in their pasture. If you've ever seen those big Clydesdale horses in commercials, you'll have some idea of the size of this big mama. She's part Belgian, part Morgan, which means she is so big my body's probably not big enough to ride her. And she's named Peanut. Something is wrong in this picture.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Bigger Than You Realize."
So when it comes to horses, what you're called obviously doesn't always tell how big you really are; when it comes to people, too. We've all been called a lot of things in our lifetime - some of them not very complimentary, some of them really damaging, and many of them just totally wrong.
The problem is we start to believe we are what other people have called us, what they've said about us. If you've been hurt a lot, abused a lot, put down a lot, you really start to believe that you can't be worth much. Or maybe it isn't what people have called you. It's the way they've treated you. So many of us feel ignored, invisible, abandoned, or betrayed by someone we thought we could trust. We start to buy lies about who we are and what we're worth. The fact is, the people who've talked about you and mistreated you have no idea who you really are. Maybe you don't either.
There is only one person whose evaluation of you really matters - the person who created you in the first place. He really knows you. Now, listen to what God calls you in our word for today from the Word of God in Ephesians 2:10. He says, "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do." Wow! God's workmanship! That's the right name to call you. And nothing you've been through, nothing that has been done to you or by you, can change who you really are. And you don't need to miss who you are or what you're here for any longer!
The sad thing is that we've missed those "good works" that "God prepared in advance for us to do." We haven't followed the Creator's plans for us. We've made up our own, which has left us separated from the very One who gives us our worth. And that's why it all feels so hollow and so lonely so much of the time. God had every right to let us live and die like this, away from Him by our own sinful choice, but He didn't. He loves us too much. In the Bible's words, "God so loved you that He gave His one and only Son," and He gave Him to die for you to take all the punishment for all the stuff you have done that has broken His heart.
And the day you open up to this "unloseable" love of Jesus Christ is the day you begin to experience how much you're really worth. He thought you were worth dying for. The question is, "Do you think He's worth living for?" Especially since the Bible says He's the One you were made by and made for (Colossians 1:16). Your personal love relationship with the One who loves you most begins when you tell Him, "Jesus, I resign running my own life. I was made by you and for you. You died to pay for my sins, and beginning this very day, I am yours." Now, if that's what you want, you tell Him that today.
Let me encourage you to visit our website sometime in the next few hours. A lot of people have gone there and found the information that really helped them be sure they had begun a relationship with Jesus Christ. If you have any doubt about that; if you want to experience His love for yourself, I think there might be some things there that will help and encourage you right now. It's YoursForLife.net. A lot of the information is in the booklet I wrote, too. You can call for that toll free if you'd rather at 877-741-1200.
He's the home your heart has always been looking for.
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 24
Led by the Spirit
The true children of God are those who let God's Spirit lead them.
Romans 8:14 (NCV)
To hear many of us talk, you'd think we didn't believe that verse. You'd think we didn't believe in the Trinity. We talk about the Father and study the Son--but when it comes to the Holy Spirit, we are confused at best and frightened at worst. Confused because we've never been taught. Frightened because we've been taught to be afraid.
May I simplify things a bit? The Holy Spirit is the presence of God in our lives, carrying on the work of Jesus. The Holy Spirit helps us in three directions--inwardly (by granting us the fruits of the Spirit, Gal. 5:22-24), upwardly (by praying for us, Rom. 8:26) and outwardly (by pouring God's love into our hearts, Rom 5:5).
Matthew 17
Jesus' Appearance Is Changed
1 After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John the brother of James with him. He led them up a high mountain. They were all alone. 2 There in front of them his appearance was changed. His face shone like the sun. His clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then Moses and Elijah appeared in front of them. Moses and Elijah were talking with Jesus.
4 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters. One will be for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
5 While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud surrounded them. A voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, and I love him. I am very pleased with him. Listen to him!"
6 When the disciples heard this, they were terrified. They fell with their faces to the ground. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Don't be afraid." 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.
9 They came down the mountain. On the way down, Jesus told them what to do. "Don't tell anyone what you have seen," he said. "Wait until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."
10 The disciples asked him, "Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah has to come first?"
11 Jesus replied, "That's right. Elijah is supposed to come and make all things new again. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come. People didn't recognize him. They have done to him everything they wanted to do. In the same way, they are going to make the Son of Man suffer."
13 Then the disciples understood that Jesus was talking to them about John the Baptist.
Jesus Heals a Boy Who Had a Demon
14 When they came near the crowd, a man approached Jesus. He got on his knees in front of him. 15 "Lord," he said, "have mercy on my son. He shakes wildly and suffers a great deal. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 I brought him to your disciples. But they couldn't heal him."
17 "You unbelieving and evil people!" Jesus replied. "How long do I have to stay with you? How long do I have to put up with you? Bring the boy here to me."
18 Jesus ordered the demon to leave the boy, and it came out of him. He was healed at that very moment.
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private. They asked, "Why couldn't we drive out the demon?"
20-21He replied, "Because your faith is much too small. What I'm about to tell you is true. If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, it is enough. You can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there.' And it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
22 They came together in Galilee. Then Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be handed over to men. 23 They will kill him. On the third day he will rise from the dead."
Then the disciples were filled with deep sadness.
Jesus Pays the Temple Tax
24 Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum. There the tax collectors came to Peter. They asked him, "Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax?"
25 "Yes, he does," he replied.
When Peter came into the house, Jesus spoke first. "What do you think, Simon?" he asked. "Who do the kings of the earth collect taxes and fees from? Do they collect from their own sons or from others?"
26 "From others," Peter answered.
"Then the sons don't have to pay," Jesus said to him. 27 "But we don't want to make them angry. So go to the lake and throw out your fishing line. Take the first fish you catch. Open its mouth. There you will find the exact coin you need. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours."
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Romans 12:4-13 (New International Reader's Version)
4 Each of us has one body with many parts. And the parts do not all have the same purpose. 5 So also we are many persons. But in Christ we are one body. And each part of the body belongs to all the other parts.
6 We all have gifts. They differ in keeping with the grace that God has given each of us. Do you have the gift of prophecy? Then use it in keeping with the faith you have. 7 Is it your gift to serve? Then serve. Is it teaching? Then teach. 8 Is it telling others how they should live? Then tell them. Is it giving to those who are in need? Then give freely. Is it being a leader? Then work hard at it. Is it showing mercy? Then do it cheerfully.
Love
9 Love must be honest and true. Hate what is evil. Hold on to what is good. 10 Love each other deeply. Honor others more than yourselves. 11 Never let the fire in your heart go out. Keep it alive. Serve the Lord.
12 When you hope, be joyful. When you suffer, be patient. When you pray, be faithful. 13 Share with God's people who are in need. Welcome others into your homes.
June 24, 2009
Postponement Problems
ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download
READ: Romans 12:4-13
We have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function. —Romans 12:4
Many of us struggle with them—postponement problems. A professor at the University of Calgary in Alberta studied the problem of procrastination for 5 years and reported that 95 percent of us put off doing one thing or another. One estimate showed that Americans lose approximately $400 million a year by putting off filing taxes! Because of fear of failure or other insecurities, we wait and wait before starting a project or making a decision.
Procrastination is a problem in the church too. Many of us postpone serving God. We know we should reach out to others, but we feel insecure or worried about what to do. Because we’re unsure of our gifts or interests, we put off our involvement in the church. We worry, What if I do a poor job? What if I find out I can’t even do it?
Romans 12 gives us some encouragement. Serving starts with presenting ourselves to God as “a living sacrifice” (v.1). Pray and give yourself anew to the Lord and His work. Then look around at what others are doing in your church and ask if you can join in. Start small if you need to, and try a number of things.
Your church needs you. Ask God to help you overcome your postponement problems.
— Anne Cetas
Don’t put off for tomorrow
What you can do today;
Postponement may bring sorrow,
Prompt action is the way. —Hess
For a healthier church, exercise your spiritual gifts.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 24, 2009
Reconciling Yourself to the Fact of Sin
ODB RADIO: | Download
READ:
This is your hour, and the power of darkness —Luke 22:53
Not being reconciled to the fact of sin— not recognizing it and refusing to deal with it— produces all the disasters in life. You may talk about the lofty virtues of human nature, but there is something in human nature that will mockingly laugh in the face of every principle you have. If you refuse to agree with the fact that there is wickedness and selfishness, something downright hateful and wrong, in human beings, when it attacks your life, instead of reconciling yourself to it, you will compromise with it and say that it is of no use to battle against it. Have you taken this "hour, and the power of darkness" into account, or do you have a view of yourself which includes no recognition of sin whatsoever? In your human relationships and friendships, have you reconciled yourself to the fact of sin? If not, just around the next corner you will find yourself trapped and you will compromise with it. But if you will reconcile yourself to the fact of sin, you will realize the danger immediately and say, "Yes, I see what this sin would mean." The recognition of sin does not destroy the basis of friendship— it simply establishes a mutual respect for the fact that the basis of sinful life is disastrous. Always beware of any assessment of life which does not recognize the fact that there is sin.
Jesus Christ never trusted human nature, yet He was never cynical nor suspicious, because He had absolute trust in what He could do for human nature. The pure man or woman is the one who is shielded from harm, not the innocent person. The so-called innocent man or woman is never safe. Men and women have no business trying to be innocent; God demands that they be pure and virtuous. Innocence is the characteristic of a child. Any person is deserving of blame if he is unwilling to reconcile himself to the fact of sin.
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Bigger Than You Realize - #5858
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Our friends bought a new horse lately. Her name is Peanut. Now, what kind of horse does that suggest to your imagination? Maybe a cute little Shetland Pony? Nope. Try again. Peanut is the biggest horse in their pasture. If you've ever seen those big Clydesdale horses in commercials, you'll have some idea of the size of this big mama. She's part Belgian, part Morgan, which means she is so big my body's probably not big enough to ride her. And she's named Peanut. Something is wrong in this picture.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Bigger Than You Realize."
So when it comes to horses, what you're called obviously doesn't always tell how big you really are; when it comes to people, too. We've all been called a lot of things in our lifetime - some of them not very complimentary, some of them really damaging, and many of them just totally wrong.
The problem is we start to believe we are what other people have called us, what they've said about us. If you've been hurt a lot, abused a lot, put down a lot, you really start to believe that you can't be worth much. Or maybe it isn't what people have called you. It's the way they've treated you. So many of us feel ignored, invisible, abandoned, or betrayed by someone we thought we could trust. We start to buy lies about who we are and what we're worth. The fact is, the people who've talked about you and mistreated you have no idea who you really are. Maybe you don't either.
There is only one person whose evaluation of you really matters - the person who created you in the first place. He really knows you. Now, listen to what God calls you in our word for today from the Word of God in Ephesians 2:10. He says, "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do." Wow! God's workmanship! That's the right name to call you. And nothing you've been through, nothing that has been done to you or by you, can change who you really are. And you don't need to miss who you are or what you're here for any longer!
The sad thing is that we've missed those "good works" that "God prepared in advance for us to do." We haven't followed the Creator's plans for us. We've made up our own, which has left us separated from the very One who gives us our worth. And that's why it all feels so hollow and so lonely so much of the time. God had every right to let us live and die like this, away from Him by our own sinful choice, but He didn't. He loves us too much. In the Bible's words, "God so loved you that He gave His one and only Son," and He gave Him to die for you to take all the punishment for all the stuff you have done that has broken His heart.
And the day you open up to this "unloseable" love of Jesus Christ is the day you begin to experience how much you're really worth. He thought you were worth dying for. The question is, "Do you think He's worth living for?" Especially since the Bible says He's the One you were made by and made for (Colossians 1:16). Your personal love relationship with the One who loves you most begins when you tell Him, "Jesus, I resign running my own life. I was made by you and for you. You died to pay for my sins, and beginning this very day, I am yours." Now, if that's what you want, you tell Him that today.
Let me encourage you to visit our website sometime in the next few hours. A lot of people have gone there and found the information that really helped them be sure they had begun a relationship with Jesus Christ. If you have any doubt about that; if you want to experience His love for yourself, I think there might be some things there that will help and encourage you right now. It's YoursForLife.net. A lot of the information is in the booklet I wrote, too. You can call for that toll free if you'd rather at 877-741-1200.
He's the home your heart has always been looking for.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Luke 12, daily reading and devotions
Daily Devotional by Max Lucado
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 23
Kindness Makes the Coffee
He is kind even to people who are ungrateful and full of sin.
Luke 6:35 (NCV)
How often do we thank God for his kindness? Not often enough. But does our ingratitude restrict his kindness? No. "Because he is kind even to people who are ungrateful and full of sin."
In the original language, the word for kindness carries an added idea the English word does not. Chiefly it refers to an act of grace. But it also refers to a deed or person who is "useful, serviceable, adapted to its purpose." Kindness was even employed to describe food that was tasty as well as healthy. Sounds odd to our ears. "Hey, honey, what a great meal. The salad is especially kind tonight."
But the usage makes sense. Isn't kindness good and good for you? Pleasant and practical? Kindness not only says "good morning," kindness makes the coffee.
Luke 12
Jesus Gives Words of Warning and Hope
1 During that time a crowd of many thousands had gathered. There were so many people that they were stepping on one another.
Jesus spoke first to his disciples. "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees," he said. "They just pretend to be godly. 2 Everything that is secret will be brought out into the open. Everything that is hidden will be uncovered. 3 What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight. What you have whispered to someone behind closed doors will be shouted from the rooftops.
4 "My friends, listen to me. Don't be afraid of those who kill the body but can't do any more than that. 5 I will show you whom you should be afraid of. Be afraid of the One who can kill the body and also has the power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, be afraid of him.
6 "Aren't five sparrows sold for two pennies? But God does not forget even one of them. 7 In fact, he even counts every hair on your head! So don't be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.
8 "What about someone who says in front of others that he knows me? I tell you, the Son of Man will say that he knows that person in front of God's angels. 9 But what about someone who says in front of others that he doesn't know me? I, the Son of Man, will say that I don't know him in front of God's angels.
10 "Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. But anyone who speaks evil things against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
11 "You will be brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities. But do not worry about how to stand up for yourselves or what to say. 12 The Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."
The Story of the Rich Man
13 Someone in the crowd spoke to Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "tell my brother to divide the family property with me."
14 Jesus replied, "Friend, who made me a judge or umpire between you?"
15 Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against wanting to have more and more things. Life is not made up of how much a person has."
16 Then Jesus told them a story. He said, "A certain rich man's land produced a good crop. 17 He thought to himself, 'What should I do? I don't have any place to store my crops.'
18 "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my storerooms and build bigger ones. I will store all my grain and my other things in them. 19 I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things stored away for many years. Take life easy. Eat, drink and have a good time." '
20 "But God said to him, 'You foolish man! This very night I will take your life away from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'
21 "That is how it will be for anyone who stores things away for himself but is not rich in God's eyes."
Do Not Worry
22 Then Jesus spoke to his disciples. He said, "I tell you, do not worry. Don't worry about your life and what you will eat. And don't worry about your body and what you will wear. 23 There is more to life than eating. There are more important things for the body than clothes.
24 "Think about the ravens. They don't plant or gather crops. They don't have any storerooms at all. But God feeds them. You are worth much more than birds!
25 "Can you add even one hour to your life by worrying? 26 You can't do that very little thing. So why worry about the rest?
27 "Think about how the lilies grow. They don't work or make clothing. But here is what I tell you. Not even Solomon in all of his glory was dressed like one of those flowers. 28 If that is how God dresses the wild grass, how much better will he dress you! After all, the grass is here only today. Tomorrow it is thrown into the fire. Your faith is so small!
29 "Don't spend time thinking about what you will eat or drink. Don't worry about it. 30 People who are ungodly run after all of those things. Your Father knows that you need them.
31 "But put God's kingdom first. Then those other things will also be given to you.
32 "Little flock, do not be afraid. Your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell what you own. Give to those who are poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out. Put away riches in heaven that will not be used up. There, no thief can come near it. There, no moth can destroy it. 34 Your heart will be where your riches are.
Be Ready
35 "Be dressed and ready to serve. Keep your lamps burning. 36 Be like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding dinner. When he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once.
37 "It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready when he comes. What I'm about to tell you is true. The master will then dress himself so he can serve them. He will have them take their places at the table. And he will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready. It will even be good if he comes very late at night.
39 "But here is what you must understand. Suppose the owner of the house knew at what hour the robber was coming. He would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready. The Son of Man will come at an hour when you don't expect him."
41 Peter asked, "Lord, are you telling this story to us, or to everyone?"
42 The Lord answered, "Suppose a master puts one of his servants in charge of his other servants. The servant's job is to give them the food they are to receive at the right time. The master wants a faithful and wise manager for this. 43 It will be good for the servant if the master finds him doing his job when the master returns. 44 What I'm about to tell you is true. The master will put that servant in charge of everything he owns.
45 "But suppose the servant says to himself, 'My master is taking a long time to come back.' Suppose he begins to beat the other servants. Suppose he feeds himself. And suppose he drinks until he gets drunk. 46 The master of that servant will come back on a day the servant doesn't expect him. He will return at an hour the servant doesn't know. Then the master will cut him to pieces. He will send him to the place where unbelievers go.
47 "Suppose a servant knows his master's wishes. But he doesn't get ready. And he doesn't do what his master wants. That servant will be beaten with many blows.
48 "But suppose the servant does not know his master's wishes. And suppose he does things for which he should be punished. He will be beaten with only a few blows.
"Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. Even more will be asked of the person who is supposed to take care of much.
Jesus Will Separate People From One Another
49 "I have come to bring fire on the earth. How I wish the fire had already started! 50 But I have a baptism of suffering to go through. And I will be very troubled until it is completed.
51 "Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you. I have come to separate people. 52 From now on there will be five members in a family, each one against the other. There will be three against two and two against three. 53 They will be separated. Father will turn against son and son against father. Mother will turn against daughter and daughter against mother. Mother?in?law will turn against daughter?in?law and daughter?in?law against mother?in?law."
Understanding What Is Happening
54 Jesus spoke to the crowd. He said, "You see a cloud rising in the west. Right away you say, 'It's going to rain.' And it does. 55 The south wind blows. So you say, 'It's going to be hot.' And it is. 56 You pretenders! You know how to understand the appearance of the earth and the sky. Why can't you understand the meaning of what is happening right now?
57 "Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right? 58 Suppose someone has a claim against you, and you are on your way to court. Try hard to settle the matter on the way. If you don't, that person may drag you off to the judge. The judge may turn you over to the officer. And the officer may throw you into prison. 59 I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the very last penny!"
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
1 Corinthians 1:18-25 (New International Reader's Version)
Christ Is God's Power and Wisdom
18 The message of the cross seems foolish to those who are lost and dying. But it is God's power to us who are being saved. 19 It is written,
"I will destroy the wisdom of those who are wise.
I will do away with the cleverness of those who think they are so smart." —(Isaiah 29:14)
20 Where is the wise person? Where is the educated person? Where are the great thinkers of this world? Hasn't God made the wisdom of the world foolish? 21 God wisely planned that the world would not know him through its own wisdom. It pleased God to use the foolish things we preach to save those who believe.
22 Jews require miraculous signs. Greeks look for wisdom. 23 But we preach about Christ and his death on the cross. That is very hard for Jews to accept. And everyone else thinks it's foolish.
24 But there are those God has chosen, both Jews and others. To them Christ is God's power and God's wisdom. 25 The foolish things of God are wiser than human wisdom. The weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
June 23, 2009
A Powerful Message
ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download
READ: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
The gospel of Christ . . . is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. —Romans 1:16
Bible teacher Lehman Strauss was brought to Christ through the power of the Word when he was young. At his girlfriend’s suggestion, he read Romans 3:23, 5:8, and 10:13. As he did, he was convicted of his sin. He wept and believed.
When his son Richard was 7 years old, he asked his father how to be saved. Lehman used the same verses that his girlfriend (who was now his wife) had used years earlier. His son believed too, and eventually became a pastor.
God’s Word has tremendous power! The first recorded time God spoke, He created light (Gen. 1:3). He spoke a promise to Abraham (17:15-19) and enabled his 90-year-old wife Sarah to bear a child (21:1-2). God still speaks with power today, and all who hear and believe the gospel are saved (Rom. 1:16).
Yes, the message of Christ and His saving work on the cross can change the direction of a person’s life. It has the power to reach the heart of that person you love and have prayed for many times.
So don’t give up in your witness. Be consistent in your daily walk. Keep praying and sharing the gospel with others. It’s a powerful message! — David C. Egner
Sweetly echo the gospel call—
Wonderful words of life;
Offer pardon and peace to all—
Wonderful words of life. —Bliss
Our words have power to influence; God’s words have power to save.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 23, 2009
"Acquainted With Grief"
ODB RADIO: | Download
READ:
He is . . . a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief —Isaiah 53:3We are not "acquainted with grief" in the same way our Lord was acquainted with it. We endure it and live through it, but we do not become intimate with it. At the beginning of our lives we do not bring ourselves to the point of dealing with the reality of sin. We look at life through the eyes of reason and say that if a person will control his instincts, and educate himself, he can produce a life that will slowly evolve into the life of God. But as we continue on through life, we find the presence of something which we have not yet taken into account, namely, sin— and it upsets all of our thinking and our plans. Sin has made the foundation of our thinking unpredictable, uncontrollable, and irrational.
We have to recognize that sin is a fact of life, not just a shortcoming. Sin is blatant mutiny against God, and either sin or God must die in my life. The New Testament brings us right down to this one issue— if sin rules in me, God’s life in me will be killed; if God rules in me, sin in me will be killed. There is nothing more fundamental than that. The culmination of sin was the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and what was true in the history of God on earth will also be true in your history and in mine— that is, sin will kill the life of God in us. We must mentally bring ourselves to terms with this fact of sin. It is the only explanation why Jesus Christ came to earth, and it is the explanation of the grief and sorrow of life.
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Fresh Each Day - #5857
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
OK, I'll confess. I can drive by the candy store. I can drive by the ice cream shop. I can pass up the pizza place, but it's very hard for me to not stop at the bakery. Yes, bakeries are my weakness, and it's a good thing I don't work in one - I'd weigh 500 pounds. Now most bakeries have this discount stuff in a corner; it's the day old baked goods. Oh it's cheaper, but there's a reason. There's a big difference between day-old and fresh baked. That line at the bakery early in the morning; that's not for yesterday's goodies, let me tell you. Those folks are there to get the doughnuts or the bread that just came out of the oven. And I might be right at the head of the line.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Fresh Each Day."
Getting it fresh - that's not only a good idea at the bakery, but also when it comes to picking up your provisions from heaven, too. God's got new resources for you each new day; mercies that are according to the Bible are, "new every morning" (Lamentations 3:23). The reason so many of us are spiritually up and down, lacking the power we need, the strength we need, constantly being overwhelmed by the day's events is that we aren't stopping at God's "bakery" each morning to pick up that day's "bread."
God gives us an enlightening picture of how to stay spiritually strong in our word for today from the Word of God. Exodus 16, beginning in verse 4, records God's delivery system for feeding His people as they wandered in the desert: "'I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day'...So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites...'In the morning you will see the glory of the Lord.'"
Through Moses, the Lord went on to command His people not to store any of His manna overnight. "However," it says, "some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell" (that is day-old at its worst!). But God's plan worked. The Bible says, "Each morning everyone gathered as much as he needed."
That's been God's plan ever since; that each of His children would gather each morning all the spiritual resources he or she needs for that day. Speaking of Himself, Jesus said, "The bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world" (John 6:33). Each day, we are to get a fresh helping of Jesus: His thinking, His perspective, His strength, His outlook. And that means consistent time with Him, through His love letter, the Bible, each new day.
You can't store up the resources to live the Christ-life anymore than the ancient Jews could store up manna. You can't let your personal Jesus-time be something you do occasionally or when you feel like it or when you can fit Him in to your busy schedule. Make your daily time with Jesus Christ non-negotiable. Everything else is going to have to revolve around your time with Him instead of what usually happens, your time with Him having to revolve around everything else.
If you will anchor your day to a personal time with Jesus Christ, you'll start to experience a realness, a closeness, a consistency, a victory in your relationship with Him that you've always wanted but maybe never had. You need to hear from heaven each day if you're going to live for heaven while you're on earth. And day-old or week-old stuff just won't cut it for this new day. You need what Jesus has prepared for you fresh each day!
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
June 23
Kindness Makes the Coffee
He is kind even to people who are ungrateful and full of sin.
Luke 6:35 (NCV)
How often do we thank God for his kindness? Not often enough. But does our ingratitude restrict his kindness? No. "Because he is kind even to people who are ungrateful and full of sin."
In the original language, the word for kindness carries an added idea the English word does not. Chiefly it refers to an act of grace. But it also refers to a deed or person who is "useful, serviceable, adapted to its purpose." Kindness was even employed to describe food that was tasty as well as healthy. Sounds odd to our ears. "Hey, honey, what a great meal. The salad is especially kind tonight."
But the usage makes sense. Isn't kindness good and good for you? Pleasant and practical? Kindness not only says "good morning," kindness makes the coffee.
Luke 12
Jesus Gives Words of Warning and Hope
1 During that time a crowd of many thousands had gathered. There were so many people that they were stepping on one another.
Jesus spoke first to his disciples. "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees," he said. "They just pretend to be godly. 2 Everything that is secret will be brought out into the open. Everything that is hidden will be uncovered. 3 What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight. What you have whispered to someone behind closed doors will be shouted from the rooftops.
4 "My friends, listen to me. Don't be afraid of those who kill the body but can't do any more than that. 5 I will show you whom you should be afraid of. Be afraid of the One who can kill the body and also has the power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, be afraid of him.
6 "Aren't five sparrows sold for two pennies? But God does not forget even one of them. 7 In fact, he even counts every hair on your head! So don't be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.
8 "What about someone who says in front of others that he knows me? I tell you, the Son of Man will say that he knows that person in front of God's angels. 9 But what about someone who says in front of others that he doesn't know me? I, the Son of Man, will say that I don't know him in front of God's angels.
10 "Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. But anyone who speaks evil things against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
11 "You will be brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities. But do not worry about how to stand up for yourselves or what to say. 12 The Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."
The Story of the Rich Man
13 Someone in the crowd spoke to Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "tell my brother to divide the family property with me."
14 Jesus replied, "Friend, who made me a judge or umpire between you?"
15 Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against wanting to have more and more things. Life is not made up of how much a person has."
16 Then Jesus told them a story. He said, "A certain rich man's land produced a good crop. 17 He thought to himself, 'What should I do? I don't have any place to store my crops.'
18 "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my storerooms and build bigger ones. I will store all my grain and my other things in them. 19 I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things stored away for many years. Take life easy. Eat, drink and have a good time." '
20 "But God said to him, 'You foolish man! This very night I will take your life away from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'
21 "That is how it will be for anyone who stores things away for himself but is not rich in God's eyes."
Do Not Worry
22 Then Jesus spoke to his disciples. He said, "I tell you, do not worry. Don't worry about your life and what you will eat. And don't worry about your body and what you will wear. 23 There is more to life than eating. There are more important things for the body than clothes.
24 "Think about the ravens. They don't plant or gather crops. They don't have any storerooms at all. But God feeds them. You are worth much more than birds!
25 "Can you add even one hour to your life by worrying? 26 You can't do that very little thing. So why worry about the rest?
27 "Think about how the lilies grow. They don't work or make clothing. But here is what I tell you. Not even Solomon in all of his glory was dressed like one of those flowers. 28 If that is how God dresses the wild grass, how much better will he dress you! After all, the grass is here only today. Tomorrow it is thrown into the fire. Your faith is so small!
29 "Don't spend time thinking about what you will eat or drink. Don't worry about it. 30 People who are ungodly run after all of those things. Your Father knows that you need them.
31 "But put God's kingdom first. Then those other things will also be given to you.
32 "Little flock, do not be afraid. Your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell what you own. Give to those who are poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out. Put away riches in heaven that will not be used up. There, no thief can come near it. There, no moth can destroy it. 34 Your heart will be where your riches are.
Be Ready
35 "Be dressed and ready to serve. Keep your lamps burning. 36 Be like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding dinner. When he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once.
37 "It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready when he comes. What I'm about to tell you is true. The master will then dress himself so he can serve them. He will have them take their places at the table. And he will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready. It will even be good if he comes very late at night.
39 "But here is what you must understand. Suppose the owner of the house knew at what hour the robber was coming. He would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready. The Son of Man will come at an hour when you don't expect him."
41 Peter asked, "Lord, are you telling this story to us, or to everyone?"
42 The Lord answered, "Suppose a master puts one of his servants in charge of his other servants. The servant's job is to give them the food they are to receive at the right time. The master wants a faithful and wise manager for this. 43 It will be good for the servant if the master finds him doing his job when the master returns. 44 What I'm about to tell you is true. The master will put that servant in charge of everything he owns.
45 "But suppose the servant says to himself, 'My master is taking a long time to come back.' Suppose he begins to beat the other servants. Suppose he feeds himself. And suppose he drinks until he gets drunk. 46 The master of that servant will come back on a day the servant doesn't expect him. He will return at an hour the servant doesn't know. Then the master will cut him to pieces. He will send him to the place where unbelievers go.
47 "Suppose a servant knows his master's wishes. But he doesn't get ready. And he doesn't do what his master wants. That servant will be beaten with many blows.
48 "But suppose the servant does not know his master's wishes. And suppose he does things for which he should be punished. He will be beaten with only a few blows.
"Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. Even more will be asked of the person who is supposed to take care of much.
Jesus Will Separate People From One Another
49 "I have come to bring fire on the earth. How I wish the fire had already started! 50 But I have a baptism of suffering to go through. And I will be very troubled until it is completed.
51 "Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you. I have come to separate people. 52 From now on there will be five members in a family, each one against the other. There will be three against two and two against three. 53 They will be separated. Father will turn against son and son against father. Mother will turn against daughter and daughter against mother. Mother?in?law will turn against daughter?in?law and daughter?in?law against mother?in?law."
Understanding What Is Happening
54 Jesus spoke to the crowd. He said, "You see a cloud rising in the west. Right away you say, 'It's going to rain.' And it does. 55 The south wind blows. So you say, 'It's going to be hot.' And it is. 56 You pretenders! You know how to understand the appearance of the earth and the sky. Why can't you understand the meaning of what is happening right now?
57 "Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right? 58 Suppose someone has a claim against you, and you are on your way to court. Try hard to settle the matter on the way. If you don't, that person may drag you off to the judge. The judge may turn you over to the officer. And the officer may throw you into prison. 59 I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the very last penny!"
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
1 Corinthians 1:18-25 (New International Reader's Version)
Christ Is God's Power and Wisdom
18 The message of the cross seems foolish to those who are lost and dying. But it is God's power to us who are being saved. 19 It is written,
"I will destroy the wisdom of those who are wise.
I will do away with the cleverness of those who think they are so smart." —(Isaiah 29:14)
20 Where is the wise person? Where is the educated person? Where are the great thinkers of this world? Hasn't God made the wisdom of the world foolish? 21 God wisely planned that the world would not know him through its own wisdom. It pleased God to use the foolish things we preach to save those who believe.
22 Jews require miraculous signs. Greeks look for wisdom. 23 But we preach about Christ and his death on the cross. That is very hard for Jews to accept. And everyone else thinks it's foolish.
24 But there are those God has chosen, both Jews and others. To them Christ is God's power and God's wisdom. 25 The foolish things of God are wiser than human wisdom. The weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
June 23, 2009
A Powerful Message
ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download
READ: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
The gospel of Christ . . . is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. —Romans 1:16
Bible teacher Lehman Strauss was brought to Christ through the power of the Word when he was young. At his girlfriend’s suggestion, he read Romans 3:23, 5:8, and 10:13. As he did, he was convicted of his sin. He wept and believed.
When his son Richard was 7 years old, he asked his father how to be saved. Lehman used the same verses that his girlfriend (who was now his wife) had used years earlier. His son believed too, and eventually became a pastor.
God’s Word has tremendous power! The first recorded time God spoke, He created light (Gen. 1:3). He spoke a promise to Abraham (17:15-19) and enabled his 90-year-old wife Sarah to bear a child (21:1-2). God still speaks with power today, and all who hear and believe the gospel are saved (Rom. 1:16).
Yes, the message of Christ and His saving work on the cross can change the direction of a person’s life. It has the power to reach the heart of that person you love and have prayed for many times.
So don’t give up in your witness. Be consistent in your daily walk. Keep praying and sharing the gospel with others. It’s a powerful message! — David C. Egner
Sweetly echo the gospel call—
Wonderful words of life;
Offer pardon and peace to all—
Wonderful words of life. —Bliss
Our words have power to influence; God’s words have power to save.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 23, 2009
"Acquainted With Grief"
ODB RADIO: | Download
READ:
He is . . . a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief —Isaiah 53:3We are not "acquainted with grief" in the same way our Lord was acquainted with it. We endure it and live through it, but we do not become intimate with it. At the beginning of our lives we do not bring ourselves to the point of dealing with the reality of sin. We look at life through the eyes of reason and say that if a person will control his instincts, and educate himself, he can produce a life that will slowly evolve into the life of God. But as we continue on through life, we find the presence of something which we have not yet taken into account, namely, sin— and it upsets all of our thinking and our plans. Sin has made the foundation of our thinking unpredictable, uncontrollable, and irrational.
We have to recognize that sin is a fact of life, not just a shortcoming. Sin is blatant mutiny against God, and either sin or God must die in my life. The New Testament brings us right down to this one issue— if sin rules in me, God’s life in me will be killed; if God rules in me, sin in me will be killed. There is nothing more fundamental than that. The culmination of sin was the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and what was true in the history of God on earth will also be true in your history and in mine— that is, sin will kill the life of God in us. We must mentally bring ourselves to terms with this fact of sin. It is the only explanation why Jesus Christ came to earth, and it is the explanation of the grief and sorrow of life.
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Fresh Each Day - #5857
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
OK, I'll confess. I can drive by the candy store. I can drive by the ice cream shop. I can pass up the pizza place, but it's very hard for me to not stop at the bakery. Yes, bakeries are my weakness, and it's a good thing I don't work in one - I'd weigh 500 pounds. Now most bakeries have this discount stuff in a corner; it's the day old baked goods. Oh it's cheaper, but there's a reason. There's a big difference between day-old and fresh baked. That line at the bakery early in the morning; that's not for yesterday's goodies, let me tell you. Those folks are there to get the doughnuts or the bread that just came out of the oven. And I might be right at the head of the line.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Fresh Each Day."
Getting it fresh - that's not only a good idea at the bakery, but also when it comes to picking up your provisions from heaven, too. God's got new resources for you each new day; mercies that are according to the Bible are, "new every morning" (Lamentations 3:23). The reason so many of us are spiritually up and down, lacking the power we need, the strength we need, constantly being overwhelmed by the day's events is that we aren't stopping at God's "bakery" each morning to pick up that day's "bread."
God gives us an enlightening picture of how to stay spiritually strong in our word for today from the Word of God. Exodus 16, beginning in verse 4, records God's delivery system for feeding His people as they wandered in the desert: "'I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day'...So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites...'In the morning you will see the glory of the Lord.'"
Through Moses, the Lord went on to command His people not to store any of His manna overnight. "However," it says, "some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell" (that is day-old at its worst!). But God's plan worked. The Bible says, "Each morning everyone gathered as much as he needed."
That's been God's plan ever since; that each of His children would gather each morning all the spiritual resources he or she needs for that day. Speaking of Himself, Jesus said, "The bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world" (John 6:33). Each day, we are to get a fresh helping of Jesus: His thinking, His perspective, His strength, His outlook. And that means consistent time with Him, through His love letter, the Bible, each new day.
You can't store up the resources to live the Christ-life anymore than the ancient Jews could store up manna. You can't let your personal Jesus-time be something you do occasionally or when you feel like it or when you can fit Him in to your busy schedule. Make your daily time with Jesus Christ non-negotiable. Everything else is going to have to revolve around your time with Him instead of what usually happens, your time with Him having to revolve around everything else.
If you will anchor your day to a personal time with Jesus Christ, you'll start to experience a realness, a closeness, a consistency, a victory in your relationship with Him that you've always wanted but maybe never had. You need to hear from heaven each day if you're going to live for heaven while you're on earth. And day-old or week-old stuff just won't cut it for this new day. You need what Jesus has prepared for you fresh each day!
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