Daily Devotional by Max Lucado
“the One who came still comes and the One who spoke still speaks”
August 13
God Wants Your List
Love does not keep a record of wrongs.
1 Corinthians 13:5 (TEV)
Do you remember the story about the man who was bitten by the dog? When he learned the dog had rabies, he began making a list. The doctor told him there was no need to make a will, that rabies could be cured. “Oh, I’m not making a will,” he replied. “I’m making a list of all the people I want to bite.”
Couldn’t we all make such a list? You’ve already learned, haven’t you, that friends aren’t always friendly? Neighbors aren’t always neighborly? Some workers never work, and some bosses are always bossy?
You’ve already learned, haven’t you, that a promise made is not always a promise kept? Even though they said “yes” on the altar, they may say “no” in the marriage.
You’ve already learned, haven’t you, that we tend to fight back? To keep lists and snarl lips and growl at people we don’t like?
God wants your list. He wants you to leave the list at the cross.
Romans 12
Living Sacrifices
1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual[a] act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his[b]faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
Love
9Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[c] Do not be conceited.
17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"[d]says the Lord. 20On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."[e] 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Romans 13
Submission to the Authorities
1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
Love, for the Day is Near
8Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. 9The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet,"[a] and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself."[b] 10Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
August 13, 2009
The Love Of Rules
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READ: Romans 13:1-10
Love is the fulfillment of the law. —Romans 13:10
When I teach writing, I explain that it’s generally better to use short words or phrases first in a series, as in “arts and letters” and “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Early in my career, I explained to authors that it just sounds better this way, but then I discovered a “rule” about this. And I learned that authors are more likely to accept editorial changes when I can point them to a rule than when I just say, “Trust me.”
This is typical of human nature. We have a love/hate relationship with rules. We don’t like rules, but we’re unsure how to determine right from wrong without them.
God had a relationship with Adam and Eve that was based on loving trust. The only rule necessary was one that protected them from knowledge that would end in death. But when disobedience broke the trusting relationship, God added more rules to protect the wayward couple and their offspring.
In Christ, God proclaimed once more that the good life He wants for us is not about rules but a relationship. As Paul wrote, all the commandments can be summarized in one word: love. Because we are “in Christ,” we can enjoy peace with God and others—not because there’s a rule, but because there is love. — Julie Ackerman Link
Though freed from the law with its stern commands—
No longer ruled by its harsh demands—
I’m bound by Christ’s love and am only free
To live and to act responsibly. —D. De Haan
The greatest force on earth is not the compulsion of law but the compassion of love.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
August 13, 2009
"Do Not Quench the Spirit"
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READ:
Do not quench the Spirit —1 Thessalonians 5:19
The voice of the Spirit of God is as gentle as a summer breeze— so gentle that unless you are living in complete fellowship and oneness with God, you will never hear it. The sense of warning and restraint that the Spirit gives comes to us in the most amazingly gentle ways. And if you are not sensitive enough to detect His voice, you will quench it, and your spiritual life will be impaired. This sense of restraint will always come as a "still small voice" ( 1 Kings 19:12 ), so faint that no one except a saint of God will notice it.
Beware if in sharing your personal testimony you continually have to look back, saying, "Once, a number of years ago, I was saved." If you have put your "hand to the plow" and are walking in the light, there is no "looking back"— the past is instilled into the present wonder of fellowship and oneness with God ( Luke 9:62 ; also see 1 John 1:6-7 ). If you get out of the light, you become a sentimental Christian, and live only on your memories, and your testimony will have a hard metallic ring to it. Beware of trying to cover up your present refusal to "walk in the light" by recalling your past experiences when you did "walk in the light" ( 1 John 1:7 ). When-ever the Spirit gives you that sense of restraint, call a halt and make things right, or else you will go on quenching and grieving Him without even knowing it.
Suppose God brings you to a crisis and you almost endure it, but not completely. He will engineer the crisis again, but this time some of the intensity will be lost. You will have less discernment and more humiliation at having disobeyed. If you continue to grieve His Spirit, there will come a time when that crisis cannot be repeated, because you have totally quenched Him. But if you will go on through the crisis, your life will become a hymn of praise to God. Never become attached to anything that continues to hurt God. For you to be free of it, God must be allowed to hurt whatever it may be.
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
The Cleanup Imperative - #5894
Thursday, August 13, 2009
If you don't like to wash your hands, don't ever become a doctor or a nurse. You have to wash your hands a lot! Scrubbing up is routine procedure for people in the medical profession. I don't think any of us wants to be opened up by some doc who hasn't washed his hands all day! Right? Actually, a loved one of ours had a major heart surgery a few years ago, which she made it through. What she didn't make it through was the staph infection that she picked up in the hospital. It's avoiding that kind of thing that is at the heart of a hospital's insistence that healers and caregivers get really clean before they touch you. If they carry infection, they can do a lot of damage.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Cleanup Imperative."
It isn't just doctors and nurses that have to be clean for what they do. It's a requirement that God makes of anyone He's going to use to do His work on earth, from teaching a class to working in ministry, to raising a family in His ways.
Listen to His uncompromising words, for example, in Isaiah 52:11, our word for today from the Word of God. "Depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing! Come out from it and be pure, you who carry the vessels of the Lord." When you're doing anything for God, you're touching the holy, whether you realize it or not. And you'd better not be handling the holy with dirty hands, with a dirty mind, a dirty motive, or a dirty attitude. God says, "Get rid of that infectious junk! You're carrying the 'vessels' of Almighty God!"
No one serving the holy, holy, holy God should dare to do it without "scrubbing up" on a regular basis, knowing that we get polluted some each day. When you're dealing with holy things day after day, frankly it's easy but deadly to become casual about it; and about sin that you're allowing to creep into your life. But the judgment is greater for those who know what you know. Who bring infection into the spiritual "hospital" where He is trying to heal lives.
In 2 Timothy 2:20-21, Paul makes very clear what God is looking for when He decides who He's going to use for great things. He describes a house with gold and silver vessels, which are used for special things, and with wood and clay vessels, which are used for dirty and gross things. He concludes, "If a man cleanses himself...he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master, and prepared to do any good work."
God is not impressed with your abilities, with your great résumé, with your connections, your education, or your credentials. He doesn't care about your cash. He doesn't care about your charisma. All He cares about is your character! He is looking for clean! Getting rid of the dirt, staying clean, that is how you qualify to be an instrument in the hands of Almighty God.
Maybe you've let your hands, or your mind, or your spirit get dirty. You've gotten careless about the sin that killed your Savior. Don't defile the work of a holy, holy, holy God. Bow before Him. Let Him forgive you, cleanse you, and purify you again. He has great work for you to do, many lives for you to touch with His healing love. But only if you're clean!