Max Lucado Daily: Amazed at Jesus
“When the Lord Jesus comes . . . all the people who have believed will be amazed at Jesus.”
Amazed at Jesus . . . Paul doesn’t measure the joy of encouraging the apostles or embracing our loved ones. If we will be amazed at these, which we certainly will, he does not say. What he does say is that we will be amazed at Jesus.
What we have only seen in our thoughts, we will see with our eyes . . . What we’ve seen in a glimpse, we will then see in full view. And . . . we will be amazed.
Matthew 3
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
1In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea 2and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." 3This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:
"A voice of one calling in the desert,
'Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.' "[a]
4John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
11"I baptize you with[b] water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
The Baptism of Jesus
13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"
15Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented.
16As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Read: Ephesians 2:1-10
1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,
2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,
5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved.
6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--
9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Rescued
August 31, 2010 — by Anne Cetas
God, who is rich in mercy, . . . made us alive together with Christ. —Ephesians 2:4-5
Lauren nervously yet excitedly hopped into a one-person kayak for a white-water rafting experience. After strapping herself in, she headed down the river with a group of kayakers and guides.
Lauren became even more nervous when she laid eyes on the falls ahead. Suddenly, as the kayak tossed and turned in the white water, it flipped over. She had been instructed on how to get out quickly if this were to happen. But she became disoriented as she hung upside-down in the water and couldn’t find the release bar to get out. She knew she couldn’t hold her breath much longer and thought she would soon be in the Lord’s presence. Then help came just in time and she was saved. Lauren was very grateful for her rescue from physical death.
An even greater rescue has been provided for us—rescue from spiritual death has come in the Person of Jesus Christ. While we were drowning in sin, God sent His Son Jesus to bring life through His own death and resurrection (Rom. 5:8; Eph. 2:5). He did so because He is “rich in mercy” and because of “His great love” (Eph. 2:4).
Out of gratefulness, we can help others by telling them of the Rescuer they so desperately need.
Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save. —Crosby
Those who’ve been rescued should be ready and willing to help in the rescue of others.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
August 31st, 2010
"My Joy . . . Your Joy"
These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full —John 15:11
What was the joy that Jesus had? Joy should not be confused with happiness. In fact, it is an insult to Jesus Christ to use the word happiness in connection with Him. The joy of Jesus was His absolute self-surrender and self-sacrifice to His Father— the joy of doing that which the Father sent Him to do— “. . . who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross . . .” ( Hebrews 12:2 ). “I delight to do Your will, O my God . . .” ( Psalm 40:8 ). Jesus prayed that our joy might continue fulfilling itself until it becomes the same joy as His. Have I allowed Jesus Christ to introduce His joy to me?
Living a full and overflowing life does not rest in bodily health, in circumstances, nor even in seeing God’s work succeed, but in the perfect understanding of God, and in the same fellowship and oneness with Him that Jesus Himself enjoyed. But the first thing that will hinder this joy is the subtle irritability caused by giving too much thought to our circumstances. Jesus said, “. . . the cares of this world, . . . choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful” ( Mark 4:19 ). And before we even realize what has happened, we are caught up in our cares. All that God has done for us is merely the threshold— He wants us to come to the place where we will be His witnesses and proclaim who Jesus is.
Have the right relationship with God, finding your joy there, and out of you “will flow rivers of living water” ( John 7:38 ). Be a fountain through which Jesus can pour His “living water.” Stop being hypocritical and proud, aware only of yourself, and live “your life . . . hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3 ). A person who has the right relationship with God lives a life as natural as breathing wherever he goes. The lives that have been the greatest blessing to you are the lives of those people who themselves were unaware of having been a blessing.
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Your Time to Shine - #6167
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Sometimes you'll hear someone called a "Renaissance man." That means he's a man of many interests, and gifts and pursuits, and skilled in many areas. Now, if there is such a thing as a "Renaissance boy," I think our grandson might be one. He's interested in so many things - and actually, he's pretty good in a lot of them. To round out the other areas of his life, he got involved in a soccer league for kids his age. Which makes his mother a "soccer mom," I guess. Which means everybody wants her vote. Right? Well, our grandson didn't have the benefit of having an older sibling to learn from as some of the other members of his little team did. The soccer learning curve for him was a little steep, but he's been doing well. But something really special happened in one of the last games of the season. The team's two little stars came late - players who the others tend to lean on. But they weren't there to lean on. Well, now it was clearly up to kids who were usually in the shadow of those stars, including our favorite soccer player who really stepped up. Suddenly, he was more focused, more aggressive than I'd seen him all season. And right away he scored two goals for his team. Oh, and they won that night.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Your Time to Shine."
Now, I guess our grandson looked around and said, "Well, if it is to be, it's up to me!" And suddenly he stepped up to make a difference like he'd never made before. It may be that time in the game for you right now - time to step up and really make a difference.
You've got a great example to follow in our word for today from the Word of God in 1 Samuel 17 , beginning with verse 23. The Israelis and Philistines are lined up facing one another on opposite sides of a valley. Every day the Philistine giant comes out and he challenges the Israelites to send out a man to fight him, with the people of the loser serving the people of the winner from that day on. Young David, the youngest brother in his family, arrives to bring food to his warrior brothers just as Goliath is coming out to issue his challenge for the fortieth day in a row.
The Bible says, "Goliath...shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. When the Israelites saw the man they all ran from him in great fear. David said to Saul, "Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.'" Well, none of the big varsity players in their nice uniforms will get in the game - so the kid does, with just a slingshot. He doesn't have the training the others do, he doesn't have the experience, he doesn't have the weapons, but he's willing to step up because he believes, as he tells Goliath, "The battle is the Lord's." And Goliath went down because an unlikely, seemingly unqualified, hero stepped up.
This is a time when the Goliaths of hell are holding the field all around us. Not because the darkness is so strong, but because no one will step up and fight the darkness. Right now God is summoning you, as unlikely and unqualified as you may feel you are, to get out of the shadows and onto the front lines. Someone has to take that assignment no one else is rising to. Someone needs to step up and change the atmosphere in your church, or in your school, or in your home, or where you work. Someone has to fight for your marriage. Someone has to be the one to confront what's wrong, to bring people together, to lead a prayer effort, to talk about Jesus.
In Isaiah's day when God asked, "Who will go for us?" Isaiah answered, "Here am I, send me" (Isaiah 6:8 ). Maybe you've been holding back saying, "Here am I, send him." Well, God is summoning you to step up for this one - like our grandson on that soccer field, making a greater difference than he'd ever made before, because he knew it was up to him this time. And this assignment from God is up to you. Even if there are defiant giants standing in the way. It's your time to shine! And you will. Because the battle is the Lord's.
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