Max Lucado Daily: He’s Faithful
If we are not faithful, God will still be faithful, because he cannot be false to himself. 2 Timothy 2:13”
We don’t get it!
Because God’s blessings are dispensed according to the riches of his grace, not according to the depth of our faith.
Why’s that important to know? So you won’t get cynical. Look around you. Aren’t there more mouths than bread? More wounds than physicians? More who need the truth than those who tell it?
So what do we do? Throw up our hands and walk away? Tell the world we can’t help them? No, we don’t give up!
We look up. We trust. We believe.
Christ has proven worthy. He never fails!
That’s what makes God—God.
Psalm 12[a]
For the director of music. According to sheminith.[b] A psalm of David.
1 Help, LORD, for no one is faithful anymore;
those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.
2 Everyone lies to their neighbor;
they flatter with their lips
but harbor deception in their hearts.
3 May the LORD silence all flattering lips
and every boastful tongue—
4 those who say,
“By our tongues we will prevail;
our own lips will defend us—who is lord over us?”
5 “Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan,
I will now arise,” says the LORD.
“I will protect them from those who malign them.”
6 And the words of the LORD are flawless,
like silver purified in a crucible,
like gold[c] refined seven times.
7 You, LORD, will keep the needy safe
and will protect us forever from the wicked,
8 who freely strut about
when what is vile is honored by the human race.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Read: 1 Timothy 4:6-11
6 If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters,[a] you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 9 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. 10 That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.
11 Command and teach these things.
An Exercise In Godliness
January 4, 2012 — by David H. Roper
Bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things. —1 Timothy 4:8
The New Year is often the time when we resolve to take better care of ourselves—to exercise, eat right, and perhaps shed some of the pounds we gained over the holidays. Paul says, “Exercise profits a little” (1 Tim. 4:8), so I struggle to be as fit as I can be. I try to eat right, more or less, though I do love fried chicken. I lift weights and walk, but I know that my body is not long for this world. Its strength is fading.
It’s better to concentrate on godliness, because it holds promise for this life and the life to come (v.8). Contrary to the old adage, we can take something with us after all.
Godliness may sound dull, scary, and unattainable, but the essence of godliness is simply self-giving love—caring more for others than we care for ourselves. This kind of love is hard to come by, but it’s one that grows in the presence of love. We grow loving and more lovely by sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening to Him, talking things over—gaining in likeness to the One who is love (1 John 4:8).
Life is a journey into love, it seems to me, and there’s nothing so beautiful as a godly soul. Physical exercise is good, no doubt, but there is something far, far better: It is to love.
That I may love Him is my soul’s ambition—
Love Him with all my mind and strength and heart,
Seek out His will and choose it, in submission,
And with the joy He only can impart. —Anon.
Love is godliness in action.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
Why Can I Not Follow You Now?
Peter said to Him, ’Lord, why can I not follow You now?’ —John 13:37
There are times when you can’t understand why you cannot do what you want to do. When God brings a time of waiting, and appears to be unresponsive, don’t fill it with busyness, just wait. The time of waiting may come to teach you the meaning of sanctification— to be set apart from sin and made holy— or it may come after the process of sanctification has begun to teach you what service means. Never run before God gives you His direction. If you have the slightest doubt, then He is not guiding. Whenever there is doubt— wait.
At first you may see clearly what God’s will is— the severance of a friendship, the breaking off of a business relationship, or something else you feel is distinctly God’s will for you to do. But never act on the impulse of that feeling. If you do, you will cause difficult situations to arise which will take years to untangle. Wait for God’s timing and He will do it without any heartache or disappointment. When it is a question of the providential will of God, wait for God to move.
Peter did not wait for God. He predicted in his own mind where the test would come, and it came where he did not expect it. “I will lay down my life for Your sake.” Peter’s statement was honest but ignorant. “Jesus answered him, ’ . . . the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times’ ” (John 13:38). This was said with a deeper knowledge of Peter than Peter had of himself. He could not follow Jesus because he did not know himself or his own capabilities well enough. Natural devotion may be enough to attract us to Jesus, to make us feel His irresistible charm, but it will never make us disciples. Natural devotion will deny Jesus, always falling short of what it means to truly follow Him.
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Running Ahead of Your Supply Lines - #6518
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Americans are a medical basket case. I mean, if you look at the statistics about ulcers, and blood pressure, and heart disease, you begin to realize that we're like unraveling as a people. And I'm sure that some kind of stress-related illness like that has to affect either you, or a member of your family, or someone close to you. It's almost impossible to live in a vacuum and not be affected by it.
In fact, the American Academy of Family Physicians says that most of the illnesses they treat are stress related. And it says that the six major causes of death in America all find stress as a contributing factor. Our bodies, our personalities are screaming at us about a sin that we seldom talk about, but we often commit.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Running Ahead of Your Supply Lines."
Now, our word for today from the Word of God is in Matthew 6:34. Jesus is speaking, and here He names what I guess we could call the stress sin. Here it is: "Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Did you catch it? Yeah, the stress sin - worry.
Now, it's not on our list of the big five sins usually, or the big ten sins that we as Christians are against, the "thou shalt nots," and yet worry may in fact be one of the most common and most damaging sins in our Christian experience. Jesus, in this particular passage in the Sermon on the Mount, gives us the reasons why worry is a waste of time.
First of all in verse 27, it says, "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" Okay, worry is a waste of time because it doesn't change anything. I don't think I've ever known anybody who has ever been able to change their health by worrying about it. Okay, let's go to verses 28-30. "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They don't labor or spin. Did I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these? If that is how God clothes the grass of the field which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, oh you of little faith?"
The second reason we shouldn't be worrying is that your Father is looking out for you. You know what? He doesn't need the bird's help for them to be taken care of. He doesn't need any help from the lilies, those gorgeous flowers, to be what they are in the springtime. And He certainly doesn't need your help to meet your needs. Because your Father is looking out for you, you really have no need to worry.
The third reason Jesus gives for not worrying is in verse 32. It says, "The pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them." So, thirdly when you worry, you insult God. It's like saying to your Dad, "Dad, you don't provide for me." It's insulting His fatherhood to worry, as if somehow He's going to mess this one up and leave you stranded.
And then in verse 33, there's one more reason not to worry. It says this: "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well." The fourth reason? Worry distracts you from the real concerns; the things that really matter. Get busy with making things like Jesus wants them here on earth. Bring in His Kingdom; at least be a taste of it in the world around you.
Jesus said, "Each day has enough trouble of its own." We're made only to handle today. Don't waste energy on tomorrow and get the old ulcer juices flowing about things that haven't even happened yet. "Your strength will equal your days." That's what the Bible promises. So, handle only this 24-hour period, because that's as much strength as God will give you. His supply lines come through on a 24-hour basis.
When worry comes, get the hook, get it off center stage, and don't run ahead of your supply lines by worrying into tomorrow. Remember, your Father has everything under control!