Max Lucado Daily: Jesus-Born Crucified
Jesus' death was not the result of a panicking, cosmological engineer. The cross wasn't a tragic surprise. The death of the Son of God was anything but an unexpected peril!
Jesus' death was part of a plan. A calculated choice.The cross was written into the script. It was no accident. Jesus was born crucified. Whenever he became conscious of who he was, he also became conscious of what he had to do. It explains the resoluteness in his words: "The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life, only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord." (John 10:18).
So call it what you wish. An act of grace. A plan of redemption. A martyr's sacrifice. But whatever you call it, don't call it an accident. It was anything but that!
From God Came Near
1 John 2
New International Version (NIV)
2 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
Love and Hatred for Fellow Believers
3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. 4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God[a] is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.
7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.
9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister[b] is still in the darkness. 10 Anyone who loves their brother and sister[c] lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. 11 But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.
Reasons for Writing
12 I am writing to you, dear children,
because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have overcome the evil one.
14 I write to you, dear children,
because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God lives in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.
On Not Loving the World
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[d] is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
Warnings Against Denying the Son
18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.
20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.[e] 21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
24 As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he promised us—eternal life.
26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.
God’s Children and Sin
28 And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.
29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.
Footnotes:
1 John 2:5 Or word, God’s love
1 John 2:9 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family; also in verse 11; and in 3:15, 17; 4:20; 5:16.
1 John 2:10 The Greek word for brother and sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family; also in 3:10; 4:20, 21.
1 John 2:15 Or world, the Father’s love
1 John 2:20 Some manuscripts and you know all things
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Read: Matthew 13:44-50
The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
The Parable of the Net
47 “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. 49 This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Eureka Stone
December 4, 2013 — by Dennis Fisher
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. —Matthew 13:44
In 1867 on a farm in South Africa, 15-year-old Erasmus Jacobs saw a stone glistening in the sun. The shining rock was eventually reported to a neighbor, who wanted to buy it from the family. Not knowing its value, Erasmus’ mother told the neighbor, “You can keep the stone, if you want it.”
Eventually, a mineralogist determined the stone to be a 21.25 carat diamond and worth a great sum. It became known as the “Eureka Diamond.” (The Greek word eureka means “I found it!”) Soon the fields near the Jacobs’ farm soared in value. Underneath the land was one of the richest diamond deposits ever discovered.
Jesus said that the value of being part of God’s kingdom is like treasure: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” (Matt. 13:44).
When we put our faith in Christ, a spiritual “eureka moment” arrives. God gives us forgiveness in His Son. It is the greatest treasure that could ever be found. Now all of life can begin to center on the value of becoming a joyous member of His eternal kingdom. It’s our joy to share that valuable discovery with others.
How we need a keen awareness
Of the joys God wants to share!
Priceless treasures found in Jesus—
We are rich beyond compare! —D. DeHaan
God’s kingdom is a treasure meant to be shared.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
December 4, 2013
The Law of Opposition
To him who overcomes . . . —Revelation 2:7
Life without war is impossible in the natural or the supernatural realm. It is a fact that there is a continuing struggle in the physical, mental, moral, and spiritual areas of life.
Health is the balance between the physical parts of my body and all the things and forces surrounding me. To maintain good health I must have sufficient internal strength to fight off the things that are external. Everything outside my physical life is designed to cause my death. The very elements that sustain me while I am alive work to decay and disintegrate my body once it is dead. If I have enough inner strength to fight, I help to produce the balance needed for health. The same is true of the mental life. If I want to maintain a strong and active mental life, I have to fight. This struggle produces the mental balance called thought.
Morally it is the same. Anything that does not strengthen me morally is the enemy of virtue within me. Whether I overcome, thereby producing virtue, depends on the level of moral excellence in my life. But we must fight to be moral. Morality does not happen by accident; moral virtue is acquired.
And spiritually it is also the same. Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation . . .” (John 16:33). This means that anything which is not spiritual leads to my downfall. Jesus went on to say, “. . . but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” I must learn to fight against and overcome the things that come against me, and in that way produce the balance of holiness. Then it becomes a delight to meet opposition.
Holiness is the balance between my nature and the law of God as expressed in Jesus Christ.
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Secrets In A World Of Snooping - #7018
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
We've been hearing about a lot of grumpy prime ministers and presidents in the world. Well, it seems the U.S. has allegedly been dropping in on their phone calls uninvited. I'm not sure what all prime ministers and presidents talk about, but they obviously don't like being snooped on. But then, who does?
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Secrets In A World Of Snooping."
We keep hearing about government agencies listening in on lots of us who aren't prime anythings. Makes you feel kind of violated; vulnerable.
Facebook can change their privacy policy, and social networks are increasingly making "personal information" an oxymoron. With the snooping and archiving technologies of our time, it seems like there's hardly any such thing as a secret anymore. It's troubling. But it's not as troubling if you have the wonderful freedom that comes from being able to say three little words, "Nothing to hide." Go ahead. You can listen, watch, dig up whatever you want. I'm not afraid. Not if I have nothing to hide.
Which is a good way to live even if no one ever listens in. For example, if I'm driving the speed limit, no worries about a police car. I don't have to look obsessively in the rear view mirror. I can thoroughly enjoy the view ahead. I can't get caught if there's nothing to catch.
Sometimes the Bible strikes me pretty funny. Like when it says this, "The wicked man flees though no one pursues." Can you picture always looking over his shoulder, even though no one's there? Of course, on the flip side, the Bible says, "The man of integrity walks securely." Of course he does. He's got nothing to hide.
Mark Twain said, "If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember what you said." People who just tell it straight have no fear of being caught in a lie. If you're faithful to your mate, there's no double life to be found out. No visiting porn sites? Well, then go ahead and check my emails all you want. No financial games? Well, no worries about someone finding the numbers don't add up.
But there's great freedom when you know there's nothing you're hiding in the dark. Because in a world where it seems someone's always watching or listening, you never know when someone may turn on the light. In reality, someone already has. In our word today from the Word of God, Hebrews 4:13 , it says, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before His eyes, and He is the one to whom we are accountable."
I have no secrets from God. In fact, Romans 2:16 says, "God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ." All the dark stuff in my heart, my mind, my relationships, my actions; all there on the evidence table when I stand defenseless before that Great Judge. Except for one thing that changes everything. The Bible says, "We have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He Himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins" (1 John 2:1-2 ).
God knows every sin of my life. Jesus paid for every sin of my life with blood on a cross. I will never have to face my sin. I'll never have to face God's judgment. Jesus already did, because He loves me enough to die for me. I'm amazed! I'm forgiven. And I wish for you that great relationship with Jesus; to know that every wrong thing of your life has been erased from God's Book forever; that you will never meet your sin when you meet God on Judgment Day. That you, in fact, will be ready to enter His heaven because your sin has been put under the blood of His Son, Jesus.
Do you want that for you? Well, I hope you'll join me at our website. Let's get this done together. It's ANewStory.com. There's a new beginning waiting for anyone who reaches out to Jesus to be their Personal Rescuer from the sins of a lifetime.
And today you can begin to walk in the light with nothing to hide.
