Max Lucado Daily: A Vision of the Reward
Paul said in II Corinthians 4:16-18, “We do not lose heart. . .for our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.” Hear what Paul called “light and momentary”—not what I’d have called them, and I think you’ll agree. Imprisoned. Beaten. Stoned. Shipwrecked three times. In constant danger. Hungry and thirsty. Light and momentary troubles? How could Paul describe endless trials with that phrase? He tells us. He could see “an eternal glory that far out-weighs them all.”
And you–you want to go on, but some days the road seems so long. Let me encourage you with this: God never said the journey would be easy, but he did say that the arrival would be worth it!
From In the Eye of the Storm
Exodus 19
At Mount Sinai (View from Mt. Sinai)
On the first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on that very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai. 2 After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.
3 Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you[a] will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
7 So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. 8 The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.
9 The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.
10 And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes 11 and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12 Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death. 13 They are to be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on them. No person or animal shall be permitted to live.’ Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”
14 After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. 15 Then he said to the people, “Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations.”
16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain[b] trembled violently. 19 As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.[c]
20 The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up 21 and the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the Lord and many of them perish. 22 Even the priests, who approach the Lord, must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.”
23 Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’”
24 The Lord replied, “Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out against them.”
25 So Moses went down to the people and told them.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Read: 1 Peter 2:9-12
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Living Godly Lives in a Pagan Society
11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
Insight
Peter wrote to Christians who were going through fiery trials of intense persecution (1 Peter 1:6; 4:12). He encouraged these believers to persevere, to remain faithful, and to view these difficult times as opportunities to strengthen their faith and bear witness to Christ. In today’s passage, Peter reminded them of their special identity and spiritual status as God’s chosen people (vv.9-10). “A chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation” are descriptions applied to the Jews in the Old Testament (Ex. 19:5-6; Isa. 43:20-21), but here Peter applies them to believers. He reminds them—and us—that we are chosen by God for the purpose of witnessing and testifying to God’s love (vv.9-10).
The Parable Of The Sting
By Randy Kilgore
I can still see Jay Elliott’s shocked face as I burst through his front door almost 50 years ago with a “gang” of bees swirling around me. As I raced out his back door, I realized the bees were gone. Well, sort of—I’d left them in Jay’s house! Moments later, he came racing out his back door—chased by the bees I had brought to him.
I had more than a dozen stings, with little effect. Jay had a different experience. Though he’d been stung only once or twice by “my” bees, his eyes and throat swelled up in a painful allergic reaction. My actions had caused a lot of pain for my friend.
That’s a picture of what’s true in our interpersonal relationships too. We hurt others when our actions aren’t Christlike. Even after an apology, the “sting” sticks.
People would be right to expect an absence of harshness and an air of patience from those who follow Christ. We forget sometimes that people struggling with faith, or life, or both, watch Christians with expectation. They hope to see less anger and more mercy, less judgment and more compassion, less criticism and more encouragement. Jesus and Peter told us to live good lives so God is given the glory (Matt. 5:16; 1 Peter 2:12). May our actions and reactions point those around us to our loving Father.
We have found that it’s easy to hurt others
with our words or actions. Teach us, Father,
to pause and to think before we speak or act.
Fill us with kindness and care.
May others see less of me and more of Jesus.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Thursday, August 14, 2014
The Discipline of the Lord
My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him —Hebrews 12:5
It is very easy to grieve the Spirit of God; we do it by despising the discipline of the Lord, or by becoming discouraged when He rebukes us. If our experience of being set apart from sin and being made holy through the process of sanctification is still very shallow, we tend to mistake the reality of God for something else. And when the Spirit of God gives us a sense of warning or restraint, we are apt to say mistakenly, “Oh, that must be from the devil.”
“Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19), and do not despise Him when He says to you, in effect, “Don’t be blind on this point anymore— you are not as far along spiritually as you thought you were. Until now I have not been able to reveal this to you, but I’m revealing it to you right now.” When the Lord disciplines you like that, let Him have His way with you. Allow Him to put you into a right-standing relationship before God.
“. . . nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him.” We begin to pout, become irritated with God, and then say, “Oh well, I can’t help it. I prayed and things didn’t turn out right anyway. So I’m simply going to give up on everything.” Just think what would happen if we acted like this in any other area of our lives!
Am I fully prepared to allow God to grip me by His power and do a work in me that is truly worthy of Himself? Sanctification is not my idea of what I want God to do for me— sanctification is God’s idea of what He wants to do for me. But He has to get me into the state of mind and spirit where I will allow Him to sanctify me completely, whatever the cost (see 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Leaving Without a Fill-Up - #7199
Well, as usual, during our summers with Native Americans, we had a memorable time with some of our ministry team on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona and New Mexico that particular year. We had a very busy time of reaching people. We did have one break, so we packed as many of us into a van as we could and drove to see this spectacular canyon.
Now, as we were leaving, it was approaching dark, and we thought, "Well, there are two ways back. And we've got to get up early tomorrow morning for a meeting." One was long but paved; the other was short but unpaved and went across the mountain. We decided we would take the short road, and even though it was a little bumpy, we'd go over the mountain. I started out driving, and then my wife took over driving. All of a sudden we felt this lurching, and she went, "Oh, no! I think we're out of gas. I can't believe it!"
Well, someone had mentioned briefly that there was a problem with the fuel gauge before we left, and I glanced at it before we left home. It said three quarters of a tank. Now, it would have been a good idea to fill up before we left civilization. I didn't. As a result, here we sat in the dark on a lonely back road, 40 miles from the nearest town, praying like crazy. Well, thank God, He sent us a Good Samaritan, who went 40 miles for gas. So, Ron, what did you learn?
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Leaving Without a Fill-Up."
Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Luke 24. I'll begin reading at verse 47, where God is preparing His people to get ready to do a great work for Him. Here's what He said to His disciples. "Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what My Father has promised, (That was to be the Holy Spirit.) but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."
So, God has great things in store for you guys; great things that He'd like you to accomplish for Him through your life. Can you imagine the disciples going, "Well, let's get to work! We've got a lot to do." They're ready to run out the door and start doing. He says, "No, wait! Stay. Wait. Wait for the power first."
I wonder if that's why so many of us have flopped when we've tried to do something for the Lord? We ran off to do it before we got the power to do it. Like a certain radio host I know very well, who set off on this trip without filling up with fuel. And he ended up stranded in the middle of his trip.
Maybe you've had days like that spiritually when you're trying to work for the Lord. You've started off your day, but you were in too big a hurry to be with the Lord for very long. You didn't wait for His power. Or you're involved in a work for the Lord and you plunged right in. You're working hard to get it right and get it down. There was so much to do, but you ran out of gas right in the middle. It didn't work did it?
Again, you didn't do what Jesus said here, "Stay, and wait until you have been clothed with power from on high." Jesus likened it to getting dressed. He said, "Don't go out unclothed. Don't run out in your spiritual unmentionables to live for the Lord or to try to serve the Lord." We've got to take time to get prayed up before we start running for Jesus. The prayer meeting has got to precede any other meeting. We've got to be in His Book every day looking for His personal guidance. We've got to get on our knees; get on our face and re-surrender to Him for that day; that work. We need to come to the point of seeing that we are unworthy and powerless when it comes to doing anything for Jesus. And at that point of self-emptying, of brokenness, you let the power of Almighty God take over.
My reservation drive wasn't the first trip where I left without a fill-up, because spiritually, I've done that too many times. Maybe you have too. Right now, would you slow down and just pull over to God's great fuel tank? You're not going to finish your journey if you don't take the time to fill up before you go.