Max Lucado Daily: God’s Goal is Wholeness
Afflictions can sideline the sufferer. Everyone else has a place in the parade. You’d join them if only the tumor would stop growing. You have mood swings as wide and wild as the African Serengeti. And you’ve wondered, “What am I do to with this ailment?”
The blind and the suffering brought their concerns to Jesus. They didn’t ask for Peter or John. They made no request of the disciples or followers. They went straight to the top. They cried out to Jesus. Persistently, personally, passionately. “I need help. Heal me!” You need to do the same. God’s goal for you is wholeness. Your whole self—spirit, soul, and body!
Before you say amen—comes the power of a simple prayer! Sign on at BeforeAmen.com and take the brief Prayer Strengths Assessment.
From Before Amen
Mark 14:1-26
The Plot to Kill Jesus
It was two days before the Passover and the festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to arrest Jesus[a] by stealth and kill him; 2 for they said, “Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people.”
The Anointing at Bethany
3 While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,[b] as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. 4 But some were there who said to one another in anger, “Why was the ointment wasted in this way? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii,[c] and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her. 6 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. 7 For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the good news[d] is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.”
Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus
10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. 11 When they heard it, they were greatly pleased, and promised to give him money. So he began to look for an opportunity to betray him.
The Passover with the Disciples
12 On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, his disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?” 13 So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, 14 and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks, Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15 He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.” 16 So the disciples set out and went to the city, and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.
17 When it was evening, he came with the twelve. 18 And when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” 19 They began to be distressed and to say to him one after another, “Surely, not I?” 20 He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread[e] into the bowl[f] with me. 21 For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.”
The Institution of the Lord’s Supper
22 While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” 23 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. 24 He said to them, “This is my blood of the[g] covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
Peter’s Denial Foretold
26 When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Footnotes:
Mark 14:1 Gk him
Mark 14:3 The terms leper and leprosy can refer to several diseases
Mark 14:5 The denarius was the usual day’s wage for a laborer
Mark 14:9 Or gospel
Mark 14:20 Gk lacks bread
Mark 14:20 Other ancient authorities read same bowl
Mark 14:24 Other ancient authorities add new
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Read: Philippians 2:12-18
Shining as Lights in the World
Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
14 Do all things without murmuring and arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world. 16 It is by your holding fast to the word of life that I can boast on the day of Christ that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 But even if I am being poured out as a libation over the sacrifice and the offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you— 18 and in the same way you also must be glad and rejoice with me.
Insight
Paul tells the followers of Christ in Philippi that they are lights among a “crooked and perverse generation” (Phil. 2:15). But the progression of Paul’s thought should be noted. When we live our lives in harmony and concern for others “without complaining and disputing” (v.14), we become blameless and harmless and shine in the world (v.15). Christ is made known in the world through us when our lives reflect the humility and love of our Lord.
The Drinking Gourd
By Dennis Fisher
Shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life. —Philippians 2:15-16
Prior to the American Civil War (1861–1865), fugitive slaves found freedom by following the Underground Railroad, a term for the secret routes from the South to the North and the abolitionists who helped them along the way. Slaves would travel at night for many miles, keeping on track by following the light of the “Drinking Gourd.” This was a code name for the collection of stars known as the Big Dipper, which points to the North Star. Some believe the fugitives also used encoded directions in the lyrics of the song “Follow the Drinking Gourd” to keep them from getting lost as they traveled.
Both the abolitionists and the “drinking gourd” served as points of light directing the slaves to freedom. The apostle Paul says that believers are to shine as “lights in the world” to show the way to those seeking God’s truth, redemption, and spiritual liberation (Phil. 2:15).
We live in a dark world that desperately needs to see the light of Jesus Christ. Our calling is to shine forth God’s truth so that others can be directed to the One who redeems and is the path to liberty and life. We point the way to Jesus, the One who is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).
Dear Lord, thank You for redeeming me and giving
me new life. Give me compassion for those who are
still lost in spiritual darkness. Use me to be a light
that points others to You, the Light of the world.
Light up your world by reflecting the light of Jesus.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
The Supreme Climb
He said, "Take now your son…" —Genesis 22:2
God’s command is, “Take now,” not later. It is incredible how we debate! We know something is right, but we try to find excuses for not doing it immediately. If we are to climb to the height God reveals, it can never be done later— it must be done now. And the sacrifice must be worked through our will before we actually perform it.
“So Abraham rose early in the morning…and went to the place of which God had told him” (Genesis 22:3). Oh, the wonderful simplicity of Abraham! When God spoke, he did not “confer with flesh and blood” (Galatians 1:16). Beware when you want to “confer with flesh and blood” or even your own thoughts, insights, or understandings— anything that is not based on your personal relationship with God. These are all things that compete with and hinder obedience to God.
Abraham did not choose what the sacrifice would be. Always guard against self-chosen service for God. Self-sacrifice may be a disease that impairs your service. If God has made your cup sweet, drink it with grace; or even if He has made it bitter, drink it in communion with Him. If the providential will of God means a hard and difficult time for you, go through it. But never decide the place of your own martyrdom, as if to say, “I will only go to there, but no farther.” God chose the test for Abraham, and Abraham neither delayed nor protested, but steadily obeyed. If you are not living in touch with God, it is easy to blame Him or pass judgment on Him. You must go through the trial before you have any right to pronounce a verdict, because by going through the trial you learn to know God better. God is working in us to reach His highest goals until His purpose and our purpose become one.
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Soft Cement - #7262
If you're walking along the street and you kinda see some couples' initials written in the sidewalk cement (isn't that romantic!), you know it wasn't put there today. It's doubtful they spent hours chiseling it into the cement. You know those impressions had to be made when that sidewalk had just been laid, right, right before it turned hard? You know that famous theater in Hollywood where they have the footprints of many stars in the sidewalk. Well I've seen photos of stars contributing their footprints, and they didn't use a jackhammer or chisel. No, they did it in fresh cement; soft enough to write in. If they waited, well it would be pretty tough to leave their mark.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Soft Cement."
Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Psalm 78, and David begins here in verse 4, "We will not hide God's commandments from our children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power and the wonders He has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which He commanded our forefathers to teach their children so the next generation would know them. Even the children yet to be born and they in turn would tell their children." Now you can see David here is totally focused on the future generations, he wants them to know the Lord as he and people he knows have known the Lord.
Here's the battle cry, "We will tell the next generation!" Man, that is still a battle cry. That's a drum beat. And that's never been more urgent than it is today. With so many teenagers who are deciding to die by their own hand. With so many who are addicted. With so many who are abused and then becoming abusers as a result of it. They need to know our Jesus and we know that our Jesus can change their lives forever.
Now, think about this – over two thirds of people who ever come to Christ do it by the age of 18. So if you see someone walk across that graduation platform without Christ in their life, they will probably live and die without Him. And spend eternity without Him. Yeah, we've got to tell this generation about Jesus when the cement is soft. Any passive response - doing nothing - is equivalent to surrendering to an enemy who is actively engaged in enslaving, and diluting, and deceiving the next generation.
Maybe you say, "Well, what can I do? I mean, how can I make a difference?" Well number one, would you just ask God to break your heart for the young people of your area. Many years ago I prayed that God would break my heart for young people and I've never gotten over the heart trouble that resulted and I never want to. And then you pray regularly, passionately for the young people close to you, when you see them on the street corner, when you see them coming out of school, when you see them hanging out at the local store. And then pray for the Christian kids who try to live for Christ in that school and in that community. Pray for those young people at the mall and the ones who are hanging out as you drive past them all the time.
And then listen to where kids really are. I mean it's nothing like our teenage experience. We cannot reach these kids like the kids in the 50s or the 60s or the 70s or the 80s. Interview your own children, or your own grandchildren. Listen to them. Read whatever you can about young people today. The more you listen to where they are I'm convinced the more your heart will be broken.
And then make a commitment to make a difference. Ask God to show you if there's any way you could make a difference for one young person; someone to whom you could show the love of Christ, or maybe a group of them. Be an advocate for ministry to young people: in your church, in an organization that's geared to young people, with your local Christian radio station. Be the one who says, "We've got to tell the next generation folks!" You know what, you say "I don't think I could have a ministry to a young person." Let me ask you this, do you have the ability to make one person feel important? That's what it takes. If you could make one teenager feel like the only person in the world at that moment when they're there with you, you'll be an adult they will never forget.
Remember the cement in young hearts is soft for just a short time, and it's turning hard sooner than ever. If we're going to write Jesus on a person's heart, we'll probably have to do it before they're 18. So let that ancient battle cry become your battle cry, and that of your ministry, your church. "We will tell this next generation!"