Max Lucado Daily: Better to be Quiet
When you sense the volume increasing and the heat rising, close your mouth. It’s better to be quiet and keep a brother than be loud and lose one. Romans 14:4 makes it clear… “they are God’s servants, not yours. They are responsible to him, not to you. Let him tell them whether they are right or wrong.”
We judge others when we stop addressing the controversy and start attacking the character. Example? “You’d expect such an opinion out of a person who never studies the Bible!” If we disagree, let us disagree agreeably. Unity demands that we discuss the issues, not the person. Paul said, “Let us try to do what makes peace and helps one another” (Rom. 14:19).
1 Peter 4:8 says, “Love shall cover the multitude of sins.” So, if love covers a multitude of sins, can it not cover a multitude of opinions?
From Max on Life
Deuteronomy 34
Moses Dies and Is Buried in the Land of Moab
Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho, and the Lord showed him the whole land: Gilead as far as Dan, 2 all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, 3 the Negeb, and the Plain—that is, the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees—as far as Zoar. 4 The Lord said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants’; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.” 5 Then Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, at the Lord’s command. 6 He was buried in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor, but no one knows his burial place to this day. 7 Moses was one hundred twenty years old when he died; his sight was unimpaired and his vigor had not abated. 8 The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the period of mourning for Moses was ended.
9 Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him; and the Israelites obeyed him, doing as the Lord had commanded Moses.
10 Never since has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. 11 He was unequaled for all the signs and wonders that the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his entire land, 12 and for all the mighty deeds and all the terrifying displays of power that Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Friday, January 30, 2015
Read: Mark 14:32-42
Jesus Prays in Gethsemane
They went to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 He took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be distressed and agitated. 34 And he said to them, “I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake.” 35 And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 He said, “Abba,[a] Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.” 37 He came and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep awake one hour? 38 Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial;[b] the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40 And once more he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to say to him. 41 He came a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Enough! The hour has come; the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.”
Footnotes:
Mark 14:36 Aramaic for Father
Mark 14:38 Or into temptation
INSIGHT: Prayer was the essence of Jesus’ relationship with the Father. He often withdrew to a solitary place to pray (Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16; 9:18). Sometimes He spent long hours communicating with His Father (Luke 6:12; John 17) and other times He prayed short, quick prayers (Matt. 14:19; Luke 23:34,46; John 12:27).
Sledding And Praying
By Dave Branon
Now it came to pass in those days that [Jesus] went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. —Luke 6:12
When the snow flies in Michigan, I like to get my grandkids, grab our plastic sleds, and go slipping and sliding down our backyard. We zoom down the hill for about 10 seconds, and then climb back up for more.
When I travel to Alaska with a bunch of teenagers, we also go sledding. We are hauled by bus nearly to the top of a mountain. We jump on our sleds and, for the next 10 to 20 minutes (depending on levels of bravery), we slide at breakneck speeds down the mountain, holding on for dear life.
Ten seconds in my backyard or 10 minutes down an Alaskan mountain. They’re both called sledding, but there is clearly a difference.
I’ve been thinking about this in regard to prayer. Sometimes we do the “10 seconds in the backyard” kind of praying—a quick, spur-of-the-moment prayer or a short thanks before eating. At other times, we’re drawn to “down the mountain” praying—extended, intense times that require concentration and passion in our relationship with Him. Both have their place and are vital to our lives.
Jesus prayed often, and sometimes for a long time (Luke 6:12; Mark 14:32-42). Either way, let us bring the desires of our heart to the God of the backyards and the mountains of our lives.
Lord, please challenge us to pray constantly—both in
short sessions and long. As we face the valleys, hills,
and mountains of our lives, may we lift our hearts
and minds to You in constant communication.
The heart of prayer is prayer from the heart.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Friday, January 30, 2015
The Dilemma of Obedience
Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision. —1 Samuel 3:15
God never speaks to us in dramatic ways, but in ways that are easy to misunderstand. Then we say, “I wonder if that is God’s voice?” Isaiah said that the Lord spoke to him “with a strong hand,” that is, by the pressure of his circumstances (Isaiah 8:11). Without the sovereign hand of God Himself, nothing touches our lives. Do we discern His hand at work, or do we see things as mere occurrences?
Get into the habit of saying, “Speak, Lord,” and life will become a romance (1 Samuel 3:9). Every time circumstances press in on you, say, “Speak, Lord,” and make time to listen. Chastening is more than a means of discipline— it is meant to bring me to the point of saying, “Speak, Lord.” Think back to a time when God spoke to you. Do you remember what He said? Was it Luke 11:13, or was it 1 Thessalonians 5:23? As we listen, our ears become more sensitive, and like Jesus, we will hear God all the time.
Should I tell my “Eli” what God has shown to me? This is where the dilemma of obedience hits us. We disobey God by becoming amateur providences and thinking, “I must shield ‘Eli,’ ” who represents the best people we know. God did not tell Samuel to tell Eli— he had to decide that for himself. God’s message to you may hurt your “Eli,” but trying to prevent suffering in another’s life will prove to be an obstruction between your soul and God. It is at your own risk that you prevent someone’s right hand being cut off or right eye being plucked out (see Matthew 5:29-30).
Never ask another person’s advice about anything God makes you decide before Him. If you ask advice, you will almost always side with Satan. “…I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood…” (Galatians 1:16).
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Friday, January 30, 2015
Reservation Tested - #7320
Our family's had the wonderful privilege to spend some unforgettable ministry days on Native American reservations in the southwest. And when you're there you do a lot of driving. Now, the vehicle of choice there is not a car. No, no, no you want a truck. The roads there are, shall we say, of uneven quality. A lot of places are only accessible on roads that are steep and bumpy, and it challenges the durability of any vehicle or passenger for that matter.
Now, I heard the radio stations in that area, advertised some trucks. And they often use one phrase to promote the quality of their trucks and everybody knew what they meant. This macho voice would come on and say, "It's reservation tested!"
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Reservation Tested."
Our word for today from the Word of God, we're in Luke 4, beginning at verse 1. It's the familiar story of the temptation of Jesus. It says, "Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan." Now remember that's when He had just been baptized. The Spirit had come down from heaven in the form of a dove, and He heard the Father's voice saying, 'This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.'" In essence the Trinity was reconvened at that moment. For Jesus, that was probably the ultimate spiritual high.
And then it says, "Then He was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days He was tempted by the Devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them He was hungry. And the Devil said to Him, 'If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.' Jesus answered, 'It is written, man does not live on bread alone.'"
There are two more temptations that come right at the weak spots of Jesus. And He again answers with the Word of God. After the Devil finally gives up and leaves, it says in verse 14, "Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit and news about Him spread through the whole countryside. He taught in the synagogues and everyone praised Him."
See this is the beginning of the public ministry of Jesus Christ. And there is a cycle in this incident in Jesus' life that is repeated many times in yours and mine. First, the Spirit's touch. For Jesus that was His baptism at the Jordan River. That's when the Lord comes in this most evident, almost tangible way. You remember times like that. A feeling in your life when the Lord was so dramatic in the way He revealed Himself when He spoke to you? There's no doubt that He's there.
That's the beginning. At the end of the cycle comes the Spirit's triumph. We saw it at the end of this story that Jesus' life exploded into ministry. Now, the end of that cycle for you is that the Spirit's touch ultimately ends with your life becoming very powerful, affecting many other lives. But did you notice what's in-between the Spirit touch, and the Spirit triumph? It's a Spirit test. That's your time to be reservation tested.
It's hot. It's bumpy. It's lonely, You've taken a beating. There is no dove there. There's no voice from heaven. The Devil feels more real than God does. There's doubt and temptation and deprivation. Your feelings - they're not inspired any more. You're just numb. Does that sound familiar at all? Well you know what we learn from Jesus' Experience - that's the road to power, but you have to go through the desert.
The Bible says the Old Testament saints were led into the desert to test what was in their heart. It's not the spiritual high that makes the work of God real in your life. It's the time when there's no feeling, there's no outward evidence of God at work. Notice, the wilderness isn't the Devil's idea. It's his opportunity. But it's the Spirit's idea. It's the wilderness that proves the reality of what God said to you in the high times. Your Lord leads you into this wilderness to wean you from depending on evidence of Him to depending only on Him. He wants you to test the power of God's Word by taking down the Prince of Darkness with only God's Word in your hand. Because it's all you've got.
You'll feel more powerful after the Spirit's touch. But you really are more powerful after the Spirit's triumph. Remember, the reason God may be driving you over difficult roads is to make you a powerful vehicle for Him.