Max Lucado Daily: Salvation is Found in Christ
John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." The phrase, believes in him, doesn't digest well in our day of self-sufficient spiritual food. Believe in yourself is the common menu selection of our day. Try harder. Work longer. Dig deeper. Self-reliance is our goal. In him smacks of exclusion.
Salvation comes in many forms, right? No. Salvation is found, not in self or in them, but in him! Romans 4:5 says, "To the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness." Our spiritual legs have no strength. Our morality has no muscle. Our good deeds cannot carry us across the finish line…but Christ can!
From 3:16
Acts 18
In Corinth
18 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3 and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. 4 Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.
5 When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. 6 But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
7 Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. 8 Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.
9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” 11 So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.
12 While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews of Corinth made a united attack on Paul and brought him to the place of judgment. 13 “This man,” they charged, “is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.”
14 Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to them, “If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. 15 But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law—settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.” 16 So he drove them off. 17 Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the proconsul; and Gallio showed no concern whatever.
Priscilla, Aquila and Apollos
18 Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken. 19 They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. 21 But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.” Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22 When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.
23 After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
24 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor[a] and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.
27 When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. 28 For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.
Footnotes:
Acts 18:25 Or with fervor in the Spirit
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Read: Numbers 7:1-9
Offerings of Dedication
On the day Moses set up the Tabernacle, he anointed it and set it apart as holy. He also anointed and set apart all its furnishings and the altar with its utensils. 2 Then the leaders of Israel—the tribal leaders who had registered the troops—came and brought their offerings. 3 Together they brought six large wagons and twelve oxen. There was a wagon for every two leaders and an ox for each leader. They presented these to the Lord in front of the Tabernacle.
4 Then the Lord said to Moses, 5 “Receive their gifts, and use these oxen and wagons for transporting the Tabernacle.[a] Distribute them among the Levites according to the work they have to do.” 6 So Moses took the wagons and oxen and presented them to the Levites. 7 He gave two wagons and four oxen to the Gershonite division for their work, 8 and he gave four wagons and eight oxen to the Merarite division for their work. All their work was done under the leadership of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest. 9 But he gave none of the wagons or oxen to the Kohathite division, since they were required to carry the sacred objects of the Tabernacle on their shoulders.
Footnotes:
7:5 Hebrew the Tent of Meeting; also in 7:89.
INSIGHT:
When we read the books of Leviticus and Numbers, we may wonder why so much detail is given about laws, the construction of the tabernacle, and the provisions for the “holy things.” It may seem unimportant for our understanding of the text. Much detail is also recorded about the garden of Eden in Genesis and the New Jerusalem in Revelation. The details capture the beauty of what was required for God to dwell with His people. J.R. Hudberg
God’s Way
By Marion Stroud
They were to carry on their shoulders the holy things, for which they were responsible. Numbers 7:9
We really needed to hear from God. Having been asked to foster two young children as an emergency measure just for 3 months, a decision had to be made about their future. With three older children of our own, becoming foster parents to preschoolers didn’t seem to fit with our life plan and having our family almost double in size had been hard work. Our book of daily readings by the veteran missionary Amy Carmichael directed us to some unfamiliar verses in Numbers 7.
“I wonder how the Kohathites felt?” Amy wrote. “All the other priests had ox-carts to carry their parts of the tabernacle through the desert. But the sons of Kohath had to trudge along the rocky tracks and through the burning sand, with the ‘holy things for which they were responsible’ on their shoulders. Did they ever grumble inwardly, feeling that the other priests had an easier task? Perhaps! But God knows that some things are too precious to be carried on ox-carts and then He asks us to carry them on our shoulders.”
If our loving Father has handpicked us for our task, who are we to whisper, “I can’t do this”?
My husband and I knew this was our answer. We had often thought of sponsoring a child from an undeveloped country, but we hadn’t done so. That would have been easier, much like the ox-cart. Now we had two needy children in our own home to carry “on our shoulders” because they were so precious to Him.
God has different plans for each of us. We might feel that others have an easier assignment, or a more glamorous role to play. But if our loving Father has handpicked us for our task, who are we to whisper, “I can’t do this”?
God uses ordinary people to carry out His extraordinary plans.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Can a Saint Falsely Accuse God?
All the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen… —2 Corinthians 1:20
esus’ parable of the talents recorded in Matthew 25:14-30 was a warning that it is possible for us to misjudge our capacities. This parable has nothing to do with natural gifts and abilities, but relates to the gift of the Holy Spirit as He was first given at Pentecost. We must never measure our spiritual capacity on the basis of our education or our intellect; our capacity in spiritual things is measured on the basis of the promises of God. If we get less than God wants us to have, we will falsely accuse Him as the servant falsely accused his master when he said, “You expect more of me than you gave me the power to do. You demand too much of me, and I cannot stand true to you here where you have placed me.” When it is a question of God’s Almighty Spirit, never say, “I can’t.” Never allow the limitation of your own natural ability to enter into the matter. If we have received the Holy Spirit, God expects the work of the Holy Spirit to be exhibited in us.
The servant justified himself, while condemning his lord on every point, as if to say, “Your demand on me is way out of proportion to what you gave to me.” Have we been falsely accusing God by daring to worry after He has said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you”? (Matthew 6:33). Worrying means exactly what this servant implied— “I know your intent is to leave me unprotected and vulnerable.” A person who is lazy in the natural realm is always critical, saying, “I haven’t had a decent chance,” and someone who is lazy in the spiritual realm is critical of God. Lazy people always strike out at others in an independent way.
Never forget that our capacity and capability in spiritual matters is measured by, and based on, the promises of God. Is God able to fulfill His promises? Our answer depends on whether or not we have received the Holy Spirit.
Wisdom From Oswald Chambers
Am I learning how to use my Bible? The way to become complete for the Master’s service is to be well soaked in the Bible; some of us only exploit certain passages. Our Lord wants to give us continuous instruction out of His word; continuous instruction turns hearers into disciples. Approved Unto God, 11 L
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Your Defiant Comeback - #7638
It was the final event of the men's gymnastics competition in the 2004 Athens Olympics. American Paul Hamm's hopes for the gold medal seemed to come crashing down. He made a lopsided landing and actually toppled into the judges' tables. That gave him a disappointing 9.137 score that virtually doomed his chances for a first place finish. After some moments of what he described as "depression," he decided to fight back with what would have to be the best two performances of his life, just to win the bronze.
Paul took a deep breath and he began to move powerfully through the air with a routine that was filled with technical challenges. It was a nearly perfect performance with a solid landing at the end. His score: 9.837. At first, he didn't know what that meant in terms of a medal. Then he heard his coach screaming, "Olympic champion!" The gold medal was his.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Your Defiant Comeback."
Paul Hamm messed up, but he didn't give up. He fell down, but he didn't stay down. Maybe that's a picture of you, or it's going to be a picture of you because you've messed up. You've made some mistakes. That failure could be final if you let it be. Or you can get up and make a defiant comeback. Which is exactly what the devil is counting on you not doing. He got you down, and he's hoping you'll be so discouraged, so defeated, you'll stay down. This is your day to say, "No way, Satan! I belong to Jesus, and in His strength, I am coming back!"
That kind of comeback defiance is powerfully expressed in our word for today from the Word of God in Micah 7, beginning with verse 8. "Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light." Getting up again, coming back – that's a choice, one you need to make this very day. Serve notice that the devil's victory is a temporary victory. You're not staying down.
Micah goes on to say, "Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the Lord's wrath, until he pleads my case and establishes my right." You can't recover unless you repent. The comeback trail really begins at the cross of Jesus where you acknowledge your sin and remember that it took the death of God's Son to pay for it. How will He respond? Hebrews 7:25 says, "He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them." He pleads your case, and your sin is erased from God's Book. After a horrendous sin of immorality, here was David's turning point: He said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord...and You forgave me the guilt of my sin." Out of the darkness; back into the light.
Micah's announcement of a spiritual comeback continues: "He will bring me out into the light; I will see His righteousness. Then my enemy will see it and will be covered with shame." The devil's been trying to bury you in shame. You need to get up; remove whatever junk might bring you down again, and then declare, "Lord, I am going to make the devil sorry he ever messed with me. I'm going to push back the darkness and I'm going to take prisoners away from him! He's going to be the one who ends up covered with shame!"
You can be walking, talking proof of the grace, the love, and the restoring power of Jesus Christ; turning your fall into a mighty testimony for Jesus. That voice that's telling you, "It's over. What's the use? God doesn't love you after what you've done." That's the voice of hell, and those are lies! The truth is that according to the Bible, "where sin increased, grace increased all the more" (Romans 5:20).
And because of God's amazing grace, your fall does not have to be final. You went down, but you're not staying down. You're going to come back more of a winner, and more of a warrior than ever before!
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