Max Lucado Daily: GOING OUR OWN WAY
Is there anything in your life that needs to be removed? Any impediment to the impression of God’s Spirit? We can grieve the Spirit with our angry words and resist the Spirit in our disobedience. We can test or conspire against the Spirit in our plottings. We can even quench the Spirit by having no regard for God’s teachings.
But there is something that helps us stay in step with the Spirit from Galatians 5:22. We know that the “fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” They are indicators on our spiritual dashboard. So whenever we sense them, we know we are walking in the Spirit. Whenever we lack them, we know we are out of step with the Spirit! Do your best to follow the admonition of Galatians 5:25 and “Keep in step with the Spirit!”
From More to Your Story
1 Chronicles 9
All these were the descendants of Benjamin.
9 All Israel was listed in the genealogies recorded in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. They were taken captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness.
The People in Jerusalem
2 Now the first to resettle on their own property in their own towns were some Israelites, priests, Levites and temple servants.
3 Those from Judah, from Benjamin, and from Ephraim and Manasseh who lived in Jerusalem were:
4 Uthai son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, a descendant of Perez son of Judah.
5 Of the Shelanites[m]:
Asaiah the firstborn and his sons.
6 Of the Zerahites:
Jeuel.
The people from Judah numbered 690.
7 Of the Benjamites:
Sallu son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah;
8 Ibneiah son of Jeroham; Elah son of Uzzi, the son of Mikri; and Meshullam son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah.
9 The people from Benjamin, as listed in their genealogy, numbered 956. All these men were heads of their families.
10 Of the priests:
Jedaiah; Jehoiarib; Jakin;
11 Azariah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the official in charge of the house of God;
12 Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah; and Maasai son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer.
13 The priests, who were heads of families, numbered 1,760. They were able men, responsible for ministering in the house of God.
14 Of the Levites:
Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, a Merarite; 15 Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal and Mattaniah son of Mika, the son of Zikri, the son of Asaph; 16 Obadiah son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun; and Berekiah son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites.
17 The gatekeepers:
Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman and their fellow Levites, Shallum their chief 18 being stationed at the King’s Gate on the east, up to the present time. These were the gatekeepers belonging to the camp of the Levites. 19 Shallum son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his fellow gatekeepers from his family (the Korahites) were responsible for guarding the thresholds of the tent just as their ancestors had been responsible for guarding the entrance to the dwelling of the Lord. 20 In earlier times Phinehas son of Eleazar was the official in charge of the gatekeepers, and the Lord was with him. 21 Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was the gatekeeper at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
22 Altogether, those chosen to be gatekeepers at the thresholds numbered 212. They were registered by genealogy in their villages. The gatekeepers had been assigned to their positions of trust by David and Samuel the seer. 23 They and their descendants were in charge of guarding the gates of the house of the Lord—the house called the tent of meeting. 24 The gatekeepers were on the four sides: east, west, north and south. 25 Their fellow Levites in their villages had to come from time to time and share their duties for seven-day periods. 26 But the four principal gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted with the responsibility for the rooms and treasuries in the house of God. 27 They would spend the night stationed around the house of God, because they had to guard it; and they had charge of the key for opening it each morning.
28 Some of them were in charge of the articles used in the temple service; they counted them when they were brought in and when they were taken out. 29 Others were assigned to take care of the furnishings and all the other articles of the sanctuary, as well as the special flour and wine, and the olive oil, incense and spices. 30 But some of the priests took care of mixing the spices. 31 A Levite named Mattithiah, the firstborn son of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with the responsibility for baking the offering bread. 32 Some of the Kohathites, their fellow Levites, were in charge of preparing for every Sabbath the bread set out on the table.
33 Those who were musicians, heads of Levite families, stayed in the rooms of the temple and were exempt from other duties because they were responsible for the work day and night.
34 All these were heads of Levite families, chiefs as listed in their genealogy, and they lived in Jerusalem.
The Genealogy of Saul
35 Jeiel the father[n] of Gibeon lived in Gibeon.
His wife’s name was Maakah, 36 and his firstborn son was Abdon, followed by Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab, 37 Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah and Mikloth. 38 Mikloth was the father of Shimeam. They too lived near their relatives in Jerusalem.
39 Ner was the father of Kish, Kish the father of Saul, and Saul the father of Jonathan, Malki-Shua, Abinadab and Esh-Baal.[o]
40 The son of Jonathan:
Merib-Baal,[p] who was the father of Micah.
41 The sons of Micah:
Pithon, Melek, Tahrea and Ahaz.[q]
42 Ahaz was the father of Jadah, Jadah[r] was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth and Zimri, and Zimri was the father of Moza. 43 Moza was the father of Binea; Rephaiah was his son, Eleasah his son and Azel his son.
44 Azel had six sons, and these were their names:
Azrikam, Bokeru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.
Footnotes:
1 Chronicles 9:35 Father may mean civic leader or military leader.
1 Chronicles 9:39 Also known as Ish-Bosheth
1 Chronicles 9:40 Also known as Mephibosheth
1 Chronicles 9:41 Vulgate and Syriac (see also Septuagint and 8:35); Hebrew does not have and Ahaz.
1 Chronicles 9:42 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 8:36); most Hebrew manuscripts Jarah, Jarah
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Read: Luke 10:38-11:4
Jesus Visits Martha and Mary
38 As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. 40 But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”
41 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! 42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Teaching about Prayer
11 Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
2 Jesus said, “This is how you should pray:[a]
“Father, may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon.
3 Give us each day the food we need,[b]
4 and forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
And don’t let us yield to temptation.[c]”
Footnotes:
11:2 Some manuscripts add additional phrases from the Lord’s Prayer as it reads in Matt 6:9-13.
11:3 Or Give us each day our food for the day; or Give us each day our food for tomorrow.
11:4 Or And keep us from being tested.
INSIGHT:
Martha was lovingly rebuked by Christ for her attitude in Luke 10:38–42. Yet later, in John 11:17–27, she made a profound statement of trust and dependence upon Christ following the death of her brother, Lazarus. Then in John 12:1–7 she once again served Jesus and His disciples, yet without any mention of the kinds of frustration pictured in Luke 10. It seems that Martha had grown in her relationship with Christ.
The Bread That Satisfies
By Lawrence Darmani
Give us each day our daily bread. Luke 11:3
I learned to recite the Lord's Prayer as a boy in primary school. Every time I said the line, "Give us today our daily bread" (Matt. 6:11), I couldn't help but think about the bread that we got only occasionally at home. Only when my father returned from his trip into town did we have a loaf of bread. So asking God to give us our daily bread was a relevant prayer to me.
How curious I was when years later I discovered the booklet Our Daily Bread. I knew the title came from the Lord’s Prayer, but I also knew it couldn’t be talking about the loaf of bread from the baker’s shop. I discovered as I read the booklet regularly that this "bread," full of Scripture portions and helpful notes, was spiritual food for the soul.
He is the Bread that satisfies.
It was spiritual food that Mary chose when she sat at the feet of Jesus and listened attentively to His words (Luke 10:39). While Martha wearied herself with concern about physical food, Mary was taking time to be near their guest, the Lord Jesus, and to listen to Him. May we take that time as well. He is the Bread of Life (John 6:35), and He feeds our hearts with spiritual food. He is the Bread that satisfies.
I sit before You now, Lord, and want to learn from You. My heart is open to hear from You in Your Word. Teach me. Feed me.
“I am the bread of life.” Jesus
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Living Simply— Yet Focused
Look at the birds of the air….Consider the lilies of the field… —Matthew 6:26, 28
“Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin”— they simply are! Think of the sea, the air, the sun, the stars, and the moon— all of these simply are as well— yet what a ministry and service they render on our behalf! So often we impair God’s designed influence, which He desires to exhibit through us, because of our own conscious efforts to be consistent and useful. Jesus said there is only one way to develop and grow spiritually, and that is through focusing and concentrating on God. In essence, Jesus was saying, “Do not worry about being of use to others; simply believe on Me.” In other words, pay attention to the Source, and out of you “will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). We cannot discover the source of our natural life through common sense and reasoning, and Jesus is teaching here that growth in our spiritual life comes not from focusing directly on it, but from concentrating on our Father in heaven. Our heavenly Father knows our circumstances, and if we will stay focused on Him, instead of our circumstances, we will grow spiritually— just as “the lilies of the field.”
The people who influence us the most are not those who detain us with their continual talk, but those who live their lives like the stars in the sky and “the lilies of the field”— simply and unaffectedly. Those are the lives that mold and shape us.
If you want to be of use to God, maintain the proper relationship with Jesus Christ by staying focused on Him, and He will make use of you every minute you live— yet you will be unaware, on the conscious level of your life, that you are being used of Him.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
Defenders of the faith are inclined to be bitter until they learn to walk in the light of the Lord. When you have learned to walk in the light of the Lord, bitterness and contention are impossible.
Biblical Psychology
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
It was almost nighty-night time – which is always a challenge when a grandma is sitting on the babies – I mean, well, we call it babysitting I guess. My favorite grandma was babysitting our five and two-year old grandsons at the time and reading them a night-night story. That's when the thunderstorm decided to really start doing its thing. I mean big thunder! Big lightning! Big grandson eyes! I would have helped, but I was under the bed. Now, my wife is a very resourceful person. She said, "Hey, guys, did you know that every time you hear thunder, it's time for a thunder hug?" Well, they were eager to feel Grandma's hug right then. And a few other times that night. I even came out from under the bed for one. You know, the sky would roar and they'd come running saying, "It's time for a thunder hug!"
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "All Those People Who Need You."
We all need them, don't we? I mean those thunder hugs. Especially at times when the storm is picking up and our security is shaking. I for one am deeply grateful that we have in our God a Heavenly Father who we can always run to and say, "It's time for a thunder hug!" And He has wonderfully promised that He is "our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in time of trouble. Therefore, we will not fear..." (Psalm 46:1-2). That's why David could say when he was a fugitive for his life, "I sought the Lord and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears" (Psalm 34:4).
But we're running into people all the time who are, at that moment, in desperate need of a thunder hug – because it's their lonely time, or their broken time, or hurting time, or fear time. In a busy world, it's getting harder and harder to find someone who will see that you're in need of some tenderness and encouragement and stop long enough to give it to you.
The story our Savior told in Luke 10 is very much for you and me, and very much about people we know or people we're meeting. In answer to a question about what it means to love your neighbor – and who Jesus meant when He said "neighbor" – Jesus told about the man attacked by thieves on the Jericho Road. In Jesus' words He had been stripped, beaten, and left for dead. Two religious leaders saw the need and walked on by.
Then in Luke 10:33-34, our word for today from the Word of God, Jesus said: "A Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him." So, who's your neighbor? Well, first and foremost, that person in your path who needs someone to stop and offer their love and their assistance – who needs a thunder hug in the storm.
We'll never really fulfill what Jesus called the second great commandment unless we're looking for and stopping for people who need us. Or are we too busy? Too self-absorbed? Too preoccupied? If you're sitting there waiting for someone to give you some thunder hugs, your first order of business should be for you to look for someone who needs your thunder hug. Many of us may feel we just don't have the gifts to have a speaking or teaching or music ministry. But this is ministry within the reach of every child of God!
Sometimes, we avoid people in need because we're not sure what to say. It's not your words they need anyway. They need your attention, your affection, your availability. What they don't need is your analysis, your judgment, your criticism, or your fixing. They just need to feel the heart of Jesus through your heart and the hug of Jesus through your hug.
So, open your eyes to the wounded people, the invisible people, the struggling people and stop for them. Don't be another religious person who passes by on the other side. It may be someone when you get home tonight, someone who needs a call, a note, an e-mail. Maybe it's someone at church, at school, at work, in the middle of your errands, on Facebook. But if you'll look at their face and listen for their heart, you'll know the storm is really intense for them right now. And you'll know what time it is. It's time for a thunder hug!
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