Max Lucado Daily: God's Word of Welcome
Whoever-God's wonderful word of welcome! We lose much in life-jobs and chances, and we lose at love. We lose youth and idealism. We lose much, but we never lose our place on God's whoever list.
I love to hear my wife say "whoever." Sometimes it's my favorite fragrance wafting from the kitchen…strawberry cake! I follow the smell like a bird dog follows a trail. Yet I've learned to still my fork until Denalyn gives clearance. "Who is it for?" I ask. She might say, "It's for a friend. Max don't touch it." Or she might throw open the door of delight and say, "Whoever!"
And since I qualify as a whoever, I say "yes!" I hope you will too. Not to the cake, but to God. No status too low. No hour too late. No place too far. However. Whenever. Wherever. Whoever includes you. . .forever!
From: 3:16
Psalm 128
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
1 How joyful are those who fear the Lord—
all who follow his ways!
2 You will enjoy the fruit of your labor.
How joyful and prosperous you will be!
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine,
flourishing within your home.
Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees
as they sit around your table.
4 That is the Lord’s blessing
for those who fear him.
5 May the Lord continually bless you from Zion.
May you see Jerusalem prosper as long as you live.
6 May you live to enjoy your grandchildren.
May Israel have peace!
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Monday, April 18, 2016
Read: 2 Chronicles 20:1-13
War with Surrounding Nations
After this, the armies of the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites[a] declared war on Jehoshaphat. 2 Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army from Edom[b] is marching against you from beyond the Dead Sea.[c] They are already at Hazazon-tamar.” (This was another name for En-gedi.)
3 Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the Lord for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting. 4 So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the Lord’s help.
5 Jehoshaphat stood before the community of Judah and Jerusalem in front of the new courtyard at the Temple of the Lord. 6 He prayed, “O Lord, God of our ancestors, you alone are the God who is in heaven. You are ruler of all the kingdoms of the earth. You are powerful and mighty; no one can stand against you! 7 O our God, did you not drive out those who lived in this land when your people Israel arrived? And did you not give this land forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham? 8 Your people settled here and built this Temple to honor your name. 9 They said, ‘Whenever we are faced with any calamity such as war,[d] plague, or famine, we can come to stand in your presence before this Temple where your name is honored. We can cry out to you to save us, and you will hear us and rescue us.’
10 “And now see what the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir are doing. You would not let our ancestors invade those nations when Israel left Egypt, so they went around them and did not destroy them. 11 Now see how they reward us! For they have come to throw us out of your land, which you gave us as an inheritance. 12 O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.”
13 As all the men of Judah stood before the Lord with their little ones, wives, and children,
Footnotes:
20:1 As in some Greek manuscripts (see also 26:7); Hebrew repeats Ammonites.
20:2a As in one Hebrew manuscript; most Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions read Aram.
20:2b Hebrew the sea.
20:9 Or sword of judgment; or sword, judgment.
Unconventional Tactics
By Tim Gustafson
We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you. 2 Chronicles 20:12
In 1980, a woman hopped on a subway during the Boston Marathon. No big deal, except for one small detail. She was supposed to be running the marathon! Later, witnesses saw her jump into the race less than a mile from the finish line. She finished well ahead of all the other female runners, and oddly, she wasn’t winded or even sweating much. For a brief time she looked like the winner.
In a conflict long ago, a people who were losing a battle found a more honorable way to win. When messengers told King Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom,” he was terrified (2 Chron. 20:2-3). But instead of turning to typical military tactics, Jehoshaphat turned to God. He acknowledged God’s supremacy and admitted his own fear and confusion. “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (v. 12). Then the king chose singers to lead the army into battle. Instead of a war cry, they sang of God’s love (v. 21). The result was startling. Their enemies turned on each other (vv. 22-24). In the end, “The kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side” (v. 30).
Our fear and uncertainties give us the opportunity to turn to our all-powerful God.
Life can ambush us with overwhelming challenges. Yet our fear and uncertainties give us the opportunity to turn to our all-powerful God. He specializes in the unconventional.
Lord, You are not the source of confusion or fear, but of strength and peace. We exchange our panicky plans for Your amazing answers. Encourage us as we wait for You.
Our God is never predictable, but He is unfailingly reliable.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Monday, April 18, 2016
Readiness
God called to him….And he said, "Here I am." —Exodus 3:4
When God speaks, many of us are like people in a fog, and we give no answer. Moses’ reply to God revealed that he knew where he was and that he was ready. Readiness means having a right relationship to God and having the knowledge of where we are. We are so busy telling God where we would like to go. Yet the man or woman who is ready for God and His work is the one who receives the prize when the summons comes. We wait with the idea that some great opportunity or something sensational will be coming our way, and when it does come we are quick to cry out, “Here I am.” Whenever we sense that Jesus Christ is rising up to take authority over some great task, we are there, but we are not ready for some obscure duty.
Readiness for God means that we are prepared to do the smallest thing or the largest thing— it makes no difference. It means we have no choice in what we want to do, but that whatever God’s plans may be, we are there and ready. Whenever any duty presents itself, we hear God’s voice as our Lord heard His Father’s voice, and we are ready for it with the total readiness of our love for Him. Jesus Christ expects to do with us just as His Father did with Him. He can put us wherever He wants, in pleasant duties or in menial ones, because our union with Him is the same as His union with the Father. “…that they may be one just as We are one…” (John 17:22).
Be ready for the sudden surprise visits of God. A ready person never needs to get ready— he is ready. Think of the time we waste trying to get ready once God has called! The burning bush is a symbol of everything that surrounds the person who is ready, and it is on fire with the presence of God Himself.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
Both nations and individuals have tried Christianity and abandoned it, because it has been found too difficult; but no man has ever gone through the crisis of deliberately making Jesus Lord and found Him to be a failure. The Love of God—The Making of a Christian, 680 R
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Monday, April 18, 2016
The 'No Vacancy' Tragedy - #7636
As our family was growing up and we were driving somewhere for vacation, my travel philosophy was very simple and very male. The purpose of the trip is to get there! Why waste unnecessary time getting there, right? So we would drive along some long stretches and we'd have gas, rest, and food stops down to a well timed drill. We called it "the drill". But, during the busy vacation seasons there was a down side to this and it came at the end of when your body's saying, "Put me down, now!" See, since I didn't know exactly how far we'd be able to make it, I couldn't make a motel reservation. So, I got off where there were some choices of reasonable motels and I drove in hoping I could be horizontal within say fifteen minutes. "No chance." I hate words like these. "Sorry, we're full." Or those dreaded words, "No Vacancy." Or the slightly more comforting sign, "Sorry." They all mean the same thing – no room, I'm not getting in.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The 'No Vacancy' Tragedy."
You know it's hard to be continually greeted with the answer, "Sorry, No Vacancy." Jesus knows that feeling. He's been knocking at the door of many hearts who've constantly told Him, "Not today," "Not tonight," "Sorry." Maybe you've sensed at various times Jesus tugging at your heart, offering you another chance to invite Him in. He's come to the door many times, but He's still outside isn't He. It isn't that you openly rejected Him; it's more like you've neglected Him. You've told Him, "Not yet" or "Maybe later, I'm not ready." Or maybe you haven't told Him anything. It's dangerous business to hang out a "Sorry, No Vacancy" sign when the One seeking to come in is the very Son of God.
Listen to our word for today from the Word of God. Words addressed to people who heard His voice but didn't respond. Proverbs 1:23, "If you had responded to my rebuke," God says, "I would have poured out my heart to you. ...But since you rejected me when I called...since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh at your disaster when distress and trouble overwhelm you. ...Then they will call to Me but I will not answer; they will look for Me but will not find Me.'" These are hard words to read but we've got to know they're there. God's poured out the life of His Son, Jesus, on a cross to cancel the death penalty for your sin and then your Creator has reached out to you. He's offering that love to you that none of us deserves.
Jesus says He knocks at the door and if you continue to ignore Him or reject Him, there comes a day when He stops knocking. You don't come to Jesus when you're ready; you come when He's ready. Jesus said, "No one comes to Me unless My Father draws him." So, if you feel yourself drawn to Jesus right now, it means He's ready and you can still let Him in, but He won't be ready forever. That's why the Bible says, "Seek the Lord while He may be found. Call upon Him while He is near." If He's near right now, please don't wait anymore to put your trust in Him. Open your heart to this One who loved you enough to die for you.
Don't you want to make today your day to begin that life-changing relationship with your Creator? Well, tell Him that right now. He's loved you enough to come back one more time, knocking at the door of your heart. This is not another time to say, "Sorry, no vacancy." Make room for Jesus. "Jesus, I'm yours" you could tell Him. I believe when you died on that cross it was for what I have done that has broken your laws, all the wrong doing of my life. You're my only hope of heaven, and I am yours."
Look, go to our website. Right there I have laid out as simply as I can how you can be sure you've established and begun your relationship with Him. ANewStory.com. Can you remember that?
It's time for you to finally reach for that door. Open it and welcome into your life the One who loves you more than anyone else.