Max Lucado Daily: A PEOPLE TO POPULATE HEAVEN
God has high plans for you and me. He is recruiting for himself a people who will populate heaven. It will be perfect. Perfect in splendor. Perfect in righteousness. One word describes heaven: perfect! One word describes us: imperfect! So what does God do? Abandon us? Start over? He could. But he loves us too much to do that. Will he populate heaven with rebellious, self-centered citizens? If so, would heaven be heaven?
Colossians 1:19 says, “God was pleased for all of himself to live in Christ.” All the love of God was in Jesus. All the strength of God was in Jesus. All the compassion and power and devotion of God were, for a time, in the earthly body of a carpenter. What started in the Bethlehem cradle culminated on the Jerusalem cross! God did it all to take us home to heaven.
From Because of Bethlehem
Acts 21:1-17
Tyre and Caesarea
1-4 And so, with the tearful good-byes behind us, we were on our way. We made a straight run to Cos, the next day reached Rhodes, and then Patara. There we found a ship going direct to Phoenicia, got on board, and set sail. Cyprus came into view on our left, but was soon out of sight as we kept on course for Syria, and eventually docked in the port of Tyre. While the cargo was being unloaded, we looked up the local disciples and stayed with them seven days. Their message to Paul, from insight given by the Spirit, was “Don’t go to Jerusalem.”
5-6 When our time was up, they escorted us out of the city to the docks. Everyone came along—men, women, children. They made a farewell party of the occasion! We all kneeled together on the beach and prayed. Then, after another round of saying good-bye, we climbed on board the ship while they drifted back to their homes.
7-9 A short run from Tyre to Ptolemais completed the voyage. We greeted our Christian friends there and stayed with them a day. In the morning we went on to Caesarea and stayed with Philip the Evangelist, one of “the Seven.” Philip had four virgin daughters who prophesied.
10-11 After several days of visiting, a prophet from Judea by the name of Agabus came down to see us. He went right up to Paul, took Paul’s belt, and, in a dramatic gesture, tied himself up, hands and feet. He said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: The Jews in Jerusalem are going to tie up the man who owns this belt just like this and hand him over to godless unbelievers.”
12-13 When we heard that, we and everyone there that day begged Paul not to be stubborn and persist in going to Jerusalem. But Paul wouldn’t budge: “Why all this hysteria? Why do you insist on making a scene and making it even harder for me? You’re looking at this backward. The issue in Jerusalem is not what they do to me, whether arrest or murder, but what the Master Jesus does through my obedience. Can’t you see that?”
14 We saw that we weren’t making even a dent in his resolve, and gave up. “It’s in God’s hands now,” we said. “Master, you handle it.”
15-16 It wasn’t long before we had our luggage together and were on our way to Jerusalem. Some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us and took us to the home of Mnason, who received us warmly as his guests. A native of Cyprus, he had been among the earliest disciples.
Jerusalem
17-19 In Jerusalem, our friends, glad to see us, received us with open arms. The first thing next morning, we took Paul to see James. All the church leaders were there. After a time of greeting and small talk, Paul told the story, detail by detail, of what God had done among the non-Jewish people through his ministry. They listened with delight and gave God the glory.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
Read: Nahum 1:7–15
God is good,
a hiding place in tough times.
He recognizes and welcomes
anyone looking for help,
No matter how desperate the trouble.
But cozy islands of escape
He wipes right off the map.
No one gets away from God.
Why waste time conniving against God?
He’s putting an end to all such scheming.
For troublemakers, no second chances.
Like a pile of dry brush,
Soaked in oil,
they’ll go up in flames.
A Think Tank for Lies
11 Nineveh’s an anthill
of evil plots against God,
A think tank for lies
that seduce and betray.
12-13 And God has something to say about all this:
“Even though you’re on top of the world,
With all the applause and all the votes,
you’ll be mowed down flat.
“I’ve afflicted you, Judah, true,
but I won’t afflict you again.
From now on I’m taking the yoke from your neck
and splitting it up for kindling.
I’m cutting you free
from the ropes of your bondage.”
14 God’s orders on Nineveh:
“You’re the end of the line.
It’s all over with Nineveh.
I’m gutting your temple.
Your gods and goddesses go in the trash.
I’m digging your grave. It’s an unmarked grave.
You’re nothing—no, you’re less than nothing!”
15 Look! Striding across the mountains—
a messenger bringing the latest good news: peace!
A holiday, Judah! Celebrate!
Worship and recommit to God!
No more worries about this enemy.
This one is history. Close the books.
INSIGHT:
We can associate “good news” of peace from war (Nahum 1:15) with the “good news” of Jesus’s birth (Luke 2:10). We might imagine a huffing, puffing runner (in Nahum 1:15)—like the famed runner to Sparta for whom “marathon” is named—who has come a long distance. Is he now pausing “on the mountains” to shout to hearers in the valley, “The war is over!”? No wonder the herald’s “feet” are celebrated—he “proclaims peace!” (1:15). In Old Testament thought “peace” (shalom) is not just the absence of war; it is a full-orbed idea that represents wellness and wholeness. Have you received the Christ who Himself, through His death, is the believer’s peace? (Eph. 2:14–15).
Good News!
By David McCasland
Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace! Nahum 1:15
World news bombards us from the Internet, television, radio, and mobile devices. The majority seems to describe what’s wrong—crime, terrorism, war, and economic problems. Yet there are times when good news invades the darkest hours of sadness and despair—stories of unselfish acts, a medical breakthrough, or steps toward peace in war-scarred places.
The words of two men recorded in the Old Testament of the Bible brought great hope to people weary of conflict.
Lord, we praise you for the good news of Jesus’s birth and for His powerful presence in our lives today.
While describing God’s coming judgment on a ruthless and powerful nation, Nahum said, “Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace!” (Nah. 1:15). That news brought hope to all those oppressed by cruelty.
A similar phrase occurs in the book of Isaiah: “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation” (Isa. 52:7).
Nahum and Isaiah’s prophetic words of hope found their ultimate fulfillment at the first Christmas when the angel told the shepherds, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2:10–11).
The most important headline in our lives every day is the very best news ever spoken—Christ the Savior is born!
The birth of Jesus is the best news the world has ever received!
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
Intercessory Prayer
…men always ought to pray and not lose heart. —Luke 18:1
You cannot truly intercede through prayer if you do not believe in the reality of redemption. Instead, you will simply be turning intercession into useless sympathy for others, which will serve only to increase the contentment they have for remaining out of touch with God. True intercession involves bringing the person, or the circumstance that seems to be crashing in on you, before God, until you are changed by His attitude toward that person or circumstance. Intercession means to “fill up…[with] what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ” (Colossians 1:24), and this is precisely why there are so few intercessors. People describe intercession by saying, “It is putting yourself in someone else’s place.” That is not true! Intercession is putting yourself in God’s place; it is having His mind and His perspective.
As an intercessor, be careful not to seek too much information from God regarding the situation you are praying about, because you may be overwhelmed. If you know too much, more than God has ordained for you to know, you can’t pray; the circumstances of the people become so overpowering that you are no longer able to get to the underlying truth.
Our work is to be in such close contact with God that we may have His mind about everything, but we shirk that responsibility by substituting doing for interceding. And yet intercession is the only thing that has no drawbacks, because it keeps our relationship completely open with God.
What we must avoid in intercession is praying for someone to be simply “patched up.” We must pray that person completely through into contact with the very life of God. Think of the number of people God has brought across our path, only to see us drop them! When we pray on the basis of redemption, God creates something He can create in no other way than through intercessory prayer.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
The great thing about faith in God is that it keeps a man undisturbed in the midst of disturbance. Notes on Isaiah, 1376 R
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
Semper Gumby - #7807
If you've ever been a Marine, this question is going to be a piece of cake. What's the motto of the United States Marine Corps? Even if you've never been a Marine, you may well know the answer: "Semper Fidelis" – always faithful. Or "Semper Fi," as the Marines like to say. But a former Marine recently told me there's another Marine Corps motto, and it doesn't appear on anything official, but he said it's one Marines learn to live by – "Semper Gumby." Remember Gumby, that rubbery cartoon character who could bend every which-way. Semper Gumby – always flexible!
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Semper Gumby."
"Semper Fidelis" isn't just a good motto for a Marine – it should define the life of any follower of the Lord Jesus Christ – always faithful. But that other motto's a good one for us Jesus-followers too – "Semper Gumby." Because to be a man or woman who knows and does the will of God, you've just got to be "always flexible."
You can see that all through the Book of Acts in the Bible. Here's the story of the most powerful people who ever lived; the original followers of Jesus. Reading what they allowed God to do through them, ordinary as they were, it shames me. I want what they had. I want my life to have even a fraction of the impact theirs did. So as I read, looking for the qualities that make a person powerful for God, I come across this trait I call "spiritaneity." That's living by the inner promptings of the Holy Spirit, which requires something that doesn't come naturally to a planner guy like me – flexibility. The willingness, the readiness to get a call from heaven's dispatcher, the Holy Spirit, and go that direction no matter what.
God is not against long-range planning, as long as you're always willing to let Him pre-empt your plan with His. He reserves the right to redirect your day, your energies, even your life without explaining Himself. Those who live supernatural lives are those who simply move at God's command – like God's ancient people who moved whenever and wherever the pillar of cloud and fire moved and who refused to move when it stood still.
Acts 8 gives us one of the many examples of a life of "spiritaneity." Philip is in the middle of a revival in Samaria when "the angel of the Lord said...'Go south...to the desert road.'" He goes, not knowing why, just knowing God has prompted him. He sees a man who's part of the royal court of Ethiopia and "the Spirit told Philip, ‘Go to that chariot and stay near it.'" Again, no explanation – just obedience. The Holy Spirit then begins to unfold a conversation that leads to this man coming to Christ and becoming one of the first representatives of Christ ever in Africa.
Our word for today from the Word of God, Acts 20:22, gives a great example of how the Apostle Paul lived this way. He says, "Compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there." Paul was a master strategist, the epitome of reason. But he's "going – not knowing." That's spiritaneity. I don't know what's ahead, but I know God is leading me there and I have no choice.
That's how I want to live, because I want a supernatural life. And I know you do, too. But rigidity can quench the promptings of the Spirit of God and leave you with what you think should be done. God puts this magnet inside of you, drawing you to a certain person or action or place. And He doesn't explain why. Often, His leading will seem like an interruption, an intrusion, a detour. But His way is always the right way. And you have to obey, not because you know the plan, but because you know the Planner.
Maybe you've been gripping the steering wheel of your life so tightly that your Lord can't begin to take you where He wants you to go. It's time to let go. It's time to live each day with flexible plans. You plan based on your best sense of His leading at that moment, and you proceed with the plan, ready to move another direction though at a moment's notice at the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
You are Jesus' "Semper Gumby" follower – always flexible, so you can be His "Semper Fi" follower – always faithful. Spiritaneity – the kind of responsive heart that makes your life the great adventure that God made you for!
