Max Lucado Daily: INTERRUPTIONS
Christmas is a season of interruptions. Some we enjoy. Some we don’t! You may be facing an interruption in this season of life. What you wanted and what you received do not match. And now you are troubled and anxious.
Everything inside you and every voice around you says, Get out. Get angry. But don’t listen to those voices. You cannot face a crisis if you don’t face God first. Colossians 1:16-17 says, “For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment.” God holds it all together. And he will hold it together for you!
From Because of Bethlehem
Micah 5
The Leader Who Will Shepherd-Rule Israel
But for now, prepare for the worst, victim daughter!
The siege is set against us.
They humiliate Israel’s king,
slapping him around like a rag doll.
2-4 But you, Bethlehem, David’s country,
the runt of the litter—
From you will come the leader
who will shepherd-rule Israel.
He’ll be no upstart, no pretender.
His family tree is ancient and distinguished.
Meanwhile, Israel will be in foster homes
until the birth pangs are over and the child is born,
And the scattered brothers come back
home to the family of Israel.
He will stand tall in his shepherd-rule by God’s strength,
centered in the majesty of God-Revealed.
And the people will have a good and safe home,
for the whole world will hold him in respect—
Peacemaker of the world!
5-6 And if some bullying Assyrian shows up,
invades and violates our land, don’t worry.
We’ll put him in his place, send him packing,
and watch his every move.
Shepherd-rule will extend as far as needed,
to Assyria and all other Nimrod-bullies.
Our shepherd-ruler will save us from old or new enemies,
from anyone who invades or violates our land.
7 The purged and select company of Jacob will be
like an island in the sea of peoples.
They’ll be like dew from God,
like summer showers
Not mentioned in the weather forecast,
not subject to calculation or control.
8-9 Yes, the purged and select company of Jacob will be
like an island in the sea of peoples,
Like the king of beasts among wild beasts,
like a young lion loose in a flock of sheep,
Killing and devouring the lambs
and no one able to stop him.
With your arms raised in triumph over your foes,
your enemies will be no more!
10-15 “The day is coming”
—God’s Decree—
“When there will be no more war. None.
I’ll slaughter your war horses and demolish your chariots.
I’ll dismantle military posts
and level your fortifications.
I’ll abolish your religious black markets,
your underworld traffic in black magic.
I will smash your carved and cast gods
and chop down your phallic posts.
No more taking control of the world,
worshiping what you do or make.
I’ll root out your sacred sex-and-power centers
and destroy the God-defiant.
In raging anger, I’ll make a clean sweep
of godless nations who haven’t listened.”
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Friday, December 16, 2016
Read: Jeremiah 7:1–11
The Nation That Wouldn’t Obey God
1-2 The Message from God to Jeremiah: “Stand in the gate of God’s Temple and preach this Message.
2-3 “Say, ‘Listen, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship God. God-of-the-Angel-Armies, Israel’s God, has this to say to you:
3-7 “‘Clean up your act—the way you live, the things you do—so I can make my home with you in this place. Don’t for a minute believe the lies being spoken here—“This is God’s Temple, God’s Temple, God’s Temple!” Total nonsense! Only if you clean up your act (the way you live, the things you do), only if you do a total spring cleaning on the way you live and treat your neighbors, only if you quit exploiting the street people and orphans and widows, no longer taking advantage of innocent people on this very site and no longer destroying your souls by using this Temple as a front for other gods—only then will I move into your neighborhood. Only then will this country I gave your ancestors be my permanent home, my Temple.
8-11 “‘Get smart! Your leaders are handing you a pack of lies, and you’re swallowing them! Use your heads! Do you think you can rob and murder, have sex with the neighborhood wives, tell lies nonstop, worship the local gods, and buy every novel religious commodity on the market—and then march into this Temple, set apart for my worship, and say, “We’re safe!” thinking that the place itself gives you a license to go on with all this outrageous sacrilege? A cave full of criminals! Do you think you can turn this Temple, set apart for my worship, into something like that? Well, think again. I’ve got eyes in my head. I can see what’s going on.’” God’s Decree!
INSIGHT:
The idea of loving correction is a consistent message of the Scriptures. God portrays Himself to us as a loving parent, a father who wants to protect and provide the very best for His children. This is seen in the way God dealt with Israel in the wilderness wanderings. This imagery is seen in the New Testament as well. In Hebrews 12:4–6, the Scriptures make it clear that divine discipline is not an expression of punishment or vengeance. It is the loving Father correcting our wrong behavior so that we can live wisely with and for Him.
Another Side of Comfort
By Lawrence Darmani
Hear the word of the Lord. Jeremiah 7:2
The theme for our adult camp was “Comfort My People.” Speaker after speaker spoke words of assurance. But the last speaker drastically changed the tone. He chose Jeremiah 7:1–11 and the topic “Wake Up from Slumber.” Without mincing words and yet with love, he challenged us to wake up and turn away from our sins.
“Don’t hide behind the grace of God and continue to live in secret sin,” he exhorted, like the prophet Jeremiah. “We boast, ‘I am a Christian; God loves me; I fear no evil,’ yet we do all kinds of evil.”
Jesus, thank you that Your correction is never to harm us but only to heal us.
We knew he cared about us, yet we shifted uncomfortably in our seats and listened to our own Jeremiah declare, “God is loving, but He is also a consuming fire! (see Heb. 12:29). He will never condone sin!”
Jeremiah of old quizzed the people, “Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury . . . follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, ‘We are safe’—safe to do all these detestable things?” (7:9–10).
This speaker’s brand of “Comfort My People” was another side of God’s comfort. Like a bitter herb that heals malaria, his words were spiritually curative. When we hear hard words, instead of walking away, may we respond to their healing effect.
Heavenly Father, You love us too much to let us continue defying Your instructions. Your correction is never to harm us but only to heal us. You are the God of all comfort.
God’s discipline is designed to make us like His Son.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Friday, December 16, 2016
Wrestling Before God
Take up the whole armor of God…praying always… —Ephesians 6:13,18
You must learn to wrestle against the things that hinder your communication with God, and wrestle in prayer for other people; but to wrestle with God in prayer is unscriptural. If you ever do wrestle with God, you will be crippled for the rest of your life. If you grab hold of God and wrestle with Him, as Jacob did, simply because He is working in a way that doesn’t meet with your approval, you force Him to put you out of joint (see Genesis 32:24-25). Don’t become a cripple by wrestling with the ways of God, but be someone who wrestles before God with the things of this world, because “we are more than conquerors through Him…” (Romans 8:37). Wrestling before God makes an impact in His kingdom. If you ask me to pray for you, and I am not complete in Christ, my prayer accomplishes nothing. But if I am complete in Christ, my prayer brings victory all the time. Prayer is effective only when there is completeness— “take up the whole armor of God….”
Always make a distinction between God’s perfect will and His permissive will, which He uses to accomplish His divine purpose for our lives. God’s perfect will is unchangeable. It is with His permissive will, or the various things that He allows into our lives, that we must wrestle before Him. It is our reaction to these things allowed by His permissive will that enables us to come to the point of seeing His perfect will for us. “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God…” (Romans 8:28)— to those who remain true to God’s perfect will— His calling in Christ Jesus. God’s permissive will is the testing He uses to reveal His true sons and daughters. We should not be spineless and automatically say, “Yes, it is the Lord’s will.” We don’t have to fight or wrestle with God, but we must wrestle before God with things. Beware of lazily giving up. Instead, put up a glorious fight and you will find yourself empowered with His strength.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
It is perilously possible to make our conceptions of God like molten lead poured into a specially designed mould, and when it is cold and hard we fling it at the heads of the religious people who don’t agree with us. Disciples Indeed, 388 R
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Friday, December 16, 2016
Totaled At Christmas - #7810
It was two weeks before Christmas. Our whole family was returning home from a Christmas party when a drunk driver decided he liked our side of the road better than his side. In a split second, he swerved right in front of us. The next second, I was looking at a hood that was folded up almost to the windshield. A few hours in the emergency room showed us that – miraculously – none of us had been seriously injured. The car, however, didn't do as well. It was totaled.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Totaled At Christmas."
It's no fun having your car totaled, believe me, especially at Christmas. Or to have your life totaled. In the midst of all the joy and excitement, maybe this Christmas season finds you wounded and hurting. Divorce, disaster, death, depression, disappointment – those things hurt anytime, but especially at Christmas.
If you're damaged; if you're down this season, in a way Christmas is actually very much for you. You see, behind the amazing events at that manger in Bethlehem is the mission for which Jesus came. It's described, in part, in Isaiah 61:1, and it's our word for today from the Word of God. He says, "The Lord...has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted." He wants to come into your life this Christmas and begin that heart-healing that only He can.
The old nursery rhyme tells us about "Humpty Dumpty," who had a "great fall." "And all the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put Humpty together again." Well, I'll tell you what, our world is filled with Humpty Dumpty people, and you might be one of them right now. And while all the king's horses and all the king's men can't put Humpty together again, the King can! Psalm 147:3 tells us that "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."
But it cost Him everything to be able to do it. Because the ultimate source of the hurt in this world is that dark force that the Bible calls "sin." Some people think sin is just like breaking the rules of some religion. Actually, it's violating the laws of God Himself. It's living as if you're the "sun" and everyone else and everything else should revolve around you as the planets – even God and how He wants you to live. There are like over seven billion of us humans who have made that choice, and the result is a mountain of hurt and guilt and pain.
The Son of God was born into this world to do what only He could do, because He was perfect. And that is to die in our place to pay for our sin and break its destructive power in our lives. God's Word says, "He was a man of sorrows...He carried our sorrows...He was crushed for our transgressions; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him" (Isaiah 53:3, 5-6). And the awesome news is that He's ready to come into your life this Christmas to forgive every sin you've ever committed, to heal what's broken inside you if you will turn the steering wheel of your life over to the One who was meant to drive all along.; the One who loves you like nobody has ever loved you.
The healing begins the day your relationship with Him begins. And that relationship begins when you say to Him, "Jesus, I have no hope but You. You died for my sin. You showed Your power by walking out of Your grave, and I am ready, Jesus, for You to run this life of mine and make it what I never could." In a very real way, the hits you've taken, the hurts you've endured can actually bring you into the very purpose for which you were made by giving yourself to the One you were made by and you were made for.
What a wonderful time to begin a relationship with Jesus; the time when He came into this world. He can come into your life and change it from the inside out. I want to invite you to go to our website, because I've laid out there as simply as I can from God's Word himself exactly how to begin a personal relationship with this Jesus. He wants that for you. I want that for you. I hope you'll go there today – AnewStory.com.
This Christmas doesn't have to be just more of the hurting. It can be when the healing begins. Jesus loves you so much that He was totaled for you so you could be whole.