Max Lucado Daily: RELY ON HIS ENERGY
Paul once asked the Galatian church a question. “You began your life in Christ by the Spirit. Now are you trying to make it complete by your own power? That is foolish” (Galatians 3:3).
I used to think there were two kinds of people: the saved and unsaved. Paul describes a third: the saved, but unspiritual. They blend in with nonbelievers. They let God save them, but not change them. Their lives are marked by joyless days, contentious relationships, and thirsty hearts. No wonder they’re tired.
Paul gives the solution in five rich words. “Be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). Do you desire God’s Spirit? Ask. The Spirit fills as prayers flow. Try this! Invite the Holy Spirit into every room of your heart!
Read more Come Thirsty
Acts 6
During this time, as the disciples were increasing in numbers by leaps and bounds, hard feelings developed among the Greek-speaking believers—“Hellenists”—toward the Hebrew-speaking believers because their widows were being discriminated against in the daily food lines. So the Twelve called a meeting of the disciples. They said, “It wouldn’t be right for us to abandon our responsibilities for preaching and teaching the Word of God to help with the care of the poor. So, friends, choose seven men from among you whom everyone trusts, men full of the Holy Spirit and good sense, and we’ll assign them this task. Meanwhile, we’ll stick to our assigned tasks of prayer and speaking God’s Word.”
5-6 The congregation thought this was a great idea. They went ahead and chose—
Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit,
Philip,
Procorus,
Nicanor,
Timon,
Parmenas,
Nicolas, a convert from Antioch.
Then they presented them to the apostles. Praying, the apostles laid on hands and commissioned them for their task.
7 The Word of God prospered. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased dramatically. Not least, a great many priests submitted themselves to the faith.
8-10 Stephen, brimming with God’s grace and energy, was doing wonderful things among the people, unmistakable signs that God was among them. But then some men from the meeting place whose membership was made up of freed slaves, Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and some others from Cilicia and Asia, went up against him trying to argue him down. But they were no match for his wisdom and spirit when he spoke.
11 So in secret they bribed men to lie: “We heard him cursing Moses and God.”
12-14 That stirred up the people, the religious leaders, and religion scholars. They grabbed Stephen and took him before the High Council. They put forward their bribed witnesses to testify: “This man talks nonstop against this Holy Place and God’s Law. We even heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth would tear this place down and throw out all the customs Moses gave us.”
15 As all those who sat on the High Council looked at Stephen, they found they couldn’t take their eyes off him—his face was like the face of an angel!
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Tuesday, June 11, 2019
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Acts 2:1-12
When the Feast of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Without warning there was a sound like a strong wind, gale force—no one could tell where it came from. It filled the whole building. Then, like a wildfire, the Holy Spirit spread through their ranks, and they started speaking in a number of different languages as the Spirit prompted them.
5-11 There were many Jews staying in Jerusalem just then, devout pilgrims from all over the world. When they heard the sound, they came on the run. Then when they heard, one after another, their own mother tongues being spoken, they were thunderstruck. They couldn’t for the life of them figure out what was going on, and kept saying, “Aren’t these all Galileans? How come we’re hearing them talk in our various mother tongues?
Parthians, Medes, and Elamites;
Visitors from Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia,
Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,
Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene;
Immigrants from Rome, both Jews and proselytes;
Even Cretans and Arabs!
“They’re speaking our languages, describing God’s mighty works!”
12 Their heads were spinning; they couldn’t make head or tail of any of it. They talked back and forth, confused: “What’s going on here?”
Insight
In the span of just eight weeks, the disciples had endured an emotional rollercoaster. Imagine experiencing the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem only to witness His arrest and crucifixion (Matthew 21–26; Mark 11–14; Luke 19–22; John 12–13). Then came His resurrection—irrefutable proof that He is the Messiah—followed by His departure from this earth. Given such turmoil, we might forgive the disciples for misunderstanding Christ’s instructions about establishing His kingdom. They expected a political solution to their problems—Israel’s liberation from Roman oppression and their rightful place in the world as God’s chosen people (Acts 1:6). But Jesus had something better in mind. He promised them, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses . . . to the ends of the earth” (v. 8). Acts 2 shows how the Holy Spirit ignited that promise.
God of All People
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. Acts 2:5
Former Newsboys lead vocalist Peter Furler describes the performance of the band’s praise song “He Reigns.” The song paints a vivid picture of believers from every tribe and nation coming together to worship God in unity. Furler observed that whenever the Newsboys sang it he could sense the moving of the Holy Spirit in the gathering of believers.
Furler’s description of his experiences with “He Reigns” would likely have resonated with the crowds who converged on Jerusalem at Pentecost. When the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4), things began to happen beyond anyone’s experience. As a result, Jews representing every nation came together in confusion, because each one heard their own language being spoken to make God’s wonders known (vv. 5–6, 11). Peter explained to the crowd that this was in fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy in which God said, “I will pour out my Spirit on all people” (v. 17).
This all-inclusive display of God’s awesome power made the crowd receptive to Peter’s declaration of the gospel, leading to three thousand converts that day alone (v. 41). Following this spectacular kickoff, these new believers then returned to their corner of the world, taking the good news with them.
The good news still resounds today—God’s message of hope for all people. As we praise God together, His Spirit moves among us, bringing people of every nation together in wonderful unity. He reigns! By Remi Oyedele
Reflect & Pray
In what ways do you see God’s image in other people? How can you view people from every tribe and nation through the lens of Jesus?
Dear heavenly Father, help me to reflect Your heart for all of Your people.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Tuesday, June 11, 2019
Come to Me… —Matthew 11:28
Where sin and sorrow stops, and the song of the saint starts. Do I really want to get there? I can right now. The questions that truly matter in life are remarkably few, and they are all answered by these words— “Come to Me.” Our Lord’s words are not, “Do this, or don’t do that,” but— “Come to me.” If I will simply come to Jesus, my real life will be brought into harmony with my real desires. I will actually cease from sin, and will find the song of the Lord beginning in my life.
Have you ever come to Jesus? Look at the stubbornness of your heart. You would rather do anything than this one simple childlike thing— “Come to Me.” If you really want to experience ceasing from sin, you must come to Jesus.
Jesus Christ makes Himself the test to determine your genuineness. Look how He used the word come. At the most unexpected moments in your life there is this whisper of the Lord— “Come to Me,” and you are immediately drawn to Him. Personal contact with Jesus changes everything. Be “foolish” enough to come and commit yourself to what He says. The attitude necessary for you to come to Him is one where your will has made the determination to let go of everything and deliberately commit it all to Him.
“…and I will give you rest”— that is, “I will sustain you, causing you to stand firm.” He is not saying, “I will put you to bed, hold your hand, and sing you to sleep.” But, in essence, He is saying, “I will get you out of bed— out of your listlessness and exhaustion, and out of your condition of being half dead while you are still alive. I will penetrate you with the spirit of life, and you will be sustained by the perfection of vital activity.” Yet we become so weak and pitiful and talk about “suffering” the will of the Lord! Where is the majestic vitality and the power of the Son of God in that?
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
The Bible does not thrill; the Bible nourishes. Give time to the reading of the Bible and the recreating effect is as real as that of fresh air physically. Disciples Indeed, 387 R
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Tuesday, June 11, 2019
Wounded, But Still Fighting - #8457
Tommy Rieman was a teenager pumping gas in Independence, Kentucky, when he enlisted in the United States Army. Today, he wears the Purple Heart and the Silver Star of an American hero. He was, in fact, introduced to the nation during President Bush's 2007 State of the Union Address. There's been been a lot of disagreement about the war in Iraq, but there wass no disagreement about the heroism of soldiers like Sgt. Rieman. The day his squad was ambushed by enemy fire in the midst of a reconnaissance mission, they were outnumbered ten to one. Their vehicles kept moving as Sgt. Rieman dove into the backseat and used his body as a shield to protect his gunner. As they sped away from the ambush, they found themselves ambushed again by some fifty enemy attackers. Rieman was shot in the right arm, he was shot in the chest, he had shrapnel wounds to his chest and stomach and ear, and his squad was out of ammo. In spite of all those wounds, Tommy Rieman began firing away with his grenade launcher at their attackers. Finally, the enemy's guns fell silent. Then Sgt. Rieman began tending to his wounded.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Wounded, But Still Fighting."
That's a hero. Someone who's been wounded - even badly wounded - and they still keep fighting. That's what spiritual heroes do, too. You may be one of them. Or you may be in a position to rise to be one right now.
There's no greater example of this wounded but fighting kind of warrior than the great Apostle Paul, of course. Listen to his powerful personal testimony, recorded for us in 2 Corinthians 4, beginning with verse 8, our word for today from the Word of God. He says, "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." He continues his testimony in chapter 6 with this report: "As servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger...dying, yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything."
I read this and I ask myself, "So what's your excuse, Ron?" Paul had been wounded over and over again - deeply wounded, but he's still in there fighting just like Jesus. Just like so many of His followers over the years who've been bloodied, but unbowed.
Sadly, some of us get wounded and we don't respond like, in Paul's words, "good soldiers of Jesus Christ" (2 Timothy 2:1). It's all too easy to respond to being hit with self-pity and self-centeredness and bitterness. It's the "poor me" thing, which simply focuses you on your wounds, letting them define who you are and even how you treat other people. Some people respond with bitterness and anger and stinky attitudes. Others get wounded and they start shutting down or giving up. And some who've been wounded become the wounders of others.
But a spiritual warrior realizes that the fight is more important than his feelings, the cause is more important than my condition. It could be that your wounds have made you start to give up the fight. Don't do it. Keep fighting for your marriage, keep fighting for that child of yours, keep fighting for the hard hearts you've been praying for, keep fighting for that ministry, that church, that calling from God. You serve a Savior who was attacked, brutalized and crushed, and yet He refused to turn back
until He'd won the battle for your soul. Yes, you're wounded, but keep fighting. One day the battle will be over. You'll be home, and you will be rewarded by the King of all kings.
