Max Lucado Daily: GOING DEEP
In Ephesians 3:17, Paul says, “May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love.” The supreme surprise of God’s love is that it has nothing to do with you. “God is love” the scripture says. God loves you because he is he. You don’t influence God’s love. Your actions don’t alter his devotion. Success signals God’s love no more than struggles indicate the lack of it.
When you feel unloved, take a trip to the cross and look at Jesus, cross-nailed and thorn-crowned. Choose God’s love. For the sake of your heart. The prayer is powerful and simple: “Lord, I receive your love. Nothing can separate me from your love.” Take a breath and descend so deeply into his love that you see nothing else.
Read more Come Thirsty
1 Kings 9
After Solomon had completed building The Temple of God and his own palace, all the projects he had set his heart on doing, God appeared to Solomon again, just as he had appeared to him at Gibeon.
3-5 And God said to him, “I’ve listened to and received all your prayers, your ever-so-passionate prayers. I’ve sanctified this Temple that you have built: My Name is stamped on it forever; my eyes are on it and my heart in it always. As for you, if you live in my presence as your father David lived, pure in heart and action, living the life I’ve set out for you, attentively obedient to my guidance and judgments, then I’ll back your kingly rule over Israel, make it a sure thing on a solid foundation. The same guarantee I gave David your father I’m giving you: ‘You can count on always having a descendant on Israel’s throne.’
6-9 “But if you or your sons betray me, ignoring my guidance and judgments, taking up with alien gods by serving and worshiping them, then the guarantee is off: I’ll wipe Israel right off the map and repudiate this Temple I’ve just sanctified to honor my Name. And Israel will become nothing but a bad joke among the peoples of the world. And this Temple, splendid as it now is, will become an object of contempt; visitors will shake their heads, saying, ‘Whatever happened here? What’s the story behind these ruins?’ Then they’ll be told, ‘The people who used to live here betrayed their God, the very God who rescued their ancestors from Egypt; they took up with alien gods, worshiping and serving them. That’s what’s behind this God-visited devastation.’”
10-12 At the end of twenty years, having built the two buildings, The Temple of God and his personal palace, Solomon rewarded Hiram king of Tyre with a gift of twenty villages in the district of Galilee. Hiram had provided him with all the cedar and cypress and gold that he had wanted. But when Hiram left Tyre to look over the villages that Solomon had given him, he didn’t like what he saw.
13-14 He said, “What kind of reward is this, my friend? Twenty backwoods hick towns!” People still refer to them that way. This is all Hiram got from Solomon in exchange for four and a half tons of gold!
15 This is the work record of the labor force that King Solomon raised to build The Temple of God, his palace, the defense complex (the Millo), the Jerusalem wall, and the fortified cities of Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer.
16-17 Pharaoh king of Egypt had come up and captured Gezer, torched it, and killed all the Canaanites who lived there. He gave it as a wedding present to his daughter, Solomon’s wife. So Solomon rebuilt Gezer.
17-19 He also built Lower Beth Horon, Baalath, and Tamar in the desert, back-country storehouse villages, and villages for chariots and horses. Solomon built widely and extravagantly in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and wherever he fancied.
20-23 The remnants from the original inhabitants of the land (Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—all non-Israelites), survivors of the holy wars, were rounded up by Solomon for his gangs of slave labor, a policy still in effect. But true Israelites were not treated this way; they were used in his army and administration—government leaders and commanders of his chariots and charioteers. They were also the project managers responsible for Solomon’s building operations—550 of them in charge of the workforce.
24 It was after Pharaoh’s daughter ceremonially ascended from the City of David and took up residence in the house built especially for her that Solomon built the defense complex (the Millo).
25 Three times a year Solomon worshiped at the Altar of God, sacrificing Whole-Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings, and burning incense in the presence of God. Everything that had to do with The Temple he did generously and well; he didn’t skimp.
26-28 And ships! King Solomon also built ships at Ezion Geber, located near Elath in Edom on the Red Sea. Hiram sent seaworthy sailors to assist Solomon’s men with the fleet. They embarked for Ophir, brought back sixteen tons of gold, and presented it to King Solomon.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Monday, June 24, 2019
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Galatians 5:22-26
But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.
23-24 Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified.
25-26 Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.
Insight
When we’re reading the Scriptures, it’s important to identify whether the author is imparting information about what God has already done or is giving direction for what we are to do. In Galatians 5:22–23, the apostle Paul lists the fruit of the Spirit, which is the result of the Spirit’s work in our lives, not our work. However, in verses 25–26 he tells us to “keep in step with the Spirit.” The Greek word for “keep in step” or “walk” (nkjv) means “to march in military rank; to conform to virtue and piety; to walk orderly.” Pictured here is spiritual growth that comes from teamwork. The fruit that grows is the responsibility of the Spirit, but it’s our job to see where the Spirit is working in our lives and to “keep in step” with Him. We’re participants in our spiritual growth, but not solely responsible for it.
Playing with Joy
The fruit of the Spirit is . . . joy. Galatians 5:22
One of our sons, Brian, is a high school basketball coach. One year, as his team was dribbling its way through the Washington State Basketball Tournament, well-meaning folks around town asked, “Are you going to win it all this year?” Both players and coaches felt the pressure, so Brian adopted a motto: “Play with joy!”
I thought of the apostle Paul’s last words to the elders of Ephesus: “That I may finish my race with joy” (Acts 20:24 nkjv). His aim was to complete the tasks Jesus had given him. I have made these words my motto and my prayer: “May I run and finish my race with joy.” Or as Brian says, “May I play with joy!” And by the way, Brian’s team did win the state championship that year.
We all have good reasons to get grouchy: discouraging news, everyday stresses, health problems. Nevertheless, God can give us a joy that transcends these conditions if we ask Him. We can have what Jesus called, “my joy” (John 15:11).
Joy is a fruit of the Spirit of Jesus (Galatians 5:22). So we must remember each morning to ask Him to help us: “May I play with joy!” Author Richard Foster said, “To pray is to change. This is a great grace. How good of God to provide a path whereby our lives can be taken over by . . . joy.” By David H. Roper
Reflect & Pray
What causes you to be discouraged? Where do you find your joy?
I turn my eyes to You, God. I’m grateful I can count on Your faithfulness to me. Please bring me into Your joy.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Monday, June 24, 2019
Reconciling Yourself to the Fact of Sin
This is your hour, and the power of darkness. —Luke 22:53
Not being reconciled to the fact of sin— not recognizing it and refusing to deal with it— produces all the disasters in life. You may talk about the lofty virtues of human nature, but there is something in human nature that will mockingly laugh in the face of every principle you have. If you refuse to agree with the fact that there is wickedness and selfishness, something downright hateful and wrong, in human beings, when it attacks your life, instead of reconciling yourself to it, you will compromise with it and say that it is of no use to battle against it. Have you taken this “hour, and the power of darkness” into account, or do you have a view of yourself which includes no recognition of sin whatsoever? In your human relationships and friendships, have you reconciled yourself to the fact of sin? If not, just around the next corner you will find yourself trapped and you will compromise with it. But if you will reconcile yourself to the fact of sin, you will realize the danger immediately and say, “Yes, I see what this sin would mean.” The recognition of sin does not destroy the basis of friendship— it simply establishes a mutual respect for the fact that the basis of sinful life is disastrous. Always beware of any assessment of life which does not recognize the fact that there is sin.
Jesus Christ never trusted human nature, yet He was never cynical nor suspicious, because He had absolute trust in what He could do for human nature. The pure man or woman is the one who is shielded from harm, not the innocent person. The so-called innocent man or woman is never safe. Men and women have no business trying to be innocent; God demands that they be pure and virtuous. Innocence is the characteristic of a child. Any person is deserving of blame if he is unwilling to reconcile himself to the fact of sin.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
The great word of Jesus to His disciples is Abandon. When God has brought us into the relationship of disciples, we have to venture on His word; trust entirely to Him and watch that when He brings us to the venture, we take it. Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, 1459 R
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Monday, June 24, 2019
Deeply Personal - #8466
It's a special thrill for a follower of Jesus Christ, like me, to be able to walk where Jesus walked. That's why, for many of us, a visit to the Holy Land is a special memory or a special dream. Years ago, one of America's premier preachers at the time - his name was Dr. Robert G. Lee - paid his first visit to Israel. Every place was special, but when his tour group reached Golgotha, the place where many believe Jesus was crucified, he couldn't contain himself. He suddenly started running ahead of the group to get there. The guide had to run to catch up with him, and he asked him breathlessly, "Sir, have you been here before?" Dr. Lee paused and then he answered, "Yes, I have been here before. Almost 2,000 years ago."
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Deeply Personal."
Dr. Lee wasn't talking about some time-travel experience. He was talking about his deep feeling that when Jesus was dying on that cross, he was totally identifying with what Jesus was doing there. It was his sin Jesus was paying the price for there. The great painter, Rembrandt, must have had that same sense when he painted his rendition of Christ's crucifixion. When his friends pointed out that a man in the crowd there looked like Rembrandt, he replied, "Well, that is me."
Once a person comes to understand what Jesus was really doing on that cross, His death becomes a deeply personal event and a totally transforming event. It's what the great Apostle Paul was describing in Galatians 2:20, our word for today from the Word of God. He says, "The life I live...I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
There are a lot of people who wear a cross or who know all about the cross who have never been to the cross. In other words, they have never, in their heart, made their way to Jesus' cross and said, "For me. What He did there is to pay for every sin I've ever committed, for every wrong thing I've ever done." It's at that point that you realize Jesus is your only hope of being clean, your only hope of being forgiven, your only hope of ever having a relationship with God, your only hope of going to heaven someday. And you surrender yourself to this Son of God who gave His life for you.
I wonder if there's ever been a time like that for you - when you move beyond Jesus' brutal death as being just a historical event, or just a religious event, commemorated by some religious observance - when Jesus' sacrifice on that cross becomes for you a deeply personal "for me" event. Our churches are filled with people who know about the cross, who appreciate what Jesus did there, but who have missed the only thing that will change your eternal address from hell to heaven - that personal transaction at the cross where you make the Savior your Savior. "For me, Jesus...this is for me"
If there's never been a time when you actually gave yourself completely to Jesus as your only hope, don't wait another day to get that settled. Your soul is at stake. Your eternity is at stake. Right where you are, tell Jesus that you are putting you and you are putting your total trust in Him to forgive every sin, and to change your life, and to take you to His heaven someday. If you want to begin that relationship with Him you might just tell Him in words like these: "Jesus, I'm yours because you died for me, and you're alive today. I'm yours because you loved me enough to die for my sin." Maybe your journey has led you to this very day as the day when you begin your relationship with Jesus Christ. You will celebrate that for all eternity! And you can move from having Him in your head to finally having Him in your heart.
I want to help you with that, that's why we're at our website, to tell you exactly how to be sure you've begun your relationship with Him. It's ANewStory.com. Please go there today.
This could become the day you will remember for all eternity as your Jesus day.