Max Lucado Daily: THE GIFTS OF GOD
God gives us wonderful gifts. He gives us his work on the cross and in the resurrection. As a result, your sin brings no guilt, and the grave brings no fear.
He give us his energy. You can do all things through Christ, who gives you strength. He gives us his lordship. He is in charge of you and looks out for you. He give us his love. Nothing can separate you from it.
But sometimes we place Christ on the mantel of our heart: respect him, revere his name, but never open his gifts. He says in Revelation 3:20, “Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends.” Why don’t you invite him to enter your world? Work, Energy, Lordship, Love, W-E-L-L. Come to the well and drink.
Read more Come Thirsty
Acts 8:26-40
Later God’s angel spoke to Philip: “At noon today I want you to walk over to that desolate road that goes from Jerusalem down to Gaza.” He got up and went. He met an Ethiopian eunuch coming down the road. The eunuch had been on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and was returning to Ethiopia, where he was minister in charge of all the finances of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He was riding in a chariot and reading the prophet Isaiah.
29-30 The Spirit told Philip, “Climb into the chariot.” Running up alongside, Philip heard the eunuch reading Isaiah and asked, “Do you understand what you’re reading?”
31-33 He answered, “How can I without some help?” and invited Philip into the chariot with him. The passage he was reading was this:
As a sheep led to slaughter,
and quiet as a lamb being sheared,
He was silent, saying nothing.
He was mocked and put down, never got a fair trial.
But who now can count his kin
since he’s been taken from the earth?
34-35 The eunuch said, “Tell me, who is the prophet talking about: himself or some other?” Philip grabbed his chance. Using this passage as his text, he preached Jesus to him.
36-39 As they continued down the road, they came to a stream of water. The eunuch said, “Here’s water. Why can’t I be baptized?” He ordered the chariot to stop. They both went down to the water, and Philip baptized him on the spot. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of God suddenly took Philip off, and that was the last the eunuch saw of him. But he didn’t mind. He had what he’d come for and went on down the road as happy as he could be.
40 Philip showed up in Azotus and continued north, preaching the Message in all the villages along that route until he arrived at Caesarea.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Friday, June 28, 2019
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Acts 16:6-10
They went to Phrygia, and then on through the region of Galatia. Their plan was to turn west into Asia province, but the Holy Spirit blocked that route. So they went to Mysia and tried to go north to Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus wouldn’t let them go there either. Proceeding on through Mysia, they went down to the seaport Troas.
9-10 That night Paul had a dream: A Macedonian stood on the far shore and called across the sea, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” The dream gave Paul his map. We went to work at once getting things ready to cross over to Macedonia. All the pieces had come together. We knew now for sure that God had called us to preach the good news to the Europeans.
Insight
On his second missionary journey (Acts 16:1–18:22), Paul wanted to preach the gospel in the provinces of Asia Minor (modern-day western Turkey) and Bithynia (modern-day northern Turkey); however, God redirected Paul northwest to Troas. Through “a vision of a man of Macedonia” God called Paul to bring the gospel into Europe (16:8–9). The identity of the “man of Macedonia” is much debated. Because the pronoun “they” in verse 8 changes to “we” in verse 10, some scholars say this man is Luke himself who has now joined the mission team. Luke, a gentile medical doctor (Colossians 4:14), wrote the gospel of Luke and Acts and became Paul’s traveling companion and co-worker (Acts 16:10–40, 20:4–17, Philemon 1:24). He also took care of Paul during his last days in prison before his death (2 Timothy 4:11).
Divine Diversions
They tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. Acts 16:7
It can be difficult when we’re told “no” or “not now,” especially when we sense God has opened a door for us to serve others. Early in my ministry, two opportunities came my way where I thought my gifts and skills matched the churches’ needs, but both doors eventually closed. After these two disappointments, another position came along, and I was selected. With that ministry call came thirteen years of life-touching pastoral labors.
Twice in Acts 16 Paul and company were redirected by God. First, they were “kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia” (v. 6). Then, “When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to” (v. 7). Unknown to them, God had other plans that would be right for His work and workers. His no to the previous plans put them in a position to listen to and be confidently led by Him (vv. 9–10).
Who among us hasn’t grieved what we initially thought to be a painful loss? We’ve felt wounded when we didn’t get a certain job, when a service opportunity didn’t materialize, when a relocation got derailed. Though such things can momentarily be weighty, time often reveals that such detours are actually divine diversions that God graciously uses to get us where He wants us, and we are grateful. By Arthur Jackson
Reflect & Pray
What loss have you grieved only to be grateful that what you desired you didn’t get? How did the situation serve to bolster your trust in the Lord?
Father, I praise You that in Your wisdom You know how to best arrange my life. Thank You for protecting me through Your detours.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Friday, June 28, 2019
Held by the Grip of God
I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. —Philippians 3:12
Never choose to be a worker for God, but once God has placed His call on you, woe be to you if you “turn aside to the right hand or to the left” (Deuteronomy 5:32). We are not here to work for God because we have chosen to do so, but because God has “laid hold of” us. And once He has done so, we never have this thought, “Well, I’m really not suited for this.” What you are to preach is also determined by God, not by your own natural leanings or desires. Keep your soul steadfastly related to God, and remember that you are called not simply to convey your testimony but also to preach the gospel. Every Christian must testify to the truth of God, but when it comes to the call to preach, there must be the agonizing grip of God’s hand on you— your life is in the grip of God for that very purpose. How many of us are held like that?
Never water down the Word of God, but preach it in its undiluted sternness. There must be unflinching faithfulness to the Word of God, but when you come to personal dealings with others, remember who you are— you are not some special being created in heaven, but a sinner saved by grace.
“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do…I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
We are all based on a conception of importance, either our own importance, or the importance of someone else; Jesus tells us to go and teach based on the revelation of His importance. “All power is given unto Me.… Go ye therefore ….” So Send I You, 1325 R
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Friday, June 28, 2019
Bigger Than You Realize - #8470
Our friends had bought a new horse and named it Peanut. What kind of horse does that suggest to your imagination? A cute little Shetland Pony? Nope. Try again. Peanut was the biggest horse in their pasture. You know those Clydesdale horses in commercials, you'll have some idea of the size of this big mama. Part Belgian, part Morgan. That meant she was so big my body's probably not big enough to ride her. And they named Peanut. Something is wrong in this picture.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Bigger Than You Realize."
So when it comes to horses, what you're called obviously doesn't always tell how big you really are - when it comes to people, too. We've all been called a lot of things in our lifetime - some of them not very complimentary, some of them really damaging, and many of them just totally wrong.
The problem is we start to believe we are what other people have called us, what they've said about us. If you've been hurt a lot, abused a lot, put down a lot, you really start to believe that you can't be worth much. Or maybe it isn't what people have called you. It's the way they've treated you - ignored, invisible, abandoned, betrayed by someone you thought you could trust. We start to buy lies about who we are and what we're worth. The fact is, the people who've talked about you and mistreated you have no idea who you really are. Maybe you don't either.
There is only one person whose evaluation of you really matters and that is the person who created you in the first place. He really knows you. Now, listen to what God calls you in our word for today from the Word of God in Ephesians 2:10. He says, "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do." Wow, look at that! God's workmanship! That's the right name to call you. And nothing you've been through, nothing that has been done to you or by you, can change who you really are. And you don't need to miss who you are or what you're here for any longer!
The sad thing is that we've missed those "good works" that "God prepared in advance for us to do." We haven't followed the Creator's plans for us. We've made up our own, which has left us separated from the very One who gives us our worth. And that's why it all feels so hollow and so lonely so much of the time. God had every right to let us live and die like this, away from Him by our own sinful choice, but He didn't. He loves us too much.
In the Bible's words, "God so loved you that He gave His one and only Son," and He gave Him to die for you to take all the punishment for all the stuff you have done that has broken His heart.
And the day you open up to this "unloseable" love of Jesus Christ is the day you begin to experience how much you're really worth. He thought you were worth dying for. The question is, "Do you think He's worth living for?" Especially since the Bible says He's the One you were made by and made for (Colossians 1:16). Your personal love relationship with the One who loves you most begins when you tell Him, "Jesus, I resign running my own life. I was made by you - I was made for you. You died to pay for my sins. You walked out of Your grave under Your own power and I want You to walk into my life today. Beginning today Jesus, I am yours." Tell Him that today.
Go to our website today, it's called ANewStory.com. And right there you will find, right from God's own word, the information you need to anchor your life to Jesus Christ and know you belong to Him once and for all.
And you know what? He's going to say "welcome home" today, because He's the home your heart has always been looking for.