Max Lucado Daily: JESUS IS A GOOD FRIEND
I’ve always perceived the apostle John as a fellow who viewed life simply. Right is right. Wrong is wrong. But I like John most for the way he loved Jesus.
Jesus was a good friend with a good heart and a good idea. A “once-upon-a-time” storyteller with a “somewhere-over-the-rainbow” promise. Jesus was above all a loyal companion. Messiah? Yes! Son of God? Indeed! But even more to his closest disciple, Jesus was a pal. Jesus was a friend. Now what do you do with a friend? You stick by him. Maybe that’s why John is the only one of the twelve who was at the cross. He came to say good-bye.
After witnessing this simple love, aren’t we left with a burning desire to have one like it? Aren’t we left wondering if we would like to have been the one to offer a smile of loyalty to our dear Lord? I sure hope so.
1 Chronicles 1
1-4 Adam
Seth
Enosh
Kenan
Mahalalel
Jared
Enoch
Methuselah
Lamech
Noah
Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
5 Japheth had Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.
6 Gomer had Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah.
7 Javan had Elisha, Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim.
8 Ham had Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.
9 Cush had Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raamah, and Sabteca.
Raamah had Sheba and Dedan.
10 Cush had Nimrod, the first great hero on earth.
11-12 Mizraim was ancestor to the Ludim, the Anamim, the Lehabim, the Naphtuhim, the Pathrusim, the Casluhim, and the Caphtorim from whom the Philistines descended.
13-16 Canaan had Sidon (his firstborn) and Heth, and was ancestor to the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites.
17 Shem had Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, Aram, Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshech.
18-19 Arphaxad had Shelah and Shelah had Eber. Eber had two sons: Peleg (Division) because in his time the earth was divided up; his brother was Joktan.
20-23 Joktan had Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, Ebal, Abimael, Sheba, Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab—all sons of Joktan.
24-28 The three main branches in summary: Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah, Eber, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, Terah, and Abram (Abraham). And Abraham had Isaac and Ishmael.
29-31 Abraham’s family tree developed along these lines: Ishmael had Nebaioth (his firstborn), then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah—the Ishmael branch.
32-33 Keturah, Abraham’s concubine, gave birth to Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. Then Jokshan had Sheba and Dedan. And Midian had Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. These made up the Keturah branch.
34-37 Abraham had Isaac, and Isaac had Esau and Israel (Jacob). Esau had Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. Eliphaz had Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, Kenaz, Timna, and Amalek. And Reuel had Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.
38-42 Seir then had Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. Lotan had Hori and Homam. Timna was Lotan’s sister. Shobal had Alian, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. Zibeon had Aiah and Anah. Anah had Dishon. Dishon had Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Keran. Ezer had Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan. And Dishan had Uz and Aran.
43-51 A list of the kings who ruled in the country of Edom before Israel had a king:
Bela son of Beor; his city was Dinhabah.
Bela died; Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah was the next king.
Jobab died; Husham from the country of the Temanites was the next king.
Husham died; Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, was the next king; his city was Avith.
Hadad died; Samlah from Masrekah was the next king.
Samlah died; Shaul from Rehoboth-by-the-River was the next king.
Shaul died; Baal-Hanan son of Acbor was the next king.
Baal-Hanan died; Hadad was the next king; his city was Pau and his wife was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-Zahab.
Last of all Hadad died.
51-54 The chieftains of Edom after that were Chief Timna, Chief Alvah, Chief Jetheth, Chief Oholibamah, Chief Elah, Chief Pinon, Chief Kenaz, Chief Teman, Chief Mibzar, Chief Magdiel, and Chief Iram. These were the chieftains of Edom.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Wednesday, December 04, 2019
Today's Scripture & Insight:
1 John 3:19–24
This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends,h if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before Godi 22 and receive from him anything we ask,j because we keep his commandsk and do what pleases him.l 23 And this is his command: to believem in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,n and to love one another as he commanded us.o 24 The one who keeps God’s commandsp lives in him,q and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.r
Insight
John’s first letter begins in a way similar to the beginning of the gospel of John (1:1–4). In both his letter and gospel, he reflects the wonder of someone who’s seen the eternal Word of God with his own eyes (John 1:1–3; 1 John 1:1–4). In both books he develops the themes of what it takes to live in the presence of One who personified light, life, and love. But there are also some important differences. John’s gospel focuses on the ways Jesus revealed Himself to men and women who never could’ve guessed that the life, light, and love of God could be revealed from an executioner’s cross. John’s first letter, on the other hand, works as an appeal to those who knew the story but were in danger of forgetting what a lack of love for such a God—and one another—means. By: Mart DeHaan
Free from Condemnation
If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts. 1 John 3:20
As a couple drove their trailer through dry Northern California, they felt a tire blow and heard the scrape of metal against pavement. The sparks ignited the 2018 Carr Fire—a wildfire that burned nearly 230,000 acres, destroyed more than 1,000 homes, and resulted in the deaths of several people.
When survivors heard how the couple were overcome with grief, they formed a Facebook page to show “grace and extend kindness . . . for the shame and despair” enveloping them. One woman wrote: “As someone that lost their home to this fire—I need you to know my family [doesn’t blame you], nor [do] any of the other families that lost homes. . . . Accidents happen. I really hope these kind messages ease your burden. We will all get through this together.”
Condemnation, our fear that we’ve done something unredeemable, can cannibalize the human soul. Thankfully, the Scriptures reveal that “if our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts” (1 John 3:20). Whatever our hidden shame, God is greater than all of it. Jesus calls us to the healing act of repentance (if needed) or simply unmasks the shame consuming us. Then, encountering divine redemption, we “set our hearts at rest in his presence” (v. 19).
Whatever our regrets over things we wish we could undo, God draws us near. Jesus smiles at us and says, “Your heart is free.” By: Winn Collier
Reflect & Pray
How have you experienced shame or condemnation? What does it mean for you to know that Jesus has freed your heart?
God, I have such regret. I wish I could erase this painful situation and do it all over. But thank You for giving me grace to learn and move forward.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Wednesday, December 04, 2019
The Law of Opposition
To him who overcomes… —Revelation 2:7
Life without war is impossible in the natural or the supernatural realm. It is a fact that there is a continuing struggle in the physical, mental, moral, and spiritual areas of life.
Health is the balance between the physical parts of my body and all the things and forces surrounding me. To maintain good health I must have sufficient internal strength to fight off the things that are external. Everything outside my physical life is designed to cause my death. The very elements that sustain me while I am alive work to decay and disintegrate my body once it is dead. If I have enough inner strength to fight, I help to produce the balance needed for health. The same is true of the mental life. If I want to maintain a strong and active mental life, I have to fight. This struggle produces the mental balance called thought.
Morally it is the same. Anything that does not strengthen me morally is the enemy of virtue within me. Whether I overcome, thereby producing virtue, depends on the level of moral excellence in my life. But we must fight to be moral. Morality does not happen by accident; moral virtue is acquired.
And spiritually it is also the same. Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation…” (John 16:33). This means that anything which is not spiritual leads to my downfall. Jesus went on to say, “…but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” I must learn to fight against and overcome the things that come against me, and in that way produce the balance of holiness. Then it becomes a delight to meet opposition.
Holiness is the balance between my nature and the law of God as expressed in Jesus Christ.
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
Wednesday, December 04, 2019
Christmas Surprises Under the Rockefeller Center Tree - 8583
Oh, I love this time of year! I love the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting. When I watched it a couple of years ago, you know, it was as always, heartwarming to watch those lights come on in the middle of the city where I spent so much ministry time.
And actually there was some good news coming from that big Christmas tree. Oh, we had the obligatory "bubble gum" songs about Santa and snow and toys. But I was impressed with the fact that Jesus was there, too. That particular year there were some beautiful presentations of "Silent Night" and "Away in a Manger" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen." There actually were a few relatively holy moments in the middle of all that New York glitz.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Christmas Surprises Under the Rockefeller Center Tree."
It was a reminder to me of how special this season really is. This Savior of ours who is largely ignored and marginalized the rest of the year is suddenly and inescapably on the radar come December. Oh sure, there's a glut of commercialism. But I'll tell you this, there's more Christ than at any other time of the year.
And that provides for all of us Jesus-lovers an unparalleled opportunity to move people we love to Jesus. To help them be in heaven with us some day. If any season comes under the Biblical heading of "making the most of every opportunity" (Ephesians 5:16) the Christmas season does.
It's a good time to remember what God was saying when His angel told Joseph to "give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:18). Jesus means "God rescues." Christmas means that God has come from heaven as the Rescuer from the hell and the bondage of our sin. And there's no better time than Christmas to join Jesus in His rescue mission. We can pray for opportunities, we can look for opportunities, and we can plan for opportunities to introduce Him to hearts that are opened by the Christmas season.
The problem is that we are so robotically busy from now until Christmas that this season of rescue comes and goes without us even trying to rescue anybody! I can already feel it myself. You get carried away by the inertia of just doing Christmas, American style. The rescuing will not happen if we don't make it a non-negotiable of our plans, let's say these next three weeks ahead.
Our word for today from the Word of God is in John 9:4. It tells us that, "We must work while it is day, for the night is coming." That means making a promise to God that we will be intentional about bringing Jesus into the lives of our lost friends and our neighbors and our loved ones. I said intentional during this time when it is still day, and the light is on and on Jesus more than ever. We can be intentional about this by praying for them by name every day during this season, by asking God to open up natural opportunities for us to talk about our relationship with Jesus. It will be easier this time of year than any other.
I have that three-open prayer that I've talked about before, "Lord, open a door." Which means give me that natural opportunity to bring up my relationship with You. Then, "Lord, open their heart." Get them ready. And then, "Lord, open my mouth." Give me the words and the courage and the approach to use. How about planning to take them to dinner and then to a special Christmas event where the Gospel will be presented, or take them to the event and then have them over for dessert so you can talk about it.
Then include your own personal Hope Story with your Christmas card. I know some friends who do that, and they put it in an attractive form and they include the hope story of how this Jesus, who's birthday it is, changed their life forever and took it from B.C. (before Christ) to A.D. (after Christ). There's all kinds of ways God will answer your prayer for opportunities. Just start praying for them and keeping your eyes open for them.
‘Tis the season! After all, this is His birthday. And there is no gift He wants more than the heart of someone He died for. Someone you know who doesn't know your Jesus. And there's just no better time.