Max Lucado Daily: HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME
Jesus taught us to pray with reverence when he modeled for us “Hallowed be your name” (Matthew 6:9). His phrase is a petition, not a proclamation. A request, not an announcement. “Be hallowed, Lord.” Do whatever it takes to be holy in my life. Exalt yourself. Glorify yourself. You be Lord, and I’ll be quiet.
The psalm that says, “Be still and know that I am God” contains a command with a promise. The command? Be still, cover your mouth, bend your knees. The promise? You will know that I am God. In the midst of your family storms, and in this storm that has swept over our country and the entire world, make it a point to be still. Set your sights on him. Let God be God. Be open and willing. Allow God to be hallowed, holy in your life.
1 Timothy 4
Teach with Your Life
The Spirit makes it clear that as time goes on, some are going to give up on the faith and chase after demonic illusions put forth by professional liars. These liars have lied so well and for so long that they’ve lost their capacity for truth. They will tell you not to get married. They’ll tell you not to eat this or that food—perfectly good food God created to be eaten heartily and with thanksgiving by believers who know better! Everything God created is good, and to be received with thanks. Nothing is to be sneered at and thrown out. God’s Word and our prayers make every item in creation holy.
6-10 You’ve been raised on the Message of the faith and have followed sound teaching. Now pass on this counsel to the followers of Jesus there, and you’ll be a good servant of Jesus. Stay clear of silly stories that get dressed up as religion. Exercise daily in God—no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever. You can count on this. Take it to heart. This is why we’ve thrown ourselves into this venture so totally. We’re banking on the living God, Savior of all men and women, especially believers.
11-14 Get the word out. Teach all these things. And don’t let anyone put you down because you’re young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity. Stay at your post reading Scripture, giving counsel, teaching. And that special gift of ministry you were given when the leaders of the church laid hands on you and prayed—keep that dusted off and in use.
15-16 Cultivate these things. Immerse yourself in them. The people will all see you mature right before their eyes! Keep a firm grasp on both your character and your teaching. Don’t be diverted. Just keep at it. Both you and those who hear you will experience salvation.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Friday, November 20, 2020
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Ephesians 4:26–32
“In your anger do not sin”[a]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Footnotes
Ephesians 4:26 Psalm 4:4 (see Septuagint)
Insight
As believers in Christ, Paul tells us we’re to live differently from non-believers. Our lives are to be holy—set apart and devoted to God (Ephesians 4:20–24). Our speech is to be characterized by words that are truthful and that help, edify, build up, encourage, and benefit others (vv. 25, 29). Through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, we’ll put away unwholesome and abusive language, along with bitter, angry, harsh, slanderous, or malicious words (vv. 29–31). How we forgive others is the defining virtue of the believers in Jesus. We’re to forgive as God has forgiven us (v. 32; Colossians 3:13). The evidence that we’re forgiven by the Father is when we’re willing to forgive others. The forgiven believer in Jesus is a forgiving person (Matthew 18:21–35; Luke 7:36–50).
Visit ChristianUniversity.org/ML502 to learn more about dealing with conflict.
Turning from Conflict
Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry. Ephesians 4:26
In his graveside tribute to a famous Dutch scientist, Albert Einstein didn’t mention their scientific disputes. Instead, he recalled the “never-failing kindness” of Hendrik A. Lorentz, a beloved physicist known for his easy manner and fair treatment of others. “Everyone followed him gladly,” Einstein said, “for they felt he never set out to dominate but always simply to be of use.”
Lorentz inspired scientists to put aside political prejudice and work together, especially after World War I. “Even before the war was over,” Einstein said of his fellow Nobel Prize winner, “[Lorentz] devoted himself to the work of reconciliation.”
Working for reconciliation should be the goal of everyone in the church as well. True, some conflict is inevitable. Yet we must do our part to work for peaceful resolutions. Paul wrote, “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry” (Ephesians 4:26). To grow together, the apostle advised, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs” (v. 29).
Finally, said Paul, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (vv. 31–32). Turning from conflict whenever we are able helps build God’s church. In this, indeed, we honor Him. By: Patricia Raybon
Reflect & Pray
How can God help us deal with conflict? To honor Him and your church, what conflict should you let go?
Loving God, when I face conflict, remind my heart to turn my anger over to You.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Friday, November 20, 2020
The Forgiveness of God
In Him we have…the forgiveness of sins… —Ephesians 1:7
e our forgiveness on any other ground is unconscious blasphemy. The only ground on which God can forgive our sin and reinstate us to His favor is through the Cross of Christ. There is no other way! Forgiveness, which is so easy for us to accept, cost the agony at Calvary. We should never take the forgiveness of sin, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and our sanctification in simple faith, and then forget the enormous cost to God that made all of this ours.
Forgiveness is the divine miracle of grace. The cost to God was the Cross of Christ. To forgive sin, while remaining a holy God, this price had to be paid. Never accept a view of the fatherhood of God if it blots out the atonement. The revealed truth of God is that without the atonement He cannot forgive— He would contradict His nature if He did. The only way we can be forgiven is by being brought back to God through the atonement of the Cross. God’s forgiveness is possible only in the supernatural realm.
Compared with the miracle of the forgiveness of sin, the experience of sanctification is small. Sanctification is simply the wonderful expression or evidence of the forgiveness of sins in a human life. But the thing that awakens the deepest fountain of gratitude in a human being is that God has forgiven his sin. Paul never got away from this. Once you realize all that it cost God to forgive you, you will be held as in a vise, constrained by the love of God.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
For the past three hundred years men have been pointing out how similar Jesus Christ’s teachings are to other good teachings. We have to remember that Christianity, if it is not a supernatural miracle, is a sham. The Highest Good, 548 L
Bible in a Year: Ezekiel 14-15; James 2
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Friday, November 20, 2020
Waiting 'til the Roof Caves In - #8835
Many years ago, our state was America's Wild West. Out of that grew a pretty colorful state history, which I never knew much about before. But after a recent visit to the state capital, I came back with some interesting stories out of our past. I loved the story of the sagging roof on the original State House. The legislators had often been reminded that the roof needed to be replaced before something ugly happened. Well, they never got around to passing a bill to authorize that replacement. (Can you imagine?) And then one day, with the Legislature in full session...you want to guess? The roof finally collapsed on the legislators. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured. And the next day, for some reason, (Guess what?) they passed a bill for a new roof; the day after the old one fell on their heads!
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Waiting 'til the Roof Caves In."
I had to laugh at this great example of what it takes sometimes to get things moving. I stopped laughing when I realized that it's sometimes me that waits until the roof caves in before I do the right thing. Maybe you've made that mistake, too.
In an incredible dialog between King Solomon and the Lord, Solomon anticipates some of the critical issues that may arise in his nation's future. It's in our word for today from the Word of God in 2 Chronicles 6, beginning in verse 24. Solomon tells the Lord, "When Your people Israel have been defeated by an enemy (that's the roof falling in) because they have sinned against You (that's why it fell in) and when they turn back and confess Your name...then hear from heaven, forgive the sin of Your people...and bring them back."
He then addresses another roof collapse, "when the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because Your people have sinned..." Then he goes on to talk about their dealing with their sin and then God sending the rain they're desperate for. Solomon uses other examples of the roof falling in on God's people - famine, plague, locusts, enemies besieging them, disaster, disease - and he asks God to redeem them when they again deal with their sin.
The culmination of this insightful spiritual analysis comes in the great revival verse, 2 Chronicles 7:14, preceded, of course, by 2 Chronicles 7:13. The Lord says, "When I shut up the heavens so there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among My people, if My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven. I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." Wow! Well, timely stuff.
The trick is to deal with things before the roof caves in, before the Lord has to lower the boom to get your attention. He escalates the pressure and the pain as we ignore His softer promptings to face what needs to be faced. Right now, maybe God's working in your heart, or your circumstances to get you to deal with some sin that you've refused to repent of, to face some important issues in your marriage, or in the life of your family, or in the way you do business, to deal with the lies, or the hurting words, or the destructive attitude, or your bitterness. There may be problems you keep sweeping under the rug, issues you will not confront, sins you will not repent of.
That may be why things have not been working, why there's been so much frustration, so much pain. You've been blaming your environment, your circumstances, you've been blaming other people, when God's been trying to get you to look in the mirror and let Him fix the person you see there.
He's been turning up the heat. He's trying to get your attention! Don't wait until the roof caves in.
From my daily reading of the bible, Our Daily Bread Devotionals, My Utmost for His Highest and Ron Hutchcraft "A Word with You" and occasionally others.