Max Lucado Daily: Immanuel - December 17, 2021
Imagine with me this conversation between God and Satan:
“Immanuel? God with us?” Satan spoke in a tone of disbelief. “The plan is bizarre. You don’t know what it is like on Earth! It’s evil.” “It’s mine,” proclaimed the King. “And I will reclaim what is mine. I will become flesh.” Satan stood speechless.
And God spoke, “I love my children. Love does not take away the beloved’s freedom, but love does take away fear. And Immanuel will leave behind a tribe of fearless children. They will not fear you; they will not fear your hell. I will take away all sin. I will take away death. And without sin and death you will have no power.”
Around and around in a circle, Satan paced, finally stopping to ask, “Why would you do this?” The Father’s voice was deep and soft. “Because I love them.”
Mark 10:1-31
Divorce
From there he went to the area of Judea across the Jordan. A crowd of people, as was so often the case, went along, and he, as he so often did, taught them. Pharisees came up, intending to give him a hard time. They asked, “Is it legal for a man to divorce his wife?”
3 Jesus said, “What did Moses command?”
4 They answered, “Moses gave permission to fill out a certificate of dismissal and divorce her.”
5-9 Jesus said, “Moses wrote this command only as a concession to your hardhearted ways. In the original creation, God made male and female to be together. Because of this, a man leaves father and mother, and in marriage he becomes one flesh with a woman—no longer two individuals, but forming a new unity. Because God created this organic union of the two sexes, no one should desecrate his art by cutting them apart.”
10-12 When they were back home, the disciples brought it up again. Jesus gave it to them straight: “A man who divorces his wife so he can marry someone else commits adultery against her. And a woman who divorces her husband so she can marry someone else commits adultery.”
* * *
13-16 The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: “Don’t push these children away. Don’t ever get between them and me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. Mark this: Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.” Then, gathering the children up in his arms, he laid his hands of blessing on them.
To Enter God’s Kingdom
17 As he went out into the street, a man came running up, greeted him with great reverence, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to get eternal life?”
18-19 Jesus said, “Why are you calling me good? No one is good, only God. You know the commandments: Don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t lie, don’t cheat, honor your father and mother.”
20 He said, “Teacher, I have—from my youth—kept them all!”
21 Jesus looked him hard in the eye—and loved him! He said, “There’s one thing left: Go sell whatever you own and give it to the poor. All your wealth will then be heavenly wealth. And come follow me.”
22 The man’s face clouded over. This was the last thing he expected to hear, and he walked off with a heavy heart. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and not about to let go.
23-25 Looking at his disciples, Jesus said, “Do you have any idea how difficult it is for people who ‘have it all’ to enter God’s kingdom?” The disciples couldn’t believe what they were hearing, but Jesus kept on: “You can’t imagine how difficult. I’d say it’s easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for the rich to get into God’s kingdom.”
26 That got their attention. “Then who has any chance at all?” they asked.
27 Jesus was blunt: “No chance at all if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you let God do it.”
28 Peter tried another angle: “We left everything and followed you.”
29-31 Jesus said, “Mark my words, no one who sacrifices house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, land—whatever—because of me and the Message will lose out. They’ll get it all back, but multiplied many times in homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land—but also in troubles. And then the bonus of eternal life! This is once again the Great Reversal: Many who are first will end up last, and the last first.”
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Friday, December 17, 2021
Today's Scripture
Psalm 31:12–24
(NIV)
I am forgotten as though I were dead;x
I have become like broken pottery.
13 For I hear many whispering,y
“Terror on every side!”z
They conspire against mea
and plot to take my life.b
14 But I trustc in you, Lord;
I say, “You are my God.”
15 My timesd are in your hands;
deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
from those who pursue me.
16 Let your face shinee on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love.f
17 Let me not be put to shame,g Lord,
for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
and be silenth in the realm of the dead.
18 Let their lying lipsi be silenced,
for with pride and contempt
they speak arrogantlyj against the righteous.
19 How abundant are the good thingsk
that you have stored up for those who fear you,
that you bestow in the sight of all,l
on those who take refugem in you.
20 In the sheltern of your presence you hideo them
from all human intrigues;p
you keep them safe in your dwelling
from accusing tongues.
21 Praise be to the Lord,q
for he showed me the wonders of his lover
when I was in a city under siege.s
22 In my alarmt I said,
“I am cut offu from your sight!”
Yet you heard my cryv for mercy
when I called to you for help.
23 Love the Lord, all his faithful people!w
The Lord preserves those who are true to him,x
but the proud he pays backy in full.
24 Be strong and take heart,z
all you who hope in the Lord.
Insight
In Psalm 31, David describes himself as broken pottery (v. 12)—an apt picture of humanity, for we’re frail vessels easily broken. We see this portrayal of humans as pottery and God as the Potter throughout Scripture (Psalm 2:9; Romans 9:21; Revelation 2:27). In Jeremiah 18:1–10, we read of the Potter’s ability to create, preserve, tear down, and reshape people and nations (see also Isaiah 41:25; 45:9). Yet as Isaiah declares, “You, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand” (64:8). God as our Creator longs to preserve and restore His people (Psalm 31:23–24). By: Alyson Kieda
Beautifully Broken
I am forgotten as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery.
Psalm 31:12
Our bus finally arrived at our much-anticipated destination—an archaeological dig in Israel where we would actually do some excavation work of our own. The site’s director explained that anything we might unearth had been untouched for thousands of years. Digging up broken shards of pottery, we felt as though we were touching history. After an extended time, we were led to a workstation where those broken pieces—from huge vases shattered long, long ago—were being put back together.
The picture was crystal clear. Those artisans reconstructing centuries-old broken pottery were a beautiful representation of the God who loves to fix broken things. In Psalm 31:12, David wrote, “I am forgotten as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery.” Though no occasion is given for the writing of this psalm, David’s life difficulties often found voice in his laments—just like this one. The song describes him as being broken down by danger, enemies, and despair.
So, where did he turn for help? In verse 16, David cries out to God, “Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love.”
The God who was the object of David’s trust is the same One who still fixes broken things today. All He asks is that we call out to Him and trust in His unfailing love. By: Bill Crowder
Reflect & Pray
What areas of brokenness have you experienced? How has God helped you through those difficult times?
God of my help, I thank You for all the times I’ve fallen and been broken—times when You’ve put me back together.
For further study, read Understanding the Bible: The Wisdom Books.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Friday, December 17, 2021
Redemption— Creating the Need it Satisfies
The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him… —1 Corinthians 2:14
The gospel of God creates the sense of need for the gospel. Is the gospel hidden to those who are servants already? No, Paul said, “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe…” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). The majority of people think of themselves as being completely moral, and have no sense of need for the gospel. It is God who creates this sense of need in a human being, but that person remains totally unaware of his need until God makes Himself evident. Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you…” (Matthew 7:7). But God cannot give until a man asks. It is not that He wants to withhold something from us, but that is the plan He has established for the way of redemption. Through our asking, God puts His process in motion, creating something in us that was nonexistent until we asked. The inner reality of redemption is that it creates all the time. And as redemption creates the life of God in us, it also creates the things which belong to that life. The only thing that can possibly satisfy the need is what created the need. This is the meaning of redemption— it creates and it satisfies.
Jesus said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself” (John 12:32). When we preach our own experiences, people may be interested, but it awakens no real sense of need. But once Jesus Christ is “lifted up,” the Spirit of God creates an awareness of the need for Him. The creative power of the redemption of God works in the souls of men only through the preaching of the gospel. It is never the sharing of personal experiences that saves people, but the truth of redemption. “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).
Wisdom From Oswald Chambers
God does not further our spiritual life in spite of our circumstances, but in and by our circumstances. Not Knowing Whither, 900 L
Bible in a Year: Amos 7-9; Revelation 8
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Friday, December 17, 2021
The Closer They Get, The Better You Look - #9115
It takes a real romantic klutz to ruin himself with four girls at one time. (It was me.) Oh, I did a pretty good job of that when I was in high school. See, it was Christmastime, and I decided I wanted to write kind of a romantic masterpiece on the back of the Christmas card to a girl named Wendy. The problem was that I actually was interested in three other girls too.
And after I finished writing that masterpiece, I said, "You know, this is so good, I think I'll put it on a card that's for all of the other girls too." Well, only I did change the name on them. It was okay as long as they didn't get together and compare notes. And they're all over the city. That ain't going to happen. Right?
Well, who could have guessed that those girls would decide to get together for a slumber party the day after Christmas, and bring their Christmas cards and compare them! Hello, Roasted Romeo!
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Closer They Get, The Better You Look."
Now, our word for today from the Word of God comes from 1 Samuel 12. In my Bible heading it says Samuel's Farewell Speech. This great leader for God is now about to turn over the leadership of Israel as their last judge to their first king, King Saul. And he says this very daring statement in his farewell speech, standing in front of these people who have known him for years. He says, "Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the Lord and His anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes? If I have done any of these things, I will make it right."
Well, they replied, "'You have not cheated or oppressed us. You have not taken anything from anyone's hand.' And Samuel said to them, 'The Lord is witness against you, and also His anointed is witness to this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.' And they said, 'He is witness.'" This is an incredible exchange, and the issue here was integrity. Samuel says, "Now, you've watched my life. You've watched my ministry. I want you now to testify against me and tell me any inconsistencies that you have seen." Wow!
Samuel didn't get up and say he had integrity. He lived in such a way that he could ask those who knew him to actually testify against him, and they couldn't. If all the people around him compared notes, they couldn't find any inconsistencies or deceit or question marks. No, I didn't fare so well that day those girls compared notes. You know, that day after Christmas? But we should live in such a way that we have no fear of being found out, no fear of discovery, no fear of investigation or scrutiny.
There's such tremendous freedom in living by three words: Nothing to hide. What does your family think of your integrity - the people who know you best? Do you talk one set of values and live another at home? Those you work with, those you serve with at church, those who see you make decisions or handle money or treat people? Do they see a consistency between the public you and the private you? What if you said to them, "Go ahead; testify against me." Would they say, "We have found nothing"? Wow!
Live your life in such a way that you have no fear of scrutiny, discovery, people comparing stories. If you tell the truth and do all the things as Jesus would do them, the light will only show your authenticity like it did Samuel's. It can be said of those who live without secrets and without deception, "The closer people get, the better you look."
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.