Proverbs 21, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: A Hope-Filled Heart

You and I live in a trashy world. Unwanted garbage comes our way on a regular basis. Haven’t you been handed a trash sack of mishaps and heartaches? Sure you have. May I ask, what are you going to do with it? You could hide it. Pretend it isn’t there. But sooner or later it will start to stink. So what will you do?

If you follow the example of Christ, you’ll learn to see tough times differently. God wants you to have a hope-filled heart. . .just like Jesus. Wouldn’t you want that? Jesus saw his Father’s presence in the problem. Sure, Max, but Jesus was God. I can’t see the way he saw. Not yet, maybe. But don’t underestimate God’s power. He can change the way you look at life.

From The Lucado Inspirational Reader

Proverbs  21

God Examines Our Motives

Good leadership is a channel of water controlled by God;

    he directs it to whatever ends he chooses.

2 We justify our actions by appearances;

    God examines our motives.

3 Clean living before God and justice with our neighbors

    mean far more to God than religious performance.

4 Arrogance and pride—distinguishing marks in the wicked—

    are just plain sin.

5 Careful planning puts you ahead in the long run;

    hurry and scurry puts you further behind.

6 Make it to the top by lying and cheating;

    get paid with smoke and a promotion—to death!

7 The wicked get buried alive by their loot

    because they refuse to use it to help others.

8 Mixed motives twist life into tangles;

    pure motives take you straight down the road.

Do Your Best, Prepare for the Worst

9 Better to live alone in a tumbledown shack

    than share a mansion with a nagging spouse.

10 Wicked souls love to make trouble;

    they feel nothing for friends and neighbors.

11 Simpletons only learn the hard way,

    but the wise learn by listening.

12 A God-loyal person will see right through the wicked

    and undo the evil they’ve planned.

13 If you stop your ears to the cries of the poor,

    your cries will go unheard, unanswered.

14 A quietly given gift soothes an irritable person;

    a heartfelt present cools a hot temper.

15 Good people celebrate when justice triumphs,

    but for the workers of evil it’s a bad day.

16 Whoever wanders off the straight and narrow

    ends up in a congregation of ghosts.

17 You’re addicted to thrills? What an empty life!

    The pursuit of pleasure is never satisfied.

18 What a bad person plots against the good, boomerangs;

    the plotter gets it in the end.

19 Better to live in a tent in the wild

    than with a cross and petulant spouse.

20 Valuables are safe in a wise person’s home;

    fools put it all out for yard sales.

21 Whoever goes hunting for what is right and kind

    finds life itself—glorious life!

22 One sage entered a whole city of armed soldiers—

    their trusted defenses fell to pieces!

23 Watch your words and hold your tongue;

    you’ll save yourself a lot of grief.

24 You know their names—Brash, Impudent, Blasphemer—

    intemperate hotheads, every one.

25 Lazy people finally die of hunger

    because they won’t get up and go to work.

26 Sinners are always wanting what they don’t have;

    the God-loyal are always giving what they do have.

27 Religious performance by the wicked stinks;

    it’s even worse when they use it to get ahead.

28 A lying witness is unconvincing;

    a person who speaks truth is respected.

29 Unscrupulous people fake it a lot;

    honest people are sure of their steps.

30 Nothing clever, nothing conceived, nothing contrived,

    can get the better of God.

31 Do your best, prepare for the worst—

    then trust God to bring victory.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Saturday, December 31, 2022

Today's Scripture

2 Timothy 4:1–8

I can’t impress this on you too strongly. God is looking over your shoulder. Christ himself is the Judge, with the final say on everyone, living and dead. He is about to break into the open with his rule, so proclaim the Message with intensity; keep on your watch. Challenge, warn, and urge your people. Don’t ever quit. Just keep it simple.

3-5 You’re going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They’ll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages. But you—keep your eye on what you’re doing; accept the hard times along with the good; keep the Message alive; do a thorough job as God’s servant.

6-8 You take over. I’m about to die, my life an offering on God’s altar. This is the only race worth running. I’ve run hard right to the finish, believed all the way. All that’s left now is the shouting—God’s applause! Depend on it, he’s an honest judge. He’ll do right not only by me, but by everyone eager for his coming.

Insight

Paul’s second letter to Timothy was written from a Roman prison. Many scholars believe he was incarcerated in the Mamertine prison, known in ancient times as the Tullianum prison. According to one source, the Mamertine prison was a place for political prisoners who were “doomed for execution.” A door in the lower chamber gave access to Rome’s sewer system, which was often used to carry away the bodies of executed prisoners. While there’s no historical evidence that Paul (or Peter) was imprisoned in the Mamertine prison, tradition has long held that to be the case. As a result of that longstanding connection to the church’s great apostles, the prison has been used as a place of worship since around the seventh century. Whether this was the actual location of Paul’s imprisonment or not, his letter makes it clear that he was anticipating his upcoming execution and was ready to see his Savior (2 Timothy 4:6–8). By: Bill Crowder

Finishing Strong

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  2 Timothy 4:7

At the age of 103, a woman named Man Kaur competed as India’s oldest female athlete during the 2019 World Masters Athletic Championship in Poland. Remarkably, Kaur won gold in four events (javelin throw, shot put, 60-meter dash, and 200-meter run). But most astounding was that she ran faster than she ran in the 2017 championship. A great-grandmother running into her second century, Kaur showed how to finish strong.

The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, a younger disciple, of how he’d entered his concluding years. “The time for my departure is near,” Paul wrote (2 Timothy 4:6). Reflecting on his life, he confidently believed he was finishing strong. “I have fought the good fight,” Paul said. “I have finished the race” (v. 7). He wasn’t confident because he’d calculated his impressive accomplishments or surveyed his vast impact (though they were immense). Rather, he knew he’d “kept the faith” (v. 7). The apostle had remained loyal to Jesus. Through sorrows and joys, he’d followed the One who’d rescued him from ruin. And he knew that Jesus stood ready with a “crown of righteousness,” the joyful finale to his faithful life (v. 8).

Paul insists that this crown isn’t for an elite few but for “all who have longed for [Christ’s] appearing” (v. 8). As we head into a new year, let’s remember that Jesus stands eager to crown all who’ve loved Him, and may we live to finish strong. By:  Winn Collier

Reflect & Pray

What would it look like for you to finish strong? Who has been an example of finishing well?

God, I want to finish well. Help me to love You more than anything or anyone else.

For further study, read Finishing Well: Gracefully Living with Life’s Changes.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Saturday, December 31, 2022

Yesterday

You shall not go out with haste,…for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard. —Isaiah 52:12

Security from Yesterday. “…God requires an account of what is past” (Ecclesiastes 3:15). At the end of the year we turn with eagerness to all that God has for the future, and yet anxiety is apt to arise when we remember our yesterdays. Our present enjoyment of God’s grace tends to be lessened by the memory of yesterday’s sins and blunders. But God is the God of our yesterdays, and He allows the memory of them to turn the past into a ministry of spiritual growth for our future. God reminds us of the past to protect us from a very shallow security in the present.

Security for Tomorrow. “…the Lord will go before you….” This is a gracious revelation— that God will send His forces out where we have failed to do so. He will keep watch so that we will not be tripped up again by the same failures, as would undoubtedly happen if He were not our “rear guard.” And God’s hand reaches back to the past, settling all the claims against our conscience.

Security for Today. “You shall not go out with haste….” As we go forth into the coming year, let it not be in the haste of impetuous, forgetful delight, nor with the quickness of impulsive thoughtlessness. But let us go out with the patient power of knowing that the God of Israel will go before us. Our yesterdays hold broken and irreversible things for us. It is true that we have lost opportunities that will never return, but God can transform this destructive anxiety into a constructive thoughtfulness for the future. Let the past rest, but let it rest in the sweet embrace of Christ.

Leave the broken, irreversible past in His hands, and step out into the invincible future with Him.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

Am I learning how to use my Bible? The way to become complete for the Master’s service is to be well soaked in the Bible; some of us only exploit certain passages. Our Lord wants to give us continuous instruction out of His word; continuous instruction turns hearers into disciples.  Approved Unto God, 11 L

Bible in a Year: Malachi 1-4; Revelation 22

Proverbs 20 and Daily Devotionals

 Max Lucado: A HEART LIKE JESUS - December 30, 2022

You and I live in a trashy world. Unwanted garbage comes our way on a regular basis. Haven’t you been handed a trash sack of mishaps and heartaches? Sure you have. May I ask, what are you going to do with it?

You could hide it, pretend it isn’t there. But sooner or later it will start to stink. So what will you do? If you follow the example of Christ, you’ll learn to see tough times differently.

He wants you to have a hope-filled heart…just like Jesus. Wouldn’t you want that? Jesus saw his Father’s presence in the problem. Sure, Max, but Jesus was God. I can’t see the way he saw. Not yet, maybe. But don’t underestimate God’s power. He can change the way you look at life.

Proverbs 20

Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler;
    whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

2 

A king’s wrath strikes terror like the roar of a lion;
    those who anger him forfeit their lives.

3 

It is to one’s honor to avoid strife,
    but every fool is quick to quarrel.

4 

Sluggards do not plow in season;
    so at harvest time they look but find nothing.

5 

The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters,
    but one who has insight draws them out.

6 

Many claim to have unfailing love,
    but a faithful person who can find?

7 

The righteous lead blameless lives;
    blessed are their children after them.

8 

When a king sits on his throne to judge,
    he winnows out all evil with his eyes.

9 

Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure;
    I am clean and without sin”?

10 

Differing weights and differing measures—
    the Lord detests them both.

11 

Even small children are known by their actions,
    so is their conduct really pure and upright?

12 

Ears that hear and eyes that see—
    the Lord has made them both.

13 

Do not love sleep or you will grow poor;
    stay awake and you will have food to spare.

14 

“It’s no good, it’s no good!” says the buyer—
    then goes off and boasts about the purchase.

15 

Gold there is, and rubies in abundance,
    but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.

16 

Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;
    hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.

17 

Food gained by fraud tastes sweet,
    but one ends up with a mouth full of gravel.

18 

Plans are established by seeking advice;
    so if you wage war, obtain guidance.

19 

A gossip betrays a confidence;
    so avoid anyone who talks too much.

20 

If someone curses their father or mother,
    their lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.

21 

An inheritance claimed too soon
    will not be blessed at the end.

22 

Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!”
    Wait for the Lord, and he will avenge you.

23 

The Lord detests differing weights,
    and dishonest scales do not please him.

24 

A person’s steps are directed by the Lord.
    How then can anyone understand their own way?

25 

It is a trap to dedicate something rashly
    and only later to consider one’s vows.

26 

A wise king winnows out the wicked;
    he drives the threshing wheel over them.

27 

The human spirit is[c] the lamp of the Lord
    that sheds light on one’s inmost being.

28 

Love and faithfulness keep a king safe;
    through love his throne is made secure.

29 

The glory of young men is their strength,
    gray hair the splendor of the old.

30 

Blows and wounds scrub away evil,
    and beatings purge the inmost being.

Our Daily Bread Devotional 

Today's Scripture:

Psalm 107:23–32

Some went out on the seaa in ships;b

they were merchants on the mighty waters.

24 They saw the works of the Lord,c

his wonderful deeds in the deep.

25 For he spoked and stirred up a tempeste

that lifted high the waves.f

26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;

in their perilg their courage meltedh away.

27 They reeledi and staggered like drunkards;

they were at their wits’ end.

28 Then they criedj out to the Lord in their trouble,

and he brought them out of their distress.k

29 He stilled the storml to a whisper;

the wavesm of the seab were hushed.n

30 They were glad when it grew calm,

and he guided themo to their desired haven.

31 Let them give thanksp to the Lord for his unfailing loveq

and his wonderful deedsr for mankind.

32 Let them exalts him in the assemblyt of the people

and praise him in the council of the elders.

Insight

Psalm 107 opens and closes with the ideas that guide the understanding of all forty-three verses. Verse 1 says, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” And verse 43 reads, “Let the one who is wise heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.” The combination of these verses tells the reader that God’s “loving deeds” will endure forever. The verses in between are broken into sections that describe the stories of the redeemed (vv. 2–3). Taken together, this psalm paints a picture of a God who acts to bring people to Himself. His loving deeds that endure forever are what bring people to a recognition and dependence on the goodness and love of Him.

By: J.R. Hudberg

Grace Amid the Chaos

They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven.

Psalm 107:30

I was drifting off into an impromptu nap when it hit me. From the basement, my son ripped a chord on his electric guitar. The walls reverberated. No peace. No quiet. No nap. Moments later, competing music greeted my ears: my daughter playing “Amazing Grace” on the piano.

Normally, I love my son’s guitar playing. But in that moment, it jarred and unsettled me. Just as quickly, the familiar notes of John Newton’s hymn reminded me that grace thrives amid the chaos. No matter how loud, unwanted, or disorienting the storms of life might be, God’s notes of grace ring clear and true, reminding us of His watchful care over us.  

We see that reality in Scripture. In Psalm 107:23–32, sailors struggle mightily against a maelstrom that could easily devour them. “In their peril, their courage melted away” (v. 26). Still, they didn’t despair but “cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress” (v. 28). Finally, we read: “They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven” (v. 30).

In chaotic moments, whether they’re life-threatening or merely sleep-threatening, the barrage of noise and fear can storm our souls. But as we trust God and pray to Him, we experience the grace of His presence and provision—the haven of His steadfast love.

By:  Adam Holz

Reflect & Pray

When have you experienced God’s haven of peace in other people? To whom might you offer similar encouragement?  

Father, help me to remember to call out to You when the waters of life are rising, and help me to offer hope to others.

For further study, read Navigating the Storms of Life.

My Utmost for His Highest 

“And Every Virtue We Possess”

By Oswald Chambers

…All my springs are in you. —Psalm 87:7

Our Lord never “patches up” our natural virtues, that is, our natural traits, qualities, or characteristics. He completely remakes a person on the inside— “…put on the new man…” (Ephesians 4:24). In other words, see that your natural human life is putting on all that is in keeping with the new life. The life God places within us develops its own new virtues, not the virtues of the seed of Adam, but of Jesus Christ. Once God has begun the process of sanctification in your life, watch and see how God causes your confidence in your own natural virtues and power to wither away. He will continue until you learn to draw your life from the reservoir of the resurrection life of Jesus. Thank God if you are going through this drying-up experience!

The sign that God is at work in us is that He is destroying our confidence in the natural virtues, because they are not promises of what we are going to be, but only a wasted reminder of what God created man to be. We want to cling to our natural virtues, while all the time God is trying to get us in contact with the life of Jesus Christ— a life that can never be described in terms of natural virtues. It is the saddest thing to see people who are trying to serve God depending on that which the grace of God never gave them. They are depending solely on what they have by virtue of heredity. God does not take our natural virtues and transform them, because our natural virtues could never even come close to what Jesus Christ wants. No natural love, no natural patience, no natural purity can ever come up to His demands. But as we bring every part of our natural bodily life into harmony with the new life God has placed within us, He will exhibit in us the virtues that were characteristic of the Lord Jesus.

And every virtue we possess
Is His alone.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

I have no right to say I believe in God unless I order my life as under His all-seeing Eye. Disciples Indeed, 385 L

A Word With You by Ron Hutchcraft 

THE ANSWER IN THE MIRROR - #9385

You know, occasionally I see something enlightening in a little comic strip called "Family Circus." For example, there was this one where the house is a total disaster, and Mom walks in. The look on her face tells you that Mt. Vesuvius is about to blow. She has only one question, "Who did this?" Dad and the children are all innocent, of course. Apparently, the house must have just exploded and made itself a mess. But when Mom presses her question for who should be held responsible, one of the kids cleverly responds: "It was the ghost of 'not me'!"

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Answer in the Mirror."

That ghost of "not me"? He really gets around. There are a lot of folks who see almost every problem, every conflict, or every mistake that way. Whoever is at fault, it certainly isn't me. Sadly, those folks continue to be the common denominator in one problem after another because they simply can't see, or admit, their blame for anything. That's what destroys marriages, and children, and friendships, working relationships, churches - you name it. Mature people, on the other hand, are those who can look in the mirror and honestly see their part of the blame.

Our word for today from the Word of God - Proverbs 16:2 - provides this insight: "All a man's ways seem innocent to him..." Boy, is that true! "They" did it! They caused the problem. I'm a victim! It's their fault." Never me - always them. We have this amazing, and perverted, ability to see ourselves as usually being in the right, of bearing little or no blame for the problem, of seeing our own complete innocence and someone else's complete guilt. If you are to any degree like that, I could almost guarantee you are leaving behind you your own personal "trail of tears."

That verse in Proverbs 16 says, "All a man's ways seem" (notice the word "seem") "innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord." See, when God looks at the situation, He sees what's really going on inside us and holding us responsible for the part that we've done wrong. I'm happy to repent for other people's sins. I just need to be quick to repent of my sins.

Sadly, those who tend to see the fault as being in the other person find themselves trapped in a repetitious life-cycle of friction, unhappiness, self-pity, negativity, destructive talk, anger, hurt, and a constant state of what I would call "un-peace." You live that way until you finally see the trail of brokenness behind you, and you realize you were a common denominator in all or most of that unhappiness.

That's when you stop blaming others and you finally experience what Jesus promised, "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:32). And the truth is, the man or woman in the mirror has been wrong, has shared the blame, and has apologies to give, as well as some forgiving to do.

I saw a simple, but profound little sentence on a church sign recently. It said, "God, I have a problem. It's me." That kind of prayer is the only place some of us are ever going to find any healing, any happiness, or any peace. Not "I have a problem - it's them," but "it's me." That admission can save a marriage, a relationship with a child. It could save the unity of a church or a ministry, or a relationship that's too valuable to lose.

It's not my brother, not my sister, but it really is me, O Lord, standin' in the need of prayer! The answer is in the mirror...and then on your knees.

Proverbs 19 and Daily Devotionals

 Max Lucado : O ONE HAS IMAGINED - December 29, 2022 Try this. Imagine a perfect world. Whatever that means to you, imagine it. Does that mean peace? Then envision absolute tranquility. Does a perfect world imply joy? Then create your highest happiness. Will a perfect world have love? Ponder a place where love has no bounds.

Whatever heaven means to you, imagine it. Get it firmly fixed in your mind. Delight in it. Dream about it. Long for it. And then smile as the Father reminds you from the apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 2:9: “No one has ever imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” No one. No one has come close. Think of all the songs about heaven, all the artists’ portrayals. All the lessons preached, and poems written, and chapters drafted. When it comes to describing heaven, we are all happy failures.

Proverbs 19 

Better the poor whose walk is blameless
    than a fool whose lips are perverse.

2 

Desire without knowledge is not good—
    how much more will hasty feet miss the way!

3 

A person’s own folly leads to their ruin,
    yet their heart rages against the Lord.

4 

Wealth attracts many friends,
    but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.

5 

A false witness will not go unpunished,
    and whoever pours out lies will not go free.

6 

Many curry favor with a ruler,
    and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts.

7 

The poor are shunned by all their relatives—
    how much more do their friends avoid them!
Though the poor pursue them with pleading,
    they are nowhere to be found.[a]

8 

The one who gets wisdom loves life;
    the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.

9 

A false witness will not go unpunished,
    and whoever pours out lies will perish.

10 

It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury—
    how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!

11 

A person’s wisdom yields patience;
    it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.

12 

A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion,
    but his favor is like dew on the grass.

13 

A foolish child is a father’s ruin,
    and a quarrelsome wife is like
    the constant dripping of a leaky roof.

14 

Houses and wealth are inherited from parents,
    but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

15 

Laziness brings on deep sleep,
    and the shiftless go hungry.

16 

Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life,
    but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.

17 

Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,
    and he will reward them for what they have done.

18 

Discipline your children, for in that there is hope;
    do not be a willing party to their death.

19 

A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty;
    rescue them, and you will have to do it again.

20 

Listen to advice and accept discipline,
    and at the end you will be counted among the wise.

21 

Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
    but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

22 

What a person desires is unfailing love[b];
    better to be poor than a liar.

23 

The fear of the Lord leads to life;
    then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

24 

A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
    he will not even bring it back to his mouth!

25 

Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence;
    rebuke the discerning, and they will gain knowledge.

26 

Whoever robs their father and drives out their mother
    is a child who brings shame and disgrace.

27 

Stop listening to instruction, my son,
    and you will stray from the words of knowledge.

28 

A corrupt witness mocks at justice,
    and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.

29 

Penalties are prepared for mockers,
    and beatings for the backs of fools.

Our Daily Bread Devotional 

Today's Scripture:

Matthew 10:1, 5–10, 16–20 (NIV)

10 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.d 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.e 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heavenf has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,a drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

9 “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your beltsg—10 no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep.h

16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.n Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.o 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councilsp and be flogged in the synagogues.q 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kingsr as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it.s At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Fathert speaking through you.

Insight

As Jesus sent out His twelve disciples, He gave them very clear directions: take your message to those who will listen and leave the homes of those who won’t (Matthew 10:13–15). Some scholars see a connection here to Matthew 25 where Jesus described how the nations will be judged—those who receive even the “least of these brothers and sisters of mine” will inherit eternal life (v. 40). Those who reject Jesus’ messengers reject Jesus and life itself. The message of hope is ours to carry to the world, and we hope and pray people will repent and believe; yet it’s their choice what they’ll do with it.

By: Jed Ostoich

Just As I Am

Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority.

Matthew 10:1

The young woman couldn’t sleep. Having suffered with a physical disability for many years, she’d be center stage at a church bazaar the next day to raise funds for higher education.  But I’m not worthy, Charlotte Elliott reasoned. Tossing and turning, she doubted her credentials, questioning every aspect of her spiritual life. Still restless the next day, she finally moved to a desk to pick up pen and paper to write down the words of the now classic hymn, “Just As I Am”:

“Just as I am, without one plea, / But that Thy blood was shed for me, / And that Thou bidst me come to Thee, / O Lamb of God, I come, I come.”

Her words, written in 1835, express how Jesus called His disciples to come and serve Him. Not because they were ready. They weren’t. But because He authorized them—just as they were. A ragtag group, his team of twelve included a tax collector, a zealot, two overly ambitious brothers (see Mark 10:35–37), and Judas Iscariot “who betrayed him” (Matthew 10:4). Still, He gave them authority to “heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons” (v. 8)—all without taking any money, luggage, extra shirt or sandals, or even a walking stick with them (vv. 9–10).

“I am sending you,” He said (v. 16), and He was enough. For each of us who say yes to Him, He still is.

By:  Patricia Raybon

Reflect & Pray

What’s your current situation or status in life? What doubts have you expressed about your readiness to be used by God?

Jesus, bid me to come to You, fully dependent on Your grace and power to make a difference.

My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald  Chambers

Deserter or Disciple?

From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. —John 6:66

When God, by His Spirit through His Word, gives you a clear vision of His will, you must “walk in the light” of that vision (1 John 1:7). Even though your mind and soul may be thrilled by it, if you don’t “walk in the light” of it you will sink to a level of bondage never envisioned by our Lord. Mentally disobeying the “heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19) will make you a slave to ideas and views that are completely foreign to Jesus Christ. Don’t look at someone else and say, “Well, if he can have those views and prosper, why can’t I?” You have to “walk in the light” of the vision that has been given to you. Don’t compare yourself with others or judge them— that is between God and them. When you find that one of your favorite and strongly held views clashes with the “heavenly vision,” do not begin to debate it. If you do, a sense of property and personal right will emerge in you— things on which Jesus placed no value. He was against these things as being the root of everything foreign to Himself— “…for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15). If we don’t see and understand this, it is because we are ignoring the underlying principles of our Lord’s teaching.

Our tendency is to lie back and bask in the memory of the wonderful experience we had when God revealed His will to us. But if a New Testament standard is revealed to us by the light of God, and we don’t try to measure up, or even feel inclined to do so, then we begin to backslide. It means your conscience does not respond to the truth. You can never be the same after the unveiling of a truth. That moment marks you as one who either continues on with even more devotion as a disciple of Jesus Christ, or as one who turns to go back as a deserter.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

“I have chosen you” (John 15:16). Keep that note of greatness in your creed. It is not that you have got God, but that He has got you.  My Utmost for His Highest, October 25, 837 R

A Word With You by Ron Hutchcraft 

WHEN LOVE LETS YOU DOWN - #9384

When I was a teenager, you could tell a girl was going steady by the fuzzy ring around her neck. And when our son started going with a girl, she just got his jacket; football jacket - the one he earned with blood, sweat, tears, and my money. But you could tell this girl was going with my son; the jacket had his name on it. I have to tell you though, it was slightly amusing. See, my son was a big lineman. She swam in that coat! And she wasn't the only one. We had a lot of girls in our school who were dating athletes, and they wore their jackets as a symbol, "Hey, I belong to him. He's mine." But it didn't look that great on most of them. No. You know, wearing what a man gives you for security may not be the best fit for you.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "When Love Lets You Down."

Our word for today from the Word of God. We're in Genesis 29. Let me give you some background. Jacob has worked seven years to earn Rachel's hand. He didn't realize until he lifted the veil on his wedding night he'd been deceived. He had married the sister, Leah, who was not Miss America or Miss Israel. So he had to work seven more years to get Rachel, the one he really wanted. Now he's got two wives. The Bible says, "Rachel he loved. Leah was unloved by him." But Leah, like every woman, had a very deep love hunger.

I read now from our word for today from the Word of God, Genesis 29:31. "When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, He opened her womb. But Rachel was barren. Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, 'It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.'" Interesting isn't it? She's looking to this man for the love and the identity she needs and she's coming up empty.

Well, then, she finally has another baby. And it says in verse 34, "Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, 'Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have born him three sons.' So he was named Levi. Again the man does not give her what she needs. Finally in verse 35, "She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, 'This time I will praise the Lord.'" See, Leah had hoped to find her identity in Jacob's love. She didn't get it. But finally, after three times of counting on a baby to secure her man's attention, she refocuses her love hunger from Jacob to Jehovah; from her husband to her Heavenly Father.

There's many a woman who has been disappointed by a man. There's frustration, there's bitterness. If you're a woman, maybe you've been hurt by a father whose love or approval you could never seem to win, or maybe a boyfriend or a husband has let you down like Jacob did with Leah. Or maybe you've been abused, betrayed, or abandoned. It could be you've had positive relationships with the men in your life but they still haven't been able to be all you need.

Leah, like so many women, was looking at the wrong place for identity. No woman was ever meant to derive her identity and worth from the approval of a man. She said, "I'm going to turn to the Lord." Maybe that's what He's asking of you. The jacket that reflected some of my son's identity didn't fit the woman in his life. She was never meant to find her identity in being his girl. Every woman is headed for disappointment and chronic insecurity if she's trying to define herself by some man in her world.

It's a liberating day when you discover that no man could do for your worth what the Lord can do. He loved Leah; her man didn't. He gave her His divine blessing when her man wouldn't give his. Learn from Leah. Don't waste time trying to find your identity in the fickle, fragile love or approval of people. Look beyond them to the Lord. Start drawing on Him for all you need. You're a unique masterpiece creation of a loving God. In fact, you were worth dying for. What you get from any man is just a bonus.

Maybe you've never experienced the love of Jesus for yourself. Tell Him today, "Jesus, I'm yours." Our website, I think, will help you get started with Him. It's ANewStory.com. Be sure that you bring your love hunger to the only One who will never disappoint you. He is your Savior. He is your Shepherd. He is Jesus Christ.

Acts 2:22-47 and Devotionals

Max Lucado: GOD’S NEVER ENDING LOVE - December 28, 2022

God will not let you go. The big news of the Bible is not that you love God, but that God loves you! He tattooed your name on the palm of his hand. His thoughts of you outnumber the sand on the shore. You never leave his mind, escape his sight, or flee his thoughts. You need not win his love. You already have it.

He sees the worst of you and loves you still. Your sins of tomorrow and failings of the future will not surprise him; he sees them now. Every day and deed of your life has passed before his eyes and been calculated in his decision. He knows you better than you know you and has reached this verdict: he loves you still.

No discovery will disillusion him. No rebellion will dissuade him. He loves you with an everlasting love. God’s love – never failing, never ending.

Acts 2:22-47

 “Fellow Israelites, listen carefully to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man thoroughly accredited by God to you—the miracles and wonders and signs that God did through him are common knowledge—this Jesus, following the deliberate and well-thought-out plan of God, was betrayed by men who took the law into their own hands, and was handed over to you. And you pinned him to a cross and killed him. But God untied the death ropes and raised him up. Death was no match for him. David said it all:

I saw God before me for all time.
    Nothing can shake me; he’s right by my side.
I’m glad from the inside out, ecstatic;
    I’ve pitched my tent in the land of hope.
I know you’ll never dump me in Hades;
    I’ll never even smell the stench of death.
You’ve got my feet on the life-path,
    with your face shining sun-joy all around.

29-36 “Dear friends, let me be completely frank with you. Our ancestor David is dead and buried—his tomb is in plain sight today. But being also a prophet and knowing that God had solemnly sworn that a descendant of his would rule his kingdom, seeing far ahead, he talked of the resurrection of the Messiah—‘no trip to Hades, no stench of death.’ This Jesus, God raised up. And every one of us here is a witness to it. Then, raised to the heights at the right hand of God and receiving the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he poured out the Spirit he had just received. That is what you see and hear. For David himself did not ascend to heaven, but he did say,

God said to my Master, “Sit at my right hand
Until I make your enemies a stool for resting your feet.”

“All Israel, then, know this: There’s no longer room for doubt—God made him Master and Messiah, this Jesus whom you killed on a cross.”

37 Cut to the quick, those who were there listening asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers! Brothers! So now what do we do?”

38-39 Peter said, “Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is targeted to you and your children, but also to all who are far away—whomever, in fact, our Master God invites.”

40 He went on in this vein for a long time, urging them over and over, “Get out while you can; get out of this sick and stupid culture!”

41-42 That day about three thousand took him at his word, were baptized and were signed up. They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers.

* * *

43-45 Everyone around was in awe—all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s need was met.

46-47 They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.

Our Daily Bread Devotional 

Today's Scripture:

2 Corinthians 1:12–16 Now that the worst is over, we’re pleased we can report that we’ve come out of this with conscience and faith intact, and can face the world—and even more importantly, face you with our heads held high. But it wasn’t by any fancy footwork on our part. It was God who kept us focused on him, uncompromised. Don’t try to read between the lines or look for hidden meanings in this letter. We’re writing plain, unembellished truth, hoping that you’ll now see the whole picture as well as you’ve seen some of the details. We want you to be as proud of us as we are of you when we stand together before our Master Jesus.

15–16  Confident of your welcome, I had originally planned two great visits with you—coming by on my way to Macedonia province, and then again on my return trip. Then we could have had a bon-voyage party as you sent me off to Judea. That was the plan.

Insight

The NIV Bible translation includes twenty-two references to the word integrity. One dictionary defines it as “the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.” This is what the apostle Paul strove to exemplify (2 Corinthians 1:12).

The importance of having integrity is found throughout Scripture. David was said to have “integrity of heart” (Psalm 78:72). And God promised Solomon that “if you walk before me faithfully with integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws, I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever” (1 Kings 9:4–5). In 1 Chronicles 29:17, David says to God, “You test the heart and are pleased with integrity.” Job was such a man of integrity (Job 2:3). The book of Proverbs says, “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely” (10:9) and “righteousness guards the person of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner” (13:6).

By: Alyson Kieda

In All Our Dealings

Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves . . . with integrity and godly sincerity.

2 Corinthians 1:12

In 1524, Martin Luther observed: “Among themselves the merchants have a common rule which is their chief maxim. . . . I care nothing about my neighbor; so long as I have my profit and satisfy my greed.” More than two hundred years later, John Woolman, from Mount Holly, New Jersey, let his commitment to Jesus influence his tailor shop dealings. Out of support for the freeing of slaves, he refused to purchase any cotton or dye supplies from companies that used forced labor. With a clear conscience, he loved his neighbor and lived according to integrity and sincerity in all his dealings.  

The apostle Paul strived to live out “integrity and godly sincerity” (2 Corinthians 1:12). When some in Corinth tried to undermine his authority as an apostle for Jesus, he defended his conduct among them. He wrote that his words and actions could withstand the closest scrutiny (v. 13). He also showed that he was dependent on God’s power and grace for effectiveness, not his own (v. 12). In short, Paul’s faith in Christ permeated all his dealings.

As we live as ambassadors for Jesus, may we be careful to let the good news ring out in all our dealings—family, business, and more. When by God’s power and grace we reveal His love to others, we honor Him and love our neighbors well.

By:  Marvin Williams

Reflect & Pray

How are your words and actions a representation of your faith in Jesus? As a believer in Him, why are integrity and sincerity vital in your dealings with others?

Dear God, help me to serve others with such a clear conscience that my love for them is evident.

For further study, read Outrageous Compassion.

Utmost for His Highest 

Continuous Conversion

By Oswald Chambers

…unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. —Matthew 18:3

These words of our Lord refer to our initial conversion, but we should continue to turn to God as children, being continuously converted every day of our lives. If we trust in our own abilities, instead of God’s, we produce consequences for which God will hold us responsible. When God through His sovereignty brings us into new situations, we should immediately make sure that our natural life submits to the spiritual, obeying the orders of the Spirit of God. Just because we have responded properly in the past is no guarantee that we will do so again. The response of the natural to the spiritual should be continuous conversion, but this is where we so often refuse to be obedient. No matter what our situation is, the Spirit of God remains unchanged and His salvation unaltered. But we must “put on the new man…” (Ephesians 4:24). God holds us accountable every time we refuse to convert ourselves, and He sees our refusal as willful disobedience. Our natural life must not rule— God must rule in us.

To refuse to be continuously converted puts a stumbling block in the growth of our spiritual life. There are areas of self-will in our lives where our pride pours contempt on the throne of God and says, “I won’t submit.” We deify our independence and self-will and call them by the wrong name. What God sees as stubborn weakness, we call strength. There are whole areas of our lives that have not yet been brought into submission, and this can only be done by this continuous conversion. Slowly but surely we can claim the whole territory for the Spirit of God.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

The attitude of a Christian towards the providential order in which he is placed is to recognize that God is behind it for purposes of His own.  Biblical Ethics, 99 R

Bible in a Year: Zechariah 5-8; Revelation 19

A Word With You by Ron Hutchcraft 

HOW STAYING THE SAME CAN COST US THE LOST - #938

So why did the American colonists win the Revolution? Well, it wouldn't surprise you if you saw how the redcoats fought. They fought battles in the old fashioned European way. They lined up in straight rows. The front row shoots. The next row rotates in while the others reload. Now, the colonists on the other hand didn't believe in lining up. They just came from everywhere. So those red uniforms all lined up in a rigid row? Well, that's like target practice. The colonists looked like they were disorganized, but their new way of fighting won the battle.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "How Staying the Same Can Cost Us the Lost."

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Luke 5:30. The religious leaders are criticizing how Jesus is going about reaching people. The Pharisees and the people who followed them, they're complaining to Jesus' disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" Jesus answered them, "It's not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I've not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Later He said, "No one pours new wine into old wine skins, because the new wine will burst the skins. The wine will run out and the wine skins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into a new wine skin."

See, Jesus broke out of the religious mold to reach people that no one was touching - new wine skins. Now, in those days the bottles in Palestine were really animal skins. And the wine would ferment and it would give off this gas. And if the bottle was new and it had elasticity in the skin, then it gave with the pressure. If it was an old wine skin, it was dry and hard, and of course it burst.

Sometimes you have to replace an old idea with a new idea if you want God to do a new thing; if you want to reach people no one's been reaching. Like those Revolutionary War soldiers. The redcoats? They were rigid and they lost. The ones who were flexible won the battle.

Maybe God is trying to do a new thing in your life, in your church, in your ministry. Could it be you're unwilling to go with His flow? There are some things that never change and must never change; the product so to speak, the Gospel, the message, the doctrine of Jesus Christ. That must never change. But the package? That can change. Never the message, but often the method will change.

The world of lost people and the world of the church have never been so far apart. I call them the new unbelievers, America's post-Christians. They're biblically illiterate. They don't ever plan to go to a religious meeting to hear a religious speaker talk on a religious subject. It takes new approaches to reach them. Or else we could just leave them lost like they have been.

We've got to leave the church building to reach them in many cases. They're probably not going to come in. We need to have our outreaches on neutral ground. We have to learn to express Christ without all our religious language. Maybe we're going to have to use some new music, because it's the language of the natives we're trying to reach. All missionaries know that you do it in the language of the person you're trying to reach. That might mean some new ideas.

Maybe we need to learn to wrap this gospel that is unfamiliar to so many people in a familiar need that they do know about. We talk about marriage and parenting, or handling stress, or sex, or singleness. And you move from those things that they do know about into the story of Jesus to show the difference that a Savior like Jesus could make.

In Jesus' day the religious people totally missed what God was doing because they would not accept a new approach. The British soldiers in Revolutionary War times lost because they were rigid. We're in a battle for our town, our neighbors, the ever-living, never-dying souls of people. Their eternities are at stake.

If God says, "I'm doing a new thing," let's not lose the battle by insisting on the same old formation.

Proverbs 18 and Daily Devotionals

 Max Lucado THE IMAGE OF FORGIVENESS - December 27, 2022

You will never forgive anyone more than God has already forgiven you.

Is it still hard to consider the thought of forgiving the one who hurt you? If so, go one more time to the room. Watch Jesus as he goes from disciple to disciple. Can you see him? Can you hear the water splash? Can you hear him shuffle on the floor to the next person? Keep that image.

John 13:12 says, “When he had finished washing their feet…” Please note: he finished washing their feet. That means he left no one out. Why is that important? Because that means he washed the feet of Judas. Jesus washed the feet of his betrayer. That’s not to say it was easy for Jesus. And that’s not to say it’s easy for you. That is to say God will never call you to do what he hasn’t already done.

Proverbs 18

Words Kill, Words Give Life

Loners who care only for themselves
    spit on the common good.

2 

Fools care nothing for thoughtful discourse;
    all they do is run off at the mouth.

3 

When wickedness arrives, shame’s not far behind;
    contempt for life is contemptible.

4 

Many words rush along like rivers in flood,
    but deep wisdom flows up from artesian springs.

5 

It’s not right to go easy on the guilty,
    or come down hard on the innocent.

6 

The words of a fool start fights;
    do him a favor and gag him.

7 

Fools are undone by their big mouths;
    their souls are crushed by their words.

8 

Listening to gossip is like eating cheap candy;
    do you really want junk like that in your belly?

9 

Slack habits and sloppy work
    are as bad as vandalism.

10 

God’s name is a place of protection—
    good people can run there and be safe.

11 

The rich think their wealth protects them;
    they imagine themselves safe behind it.

12 

Pride first, then the crash,
    but humility is precursor to honor.

13 

Answering before listening
    is both stupid and rude.

14 

A healthy spirit conquers adversity,
    but what can you do when the spirit is crushed?

15 

Wise men and women are always learning,
    always listening for fresh insights.

16 

A gift gets attention;
    it buys the attention of eminent people.

17 

The first speech in a court case is always convincing—
    until the cross-examination starts!

18 

You may have to draw straws
    when faced with a tough decision.

19 

Do a favor and win a friend forever;
    nothing can untie that bond.

20 

Words satisfy the mind as much as fruit does the stomach;
    good talk is as gratifying as a good harvest.

21 

Words kill, words give life;
    they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.

22 

Find a good spouse, you find a good life—
    and even more: the favor of God!

23 

The poor speak in soft supplications;
    the rich bark out answers.

24 

Friends come and friends go,
    but a true friend sticks by you like family.

Our Daily Bread Devotional

Today's Scripture:

Genesis 1:1, 27–31

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

od created human beings;

he created them godlike,

Reflecting God’s nature.

He created them male and female.

God blessed them:

“Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge!

Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air,

for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth.”

29–30  Then God said, “I’ve given you

every sort of seed-bearing plant on Earth

And every kind of fruit-bearing tree,

given them to you for food.

To all animals and all birds,

everything that moves and breathes,

I give whatever grows out of the ground for food.”

And there it was.

31  God looked over everything he had made;

it was so good, so very good!

It was evening, it was morning—

Day Six.

Insight

Genesis 1:27–31 describes the culmination of the creative work of God in the formation of beings who shared the imago Dei (the image of God), creatures who would be capable of exercising rule over and stewarding His marvelous handiwork. “So God created mankind in his own image” (v. 27). The word mankind translates the Hebrew word ’adam. While the word has been rendered “man,” it speaks of humankind and includes male and female. The Hebrew word for “male” is zakhar (for humans and animals) and the word for female is neqevah (also for humans and animals). Both man and woman share the likeness of God; both are equal in their humanity yet unique in their being. God created male and female to fulfill His creation mandate to be fruitful and increase (v. 28).

Learn more about God’s design for humanity.

By: Arthur Jackson

Beating as One

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1

Stories have captivated humans since the dawn of creation—functioning as a way to pass down knowledge long before written language existed. We’ve all known the delight of hearing or reading a story and being immediately engaged by such opening lines as “Once upon a time.” The power of a story appears to extend beyond merely enjoyment: when we listen to a story together, our heartbeats seem to synchronize! Though our individual heartbeats vary over the course of a day, and might only match another’s coincidentally, new research indicates our hearts may all fall into the same rhythm when we hear the same story at the same time.

God begins telling us His story with the words, “In the beginning” (Genesis 1:1). From the moment Adam and Eve first drew breath (v. 27), God has used that unfolding story to shape not just our individual lives but also—and perhaps more importantly—our collective lives as His children. Through the Bible—the most magnificent nonfiction story ever recorded—our hearts as believers in Jesus are joined together as people set apart for His purposes (1 Peter 2:9).

In response, may our hearts beat in shared rhythm, delighted by the Author’s creative works. And may we share His story with others, declaring “his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples” (Psalm 96:3), inviting them to become part of it too.

By:  Kirsten Holmberg

Reflect & Pray

What part of the story of the Bible most captivates you? With whom can you share it?

Thank You, Father, for showing me who You are through the Bible and making me one of Your own.

My Utmosts for His Highest by Oswald Chambers

Where the Battle is Won or Lost

"If you will return, O Israel," says the Lord… —Jeremiah 4:1

Our battles are first won or lost in the secret places of our will in God’s presence, never in full view of the world. The Spirit of God seizes me and I am compelled to get alone with God and fight the battle before Him. Until I do this, I will lose every time. The battle may take one minute or one year, but that will depend on me, not God. However long it takes, I must wrestle with it alone before God, and I must resolve to go through the hell of renunciation or rejection before Him. Nothing has any power over someone who has fought the battle before God and won there.

I should never say, “I will wait until I get into difficult circumstances and then I’ll put God to the test.” Trying to do that will not work. I must first get the issue settled between God and myself in the secret places of my soul, where no one else can interfere. Then I can go ahead, knowing with certainty that the battle is won. Lose it there, and calamity, disaster, and defeat before the world are as sure as the laws of God. The reason the battle is lost is that I fight it first in the external world. Get alone with God, do battle before Him, and settle the matter once and for all.

In dealing with other people, our stance should always be to drive them toward making a decision of their will. That is how surrendering to God begins. Not often, but every once in a while, God brings us to a major turning point— a great crossroads in our life. From that point we either go toward a more and more slow, lazy, and useless Christian life, or we become more and more on fire, giving our utmost for His highest— our best for His glory.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

The place for the comforter is not that of one who preaches, but of the comrade who says nothing, but prays to God about the matter. The biggest thing you can do for those who are suffering is not to talk platitudes, not to ask questions, but to get into contact with God, and the “greater works” will be done by prayer (see John 14:12–13).  Baffled to Fight Better, 56 R

Bible in a Year: Zechariah 1-4; Revelation 18

A Word With You 

By Ron Hutchcraft 

WALKING THAT FINAL MILE - #9382

A while back I got to explore the world my wife grew up in. And I've been going to a lot of beautiful back roads. One of those was this road that she walked every morning to the school bus. She was only five, and it's about two miles from where she lived to the main road. Fortunately, she was not the kind who bored her kids with, "When I was your age" stories. But boy this would have made a good one. That was a long, sometimes scary walk for a little girl alone. I can almost picture it when we were driving there.

As we drove, my wife said, "Now, Mom stood by the road there and watched me until I got to this point. And then when Mom couldn't see me, I was within sight of my grandparents' place." Then she told me how she passed from one security zone to the next until that last stretch. And there it was...just woods. And she was out of sight of any of those "watched me" people. That was the scary part. There was no one. Well, not exactly no one.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Walking That Final Mile."

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Psalm 23:4. You'll recognize the earlier verses where they talk about the Lord being our Shepherd and He makes us lie down in green pastures. He leads us by quiet waters and then He guides us in paths of righteousness. Verse 4, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for You are with me. Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."

Well, here's your life's journey; stretches of green pastures, quiet waters, some righteous paths, and the valley of the shadow. Maybe you're there right now, or you're about to head into one of those valleys. It doesn't have to be death. It can just be a dark time; a time when you are or when you feel very alone like a little girl walking beyond all the people who could protect her or who could help her.

When I asked my wife what she did when she hit that lonely stretch of her walk, she said, "I sang the only songs I knew - Jesus songs." Sounds like what the psalmist wrote, "I will fear no evil for You are with me." When no one else can be with me, You are with me. In fact, that's what Jesus promised in Hebrews 13:5, "I will never leave you or forsake you." And He said in Matthew 28:20, "I am with you always." That dark, lonely part of your walk I call the Jesus stretch. It may feel like it's a time when you're abandoned, but it is the time when you can experience Jesus as you've never experienced Him before.

I have a doctor friend who I talked to recently, and he's been through this painful year. You know, his very vibrant son-in-law had a battle with cancer and then his son-in-law died. He himself had a painful injury. He's gone through some major personal changes. I said, "Boy, I'll bet you'll be glad to see a new year." He said, "Yeah, but it was a great year too, last year for my family and the Lord."

Often it happens that way doesn't it? The Bible says, "He's a very present help in time of trouble." See, you never really know the Lord until you really need the Lord. And you never need Him more than those seasons when no one else can help; it's too dark to see; when all of your usual points of reference are gone. And if you collapse into His arms and let Him love you, you will touch Jesus as you've never touched Him before.

In this dark stretch, and ahead...the darkest stretch of all - the last stretch - before the end of your life, you need the one person who will be with you through every season, every stretch of the road. That Jesus will walk with you. But first, you've got to begin a relationship with Him. That happens when your sins are forgiven. And only He can do that, because only He died for them.

At the moment when you reach out and say, "Jesus, I want to take that forgiveness. I want to take that eternal life You died to give me." You have the wall between you and God come down and He is by your side, walking with you through every step of the rest of your life and right into eternity.

Our website is for that purpose. I invite you there. It's ANewStory.com.

You'll never know Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you've got. And you might be there right now. This is supposed to be the Jesus stretch. It's that part of the road where Jesus is the only one who can walk with you. And strangely, it is the safest stretch of all.

Proverbs 17 And Daily Devotionals

 Max  Lucado Daily Devotional: THE JOY OF GOD - December 26, 2022

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).

No man had more reason to be miserable than Jesus, yet no one was more joyful. He was ridiculed. Those who didn’t ridicule him, wanted favors. They wanted to kill him. He was accused of a crime he had never committed. Witnesses were hired to lie. They crucified him. He left as he came—penniless.

He should have been miserable and bitter, but he wasn’t. He was joyful! He possessed a joy that possessed him. I call it a sacred delight. Sacred because it’s not of the earth, delight because it is just that: the joy of God. He offers it to you, my friend: a sacred delight!

Proverbs 17

A Whack on the Head of a Fool

Proverbs 17 

A meal of bread and water in contented peace
    is better than a banquet spiced with quarrels.

2 

A wise servant takes charge of an unruly child
    and is honored as one of the family.

3 

As silver in a crucible and gold in a pan,
    so our lives are refined by God.

4 

Evil people relish malicious conversation;
    the ears of liars itch for dirty gossip.

5 

Whoever mocks poor people insults their Creator;
    gloating over misfortune is a punishable crime.

6 

Old people are distinguished by grandchildren;
    children take pride in their parents.

7 

We don’t expect eloquence from fools,
    nor do we expect lies from our leaders.

8 

Receiving a gift is like getting a rare gemstone;
    any way you look at it, you see beauty refracted.

9 

Overlook an offense and bond a friendship;
    fasten on to a slight and—good-bye, friend!

10 

A quiet rebuke to a person of good sense
    does more than a whack on the head of a fool.

11 

Criminals out looking for nothing but trouble
    won’t have to wait long—they’ll meet it coming and going!

12 

Better to meet a grizzly robbed of her cubs
    than a fool hellbent on folly.

13 

Those who return evil for good
    will meet their own evil returning.

14 

The start of a quarrel is like a leak in a dam,
    so stop it before it bursts.

15 

Whitewashing bad people and throwing mud on good people
    are equally abhorrent to God.

16 

What’s this? Fools out shopping for wisdom!
    They wouldn’t recognize it if they saw it!

One Who Knows Much Says Little

17 

Friends love through all kinds of weather,
    and families stick together in all kinds of trouble.

18 

It’s stupid to try to get something for nothing,
    or run up huge bills you can never pay.

19 

The person who courts sin marries trouble;
    build a wall, invite a burglar.

20 

A bad motive can’t achieve a good end;
    double-talk brings you double trouble.

21 

Having a fool for a child is misery;
    it’s no fun being the parent of a dolt.

22 

A cheerful disposition is good for your health;
    gloom and doom leave you bone-tired.

23 

The wicked take bribes under the table;
    they show nothing but contempt for justice.

24 

The perceptive find wisdom in their own front yard;
    fools look for it everywhere but right here.

25 

A surly, stupid child is sheer pain to a father,
    a bitter pill for a mother to swallow.

26 

It’s wrong to penalize good behavior,
    or make good citizens pay for the crimes of others.

27 

The one who knows much says little;
    an understanding person remains calm.

28 

Even dunces who keep quiet are thought to be wise;
    as long as they keep their mouths shut, they’re smart.

Our Daily Bread Devotional 

Today's Scripture:

Judges 7:8−15

The Parable of the Trees

7 Now when they told Jotham, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted his voice and cried out. And he said to them:

“Listen to me, you men of Shechem,
That God may listen to you!

8 

“The trees once went forth to anoint a king over them.
And they said to the olive tree,
‘Reign over us!’

9 

But the olive tree said to them,
‘Should I cease giving my oil,
With which they honor God and men,
And go to sway over trees?’

10 

“Then the trees said to the fig tree,
‘You come and reign over us!’

11 

But the fig tree said to them,
‘Should I cease my sweetness and my good fruit,
And go to sway over trees?’

12 

“Then the trees said to the vine,
‘You come and reign over us!’

13 

But the vine said to them,
‘Should I cease my new wine,
Which cheers both God and men,
And go to sway over trees?’

14 

“Then all the trees said to the bramble,
‘You come and reign over us!’

15 

And the bramble said to the trees,
‘If in truth you anoint me as king over you,
Then come and take shelter in my shade;
But if not, let fire come out of the bramble
And devour the cedars of Lebanon!’

When You’re Afraid

When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”

Judges 6:12

I had a medical checkup scheduled, and although I’d had no recent health concerns, I dreaded the visit. I was haunted by memories of an unexpected diagnosis long ago. While I knew God was with me and I should simply trust Him, I still felt afraid.

I was disappointed in my fear and lack of faith. If God was always with me, why was I feeling such anxiety? Then one morning I believe He led me to the story of Gideon.

Called “mighty warrior” (Judges 6:12), Gideon was fearful over his assignment to attack the Midianites. Although God had promised him His presence and victory, Gideon still sought multiple reassurances (vv. 16−23, 36−40).

However, God didn’t condemn Gideon for his fear. He understood him. On the night of the attack, He assured Gideon again of victory, even giving him a way to assuage his fears (7:10−11).

God understood my fear too. His reassurance gave me the courage to trust Him. I experienced His peace, knowing that He was with me regardless of the outcome. In the end, my checkup was uneventful.

We have a God who understands our fears and who reassures us through the Scriptures and the Spirit (Psalm 23:4; John 14:16−17). May we worship Him in thankfulness, just as Gideon did (Judges 7:15).  

By:  Karen Huang

Reflect & Pray

What fears or challenges are you facing? How does it help to know that God is with you and wants to help you?

Dear God, thank You for not condemning my fears, but always reassuring me of Your presence. Help me to turn to You when I’m afraid and trust in You.

For further study, read Clinging to Hope in the Storm.

My Utmost for His Highest

Walk in the Light”

By Oswald Chambers

If we walk in the light as He is in the light…the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. —1 John 1:7

To mistake freedom from sin only on the conscious level of our lives for complete deliverance from sin by the atonement through the Cross of Christ is a great error. No one fully knows what sin is until he is born again. Sin is what Jesus Christ faced at Calvary. The evidence that I have been delivered from sin is that I know the real nature of sin in me. For a person to really know what sin is requires the full work and deep touch of the atonement of Jesus Christ, that is, the imparting of His absolute perfection.

The Holy Spirit applies or administers the work of the atonement to us in the deep unconscious realm as well as in the conscious realm. And it is not until we truly perceive the unrivaled power of the Spirit in us that we understand the meaning of 1 John 1:7 , which says, “…the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” This verse does not refer only to conscious sin, but also to the tremendously profound understanding of sin which only the Holy Spirit in me can accomplish.

I must “walk in the light as He is in the light…”— not in the light of my own conscience, but in God’s light. If I will walk there, with nothing held back or hidden, then this amazing truth is revealed to me: “…the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses [me] from all sin” so that God Almighty can see nothing to rebuke in me. On the conscious level it produces a keen, sorrowful knowledge of what sin really is. The love of God working in me causes me to hate, with the Holy Spirit’s hatred for sin, anything that is not in keeping with God’s holiness. To “walk in the light” means that everything that is of the darkness actually drives me closer to the center of the light.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

The message of the prophets is that although they have forsaken God, it has not altered God. The Apostle Paul emphasizes the same truth, that God remains God even when we are unfaithful (see 2 Timothy 2:13). Never interpret God as changing with our changes. He never does; there is no variableness in Him.  Notes on Ezekiel, 1477 L

A Word With You 

By Ron Hutchcraft

WHY A LIFE COLLAPSES - #9381

The dam broke. Those are words no one wants to hear if they live downriver from a dam. But that's exactly what happened near some small towns in southeast Missouri. It was just before daybreak when a dam on Taum Sauk Lake collapsed, sending a billion-gallon torrent of water streaming down the mountain and washing away homes and vehicles. When inspectors began to probe the reason for the collapse, they were dumbfounded by what they discovered. Instead of the granite that they had assumed for decades was the main material keeping the water in the reservoir, they found that the broken portion appeared to consist entirely of just soil and small rock. The breach occurred when an automated system mistakenly pumped too much water into the reservoir. But the reason for the disaster was a dam that was made of material that just couldn't stand the pressure.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Why a Life Collapses."

I've seen lives collapse like that dam did. When the pressure was on, they folded. Not so much because of the pressure, but because their life was built from materials that couldn't stand the pressure. Sometimes it was a flood of temptation, a flood of bad news and tragedy, sometimes getting hammered by spiritual attacks. But whatever it was, it showed that whatever they were building their life on wasn't strong enough to stand the test.

Since none of us wants to be the one who caves in, we need to hear what Jesus had to say about how to be a storm-proof, flood-proof person. It's in Luke 6:46-49, and it's our word for today from the Word of God. Jesus says: "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to Me and hears My words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears My words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."

Did you catch what's the same and what's different about the person who withstands the storm and the person who is brought down by it? Both of them hear what Jesus says. They both know what the Bible says, but the survivor does what he knows Jesus says. The "collapser" knows but he doesn't do it. Each new day, anchor yourself to something God says to you in His Word as you spend time with Him, and then immediately make what He says the governing factor in that day. In other words, open His book and ask two questions: "What is God saying here, in my own words?" and then "What am I going to do differently today because He said it?"

Unfortunately, too many of us try to build our relationship with Christ on dirt and stones. We're event Christians, living from one Christian event to the next. Like a drug addict, we live from high to high with long stretches of spiritual wilderness in between. We depend on other believers to be our strength. We govern our Christian life by our feelings and our surroundings rather than by the words God has spoken to us.

No child can go on depending indefinitely on someone else feeding him. Eventually, he's got to learn to feed himself. Right? Maybe you keep stumbling because you've been depending on others to feed you spiritually and you can't be with them all the time. You've got to start feeding yourself from God's Word each new day if you want to be strong for the storms.

Christian meetings, Christian people, they're all good, but they're not enough to build a life on. Christ has got to be your identity. Christ has got to be your strength, your passion. Learning, and obeying, and leaning on what He says must be how you do each day. You don't have to keep caving in when the pressure hits if you will build your life on the storm-proof, flood-proof words of Jesus Christ, the Rock.

Proverbs 16, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: God Sent a Savior

Christmas cards. Punctuated promises. On this special day, can I share words from my favorite Christmas cards?

“He became like us, so we could become like Him.”

“Angels still sing and the star still beckons.”

“God has given a Son to us. His name will be Wonderful Counselor, Powerful God, Prince of Peace.” (Is. 9:6)

And my favorite…

“If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent an educator.

If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist.

If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist.

But since our greatest need was forgiveness, God sent us a Savior.”

Merry Christmas everybody!

From In the Manger

Proverbs 16

Everything with a Place and a Purpose

16 

Mortals make elaborate plans,
    but God has the last word.

2 

Humans are satisfied with whatever looks good;
    God probes for what is good.

3 

Put God in charge of your work,
    then what you’ve planned will take place.

4 

God made everything with a place and purpose;
    even the wicked are included—but for judgment.

5 

God can’t stomach arrogance or pretense;
    believe me, he’ll put those braggarts in their place.

6 

Guilt is banished through love and truth;
    Fear-of-God deflects evil.

7 

When God approves of your life,
    even your enemies will end up shaking your hand.

8 

Far better to be right and poor
    than to be wrong and rich.

9 

We plan the way we want to live,
    but only God makes us able to live it.

It Pays to Take Life Seriously

10 

A good leader motivates,
    doesn’t mislead, doesn’t exploit.

11 

God cares about honesty in the workplace;
    your business is his business.

12 

Good leaders abhor wrongdoing of all kinds;
    sound leadership has a moral foundation.

13 

Good leaders cultivate honest speech;
    they love advisors who tell them the truth.

14 

An intemperate leader wreaks havoc in lives;
    you’re smart to stay clear of someone like that.

15 

Good-tempered leaders invigorate lives;
    they’re like spring rain and sunshine.

16 

Get wisdom—it’s worth more than money;
    choose insight over income every time.

17 

The road of right living bypasses evil;
    watch your step and save your life.

18 

First pride, then the crash—
    the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.

19 

It’s better to live humbly among the poor
    than to live it up among the rich and famous.

20 

It pays to take life seriously;
    things work out when you trust in God.

21 

A wise person gets known for insight;
    gracious words add to one’s reputation.

22 

True intelligence is a spring of fresh water,
    while fools sweat it out the hard way.

23 

They make a lot of sense, these wise folks;
    whenever they speak, their reputation increases.

24 

Gracious speech is like clover honey—
    good taste to the soul, quick energy for the body.

25 

There’s a way that looks harmless enough;
    look again—it leads straight to hell.

26 

Appetite is an incentive to work;
    hunger makes you work all the harder.

27 

Mean people spread mean gossip;
    their words smart and burn.

28 

Troublemakers start fights;
    gossips break up friendships.

29 

Calloused climbers betray their very own friends;
    they’d stab their own grandmothers in the back.

30 

A shifty eye betrays an evil intention;
    a clenched jaw signals trouble ahead.

31 

Gray hair is a mark of distinction,
    the award for a God-loyal life.

32 

Moderation is better than muscle,
    self-control better than political power.

33 

Make your motions and cast your votes,
    but God has the final say.

Our Daily Bread devotional

 Today's Scripture:

Isaiah 55:6–13

6 Seekb the Lord while he may be found;c

calld on him while he is near.

7 Let the wicked forsakee their ways

and the unrighteous their thoughts.f

Let them turng to the Lord, and he will have mercyh on them,

and to our God, for he will freely pardon.i

8 “For my thoughtsj are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways,”k

declares the Lord.

9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,l

so are my ways higher than your ways

Insight

In Isaiah 55, God invites His people to avail themselves of the salvation He offers. In verses 6–7, God calls the wicked to seek Him, saying that those who repent will find mercy and pardon. This section is connected to the next section (vv. 8–13) with the simple word for (v. 8), which signals a relationship between the two; the second section explains the first. The people can rest in the promise of deliverance and forgiveness because God’s thoughts are higher than theirs. He’s reminding them that even if they don’t understand how He’s working, they can trust Him to provide salvation to those who repent.

By: J.R. Hudberg

The Power of God’s Word

[My word] will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire.

Isaiah 55:11

On Christmas Eve 1968, the Apollo 8 astronauts—Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders—became the first humans to enter lunar orbit. As they circled the moon ten times, they shared images of the moon and the Earth. During a live broadcast, they took turns reading from Genesis 1. At the fortieth anniversary celebration, Borman said, “We were told that on Christmas Eve we would have the largest audience that had ever listened to a human voice. And the only instructions that we got from NASA was to do something appropriate.” The Bible verses spoken by the Apollo 8 astronauts still plant seeds of truth into the listening hearts of people who hear the historical recording.

Through the prophet Isaiah, God says, “Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live” (Isaiah 55:3). Revealing His free offer of salvation, He invites us to turn from our sin and receive His mercy and forgiveness (vv. 6–7). He declares the divine authority of His thoughts and His actions, which are too vast for us to truly understand (vv. 8–9). Still, God gives us opportunity to share His life-transforming words of Scripture, which point to Jesus, and affirm that He is responsible for the spiritual growth of His people (vv. 10–13).

The Holy Spirit helps us share the gospel as the Father fulfills all His promises according to His perfect plan and pace.

By:  Xochitl Dixon

Reflect & Pray

Who will you share Scripture with today? Who first shared the Bible with you?

Almighty Creator and Sustainer of the world, please give me opportunities daily to share Your wisdom.

For further study, read Knowing God through the Whole Bible.

My Utmost for His Highest By Oswald Chambers

The Hidden Life

…your life is hidden with Christ in God. —Colossians 3:3

The Spirit of God testifies to and confirms the simple, but almighty, security of the life that “is hidden with Christ in God.” Paul continually brought this out in his New Testament letters. We talk as if living a sanctified life were the most uncertain and insecure thing we could do. Yet it is the most secure thing possible, because it has Almighty God in and behind it. The most dangerous and unsure thing is to try to live without God. For one who is born again, it is easier to live in a right-standing relationship with God than it is to go wrong, provided we heed God’s warnings and “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7).

When we think of being delivered from sin, being “filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18), and “walk[ing] in the light,” we picture the peak of a great mountain. We see it as very high and wonderful, but we say, “Oh, I could never live up there!” However, when we do get there through God’s grace, we find it is not a mountain peak at all, but a plateau with plenty of room to live and to grow. “You enlarged my path under me, so my feet did not slip” (Psalm 18:36).

When you really see Jesus, I defy you to doubt Him. If you see Him when He says, “Let not your heart be troubled…” (John 14:27), I defy you to worry. It is virtually impossible to doubt when He is there. Every time you are in personal contact with Jesus, His words are real to you. “My peace I give to you…” (John 14:27)— a peace which brings an unconstrained confidence and covers you completely, from the top of your head to the soles of your feet. “…your life is hidden with Christ in God,” and the peace of Jesus Christ that cannot be disturbed has been imparted to you.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

Am I getting nobler, better, more helpful, more humble, as I get older? Am I exhibiting the life that men take knowledge of as having been with Jesus, or am I getting more self-assertive, more deliberately determined to have my own way? It is a great thing to tell yourself the truth.
The Place of Help

Bible in a Year: Habakkuk 1-3; Revelation 15