Max Lucado Daily: WHEN GOD ENTERED TIME - November 1, 2022
When God entered time and became a man, he who was boundless became bound. For more than three decades, his once limitless reach would be limited to the stretch of an arm. His speed would be checked to the pace of human feet.
I wonder, was he ever tempted to reclaim his boundlessness? When the rain chilled his bones, was he tempted to change the weather? If he ever entertained such a thought, he never gave in to it.
Not once did Christ use his supernatural powers for personal comfort. With one word he could’ve transformed the hard earth into a soft bed, but he didn’t. With a wave of his hand, he could’ve boomeranged the spit of his accusers back into their faces. With the arch of his brow, he could’ve paralyzed the hand of the soldier as the soldier braided the crown of thorns. But Jesus didn’t.
Psalm 55
Open your ears, God, to my prayer;
don’t pretend you don’t hear me knocking.
Come close and whisper your answer.
I really need you.
I shudder at the mean voice,
quail before the evil eye,
As they pile on the guilt,
stockpile angry slander.
4-8 My insides are turned inside out;
specters of death have me down.
I shake with fear,
I shudder from head to foot.
“Who will give me wings,” I ask—
“wings like a dove?”
Get me out of here on dove wings;
I want some peace and quiet.
I want a walk in the country,
I want a cabin in the woods.
I’m desperate for a change
from rage and stormy weather.
9-11 Come down hard, Lord—slit their tongues.
I’m appalled how they’ve split the city
Into rival gangs
prowling the alleys
Day and night spoiling for a fight,
trash piled in the streets,
Even shopkeepers gouging and cheating
in broad daylight.
12-14 This isn’t the neighborhood bully
mocking me—I could take that.
This isn’t a foreign devil spitting
invective—I could tune that out.
It’s you! We grew up together!
You! My best friend!
Those long hours of leisure as we walked
arm in arm, God a third party to our conversation.
15 Haul my betrayers off alive to hell—let them
experience the horror, let them
feel every desolate detail of a damned life.
16-19 I call to God;
God will help me.
At dusk, dawn, and noon I sigh
deep sighs—he hears, he rescues.
My life is well and whole, secure
in the middle of danger
Even while thousands
are lined up against me.
God hears it all, and from his judge’s bench
puts them in their place.
But, set in their ways, they won’t change;
they pay him no mind.
20-21 And this, my best friend, betrayed his best friends;
his life betrayed his word.
All my life I’ve been charmed by his speech,
never dreaming he’d turn on me.
His words, which were music to my ears,
turned to daggers in my heart.
22-23 Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders—
he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out.
He’ll never let good people
topple into ruin.
But you, God, will throw the others
into a muddy bog,
Cut the lifespan of assassins
and traitors in half.
And I trust in you.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Tuesday, November 01, 2022
Today's Scripture
Acts 2:42–47
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.
Insight
After writing an account of the life and ministry of Jesus (Luke 1:1–4), Luke wrote the book of Acts, an account of the life and ministry of His disciples. Jesus had promised that the Holy Spirit would indwell them and empower them to share the gospel (Acts 1:8). Luke documented the acts of the disciples and early believers in bringing the gospel to those “in Jerusalem” (chs. 1–7), “in all Judea and Samaria” (chs. 8–12), and “to the ends of the earth” (chs. 13–28). He described the first church in Jerusalem as growing and generous. The believers had “fellowship” (2:42) with one another. The Greek word for “fellowship” (koinonia) means “close relationships, participating in and sharing the common among them.” Together they worshiped, learned spiritual truths, depended on God, and cared for one another (vv. 43–44). They especially cared for the needy and poor in their midst, showing extravagant acts of generosity (v. 45).
By: K. T. Sim
Better Together
All the believers were together and had everything in common. Acts 2:44
Marie, a single working mom, rarely missed church or Bible study. Each week, she rode the bus to and from church with her five children and helped with set up and clean up.
One Sunday, the pastor told Marie that some church members had donated gifts for the family. One couple provided the family a house with reduced rent. Another couple offered her a job with benefits at their coffee shop. A young man gave her an old car he’d rebuilt and promised to serve as her personal mechanic. Marie thanked God for the joy of living in a community devoted to serving God and each other.
Though we may not all be able to give as generously as Marie’s church family, God’s people are designed to help each other. The gospel writer Luke described believers in Jesus as “devoted” to the “apostles’ teaching and to fellowship” (Acts 2:42). When we combine our resources, we can work together to help those in need like the first believers in Jesus did (vv. 44–45). As we grow closer to God and each other, we can care for one another. Witnessing God’s love demonstrated through His people’s actions can lead others to a saving relationship with Jesus (vv. 46–47).
We can serve others with a smile or a kind deed. We can offer a financial gift or a prayer. As God works in and through us, we’re simply better together.
By: Xochitl Dixon
Reflect & Pray
Why is it important to experience a community devoted to serving God and each other? How can you serve someone selflessly and generously this week?
Loving Father, please help me see those in need and serve You by serving others.
For further study, read Understanding the Bible: The Book of Acts.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Tuesday, November 01, 2022
“You Are Not Your Own”
Do you not know that…you are not your own? —1 Corinthians 6:19
There is no such thing as a private life, or a place to hide in this world, for a man or woman who is intimately aware of and shares in the sufferings of Jesus Christ. God divides the private life of His saints and makes it a highway for the world on one hand and for Himself on the other. No human being can stand that unless he is identified with Jesus Christ. We are not sanctified for ourselves. We are called into intimacy with the gospel, and things happen that appear to have nothing to do with us. But God is getting us into fellowship with Himself. Let Him have His way. If you refuse, you will be of no value to God in His redemptive work in the world, but will be a hindrance and a stumbling block.
The first thing God does is get us grounded on strong reality and truth. He does this until our cares for ourselves individually have been brought into submission to His way for the purpose of His redemption. Why shouldn’t we experience heartbreak? Through those doorways God is opening up ways of fellowship with His Son. Most of us collapse at the first grip of pain. We sit down at the door of God’s purpose and enter a slow death through self-pity. And all the so-called Christian sympathy of others helps us to our deathbed. But God will not. He comes with the grip of the pierced hand of His Son, as if to say, “Enter into fellowship with Me; arise and shine.” If God can accomplish His purposes in this world through a broken heart, then why not thank Him for breaking yours?
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
We are in danger of being stern where God is tender, and of being tender where God is stern. The Love of God—The Message of Invincible Consolation, 673 L
Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 24-26; Titus 2
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Tuesday, November 01, 2022
BEYOND COMFORTABLE TO AMAZING - #9342
One of our staff came back from his vacation and he reported on how exciting it had been for him and his family to see the sights of Washington, D.C. I asked him if he had ever been there before, and he said, "No. In fact, none of us had ever seen it." Then he went on to explain, "You know I'm sort of a hometown kind of guy." I know that's true. He actually has lived most of his life within a relatively short distance of home base. Then he said, "I sort of had to stretch to do this, but I'm really glad we did."
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Beyond Comfortable to Amazing."
My friend actually had to move out of where he felt comfortable to experience some exciting things he had never experienced before. So do you and I. That is, in fact, a fundamental principle of getting everything our Lord Jesus wants us to experience. And maybe it's important we talk about that today, because someone who's listening - maybe you - could be stuck in their comfort zone, missing some scary but exciting things that God wants you to see.
I love the picture that God gives of this dynamic in Matthew 14, beginning with verse 25. It's our word for today from the Word of God. Jesus had told His disciples to go on across the Sea of Galilee without Him. They encountered this violent storm. And during it, the Bible says, "Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake." The disciples were understandably freaked out. The Bible says, "but Jesus immediately said to them: 'Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid.' 'Lord, if it's You,' Peter replied, 'tell me to come to You on the water.' 'Come,' Jesus said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, and came to Jesus."
Peter did what no man, other than Jesus, had ever done before or has ever done since: he walked on water! Well, the boat was obviously the safe place to be. But Peter was willing to leave where it was safe on one condition, "Lord, if it's You." And that's got to be our bottom line, too. "Is that You, Lord, leading me out of the boat I've been in and out into the "wild water" of something new? Well, if it's You, I'm going!
Like my friend who saw some memorable new things when he moved beyond where he felt comfortable, you're going to see powerful things you've never seen before if you'll get out of the boat. God's leading you beyond where you feel adequate, where you can figure it out, where you can pull it off. But what a great place to be... you're in the miracle zone! He's leading you to a new episode where you'll need Him more than you've ever needed Him before and you'll have Him as you've never had Him before. It's not the water that's going to hold you up, it's Jesus. You're headed where it's going to be not much of you and a whole lot of God! That's something to be excited about!
One day this same Peter who dared to get out of the boat would be led by his Lord to preach the Gospel boldly on the streets of Jerusalem, calling to Christ some of the very people who had wanted Jesus crucified. (Talk about getting out of your comfort zone!) And Jesus would ask him to go where no Jew ever thought he'd go-to introduce those nasty Gentiles to Jesus.
Once you stop defining your decisions by what's comfortable, once you follow Jesus into a place where He's everything, you've begun to blow the lid off your life. Living by faith turns out to be the only really safe way there is to live! But you'll never walk on water if you never get out of the boat!