Max Lucado Daily: ANOINTED BY THE SPIRIT - August 18, 2025
Anointing oil is a metaphor for the Spirit of God. “Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts…” (2 Corinthians 1:21-22 NIV). God poured out upon you the power-providing, heart-healing oil of the Holy Spirit.
The verb pour deserves to be highlighted. God does not distribute the Spirit with an eyedropper or a tablespoon. He douses us with himself. Do you understand what happened on the day of your conversion? Yes, grace covered you. Yes, the tent of God’s sovereignty was stretched over you. Yes, the pathway to heaven was laid out before you. And yes, you were anointed by the Holy Spirit. You have been consecrated for a holy work.
Help Is Here
Mark 6:1-29
Just a Carpenter
1–2 6 He left there and returned to his hometown. His disciples came along. On the Sabbath, he gave a lecture in the meeting place. He made a real hit, impressing everyone. “We had no idea he was this good!” they said. “How did he get so wise all of a sudden, get such ability?”
3 But in the next breath they were cutting him down: “He’s just a carpenter—Mary’s boy. We’ve known him since he was a kid. We know his brothers, James, Justus, Jude, and Simon, and his sisters. Who does he think he is?” They tripped over what little they knew about him and fell, sprawling. And they never got any further.
4–6 Jesus told them, “A prophet has little honor in his hometown, among his relatives, on the streets he played in as a child.” Jesus wasn’t able to do much of anything there—he laid hands on a few sick people and healed them, that’s all. He couldn’t get over their stubbornness. He left and made a circuit of the other villages, teaching.
The Twelve
7–8 Jesus called the Twelve to him, and sent them out in pairs. He gave them authority and power to deal with the evil opposition. He sent them off with these instructions:
8–9 “Don’t think you need a lot of extra equipment for this. You are the equipment. No special appeals for funds. Keep it simple.
10 “And no luxury inns. Get a modest place and be content there until you leave.
11 “If you’re not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way.”
12–13 Then they were on the road. They preached with joyful urgency that life can be radically different; right and left they sent the demons packing; they brought wellness to the sick, anointing their bodies, healing their spirits.
The Death of John
14 King Herod heard of all this, for by this time the name of Jesus was on everyone’s lips. He said, “This has to be John the Baptizer come back from the dead—that’s why he’s able to work miracles!”
15 Others said, “No, it’s Elijah.”
Others said, “He’s a prophet, just like one of the old-time prophets.”
16 But Herod wouldn’t budge: “It’s John, sure enough. I cut off his head, and now he’s back, alive.”
17–20 Herod was the one who had ordered the arrest of John, put him in chains, and sent him to prison at the nagging of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. For John had provoked Herod by naming his relationship with Herodias “adultery.” Herodias, smoldering with hate, wanted to kill him, but didn’t dare because Herod was in awe of John. Convinced that he was a holy man, he gave him special treatment. Whenever he listened to him he was miserable with guilt—and yet he couldn’t stay away. Something in John kept pulling him back.
21–22 But a portentous day arrived when Herod threw a birthday party, inviting all the brass and bluebloods in Galilee. Herodias’s daughter entered the banquet hall and danced for the guests. She dazzled Herod and the guests.
22–23 The king said to the girl, “Ask me anything. I’ll give you anything you want.” Carried away, he kept on, “I swear, I’ll split my kingdom with you if you say so!”
24 She went back to her mother and said, “What should I ask for?”
“Ask for the head of John the Baptizer.”
25 Excited, she ran back to the king and said, “I want the head of John the Baptizer served up on a platter. And I want it now!”
26–29 That sobered the king up fast. But unwilling to lose face with his guests, he caved in and let her have her wish. The king sent the executioner off to the prison with orders to bring back John’s head. He went, cut off John’s head, brought it back on a platter, and presented it to the girl, who gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and got the body and gave it a decent burial.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Monday, August 18, 2025
God Will Keep It
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE
1 John 3:1-6
What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at
it—we’re called children of God! That’s who we really are. But that’s also why the world doesn’t recognize us or take us seriously, because it has no idea who he is or what he’s up to.
2–3 But friends, that’s exactly who we are: children of God. And that’s only the beginning. Who knows how we’ll end up! What we know is that when Christ is openly revealed, we’ll see him—and in seeing him, become like him. All of us who look forward to his Coming stay ready, with the glistening purity of Jesus’ life as a model for our own.
4–6 All who indulge in a sinful life are dangerously lawless, for sin is a major disruption of God’s order. Surely you know that Christ showed up in order to get rid of sin. There is no sin in him, and sin is not part of his program. No one who lives deeply in Christ makes a practice of sin. None of those who do practice sin have taken a good look at Christ. They’ve got him all backward.
Today's Insights
In 1 John 3:1-6, the first and second appearances of Christ come into view. Verse 5 references His first appearance: “You know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins.” The second coming of Jesus is referred to in verse 2: “We know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.”
This passage also describes three aspects of God’s saving grace: justification, glorification, and sanctification. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, all who receive Him by faith are justified or made right with God and become “children of God” (vv. 1-2). God’s children have the hope of being “like him” (v. 2), fully conformed to His likeness. That’s glorification. But in the meantime, “All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure” (v. 3). That’s sanctification.
Today's Devotional
Wealthy benefactors in communities across the United States have made an inspiring promise to students. If they get good grades throughout their thirteen years of school in their district, the benefactors will pay for four years at a public community college or university in their state. Statistics have shown in some cities that this motivates the students, rich and poor, to start doing well immediately after they hear the news. One teacher said, “It’s been a total shift in mindset. Every kindergartener will tell you they’re going to college. It’s reality.” The promise of what’s to come increases their desire and hope for their future.
The apostle John talked about a promise of what’s to come that helped motivate the early believers in their faith. Jesus promised to return; and when He does, John says, “We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). He encouraged his readers: “All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure” (v. 3). We have the confident hope that one day we will see Jesus. And because of that promise, our desire to be more like Him increases because we’re loved by Him and love Him in return.
What a time that will be when we see Jesus face to face! Until then, we keep following Him, growing in our faith, and anticipating His coming. God will keep His promise.
Reflect & Pray
How can you keep walking closely with Jesus? In what ways do you want to become more like Him?
I look forward to seeing You, Jesus, and to being made whole in every way.
Becoming more like Jesus means loving others in need. Learn more by reading Love's Proof Is in the Provision.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Monday, August 18, 2025
Have You Ever Been Speechless with Sorrow?
When he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich —Luke 18:23
The rich young ruler went away from Jesus speechless with sorrow, having nothing to say in response to Jesus’ words. He had no doubt about what Jesus had said or what it meant, and it produced in him a sorrow with no words with which to respond. Have you ever been there? Has God’s Word ever come to you, pointing out an area of your life, requiring you to yield it to Him? Maybe He has pointed out certain personal qualities, desires, and interests, or possibly relationships of your heart and mind. If so, then you have often been speechless with sorrow. The Lord will not go after you, and He will not plead with you. But every time He meets you at the place where He has pointed, He will simply repeat His words, saying, “If you really mean what you say, these are the conditions.”
“Sell all that you have . . .” (Luke 18:22). In other words, rid yourself before God of everything that might be considered a possession until you are a mere conscious human being standing before Him, and then give God that. That is where the battle is truly fought— in the realm of your will before God. Are you more devoted to your idea of what Jesus wants than to Jesus Himself? If so, you are likely to hear one of His harsh and unyielding statements that will produce sorrow in you. What Jesus says is difficult— it is only easy when it is heard by those who have His nature in them. Beware of allowing anything to soften the hard words of Jesus Christ.
I can be so rich in my own poverty, or in the awareness of the fact that I am nobody, that I will never be a disciple of Jesus. Or I can be so rich in the awareness that I am somebody that I will never be a disciple. Am I willing to be destitute and poor even in my sense of awareness of my destitution and poverty? If not, that is why I become discouraged. Discouragement is disillusioned self-love, and self-love may be love for my devotion to Jesus— not love for Jesus Himself.
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Monday, August 18, 2025
LABELED FOR LIFE - #10071
"My name is Idiot." She's only four years old, but when police in Hot Springs, Arkansas responded to a report of child abuse, that's what she told them. The marks of abuse were all over her body. There were bruises everywhere, she had a black eye, she had scars on her back. Those will heal. But what about the names she's been called? So many times that she actually thinks "Idiot" is her name.
But wait a minute! What about the names we've called people? Even people - maybe especially people - that we love. How many people we know carry invisible, but indelible scars from our own devastating words? It's not that we necessarily mean to hurt. We're just angry, or frustrated, or feeling unheard or ignored. As our emotions escalate, so do our words. And words are like bullets. Once they're fired, you just can't get them back.
As the Bible says, "Reckless words pierce like a sword" (Proverbs 12:18). We all know that's true. We still feel the sting of the names we were called a long time ago, right? Even though the one who fired them at us has probably totally forgotten it.
It's our children who are most damaged by our hurtful words, because children tend to become what we call them. Label them as "lazy" or "stupid" or "worthless" enough times, and it will stick. But then, so will "princess" or "smart" or "helper" or "fun." Of course, kids also store what they hear their parents call each other in those heated moments; giving them tacit permission to speak disrespectfully in their relationships, too.
But family's not the only place our words leave wounds. Proverbs 18:21 says, "The tongue has the power of life and death" at school, at work, online, in all our close relationships. If people bled physically every time we wounded them verbally, I wonder what a trail we'd leave.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Labeled for Life."
God puts it this way, "The tongue is a world of evil…it sets the whole course of life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell" (James 3:6). Personally, that's one reason I know I need a personal Savior. I've found only one person strong enough to control that fire in me, and that is my death-crushing Jesus. He's that strong.
King David was wise enough to know that we can't conquer this verbal monster without some supernatural intervention. Thus, his prayer should probably be somewhere that I can see it every day - maybe where you see it too. It's our word for today from the Word of God in Psalm 141:3 - "Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips."
I'm thankful for the lasting imprint of something my wife told me years ago - and many times since: "Ron, don't ever forget the power of your words." I suspect a lot of us need that same reminder, huh? Because long after we've forgotten our "reckless words," the person we wounded may be carrying a long and lasting scar from them.
What about all those names and putdowns that we ourselves carry from the scarring words of others? Well, I'm grateful that God has called me names, too: "God's workmanship" (Ephesians 2:10). Created "in His own image" (Genesis 1:27). God says, "My treasured possession" (Exodus 19:5). He calls us "The temple of the living God" (2 Corinthians 6:16). And then, "My sons and daughters" (2 Corinthians 6:18). And He says we are purchased by the blood of His Son (Revelation 5:9).
If you've been beat down and you have thought you were worthless, you've got to take a trip up a hill called Golgotha (Skull Hill) and stand there at the foot of a cross where Jesus said you're worth dying for; for your sins so you could be with Him forever.
Maybe you've never had that wonderful infusion of value and love that comes when you open your life to Jesus and you'd like to do that. Well take care of that right now. Tell Him, "Jesus, I am yours. Nobody loves me like you do." And if you'd like to know more about beginning this relationship, that's why our website's there. It's ANewStory.com.
You know those people who've called you all those other things? They really didn't know who you are, who God says you are.
So no one's name is "idiot." Not when God says, "You're my masterpiece."