Max Lucado Daily: ENOUGH OF THE FRENZY - April 20, 2026
Attempts at self-salvation guarantee nothing but exhaustion. We scamper and scurry, trying to please God, collecting merit badges and brownie points, scowling at anyone who questions our accomplishments. The result? The weariest people on earth. We so fear failure that we create the image of perfection. Call us the church of hound-dog faces and slumped shoulders. Stop it! Once and for all, enough of this frenzy.
Hebrews 13:9 (NCV) says, “Your hearts should be strengthened by God’s grace, not by obeying rules.” In Matthew 11:28 (NASB) Jesus said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” There is no fine print. A second shoe isn’t going to drop. God’s promise has no hidden language. Let grace happen. You have his unending affection. Stretch yourself out in the hammock of grace. You can rest now.
Grace: More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine
Luke 22:47-71
No sooner were the words out of his mouth than a crowd showed up, Judas, the one from the Twelve, in the lead. He came right up to Jesus to kiss him. Jesus said, “Judas, you would betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”
49–50 When those with him saw what was happening, they said, “Master, shall we fight?” One of them took a swing at the Chief Priest’s servant and cut off his right ear.
51 Jesus said, “Let them be. Even in this.” Then, touching the servant’s ear, he healed him.
52–53 Jesus spoke to those who had come—high priests, Temple police, religion leaders: “What is this, jumping me with swords and clubs as if I were a dangerous criminal? Day after day I’ve been with you in the Temple and you’ve not so much as lifted a hand against me. But do it your way—it’s a dark night, a dark hour.”
A Rooster Crowed
54–56 Arresting Jesus, they marched him off and took him into the house of the Chief Priest. Peter followed, but at a safe distance. In the middle of the courtyard some people had started a fire and were sitting around it, trying to keep warm. One of the serving maids sitting at the fire noticed him, then took a second look and said, “This man was with him!”
57 He denied it, “Woman, I don’t even know him.”
58 A short time later, someone else noticed him and said, “You’re one of them.”
But Peter denied it: “Man, I am not.”
59 About an hour later, someone else spoke up, really adamant: “He’s got to have been with him! He’s got ‘Galilean’ written all over him.”
60–62 Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” At that very moment, the last word hardly off his lips, a rooster crowed. Just then, the Master turned and looked at Peter. Peter remembered what the Master had said to him: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” He went out and cried and cried and cried.
Slapping Him Around
63–65 The men in charge of Jesus began poking fun at him, slapping him around. They put a blindfold on him and taunted, “Who hit you that time?” They were having a grand time with him.
66–67 When it was morning, the religious leaders of the people and the high priests and scholars all got together and brought him before their High Council. They said, “Are you the Messiah?”
67–69 He answered, “If I said yes, you wouldn’t believe me. If I asked what you meant by your question, you wouldn’t answer me. So here’s what I have to say: From here on the Son of Man takes his place at God’s right hand, the place of power.”
70 They all said, “So you admit your claim to be the Son of God?”
“You’re the ones who keep saying it,” he said.
71 But they had made up their minds, “Why do we need any more evidence? We’ve all heard him as good as say it himself.”
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Monday, April 20, 2026
by Tom Felten
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE
1 Chronicles 17:16-22
King David went in, took his place before God, and prayed:
Who am I, my Master God, and what is my family, that you have brought me to this place in life? But that’s nothing compared to what’s coming, for you’ve also spoken of my family far into the future, given me a glimpse into tomorrow and looked on me, Master God, as a Somebody. What’s left for David to say to this—to your honoring your servant, even though you know me, just as I am? O God, out of the goodness of your heart, you’ve taken your servant to do this great thing and put your great work on display. There’s none like you, God, no God but you, nothing to compare with what we’ve heard with our own ears. And who is like your people, like Israel, a nation unique on earth, whom God set out to redeem as his own people (and became most famous for it), performing great and fearsome acts, throwing out nations and their gods left and right as you saved your people from Egypt? You established for yourself a people—your very own Israel!—your people forever. And you, God, became their God.
Today's Insights
The books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles offer two approaches to Israel’s kingdom story. In 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings, the focus is on the kings and prophets of Israel—from Saul to the final kings of the divided kingdom era. By contrast, 1 and 2 Chronicles focus on the kings of Judah and the priesthood and development of the temple. The writer of 1 Chronicles—which Jewish tradition says was Ezra the priest—considers David’s prayer (1 Chronicles 17:16-22; see 2 Samuel 7:18-29). The prayer has a priestly tone to it, with its emphasis on Yahweh as the covenant-keeping God of Israel. David humbly sacrificed for the people of Israel, but he acknowledged that God is the one who has redeemed His people: “You made your people Israel your very own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God” (1 Chronicles 17:22). Today, as we reflect on the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made for us, we can humbly respond in sacrifice to Him and others.
Humble Sacrifice
Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 1 Chronicles 17:16
A pilot and his two daughters took off from Soldotna, Alaska, on a sightseeing trip. Their small plane, however, never made it to its destination. After several local pilots began searching for the missing aircraft, one named Terry Godes finally spied its nearly submerged wreckage on a partially frozen lake. The three family members were standing on its wings as they had been for hours. Thankfully, the trio was soon rescued by the National Guard. Godes humbly sacrificed his time and resources for others—leading to lives being saved. In humility, he said of his efforts, “I was just the guy that saw the plane first.”
King David sacrificed much for the people of Israel, including battling to save them from their enemies (1 Chronicles 14:8-17). Then he heard from the prophet Nathan that through his bloodline a throne would be “established forever,” as fulfilled in Christ (17:14; see Luke 1:30-33). He replied in humility, “Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?” (1 Chronicles 17:16). He knew that his life was established by God and His will (v. 19) and that He had ultimately done the work of rescue and redemption for David and his people (vv. 20-22).
Jesus “humbled himself” and made the ultimate sacrifice for us (Philippians 2:8). As He helps us, let’s humbly sacrifice our lives for others.
Reflect & Pray
Why is humility before God so important? What will it mean for you to humbly sacrifice for others?
Loving God, please help me to humbly sacrifice for You and others.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Monday, April 20, 2026
Have I Slandered God?
To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. — Matthew 25:15
Jesus told the parable of the bags of gold as a warning that it is possible for us to misjudge our own abilities. The parable doesn’t concern natural gifts; it concerns the gift of the Holy Spirit. We must not measure our spiritual abilities by our natural abilities. Spiritual capacity has nothing to do with intellect or education; it is measured by the promises of God.
If we get less, spiritually speaking, than God wants us to have, sooner or later we will slander him. We will say to God, “You expect more of me than you’ve given me power to do.” Or, “I can’t be true to you where you’ve placed me.” Never say, “I can’t” when it’s a question of God’s almighty Spirit. Never let your natural limitations factor in. If we’ve received the Holy Spirit, God expects the work of the Holy Spirit to be manifested in us, no matter what.
In the parable, the unworthy servant tries to justify himself at every turn. He slanders his master, complaining that his master’s demands are too high and expressing doubts and worries about what he’s been asked to do (Matthew 25:24). Have we been slandering God by daring to worry? Have we forgotten Matthew 6:33: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you”? Worrying means exactly what the unworthy servant implied: “I know you intend to leave me high and dry.” The person who is lazy is always full of anxious self-pity, always saying, “I haven’t been given a decent chance.” The person who is spiritually lazy is like this with God.
Never forget that your capacity in spiritual matters is measured by the promises of God. Is God able to fulfill his promises? How you answer depends on whether or not you’ve received the Holy Spirit.
2 Samuel 9-11; Luke 15:11-32
WISDOM FROM OSWALD
Crises reveal character. When we are put to the test the hidden resources of our character are revealed exactly.
Disciples Indeed, 393 R
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Monday, April 20, 2026
SPIRITUAL HUNGER, SPIRITUAL JUNK - #10246
There's nothing more discouraging for the family chef than these three words, "I'm not hungry." Maybe you've faced those words. You know, kids have impatient stomachs. Of course, only kids. We don't, right, adults? But kids have impatient stomachs, so they eat whenever the urge hits and whatever the urge tells them to eat. And, of course, I'm sure our kids were like yours. They would usually go to the refrigerator and get some carrots or a tossed salad. Right? Some broccoli, some high fiber cereal? No! Our kids did not! Don't worry, neither do yours. Oh yeah, they'd go after junk food. Most kids today are junk food junkies, and they fill up on it. So, my wife would give us this beautiful spread of pot roast, and potatoes, and fresh vegetables, home baked bread. And the troops, "I'm not hungry." They're too full to eat. How discouraging when they're full of junk food. Now junk food may be okay, but not when it spoils your appetite for real food.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Spiritual Hunger, Spiritual Junk".
Now, our word for today from the Word of God is found in Luke 8. It's the familiar story of the parable of the seed and the sower. And as you know, Jesus talks about the seed falling on four different kinds of ground. Let's look at one today. He says in verse 11, and this is the meaning of the parable, "The seed is the Word of God." And in verse 14, "The seed (or the Word) that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they're choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature."
Now these are people, who are Christians, and they remain Christians, but they are God's under-developed children. Children who never experience what they could have experienced. They always miss God's best. Why? They were choked. Choked by worries, anxieties, things they're afraid of. They're choked by chasing what money can buy. They're choked by focusing their energies on their own pleasure, their own feeling good. God has a lot of spiritually anorexic kids. You know that? They have an appetite disorder.
They're just not hungry for the Bible any more. They're not hungry for time with Jesus. They're not hungry for church; for spiritual input; for Christian fellowship. They almost go just dutifully. Have you noticed in yourself maybe recently a diminishing desire to get into the Bible; to get with God's people? Oh, you used to have an appetite. Where did it go? Could it be you've been filling up on junk food? Maybe things that aren't wrong in themselves; they're just taking over what you think about and talk about most of the time.
An unbalanced interest or concern has taken over and crowded out any room for God's Word in your life. Maybe you've become preoccupied with a hobby, television, the Internet, soap operas, music, maybe a special friend, maybe your car, maybe your house. Maybe God's time in your life, God's voice, God's Word are being choked by something far less important, far less eternal. It's just been crowded out. All your thinking time, all your mentally neutral time is gone. Do you have a spiritual appetite problem? Could it be that some junk food is filling you up?
God has so much prepared for you; so much He wants to say to you; so many ways He wants to lighten your load. But you come to the table saying, "I'm not hungry." Next time you're reaching for more mental junk food, reach instead for the banquet of the Bible. Spiritually it is the breakfast, the lunch, and the dinner of champions!
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