1 Chronicles 16, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Everyday Miracles

As I look around, I find more and more things that I had labeled “to be expected” that deserve to be labeled, “Well, what do you know!”

There was a time, at the end of the day I’d step into the bedrooms of three little girls. Their covers were usually kicked off—so I’d cover them up. Their hair usually covered their faces, so I’d brush it back. And one by one, I’d bend over and kiss the foreheads of the angels God had loaned me. Then I’d stand in the doorway and wonder why in the world God would entrust a fumbling fellow like me with the task of loving and leading such treasures.

But I’ve learned not to take these everyday miracles for granted. If I open my eyes and observe, there are many reasons to look at the Source of it all, and just say thanks! Well, what do you know!

From In the Eye of the Storm

1 Chronicles 16

They brought the Chest of God and placed it right in the center of the tent that David had pitched for it; then they worshiped by presenting burnt offerings and peace offerings to God. When David had completed the offerings of worship, he blessed the people in the name of God. Then he passed around to every one there, men and women alike, a loaf of bread, a slice of barbecue, and a raisin cake.

4-6 Then David assigned some of the Levites to the Chest of God to lead worship—to intercede, give thanks, and praise the God of Israel. Asaph was in charge; under him were Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, who played the musical instruments. Asaph was on percussion. The priests Benaiah and Jahaziel blew the trumpets before the Chest of the Covenant of God at set times through the day.

7 That was the day that David inaugurated regular worship of praise to God, led by Asaph and his company.

8-19 Thank God! Call out his Name!

    Tell the whole world who he is and what he’s done!

Sing to him! Play songs for him!

    Broadcast all his wonders!

Revel in his holy Name,

    God-seekers, be jubilant!

Study God and his strength,

    seek his presence day and night;

Remember all the wonders he performed,

    the miracles and judgments that came out of his mouth.

Seed of Israel his servant!

    Children of Jacob, his first choice!

He is God, our God;

    wherever you go you come on his judgments and decisions.

He keeps his commitments across thousands

    of generations, the covenant he commanded,

The same one he made with Abraham,

    the very one he swore to Isaac;

He posted it in big block letters to Jacob,

    this eternal covenant with Israel:

“I give you the land of Canaan,

    this is your inheritance;

Even though you’re not much to look at,

    a few straggling strangers.”

20-22 They wandered from country to country,

    camped out in one kingdom after another;

But he didn’t let anyone push them around,

    he stood up for them against bully-kings:

“Don’t you dare touch my anointed ones,

    don’t lay a hand on my prophets.”

23-27 Sing to God, everyone and everything!

    Get out his salvation news every day!

Publish his glory among the godless nations,

    his wonders to all races and religions.

And why? Because God is great—well worth praising!

    No god or goddess comes close in honor.

All the popular gods are stuff and nonsense,

    but God made the cosmos!

Splendor and majesty flow out of him,

    strength and joy fill his place.

28-29 Shout Bravo! to God, families of the peoples,

    in awe of the Glory, in awe of the Strength: Bravo!

Shout Bravo! to his famous Name,

    lift high an offering and enter his presence!

Stand resplendent in his robes of holiness!

30-33 God is serious business, take him seriously;

    he’s put the earth in place and it’s not moving.

So let Heaven rejoice, let Earth be jubilant,

    and pass the word among the nations, “God reigns!”

Let Ocean, all teeming with life, bellow,

    let Field and all its creatures shake the rafters;

Then the trees in the forest will add their applause

    to all who are pleased and present before God

    —he’s on his way to set things right!

34-36 Give thanks to God—he is good

    and his love never quits.

Say, “Save us, Savior God,

    round us up and get us out of these godless places,

So we can give thanks to your holy Name,

    and bask in your life of praise.”

Blessed be God, the God of Israel,

    from everlasting to everlasting.

Then everybody said, “Yes! Amen!” and “Praise God!”

* * *

37-42 David left Asaph and his coworkers with the Chest of the Covenant of God and in charge of the work of worship; they were responsible for the needs of worship around the clock. He also assigned Obed-Edom and his sixty-eight relatives to help them. Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun and Hosah were in charge of the security guards. The priest Zadok and his family of priests were assigned to the Tent of God at the sacred mound at Gibeon to make sure that the services of morning and evening worship were conducted daily, complete with Whole-Burnt-Offerings offered on the Altar of Burnt Offering, as ordered in the Law of God, which was the norm for Israel. With them were Heman, Jeduthun, and others specifically named, with the job description: “Give thanks to God, for his love never quits!” Heman and Jeduthun were also well equipped with trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments for accompanying sacred songs. The sons of Jeduthun formed the security guard.

43 Arrangements completed, the people all left for home. And David went home to bless his family.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Sunday, August 06, 2023

Today's Scripture

Exodus 6:1–8

 God said to Moses, “Now you’ll see what I’ll do to Pharaoh: With a strong hand he’ll send them out free; with a strong hand he’ll drive them out of his land.”

2–6  God continued speaking to Moses, reassuring him, “I am God. I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as The Strong God, but by my name God (I-Am-Present) I was not known to them. I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the country in which they lived as sojourners. But now I’ve heard the groanings of the Israelites whom the Egyptians continue to enslave and I’ve remembered my covenant. Therefore tell the Israelites:

6–8  “I am God. I will bring you out from under the cruel hard labor of Egypt. I will rescue you from slavery. I will redeem you, intervening with great acts of judgment. I’ll take you as my own people and I’ll be God to you. You’ll know that I am God, your God who brings you out from under the cruel hard labor of Egypt. I’ll bring you into the land that I promised to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and give it to you as your own country. I AM God.”

Insight

In the Old Testament stories of God’s dealings with Israel, it’s helpful to have a solid perspective on what we’re reading. Although we’re reading history, it’s more than that. We’re reading lessons that expose the heart and mind of God to us. Paul, a well-versed Pharisee trained in Jewish law, wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:11: “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come.” Through the Old Testament, we’re instructed about the heart of God and how to respond to Him in many different life circumstances. By: Bill Crowder

Release from Slavery

I will free you from being slaves to them. Exodus 6:6

“You are like Moses, leading us out from slavery!” Jamila exclaimed. As a bonded brick-kiln worker in Pakistan, she and her family suffered because of the exorbitant amount they owed the kiln owner. They used much of their earnings just to pay off the interest. But when they received a gift from a nonprofit agency that released them from their debt, they felt tremendous relief. In thanking the agency’s representative for their freedom, Jamila, a believer in Jesus, pointed to the example of God’s release of Moses and the Israelites from slavery.

The Israelites had been oppressed by the Egyptians for hundreds of years, laboring under harsh conditions. They cried out to God, asking for help (Exodus 2:23). But their workload increased, because the new pharaoh ordered them not only to make bricks but also to gather the straw for these bricks (5:6–8). When the Israelites continued to cry out against the oppression, God reiterated His promise to be their God (6:7). No longer would they be slaves, because He would redeem them with “an outstretched arm” (v. 6).

Under God’s direction, Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt (see ch.14). Today God still delivers us through the outstretched arms of His Son, Jesus, on the cross. We're set free from a far greater enslavement to the sin that once controlled us. We’re no longer slaves, but free! By:  Amy Boucher Pye

Reflect & Pray

How has God brought you freedom? How could you encourage others who are enslaved in some way?

Dear God, thank You for sending Your Son to give me freedom from my sin.

Learn more at Having a Personal Relationship with God.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Sunday, August 06, 2023

The Cross in Prayer

In that day you will ask in My name… —John 16:26

We too often think of the Cross of Christ as something we have to get through, yet we get through for the purpose of getting into it. The Cross represents only one thing for us— complete, entire, absolute identification with the Lord Jesus Christ— and there is nothing in which this identification is more real to us than in prayer.

“Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8). Then why should we ask? The point of prayer is not to get answers from God, but to have perfect and complete oneness with Him. If we pray only because we want answers, we will become irritated and angry with God. We receive an answer every time we pray, but it does not always come in the way we expect, and our spiritual irritation shows our refusal to identify ourselves truly with our Lord in prayer. We are not here to prove that God answers prayer, but to be living trophies of God’s grace.

“…I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; for the Father Himself loves you…” (John 16:26-27). Have you reached such a level of intimacy with God that the only thing that can account for your prayer life is that it has become one with the prayer life of Jesus Christ? Has our Lord exchanged your life with His vital life? If so, then “in that day” you will be so closely identified with Jesus that there will be no distinction.

When prayer seems to be unanswered, beware of trying to place the blame on someone else. That is always a trap of Satan. When you seem to have no answer, there is always a reason— God uses these times to give you deep personal instruction, and it is not for anyone else but you.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

The Bible is the only Book that gives us any indication of the true nature of sin, and where it came from. The Philosophy of Sin, 1107 R

1 Corinthians 9, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: God Sees with the Eyes of a Father

Matthew 14:14 says. "He had compassion on them." When Matthew writes that Jesus had compassion on people, he's not saying that Jesus felt casual pity for them. Matthew is saying that Jesus felt their hurt in His gut. He felt the limp of the disabled. He felt the hurt of the diseased. He felt the loneliness of the leper. He felt the embarrassment of the sinful. And once He felt their hurts, He couldn't help but heal their hurts. He was so touched by their needs that He forgot His own needs. He was so moved by the people's hurts that He put His hurts on the back burner.

God sees with the eyes of a Father. He sees our defects, errors, and blemishes; but He also sees our value. Maybe that's why God brings hurting people into your world, too!

From In the Eye of the Storm

1 Corinthians 9

And don’t tell me that I have no authority to write like this. I’m perfectly free to do this—isn’t that obvious? Haven’t I been given a job to do? Wasn’t I commissioned to this work in a face-to-face meeting with Jesus, our Master? Aren’t you yourselves proof of the good work that I’ve done for the Master? Even if no one else admits the authority of my commission, you can’t deny it. Why, my work with you is living proof of my authority!

3-7 I’m not shy in standing up to my critics. We who are on missionary assignments for God have a right to decent accommodations, and we have a right to support for us and our families. You don’t seem to have raised questions with the other apostles and our Master’s brothers and Peter in these matters. So, why me? Is it just Barnabas and I who have to go it alone and pay our own way? Are soldiers self-employed? Are gardeners forbidden to eat vegetables from their own gardens? Don’t dairy farmers get to drink their fill from the pail?

8-12 I’m not just sounding off because I’m irritated. This is all written in the scriptural law. Moses wrote, “Don’t muzzle an ox to keep it from eating the grain when it’s threshing.” Do you think Moses’ primary concern was the care of farm animals? Don’t you think his concern extends to us? Of course. Farmers plow and thresh expecting something when the crop comes in. So if we have planted spiritual seed among you, is it out of line to expect a meal or two from you? Others demand plenty from you in these ways. Don’t we who have never demanded deserve even more?

12-14 But we’re not going to start demanding now what we’ve always had a perfect right to. Our decision all along has been to put up with anything rather than to get in the way or detract from the Message of Christ. All I’m concerned with right now is that you not use our decision to take advantage of others, depriving them of what is rightly theirs. You know, don’t you, that it’s always been taken for granted that those who work in the Temple live off the proceeds of the Temple, and that those who offer sacrifices at the altar eat their meals from what has been sacrificed? Along the same lines, the Master directed that those who spread the Message be supported by those who believe the Message.

15-18 Still, I want it made clear that I’ve never gotten anything out of this for myself, and that I’m not writing now to get something. I’d rather die than give anyone ammunition to discredit me or question my motives. If I proclaim the Message, it’s not to get something out of it for myself. I’m compelled to do it, and doomed if I don’t! If this was my own idea of just another way to make a living, I’d expect some pay. But since it’s not my idea but something solemnly entrusted to me, why would I expect to get paid? So am I getting anything out of it? Yes, as a matter of fact: the pleasure of proclaiming the Message at no cost to you. You don’t even have to pay my expenses!

19-23 Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn’t take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn’t just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!

24-25 You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally.

26-27 I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No lazy living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.

* * *

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Saturday, August 05, 2023

Today's Scripture

Luke 10:38–42

Mary and Martha

38–40  As they continued their travel, Jesus entered a village. A woman by the name of Martha welcomed him and made him feel quite at home. She had a sister, Mary, who sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said. But Martha was pulled away by all she had to do in the kitchen. Later, she stepped in, interrupting them. “Master, don’t you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand.”

41–42  The Master said, “Martha, dear Martha, you’re fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it’s the main course, and won’t be taken from her.”

Insight

Mary and Martha had a brother named Lazarus with whom they shared a home in the village of Bethany (John 11:1–2). Jesus loved these siblings (v. 5) and may have frequently lodged with them. He miraculously raised Lazarus after he’d been dead for four days (vv. 17–44). Six days before Passover, Martha prepared a meal to honor Jesus. While Christ reclined at the table with Lazarus, Mary poured an expensive jar of perfume on His feet and then wiped them with her hair (11:2; 12:1–3). By: Alyson Kieda

Priority of God’s Presence

Mary has chosen what is better. Luke 10:42

In 2009, a research team at Stanford University studied more than two hundred students in an experiment that included switching between tasks and memory exercises. Surprisingly, the study found that students who viewed themselves as good multitaskers because they were in the habit of doing several things at a time, did worse than those who preferred to perform one task at a time. Multitasking made it more difficult to focus their thoughts and filter irrelevant information. Maintaining focus when our minds are distracted can be a challenge.

When Jesus visited Mary and Martha’s home, Martha was busy working and “distracted by all the preparations” (Luke 10:40). Her sister Mary chose to sit and listen to Jesus teach, gaining wisdom and peace that would never be taken away from her (vv. 39–42). When Martha asked Jesus to encourage Mary to help her, He responded, “You are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one” (vv. 41–42).

God desires our attention. But, like Martha, we’re often distracted by tasks and problems. We neglect God’s presence even though He alone can provide the wisdom and hope we need. When we make spending time with Him through prayer and meditating on Scripture a priority, He’ll give us the guidance and strength we need to address the challenges we face. By:  Kimya Loder

Reflect & Pray

What has taken your focus away from God? How might shifting it back to Him bring you clarity?

Dear Father, sometimes I try to juggle so many things. Please help me to remove those distractions and draw closer to You.

Learn more about how to effectively grow in your faith.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Saturday, August 05, 2023

The Bewildering Call of God

"…and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished."…But they understood none of these things… —Luke 18:31, 34

God called Jesus Christ to what seemed absolute disaster. And Jesus Christ called His disciples to see Him put to death, leading every one of them to the place where their hearts were broken. His life was an absolute failure from every standpoint except God’s. But what seemed to be failure from man’s standpoint was a triumph from God’s standpoint, because God’s purpose is never the same as man’s purpose.

This bewildering call of God comes into our lives as well. The call of God can never be understood absolutely or explained externally; it is a call that can only be perceived and understood internally by our true inner-nature. The call of God is like the call of the sea— no one hears it except the person who has the nature of the sea in him. What God calls us to cannot be definitely stated, because His call is simply to be His friend to accomplish His own purposes. Our real test is in truly believing that God knows what He desires. The things that happen do not happen by chance— they happen entirely by the decree of God. God is sovereignly working out His own purposes.

If we are in fellowship and oneness with God and recognize that He is taking us into His purposes, then we will no longer strive to find out what His purposes are. As we grow in the Christian life, it becomes simpler to us, because we are less inclined to say, “I wonder why God allowed this or that?” And we begin to see that the compelling purpose of God lies behind everything in life, and that God is divinely shaping us into oneness with that purpose. A Christian is someone who trusts in the knowledge and the wisdom of God, not in his own abilities. If we have a purpose of our own, it destroys the simplicity and the calm, relaxed pace which should be characteristic of the children of God.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

God does not further our spiritual life in spite of our circumstances, but in and by our circumstances.  Not Knowing Whither, 900 L

Bible in a Year: Psalms 68-69; Romans 8:1-21

1 Chronicles 15, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: SINCERE WORSHIP - August 4, 2023

When my daughter was small, she wrote a song for me. From a musical standpoint, everything was wrong with it. The lyrics didn’t rhyme, the rhythm was off. Technically the song was a failure. But for me, the song was a masterpiece. Why? Because she wrote it for me. What dad wouldn’t like that? What father wouldn’t bask in the praise of even an off-key adulation?

Ideally, when we approach God, our motive and the way we sing is as strong as the reason we sing. The words are just right; our worship is as attractive as it is sincere. But many times it isn’t. Many times our worship is less than what we want it to be. “Lord, help!” “You search for me,” God declared. “And when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me. I will let you find me” (Jeremiah 29:13-14). What a promise!

And the Angels Were Silent: Walking with Christ Toward the Cross

Read more And the Angels Were Silent: Walking with Christ Toward the Cross

1 Chronicles 15

David Worships

 After David built houses for himself in the City of David, he cleared a place for the Chest and pitched a tent for it. Then David gave orders: “No one carries the Chest of God except the Levites; God designated them and them only to carry the Chest of God and be available full time for service in the work of worship.”

3-10 David then called everyone in Israel to assemble in Jerusalem to bring up the Chest of God to its specially prepared place. David also called in the family of Aaron and the Levites. From the family of Kohath, Uriel the head with 120 relatives; from the family of Merari, Asaiah the head with 220 relatives; from the family of Gershon, Joel the head with 130 relatives; from the family of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the head with 200 relatives; from the family of Hebron, Eliel the head with 80 relatives; from the family of Uzziel, Amminadab the head with 112 relatives.

11-13 Then David called in Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab the Levites. He said, “You are responsible for the Levitical families; now consecrate yourselves, both you and your relatives, and bring up the Chest of the God of Israel to the place I have set aside for it. The first time we did this, you Levites did not carry it properly, and God exploded in anger at us because we didn’t make proper preparation and follow instructions.”

14-15 So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the Chest of the God of Israel. The Levites carried the Chest of God exactly as Moses, instructed by God, commanded—carried it with poles on their shoulders, careful not to touch it with their hands.

16 David ordered the heads of the Levites to assign their relatives to sing in the choir, accompanied by a well-equipped marching band, and fill the air with joyful sound.

17-18 The Levites assigned Heman son of Joel, and from his family, Asaph son of Berekiah, then Ethan son of Kushaiah from the family of Merari, and after them in the second rank their brothers Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel as security guards.

19-22 The members of the choir and marching band were: Heman, Asaph, and Ethan with bronze cymbals; Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah with lyres carrying the melody; Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah with harps filling in the harmony; Kenaniah, the Levite in charge of music, a very gifted musician, was music director.

23-24 Berekiah and Elkanah were porters for the Chest. The priests Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer blew the trumpets before the Chest of God. Obed-Edom and Jehiah were also porters for the Chest.

25-28 Now they were ready. David, the elders of Israel, and the commanders of thousands started out to get the Chest of the Covenant of God and bring it up from the house of Obed-Edom. And they went rejoicing. Because God helped the Levites, strengthening them as they carried the Chest of the Covenant of God, they paused to worship by sacrificing seven bulls and seven rams. They were all dressed in elegant linen—David, the Levites carrying the Chest, the choir and band, and Kenaniah who was directing the music. David also wore a linen prayer shawl (called an ephod). On they came, all Israel on parade bringing up the Chest of the Covenant of God, shouting and cheering, playing every kind of brass and percussion and string instrument.

29 When the Chest of the Covenant of God entered the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, was watching from a window. When she saw King David dancing ecstatically she was filled with contempt.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Friday, August 04, 2023

Today's Scripture

Ruth 3:1–9

One day her mother-in-law Naomi said to Ruth, “My dear daughter, isn’t it about time I arranged a good home for you so you can have a happy life? And isn’t Boaz our close relative, the one with whose young women you’ve been working? Maybe it’s time to make our move. Tonight is the night of Boaz’s barley harvest at the threshing floor.

3–4  “Take a bath. Put on some perfume. Get all dressed up and go to the threshing floor. But don’t let him know you’re there until the party is well under way and he’s had plenty of food and drink. When you see him slipping off to sleep, watch where he lies down and then go there. Lie at his feet to let him know that you are available to him for marriage. Then wait and see what he says. He’ll tell you what to do.”

5  Ruth said, “If you say so, I’ll do it, just as you’ve told me.”

6  She went down to the threshing floor and put her mother-in-law’s plan into action.

7  Boaz had a good time, eating and drinking his fill—he felt great. Then he went off to get some sleep, lying down at the end of a stack of barley. Ruth quietly followed; she lay down to signal her availability for marriage.

8  In the middle of the night the man was suddenly startled and sat up. Surprise! This woman asleep at his feet!

9  He said, “And who are you?”

She said, “I am Ruth, your maiden; take me under your protecting wing. You’re my close relative, you know, in the circle of covenant redeemers—you do have the right to marry me.”

Insight

The Hebrew word translated “guardian-redeemer” is a key word in the book of Ruth. It’s used more than twenty times in its various forms. The first occurrence is in Ruth 2:20 where Naomi uses the term to describe Boaz: “That man is our close relative; he is one of our guardian-redeemers.” The NIV note nicely summarizes the word as “a legal term for one who has the obligation to redeem a relative in serious difficulty (see Lev. 25:25–55).” It’s particularly noteworthy that God, in Jesus, became human to rescue those who trust in Him from humanity’s greatest difficulty—sin. Matthew 1:5 records that, according to the flesh, Jesus—our Redeemer—descended from Boaz and Ruth. By: Arthur Jackson

People of Refuge

Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer of our family. Ruth 3:9

Phil and Sandy, moved by stories of refugee children, opened their hearts and home to two of them. After they picked them up at the airport, they nervously drove home in silence. Were they ready for this? They didn’t share the same culture, language, or religion, but they’d become people of refuge for these precious children.

Boaz was moved by the story of Ruth. He’d heard how she left her people to support Naomi, and when Ruth came to glean in his field, Boaz prayed this blessing over her, “May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge” (Ruth 2:12).

Ruth reminded Boaz of his blessing when she interrupted his sleep one night. Awakened by movement at his feet, Boaz asked, “Who are you?” Ruth replied, “I am your servant Ruth. Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer of our family” (3:9).

The Hebrew word for corner of your garment and wings is the same. Boaz gave Ruth refuge by marrying her, and their great-grandson David echoed their story in his praise to the God of Israel: “How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!” he wrote. “People take refuge in the shadow of your wings” (Psalm 36:7). By:  Mike Wittmer

Reflect & Pray

When has someone given you refuge and how did it make you feel? How might you—in big or small ways—provide refuge for others?

Father, I take refuge in You. Use me to extend Your refuge to others.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Friday, August 04, 2023

The Brave Friendship of God

He took the twelve aside… —Luke 18:31

Oh, the bravery of God in trusting us! Do you say, “But He has been unwise to choose me, because there is nothing good in me and I have no value”? That is exactly why He chose you. As long as you think that you are of value to Him He cannot choose you, because you have purposes of your own to serve. But if you will allow Him to take you to the end of your own self-sufficiency, then He can choose you to go with Him “to Jerusalem” (Luke 18:31). And that will mean the fulfillment of purposes which He does not discuss with you.

We tend to say that because a person has natural ability, he will make a good Christian. It is not a matter of our equipment, but a matter of our poverty; not of what we bring with us, but of what God puts into us; not a matter of natural virtues, of strength of character, of knowledge, or of experience— all of that is of no avail in this concern. The only thing of value is being taken into the compelling purpose of God and being made His friends (see 1 Corinthians 1:26-31). God’s friendship is with people who know their poverty. He can accomplish nothing with the person who thinks that he is of use to God. As Christians we are not here for our own purpose at all— we are here for the purpose of God, and the two are not the same. We do not know what God’s compelling purpose is, but whatever happens, we must maintain our relationship with Him. We must never allow anything to damage our relationship with God, but if something does damage it, we must take the time to make it right again. The most important aspect of Christianity is not the work we do, but the relationship we maintain and the surrounding influence and qualities produced by that relationship. That is all God asks us to give our attention to, and it is the one thing that is continually under attack.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

It is in the middle that human choices are made; the beginning and the end remain with God. The decrees of God are birth and death, and in between those limits man makes his own distress or joy.  Shade of His Hand, 1223 L

Bible in a Year: Psalms 66-67; Romans 7

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Friday, August 04, 2023

The Life or Death Verb - #9540

Pete came to me with this very unusual request when we were freshmen in college together. He asked me who I thought were the five best girls to date in our class. (Just call me Dr. Love.) Well, I gave him my top five list; four of whom I had actually been out with on my mad "date them all" freshman rush.

The one on the list that I hadn't dated was this beautiful perky brunette. Well, after I gave Pete that list, I began to ask myself an obvious question, "Why haven't I dated her?" So I did, and I did it again, and again. And I did pretty much my whole adult life. By the time we graduated, we were engaged to be married, my beautiful Karen. Now, Pete was a New Englander, so he was a man of few words. He wrote only six words next to his picture in my senior yearbook: You believe in your product... Pete. And yes I did! See, she and I got married one week after graduation.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Life or Death Verb."

Now, my friend summed it up pretty well; I really believed in this girl. Not just intellectually. No, I believed in her with everything I had. Believe as in committing my whole life to her. When it comes to God and where we spend the next hundred billion years, believe is the decisive action word. It's the life-or-death verb. Not in the official or intellectual sense like, "Pete, I believe this girl is a great catch for somebody." No, no! "I'm trusting my life to her." That belief.

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Acts 16:30-31. A man is asking the great missionary, Paul, this timeless question, "What must I do to be saved?" Well, the answer is so clear and so unmistakable, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved." Now obviously saved is a life-or-death word. Right? Just ask the people who were saved from the rubble of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, or someone who was saved by an emergency medical team. If the rescuer saved you, you lived. If he didn't, you died.

Now, the kind of saving the Bible talks about is being rescued from the death penalty we are all under with God. Why? Well, the Bible says "all of us have wandered like sheep. We have turned each one to his own way." That's my way instead of God's way. And that is ultimate rebellion against the ultimate authority of the One who gave me my life to live for Him.

The death we suffer in this life is a life of trying to make it without God's love, without God's peace, without God's purpose for our days. And if we die still away from Him, the penalty is what Jesus called hell. But that's where believing in Jesus comes in, because He's the only Rescuer, the only Savior that can keep you from dying spiritually. Because He died on the cross to bear all the guilt and all the penalty of the sins we've committed. That's how much He loves you. But you've got to believe in the Lord Jesus if you're going to be saved.

You say, "Well, I believe in Jesus." But did you know you can have Him in your head but not in your heart? The Bible says in Romans 10:10, "It is with your heart that you believe and are justified." That means made right with God. Believe, like committing yourself in total trust to the One who died in your place.

Now, here's a question on which your eternity could depend, "Has there ever been a time in your life when you've told Jesus, 'I'm pinning all my hopes on You, Jesus, and what You did on the cross to rescue me from my sin.'" If there's never been a time like that, my friend, you're not saved. You're in eternal danger.

But that could change in the next few minutes if you just reach out to this Savior that you've known about but never really known. If you want to know Him for sure, listen, go to our website. That's what it's there for, to help you know you belong to Him. The website is ANewStory.com.

One day I walked into a church not married. I walked out married, because I believed in someone. You need a day like that; a day to commit yourself to the One who loves you the most - Jesus Christ. A day like today.

1 Chronicles 14, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: THE BLIND SEE - August 3, 2023

When people are refused access to Christ by those closest to him, the result is empty, hollow religion. Ugly religion.

Hard to believe? Yet it happens—even in the church. It happens when a church spends more time discussing the style of its sanctuary than it does the needs of the hungry. It happens when a church is known more for its stance on an issue than its reliance upon God. It happens when we think Jesus has more important things to do than to be bothered by such insignificant people.

Christ thought otherwise. “Jesus felt sorry for the blind men and touched their eyes, and at once they could see” (Matthew 20:24). In that moment, of all the people, it is the blind who really saw Jesus.

And the Angels Were Silent: Walking with Christ Toward the Cross

Read more And the Angels Were Silent: Walking with Christ Toward the Cross

1 Chronicles 14

David’s House and Family

Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs, stonemasons and carpenters to build a palace for him. 2 And David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that his kingdom had been highly exalted for the sake of his people Israel.

3 In Jerusalem David took more wives and became the father of more sons and daughters. 4 These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 5 Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, 6 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 7 Elishama, Beeliada[d] and Eliphelet.

David Defeats the Philistines

8 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went out to meet them. 9 Now the Philistines had come and raided the Valley of Rephaim; 10 so David inquired of God: “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?”

The Lord answered him, “Go, I will deliver them into your hands.”

11 So David and his men went up to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, God has broken out against my enemies by my hand.” So that place was called Baal Perazim.[e] 12 The Philistines had abandoned their gods there, and David gave orders to burn them in the fire.

13 Once more the Philistines raided the valley; 14 so David inquired of God again, and God answered him, “Do not go directly after them, but circle around them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. 15 As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move out to battle, because that will mean God has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.” 16 So David did as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army, all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.

17 So David’s fame spread throughout every land, and the Lord made all the nations fear him.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Thursday, August 03, 2023

Today's Scripture

James 5:13–20

Prayer to Be Reckoned With

13–15  Are you hurting? Pray. Do you feel great? Sing. Are you sick? Call the church leaders together to pray and anoint you with oil in the name of the Master. Believing-prayer will heal you, and Jesus will put you on your feet. And if you’ve sinned, you’ll be forgiven—healed inside and out.

16–18  Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. Elijah, for instance, human just like us, prayed hard that it wouldn’t rain, and it didn’t—not a drop for three and a half years. Then he prayed that it would rain, and it did. The showers came and everything started growing again.

19–20  My dear friends, if you know people who have wandered off from God’s truth, don’t write them off. Go after them. Get them back and you will have rescued precious lives from destruction and prevented an epidemic of wandering away from God.

Insight

Prayer is the focus of James 5:13–18. James encourages both individual prayer (v. 13) and community prayer (vv. 14–16). His encouragement to pray in a variety of circumstances demonstrates that prayer is to be a standard part of the life of the believer in Jesus. Whether suffering or cheerful, we’re to pray.

In verse 15, James circles back to what he emphasized in the beginning of his letter—the necessity of faith when praying (see 1:5–6). In 1:5, he tells his readers to ask for wisdom when they need it, but to ask in faith (v. 6). Similarly, in 5:13–18, prayer offered in faith is what’s effective. This echoes Jesus’ own statements on the importance of faith (see Matthew 17:20). By: J.R. Hudberg

Authentic and Vulnerable

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. James 5:16

“Hey, Poh Fang!” A church friend texted. “For this month’s care group meeting, let’s get everyone to do what James 5:16 says. Let’s create a safe environment of trust and confidentiality, so we can share an area of struggle in our life and pray for each other.”

For a moment, I wasn’t sure how to reply. While our small group members have known each other for years, we’d never really openly shared all our hurts and struggles with one another. After all, it’s scary to be vulnerable.

But the truth is, we’re all sinners and we all struggle. We all need Jesus. Authentic conversations about God’s amazing grace and our dependency on Christ have a way of encouraging us to keep trusting in Him. With Jesus, we can stop pretending to have trouble-free lives.

So I replied, “Yes! Let’s do that!” Initially, it was awkward. But as one person opened up and shared, another soon followed. Though a few kept silent, there was understanding. No one was pressured. We ended the time by doing what the second part of James 5:16 says, “Pray for each other.”

That day I experienced the beauty of fellowship with believers in Jesus. Because of our common faith in Christ, we can be vulnerable with each other and depend on Him and others to help us in our weaknesses and struggles. By:  Poh Fang Chia

Reflect & Pray

While we must be discerning, what can you do to encourage more authentic sharing in your church community? Who can you share your struggles with?

Father, thank You for placing me in Your family so I might find support as I grow to become more and more like Christ.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Thursday, August 03, 2023

The Compelling Purpose of God

He…said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem…" —Luke 18:31

Jerusalem, in the life of our Lord, represents the place where He reached the culmination of His Father’s will. Jesus said, “I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me” (John 5:30). Seeking to do “the will of the Father” was the one dominating concern throughout our Lord’s life. And whatever He encountered along the way, whether joy or sorrow, success or failure, He was never deterred from that purpose. “…He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem…” (Luke 9:51).

The greatest thing for us to remember is that we go up to Jerusalem to fulfill God’s purpose, not our own. In the natural life our ambitions are our own, but in the Christian life we have no goals of our own. We talk so much today about our decisions for Christ, our determination to be Christians, and our decisions for this and that, but in the New Testament the only aspect that is brought out is the compelling purpose of God. “You did not choose Me, but I chose you…” (John 15:16).

We are not taken into a conscious agreement with God’s purpose— we are taken into God’s purpose with no awareness of it at all. We have no idea what God’s goal may be; as we continue, His purpose becomes even more and more vague. God’s aim appears to have missed the mark, because we are too nearsighted to see the target at which He is aiming. At the beginning of the Christian life, we have our own ideas as to what God’s purpose is. We say, “God means for me to go over there,” and, “God has called me to do this special work.” We do what we think is right, and yet the compelling purpose of God remains upon us. The work we do is of no account when compared with the compelling purpose of God. It is simply the scaffolding surrounding His work and His plan. “He took the twelve aside…” (Luke 18:31). God takes us aside all the time. We have not yet understood all there is to know of the compelling purpose of God.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

We have no right to judge where we should be put, or to have preconceived notions as to what God is fitting us for. God engineers everything; wherever He puts us, our one great aim is to pour out a whole-hearted devotion to Him in that particular work. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.” My Utmost for His Highest, April 23, 773 L

Bible in a Year: Psalms 63-65; Romans 6

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Thursday, August 03, 2023

Running Into Busyness - #9539

For years, Haiti's had a special place in the hearts of my wife and myself. We've been there sometimes. My wife went down there on a photography mission. It's always touched our hearts. And when it's in the news, like earthquakes etc. it really gets to us. You know, I remember some years ago when my wife brought back a strange souvenir from her visit. She came home with I guess you'd call it a bacterial souvenir from a mission trip there.

We got home from the airport, opened up the luggage, greeted our three children and started to hand out the little souvenirs that we got them. Well, meanwhile, my wife retreated to the bedroom and within an hour she was like in intestinal agony with gastroenteritis. I went to the doctor a couple of times and I tried to get her something to give her relief. When all else failed, they said, "Hey, you'd better get the emergency medical people over there and bring her to the hospital.

That was a little scary. Here comes the EMS people barging in, they've got a stretcher, they've got the ambulance out in front, they're barking orders to each other. Our poor little boys just stood there wide-eyed trying to process it all, but not our 14-year-old daughter. No. No, she responded to this bad news situation differently. Suddenly she's in the kitchen doing dishes; cleaning madly; working frantically. First born! I guess she didn't want to deal directly with what was going on, so she just got busy. Yeah, it could be that first-born thing. That's not all bad unless it's God that you're avoiding dealing with.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Running Into Busyness."

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Isaiah 30. I'll begin reading at verse 15. It's about people on the run. "This is what the sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel says, 'In repentance and rest is your salvation. In quietness and trust is your strength.' But you would have none of it. You said, 'No, we will flee on horses.' Therefore you will flee! You said, 'We will ride off on swift horses.' Therefore, your pursuers will be swift."

Now, notice here, God says to people, "I want you to repent; to rest, to trust." And they say, "Nope! I want to run. I want to run as fast as I can." You know, some of us are lifetime fugitives. Yep, we're running from something God is trying to get us to face. This says here that your pursuers will be swift; they will always catch up with you. Some escapes that we try are obviously destructive: like alcohol, drugs, or physically running away. But many Christians take the noble escape from facing issues. They just get busy in worthy causes, like my daughter bustling around in the kitchen. We get so busy, so we don't have to face the situation.

Now, on the one hand, serving others; that's a positive way to find personal healing, but not if you're working as a substitute for dealing with the issue. Think about it. When you slow down, don't you start to see some things about yourself that you don't see any other time? Some of it, well, it might be hard to face: a deeply entrenched personal sin, maybe it's a deep wound that you've never dealt with. Something God wants you to do that you'd rather avoid. It's the still, small voice of God trying to get through.

Now, either we face what He's saying, or we run like mad. If you run into busyness, even spiritual busyness, oh everyone will praise you for your dedication. But busyness that is running from the truth, is running from God, that's an escape as surely as drugs or alcohol. And it's just as addicting. Isn't it time to stop running finally and unload the stress of a neurotic, destructive busyness and just listen to God? "Be still and know that He is God." Deal with what he's been chasing you for all these years, and you won't have to run nearly so much.

Wouldn't it be nice to live without always having to look over your shoulder?

1 Chronicles 13, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: A RANSOM FOR MANY - August 2, 2023

Matthew 20:28 says of Jesus, “The Son of Man did not come to be served. He came to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many people.”

As a young boy, I read a Russian fable about a master and a servant who went on a journey. Before they reached their destination they were caught in a blizzard and lost their direction. When they were found the master was frozen to death, face down in the snow. When they lifted him they found the servant, cold but alive. The master had voluntarily placed himself on top of the servant so the servant could live.

Jesus did the same for you. Jesus wears a sovereign crown, but he bears a father’s heart. The King who suffers for the peasant, the Master who sacrifices himself for the servant. He is the Son of Man who came to serve and give his life as a ransom for you.

And the Angels Were Silent: Walking with Christ Toward the Cross

Read more And the Angels Were Silent: Walking with Christ Toward the Cross

1 Chronicles 13

Bringing Back the Ark

David conferred with each of his officers, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2 He then said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the Lord our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our people throughout the territories of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and pasturelands, to come and join us. 3 Let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we did not inquire of[a] it[b] during the reign of Saul.” 4 The whole assembly agreed to do this, because it seemed right to all the people.

5 So David assembled all Israel, from the Shihor River in Egypt to Lebo Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim. 6 David and all Israel went to Baalah of Judah (Kiriath Jearim) to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord, who is enthroned between the cherubim—the ark that is called by the Name.

7 They moved the ark of God from Abinadab’s house on a new cart, with Uzzah and Ahio guiding it. 8 David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, timbrels, cymbals and trumpets.

9 When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen stumbled. 10 The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.

11 Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.[c]

12 David was afraid of God that day and asked, “How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?” 13 He did not take the ark to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 14 The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house for three months, and the Lord blessed his household and everything he had.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Wednesday, August 02, 2023

Today's Scripture & Insight:

Ezekiel 34:1–2, 7–12

When the Sheep Get Scattered

1–6  34 God’s Message came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherd-leaders of Israel. Yes, prophesy! Tell those shepherds, ‘God, the Master, says: Doom to you shepherds of Israel, feeding your own mouths! Aren’t shepherds supposed to feed sheep?

 “ ‘Therefore, shepherds, listen to the Message of God: As sure as I am the living God—Decree of God, the Master—because my sheep have been turned into mere prey, into easy meals for wolves because you shepherds ignored them and only fed yourselves, listen to what God has to say:

10  “ ‘Watch out! I’m coming down on the shepherds and taking my sheep back. They’re fired as shepherds of my sheep. No more shepherds who just feed themselves! I’ll rescue my sheep from their greed. They’re not going to feed off my sheep any longer!

11–16  “ ‘God, the Master, says: From now on, I myself am the shepherd. I’m going looking for them. As shepherds go after their flocks when they get scattered, I’m going after my sheep. I’ll rescue them from all the places they’ve been scattered to in the storms.

Insight

We’re familiar with Jesus being referred to as the Good Shepherd in the New Testament (John 10:11), but that metaphor had its origins in Ezekiel. God promised to reject the failed shepherds of the people (Ezekiel 34:10), which Jesus in turn identified as the leaders of Israel in His day (Matthew 9:36; Mark 6:34; John 10:1–6). God promised to be Israel’s shepherd Himself (Ezekiel 34:11–16).

When Jesus tells the story of the lost sheep (Luke 15:1–7) or calls Himself the Good Shepherd (John 10:1–18), He’s claiming to be the shepherd, like David, who’d rescue all God’s lost sheep (Ezekiel 34:22–24). Long ago, God promised to shepherd His people. In Jesus, we see that promise fulfilled. By: Jed Ostoich

The Powerful and the Weak

Woe to you . . . . You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick. Ezekiel 34:2, 4

Perhaps the most heartwarming tradition in college football happens at the University of Iowa. The Stead Family Children’s Hospital sits next to Iowa’s Kinnick Stadium, and the hospital’s top floor has floor-to-ceiling windows offering a great view of the field. On game days, sick children and their families fill the floor to watch the action below, and at the end of the first quarter, coaches, athletes, and thousands of fans turn to the hospital and wave. For those few moments, the children’s eyes light up. It’s powerful to see the athletes, with a packed stadium and thousands more watching on TV, pause and show they care.

The Scriptures instruct those who have power (and all of us have some kind of power) to care for those who are weak, watch over those who are struggling, and tend to those whose bodies are broken. Too often, though, we ignore those in need of attention (Ezekiel 34:6). The prophet Ezekiel rebuked Israel’s leaders for their selfishness, for disregarding those who most needed help. “Woe to you,” God said through Ezekiel. “You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured” (vv. 2, 4).

How often do our personal priorities, leadership philosophies, or economic policies demonstrate little regard for those in distress? God shows us a different way, where those with power watch out for those who are weak (vv. 11–12). By:  Winn Collier

Reflect & Pray

How have you seen those with power watch out for the weak? How have they ignored the weak?

Heavenly Father, teach me to love as You love.

For further study, read Going the Extra Mile: Learning to Serve like Jesus.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Wednesday, August 02, 2023

The Teaching of Adversity

In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. —John 16:33

The typical view of the Christian life is that it means being delivered from all adversity. But it actually means being delivered in adversity, which is something very different. “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling…” (Psalm 91:1,10)— the place where you are at one with God.

If you are a child of God, you will certainly encounter adversities, but Jesus says you should not be surprised when they come. “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” He is saying, “There is nothing for you to fear.” The same people who refused to talk about their adversities before they were saved often complain and worry after being born again because they have the wrong idea of what it means to live the life of a saint.

God does not give us overcoming life— He gives us life as we overcome. The strain of life is what builds our strength. If there is no strain, there will be no strength. Are you asking God to give you life, liberty, and joy? He cannot, unless you are willing to accept the strain. And once you face the strain, you will immediately get the strength. Overcome your own timidity and take the first step. Then God will give you nourishment— “To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life…” (Revelation 2:7). If you completely give of yourself physically, you become exhausted. But when you give of yourself spiritually, you get more strength. God never gives us strength for tomorrow, or for the next hour, but only for the strain of the moment. Our temptation is to face adversities from the standpoint of our own common sense. But a saint can “be of good cheer” even when seemingly defeated by adversities, because victory is absurdly impossible to everyone, except God.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

The life of Abraham is an illustration of two things: of unreserved surrender to God, and of God’s complete possession of a child of His for His own highest end. Not Knowing Whither, 901 R

Bible in a Year: Psalms 60-62; Romans 5

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Wednesday, August 02, 2023

Undervalued - #9538

I guess it might be nice to own a copy of the Declaration of Independence. It's not on my top ten list of things I'd like to have, but if it's cheap, why not? That's what Michael Sparks thought when he bought a copy of the Declaration in a thrift store. Yeah, he spent a whopping $2.48. What a deal! It turns out what he bought for $2.48 is one of the 200 "official copies" commissioned by John Quincy Adams in 1820. So, the man who bought it for $2.48, sold it for almost half a million dollars!

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Undervalued."

Somebody looked at an old copy of a document and made a serious mistake. They just really undervalued it big-time! Of course, we make that mistake too, with people. It's happened to someone who's listening right now. You've been undervalued many times, maybe by lots of people. It's to the point where you've come to believe yourself that you're not really worth that much. How could you be after the names you've been called, the rejection you've experienced, those failed relationships, and the ways you've been treated?

I've got news for you. None of those people have any idea what you're really worth, anymore than some merchant knew what a rare Declaration of Independence was worth. But somebody knows, and they will pay a lot for it.

Someone knows what you're really worth, and you can tell because of how much He paid for you. He is no one less than the Son of God. Here's how the Bible puts it: "You are not your own; you were bought at a price" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). See, the price that Jesus paid for you is spelled out graphically in our word for today from the Word of God in Revelation 5:9. The inhabitants of heaven are saying, "You were slain, and with Your blood You purchased men for God." Jesus thought you were worth the shedding of His blood; the blood of the one and only Son of God. Think about that cross where Jesus hung with nails in His hands and feet, and a crown of thorns jammed on His head, a spear driven into His side, and say these two words, "For me."

That's how bad your sin was. That's what it took to pay for your sin and mine. And that's how big God's love is for you. He did that so He would not lose you. Sin is serious business. It's living the way you want to live instead of the way your Creator put you here to live. It's the spiritual hijacking of your life from the One who gave it to you in the first place. And hijacking is punishable by a death penalty. I deserved that penalty. But Jesus stepped in and said, "Take me instead." In the words of the Bible, "He loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). He really, really loves you. He's the One who gave you your worth when He made you. You are His one-of-a-kind original. He wants to restore the worth that sin has taken from you.

But you have to choose Him. He won't force His way into your life. You have to invite Him in. That invitation involves a lifetime choice to turn from running your own life and putting your life in His hands, where it's belonged all along. It's a step of total trust in Jesus as being the only hope of having your sins forgiven, your only hope of going to heaven, of experiencing the love you were made for. He's waiting for you to tell Him with all your heart, "Jesus, I am Yours." After all He's paid for you, is there any reason not to trust Him?

On our website, I've laid out a simple explanation of just how you can be sure you belong to Him. I encourage you to go there right away today. Check it out for yourself. It's ANewStory.com. You'll find a lot of hope there.

His love will show you how very much you're worth, because honestly, nobody loves you like Jesus.

1 Chronicles 12 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: A PASSION FOR THE FORGOTTEN - August 1, 2023

A day late and a dollar short. One brick short of a load. You pick the phrase – the result is the same. Get told enough times that only the rotten fruit gets left in the bin, and you begin to believe it. You begin to believe you’re too little, too late.

God has a peculiar passion for the forgotten. Have you noticed? See his hand on the skin of the leper? See the face of the prostitute cupped in Jesus’s hands? See him with his arm around little Zacchaeus? God wants us to get the message: what society puts out, God puts in. What the world writes off, God picks up. Why did he pick you? He wanted to. After all, you are his. And he made you. No matter how long you’ve waited or how much time you’ve wasted, you are his. And he has a place for you.

Read more And the Angels Were Silent: Walking with Christ Toward the Cross

1 Chronicles 12

These are the men who joined David in Ziklag; it was during the time he was banished by Saul the son of Kish; they were among the Mighty Men, good fighters. They were armed with bows and could sling stones and shoot arrows either right- or left-handed. They hailed from Saul’s tribe, Ben-jamin.

3–7  The first was Ahiezer; then Joash son of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth; Beracah; Jehu the Anathothite; Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a Mighty Man among the Thirty, a leader of the Thirty; Jeremiah; Jahaziel; Johanan; Jozabad the Gederathite; Eluzai; Jerimoth; Bealiah; Shemariah; Shephatiah the Haruphite; Elkanah; Isshiah; Azarel; Joezer; Jashobeam; the Korahites; and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.

8–15  There were some Gadites there who had defected to David at his wilderness fortress; they were seasoned and eager fighters who knew how to handle shield and spear. They were wild in appearance, like lions, but as agile as gazelles racing across the hills. Ezer was the first, then Obadiah, Eliab, Mishmannah, Jeremiah, Attai, Eliel, Johanan, Elzabad, Jeremiah, and Macbannai—eleven of them. These Gadites were the cream of the crop—any one of them was worth a hundred lesser men, and the best of them were worth a thousand. They were the ones who crossed the Jordan when it was at flood stage in the first month, and put everyone in the lowlands to flight, both east and west.

16–17  There were also men from the tribes of Ben-jamin and Judah who joined David in his wilderness fortress. When David went out to meet them, this is what he said: “If you have come in peace and to help me, you are most welcome to join this company; but if you have come to betray me to my enemies, innocent as I am, the God of our ancestors will see through you and bring judgment on you.”

18  Just then Amasai chief of the Thirty, moved by God’s Spirit, said,

We’re on your side, O David,

We’re committed, O son of Jesse;

All is well, yes, all is well with you,

And all’s well with whoever helps you.

Yes, for your God has helped and does help you.

So David took them on and assigned them a place under the chiefs of the raiders.

19  Some from the tribe of Manasseh also defected to David when he started out with the Philistines to go to war against Saul. In the end, they didn’t actually fight because the Philistine leaders, after talking it over, sent them home, saying, “We can’t trust them with our lives—they’ll betray us to their master Saul.”

20–22  The men from Manasseh who defected to David at Ziklag were Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, all leaders among the families of Manasseh. They helped David in his raids against the desert bandits; they were all stalwart fighters and good leaders among his raiders. Hardly a day went by without men showing up to help—it wasn’t long before his band seemed as large as God’s own army!

23–37  Here are the statistics on the battle-seasoned warriors who came down from the north to David at Hebron to hand over Saul’s kingdom, in accord with God’s word: from Judah, carrying shield and spear, 6,800 battle-ready; from Simeon, 7,100 stalwart fighters; from Levi, 4,600, which included Jehoiada leader of the family of Aaron, bringing 3,700 men and the young and stalwart Zadok with twenty-two leaders from his family; from Ben-jamin, Saul’s family, 3,000, most of whom had stuck it out with Saul until now; from Ephraim, 20,800, fierce fighters and famous in their hometowns; from the half-tribe of Manasseh, 18,000 elected to come and make David king; from Issachar, men who understood both the times and Israel’s duties, 200 leaders with their families; from Zebulun, 50,000 well-equipped veteran warriors, unswervingly loyal; from Naphtali, 1,000 chiefs leading 37,000 men heavily armed; from Dan, 28,600 battle-ready men; from Asher, 40,000 veterans, battle-ready; and from East of Jordan, men from Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, heavily armed, 120,000.

38–40  All these soldiers came to David at Hebron, ready to fight if necessary; they were both united and determined to make David king over all Israel. And everyone else in Israel was of the same mind—“Make David king!” They were with David for three days of feasting celebration, with food and drink supplied by their families. Neighbors ranging from as far north as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali arrived with donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen loaded down with food for the party: flour, fig cakes, raisin cakes, wine, oil, cattle, and sheep—joy in Israel!

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Tuesday, August 01, 2023

Today's Scripture

Luke 18:15–17

People brought babies to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. When the disciples saw it, they shooed them off. Jesus called them back. “Let these children alone. Don’t get between them and me. These children are the kingdom’s pride and joy. Mark this: Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.”

Insight

Each of the four gospels has a primary feature that the writer, under the Spirit’s inspiration, uses to tell the story of Jesus. For example, in Matthew, the telling of the story is wrapped around five major teaching blocks that mirror the five books of Moses (Genesis–Deuteronomy). In Mark, Jesus first reveals who He is then prepares the disciples for why He came. John’s gospel focuses on miracles that prove His identity.

In Luke’s gospel, the main feature is often referred to as “Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem.” It begins when Christ “set out for Jerusalem” (9:51) and concludes at the triumphal entry (19:28–48). The gospel of Luke was the product of careful research (1:1–4) meant to prepare the reader for what was coming at Jerusalem—the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. It’s amazing how the Holy Spirit used different men with very different strategies to tell the greatest story ever told.

Learn more about the uniqueness of the Gospel accounts. By: Bill Crowder

Faith of a Child

Jesus . . . said, “Let the little children come to me.”

Luke 18:16

As our adopted granny lay in her hospital bed after suffering several strokes, her doctors were unsure of the amount of brain damage she had endured. They needed to wait until she was a bit better to test her brain function. She spoke very few words and even fewer were understandable. But when the eighty-six-year-old woman who had babysat my daughter for twelve years saw me, she opened her parched mouth and asked: “How is Kayla?” The first words she spoke to me were about my child whom she had loved so freely and fully.

Jesus loved children too and put them in the forefront even though His disciples disapproved. Some parents would seek out Christ and present their children to Him. He chose to bless the children as He “[placed] his hands on them” (Luke 18:15). But not everyone was happy that He was blessing little ones. The disciples scolded the parents and asked them to quit bothering Jesus. But He intervened and said, “Let the little children come to me” (v. 16). He called them an example of how we should receive God’s kingdom—with simple dependence, trust, and sincerity.

Young children rarely have a hidden agenda. What you see is what you get. As our heavenly Father helps us regain childlike trust, may our faith and dependence on Him be as open as a child’s. By:  Katara Patton

Reflect & Pray

How can you imitate a child’s sincerity in your relationship with God? How do you bless children in your family and community?

Father, help me to be as open and sincere as a child as I receive Your kingdom.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Tuesday, August 01, 2023

Learning About His Ways

When Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples…He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities. —Matthew 11:1

He comes where He commands us to leave. If you stayed home when God told you to go because you were so concerned about your own people there, then you actually robbed them of the teaching of Jesus Christ Himself. When you obeyed and left all the consequences to God, the Lord went into your city to teach, but as long as you were disobedient, you blocked His way. Watch where you begin to debate with Him and put what you call your duty into competition with His commands. If you say, “I know that He told me to go, but my duty is here,” it simply means that you do not believe that Jesus means what He says.

He teaches where He instructs us not to teach. “Master…let us make three tabernacles…” (Luke 9:33).

Are we playing the part of an amateur providence, trying to play God’s role in the lives of others? Are we so noisy in our instruction of other people that God cannot get near them? We must learn to keep our mouths shut and our spirits alert. God wants to instruct us regarding His Son, and He wants to turn our times of prayer into mounts of transfiguration. When we become certain that God is going to work in a particular way, He will never work in that way again.

He works where He sends us to wait. “…tarry…until…” (Luke 24:49). “Wait on the Lord” and He will work (Psalm 37:34). But don’t wait sulking spiritually and feeling sorry for yourself, just because you can’t see one inch in front of you! Are we detached enough from our own spiritual fits of emotion to “wait patiently for Him”? (Psalm 37:7). Waiting is not sitting with folded hands doing nothing, but it is learning to do what we are told.

These are some of the facets of His ways that we rarely recognize.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

We must keep ourselves in touch, not with theories, but with people, and never get out of touch with human beings, if we are going to use the word of God skilfully amongst them.  Workmen of God, 1341 L

Bible in a Year: Psalms 57-59; Romans 4

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Tuesday, August 01, 2023

3 Dimensions of Knowing Jesus - #9537

Now, look, if we get together regularly by radio, we kind of have sort of a strange relationship. I mean you know me by radio, but maybe only by radio. Some people might think that gives you a break because they'd say, "Yeah, that's probably better we just know him by radio." You just know my voice, right; sort of a one-dimensional relationship. It's pretty amusing when people find out how I look. Yeah, they get this mental image of what they think I look like. One lady said "You don't look like yourself." What? I've never looked like anybody else. I'll be somewhere I'm speaking, they'll say, "Oh, we thought you looked different. This is it?" Yeah, this is it.

Now, occasionally I've had an opportunity to be on television. And maybe when I did a guest appearance on Wild Kingdom maybe that was it; you might have seen me there - Animal World. But, when I am on television, and if you were to see me there, you'd know me two dimensionally. You'd be able to see me and hear me. Frankly, what I enjoy most, I like meeting you in person, as I've had the opportunity maybe to be with you. And I do have that chance many times. We can shake hands, we can look each other in the eye, we can interact with each other instead of just being in a one-way conversation like today. And when you meet someone that you've only seen or heard before, you've got a 3-D, a three-dimensional relationship. And that's the best kind.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "3 Dimensions of Knowing Jesus."

Now, our word for today from the Word of God is found in John 12. I'll begin reading in verse 1. "Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with Him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume."

Did you notice there are three levels in this passage of being around Jesus? See, we have a Savior who can only be really known three-dimensionally. The problem is that usually maybe at least one of these dimensions is missing in a Christian's life. And following and knowing Christ is like a three-legged stool. You take one leg away, the stool keeps falling over. Now, the Christian life keeps falling over I guess you might say. Because maybe we're missing one of the parts of the relationship.

First it says here Martha served. Now, that's the first dimension of knowing Jesus - working... busy for the Lord. It's important to be sure that it's Him you're busy for; not the church, not some human leader. The question is, "Are you actively serving your Lord in some capacity?" There are things you can only know about Him that way. As you work for Jesus, you find out how much you need Him. Because you say, "Boy, I've got to have some resources beyond mine to serve Him with." And then you really really reach out for Him. You download Him.

Now, Lazarus, well he isn't working. He demonstrates what I call "withness." He's spending time with Jesus listening to Him. The way you listen to Him today is through what He wrote - the Bible. So are you regularly meeting with Jesus around His Word? Often the people who are working hard for the Lord, neglect their "with Him" time. And the "with" people who are spending time with Jesus maybe often aren't busy enough for the Lord. As you're consciously with Jesus, you find out what He wants you to do.

Now, Mary? She's the worshiper. She worships with lavish worship; extravagant appreciation, sincere humility, time to just stand back and see how big and loving and how in control your Lord is. Now, are you allowing regular time just to worship His majesty... to be awed by who He is? As you worship Jesus, you find out how awesome He really is. Some who have work time and with time are just cranking it out because they're missing time just to worship Him.

Those are three dimensions of knowing Jesus. The problem might be that one dimension is maybe out of focus for you, or maybe not even in the picture. So why not go for it all?

Work for Him. Be with Him. Worship Him.

1 Chronicles 10, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: JESUS TAKES OUR FEARS SERIOUSLY - July 31, 2023

Fear feels dreadful. It sucks the life out of the soul, curls us into an embryonic state, and drains us dry of contentment.  When fear shapes our lives, safety becomes our god. When safety becomes our god, we worship the risk-free life. The fear-filled cannot love deeply; love is risky. They cannot give to the poor. No wonder Jesus wages such a war against fear.

Jesus says, “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32 NKJV). The gospels list some 125 Christ-issued imperatives. Twenty-one urge us to “not be afraid” or “not fear” or “have courage” or “take heart” or “be of good cheer.” If quantity is any indicator, Jesus takes our fears seriously.

Calm Moments for Anxious Days

Read more Calm Moments for Anxious Days

1 Chronicles 10

 The Philistines went to war against Israel; the Israelites ran for their lives from the Philistines but fell, slaughtered on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines zeroed in on Saul and his sons and killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua. The battle went hard against Saul—the archers found him and wounded him. Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and finish me off before these pagan pigs get to me and make a sport of my body.” But his armor bearer, restrained by both reverence and fear, wouldn’t do it. So Saul took his own sword and killed himself. The armor bearer, panicked because Saul was dead, then killed himself.

6–7  So Saul and his three sons—all four the same day—died. When all the Israelites in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and ran off; the Philistines came and moved in.

8–10  The next day the Philistines came to plunder the dead bodies and found Saul and his sons dead on Mount Gilboa. They stripped Saul, removed his head and his armor, and put them on exhibit throughout Philistia, reporting the victory news to their idols and the people. Then they put Saul’s armor on display in the temple of their gods and placed his skull as a trophy in the temple of their god Dagon.

11–12  The people of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul. All of their fighting men went into action—retrieved the bodies of Saul and his sons and brought them to Jabesh, gave them a dignified burial under the oak at Jabesh, and mourned their deaths for seven days.

13–14  Saul died in disobedience, disobedient to God. He didn’t obey God’s words. Instead of praying, he went to a witch to seek guidance. Because he didn’t go to God for help, God took his life and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Monday, July 31, 2023

Today's Scripture

Deuteronomy 5:1-11

Moses Teaches Israel on the Plains of Moab

1  5 Moses called all Israel together. He said to them,

Attention, Israel. Listen obediently to the rules and regulations I am delivering to your listening ears today. Learn them. Live them.

2–5  God, our God, made a covenant with us at Horeb. God didn’t just make this covenant with our parents; he made it also with us, with all of us who are alive right now. God spoke to you personally out of the fire on the mountain. At the time I stood between God and you, to tell you what God said. You were afraid, remember, of the fire and wouldn’t climb the mountain. He said:

6  I am God, your God,

who brought you out of the land of Egypt,

out of a house of slaves.

7  No other gods, only me.

8–10  No carved gods of any size, shape, or form of anything whatever, whether of things that fly or walk or swim. Don’t bow down to them and don’t serve them because I am God, your God, and I’m a most jealous God. I hold parents responsible for any sins they pass on to their children to the third, and yes, even to the fourth generation. But I’m lovingly loyal to the thousands who love me and keep my commandments.

11  No using the name of God, your God, in curses or silly banter; God won’t put up with the irreverent use of his name.

Insight

The setting for the book of Deuteronomy occurs after the Israelites’ forty years of wilderness wanderings because of their unbelief (1:3; Numbers 14:33–34). Geographically, the place was the Plains of Moab (Deuteronomy 1:5; 29:1) on the edge of the promised land. The English title Deuteronomy literally means “second law.” The book includes the reiteration, exposition, and interpretation of the law (in Exodus and Leviticus) that was previously given to the Israelites. Deuteronomy is quoted in the New Testament more than eighty times.

Learn more about the book of Deuteronomy. By: Arthur Jackson

Staying on Track with God

Hear, Israel, the decrees and laws I declare in your hearing today. Learn them and be sure to follow them.

Deuteronomy 5:1

Years ago, a train carrying 218 people derailed in northwestern Spain, killing 79 people and hospitalizing 66 more. The driver couldn’t explain the accident, but the video footage could and did. The train was going far too fast before it hit a deadly curve. The allowable speed limit had been created to protect everyone on board the train. Despite being a thirty-year veteran of Spain’s national rail company, however, the driver had for whatever reason ignored the speed boundary and many people lost their lives.

In Deuteronomy 5, Moses reviewed God’s original covenant boundaries for His people. Moses encouraged a new generation to regard God’s instruction as their own covenant with Him (v. 3), and then he restated the Ten Commandments (vv. 7–21). By repeating the commandments and drawing lessons from the previous generation’s disobedience, Moses invited the Israelites to be reverent, humble, and mindful of God’s faithfulness. God had made a way for His people so they wouldn’t wreck their lives or the lives of others. If they ignored His wisdom, they would do so at their own peril.

Today, as God leads us, let’s make all of Scripture our delight, counselor, and the guardrail for our lives. And as the Spirit guides us, we can keep on track within His wise protection and devote our lives wholeheartedly to Him. By:  Marvin Williams

Reflect & Pray

When do God’s boundaries seem strict, rather than liberating? How do His boundaries show His love for you?

Dear God, help me to show my love for You through my obedience to You.

For further study, read God Is Love: Reflection on the Character of God.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Monday, July 31, 2023

Becoming Entirely His

Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. —James 1:4

Many of us appear to be all right in general, but there are still some areas in which we are careless and lazy; it is not a matter of sin, but the remnants of our carnal life that tend to make us careless. Carelessness is an insult to the Holy Spirit. We should have no carelessness about us either in the way we worship God, or even in the way we eat and drink.

Not only must our relationship to God be right, but the outward expression of that relationship must also be right. Ultimately, God will allow nothing to escape; every detail of our lives is under His scrutiny. God will bring us back in countless ways to the same point over and over again. And He never tires of bringing us back to that one point until we learn the lesson, because His purpose is to produce the finished product. It may be a problem arising from our impulsive nature, but again and again, with the most persistent patience, God has brought us back to that one particular point. Or the problem may be our idle and wandering thinking, or our independent nature and self-interest. Through this process, God is trying to impress upon us the one thing that is not entirely right in our lives.

We have been having a wonderful time in our studies over the revealed truth of God’s redemption, and our hearts are perfect toward Him. And His wonderful work in us makes us know that overall we are right with Him. “Let patience have its perfect work….” The Holy Spirit speaking through James said, “Now let your patience become a finished product.” Beware of becoming careless over the small details of life and saying, “Oh, that will have to do for now.” Whatever it may be, God will point it out with persistence until we become entirely His.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

The great word of Jesus to His disciples is Abandon. When God has brought us into the relationship of disciples, we have to venture on His word; trust entirely to Him and watch that when He brings us to the venture, we take it.

Studies in the Sermon on the Mount

Bible in a Year: Psalms 54-56; Romans 3

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Monday, July 31, 2023

How God's Words Become Yours - #9536

Oh I've come a long way for a technically challenged person. Well, there was a time I'd never used a computer - wasn't planning to. Somebody bought me one, said, "You're gonna." I didn't understand all about it, but I did learn how to use it. I remember back before the days of autosave, you know? There were some lessons I learned the hard way: I'd type in part of a book or a magazine article or notes of some kind, and then type in a password to save it. But I'd make one fatal mistake. See, you were supposed to hit this little key that said Enter or you wouldn't be seeing that material again. Just because it appeared on the screen didn't mean I had it. You had to save it by pressing the Enter command.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "How God's Words Become Yours."

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from James 1, beginning at verse 22. God says, "Do not merely listen to the Word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard but doing it, he will be blessed in what he does."

Now, these verses are about people who read and hear the Bible a lot. Is that you? Oh, it appears on their mental screen often, but it's people who don't really have it. They read it and then it disappears. See, there's no autosave here. Just hearing and knowing the Word of God does not a Christian make. Just because it appeared on your screen doesn't make it yours. You've got to hit Enter. How do you do that?

Well, the passage talks about not forgetting what you've read. So, first of all, you need to memorize it. You've got to know it isn't enough to just to have God's Words in your Bible. They've got to be in your heart so you can bring them up on your screen when the pressure's on. Your intuitive response. And that happens when you memorize a verse or a promise or a challenge and you enter it as yours.

I think you are also better able to remember when you write it down. That's my experience. Have you tried keeping a Jesus Journal with your Bible? It's the greatest thing I've ever done in terms of my growth in Christ to journal my Jesus time. After you've read, then you write what God has said to you in your own words and then you write what you're going to do differently that day because of what He said. See, you're processing it. Now it's autosaving because you're saving it when you write it.

God's words become yours when you use them too, not just when you write them. During the day, tell someone else the words God has spoken to you. Share them. That enters it into your heart more. And most of all, you enter the truths of God's Word when you apply what appeared on your Bible screen. In other words you ask yourself, "Lord, what application can I make to something I'm going to face today?" And then that means that day you do something that is a specific "that day" obedience to what you read in God's Word that morning.

Have you ever wondered how you could have heard so much Bible in your life and still be so far from your spiritual goals? Maybe you've not entered God's words by writing them down, by memorizing them, by telling somebody about them, applying it to your life.

Churches are filled with people who have heard God's Word about what Christ did on the cross, coming out of His grave, our need to pin all our hopes on Jesus and yet those people will not be in heaven. Because they knew all about Jesus but they never pressed Enter, they never opened their heart to Jesus.

Have you done that? If you're not sure you have, would you tell Him today, "Jesus, I'm yours." Get to our website. I think you could come away from there knowing you belong to Him. That's ANewStory.com.

When the message is important, which it always is when it comes from God, make sure it's not just good on the screen, but you've entered it in your life.