Zechariah 4, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: No Room

Some of the saddest words on earth are “We don’t have room for you.” Jesus knew the sound of those words.  He was still in Mary’s womb when the innkeeper said, “We don’t have room for you” (Luke 2:7).

And when he was hung on the cross, wasn’t the message one of utter rejection?  “We don’t have room for you in our world.”

Even today Jesus is given the same treatment.  He goes from heart to heart, asking if he might enter. Every so often, he’s welcomed.  Someone throws open the door of his or her heart and invites him to stay.  And to that person Jesus gives this great promise, “In my Father’s house are many rooms” (John 14:2).

What a delightful promise he makes us! We make room for him in our hearts….And he makes room for us in his house!

From Grace for the Moment

Zechariah 4

The Gold Lampstand and the Two Olive Trees

Then the angel who talked with me returned and woke me up, like someone awakened from sleep. 2 He asked me, “What do you see?”

I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven channels to the lamps. 3 Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”

4 I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?”

5 He answered, “Do you not know what these are?”

“No, my lord,” I replied.

6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.

7 “What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’”

8 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.

10 “Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone[f] in the hand of Zerubbabel?”

11 Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?”

12 Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?”

13 He replied, “Do you not know what these are?”

“No, my lord,” I said.

14 So he said, “These are the two who are anointed to[g] serve the Lord of all the earth.”

Zechariah 4:10 Or the plumb line
Zechariah 4:14 Or two who bring oil and


Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Read: Proverbs 18:1-10

An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends
    and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.
2 Fools find no pleasure in understanding
    but delight in airing their own opinions.
3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt,
    and with shame comes reproach.
4 The words of the mouth are deep waters,
    but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.
5 It is not good to be partial to the wicked
    and so deprive the innocent of justice.
6 The lips of fools bring them strife,
    and their mouths invite a beating.
7 The mouths of fools are their undoing,
    and their lips are a snare to their very lives.
8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
    they go down to the inmost parts.
9 One who is slack in his work
    is brother to one who destroys.
10 The name of the Lord is a fortified tower;
    the righteous run to it and are safe.

Taking Refuge

December 20, 2013 — by Dennis Fisher

The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. —Proverbs 18:10

In the medieval world, farmers would care for their crops until an enemy appeared on the horizon. Then they would flee with their families to their fortified city for protection from the marauders.

The city of Carcassonne has been a refuge for generations. Built in the 5th century bc, this stone fortress has provided protection for Romans, Gauls, Visigoths, Franks, and French. Its sprawling size and majestic watchtowers and battlements gave confidence to those hiding inside its protective walls.

As believers, we can take refuge in the presence of the living God. The book of Proverbs tells us: “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe” (Prov. 18:10). “The name of the Lord” refers to God’s character—abounding with faithfulness, power, and mercy. The term safe means “set on high out of danger.”

We all face threats at times that make us want to run for cover. Some seek security in material wealth or relationships. But the Christ-follower has a more secure refuge. Because of who God is and what He can do for us, our best protection ultimately rests in Him. If you are facing a threat today, go to the Lord, who is a strong tower. You will find refuge in His care.

In the times of greatest struggle,
When the angry billows roll,
I can always find my Savior,
Christ, the Refuge of my soul. —Woodruff
In good times and bad, God is our safe resting place.


My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
December 20, 2013

The Right Kind of Help

And I, if I am lifted up . . . will draw all peoples to Myself —John 12:32

Very few of us have any understanding of the reason why Jesus Christ died. If sympathy is all that human beings need, then the Cross of Christ is an absurdity and there is absolutely no need for it. What the world needs is not “a little bit of love,” but major surgery.

When you find yourself face to face with a person who is spiritually lost, remind yourself of Jesus Christ on the cross. If that person can get to God in any other way, then the Cross of Christ is unnecessary. If you think you are helping lost people with your sympathy and understanding, you are a traitor to Jesus Christ. You must have a right-standing relationship with Him yourself, and pour your life out in helping others in His way— not in a human way that ignores God. The theme of the world’s religion today is to serve in a pleasant, non-confrontational manner.

But our only priority must be to present Jesus Christ crucified— to lift Him up all the time (see 1 Corinthians 2:2). Every belief that is not firmly rooted in the Cross of Christ will lead people astray. If the worker himself believes in Jesus Christ and is trusting in the reality of redemption, his words will be compelling to others. What is extremely important is for the worker’s simple relationship with Jesus Christ to be strong and growing. His usefulness to God depends on that, and that alone.

The calling of a New Testament worker is to expose sin and to reveal Jesus Christ as Savior. Consequently, he cannot always be charming and friendly, but must be willing to be stern to accomplish major surgery. We are sent by God to lift up Jesus Christ, not to give wonderfully beautiful speeches. We must be willing to examine others as deeply as God has examined us. We must also be sharply intent on sensing those Scripture passages that will drive the truth home, and then not be afraid to apply them.


A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

A Manger and a Messed Up World - #7030

Friday, December 20, 2013

I love all the "joy to the world"; all the Christmas electricity in the air. But just down from the manger last Christmas was a flag at half-staff for 26 Connecticut funerals; for all those little children gunned down so brutally just eleven days before Christmas. Look, we live in a violent time, an angry time, conflicted, confusing time. But it's still Christmas; the "most wonderful time of the year."
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "A Manger And A Messed Up World."
The dueling joy and sadness of Christmas 2012 is not new. It was there in Christmas 1864 when Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote, "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" in some of the darkest days of the Civil War that sundered a nation and bathed it in blood. Longfellow knew the Christmas angels had announced that Jesus' birth would bring "peace on earth." But the battlefield news sang another song. So he wrote, "And in despair I bowed my head: 'There is no peace on earth,' I said; for hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good-will to men.'"
You know, with so much sadness in the news, with the Middle East always seeming to be a boiling cauldron, with anger and polarization paralyzing our nation and its leaders, what ever happened to that peace on earth? I've concluded you can't understand the peace promise of Christmas without the angelic announcement that precedes it. "For to you is born this day...a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11).
See, the coming of Jesus isn't just history or theology, it's profoundly personal. This Savior is born "to you." And when you've asked Him to "Savior" you, He brings into your heart an inner peace that only He can give. Peace in your soul on an earth like this. It turns out there really is no ultimate contradiction between the joy of Christmas and our brokenhearted grieving, because the God-invasion of this planet, birthed in a Bethlehem stable, has added a profound new dimension to this thing called "life."
Jesus added the word that changes everything-eternal. The end of life here is not the end after all. Our word for today from the Word of God, John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him has eternal life." But it took a Savior to make life everlasting. Because human sin - our personal rebellion against God's rule over our life - has placed each of us, and all of us, under a penalty of eternal death with no way to reach a holy God, no hope for a heaven that would be beyond the hurt of earth.
It was with good reason that the heavens exploded with celebration the night that the Son of God became a man, because only God could come here and live without sin. But only a man could take our place and die for our sin - the God-Man; that baby in the manger. And He could bring us the peace that can finally calm the storm in the human soul. Peace with God.
In the words of an Army chaplain on the front lines in Afghanistan: "It's the peace that means the long war between the heart and its Maker is over. It's a peace treaty offered in Bethlehem and signed in blood on Calvary." A peace that floods into a human heart when the Savior of the world becomes "to you a Savior."
On the day you go to that manger, and then when you go to that cross and say "For me." In the Bible's words, when you stake your life and your eternity on the fact that "He loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20), because this peace with God is unloseable and it anchors your soul no matter how violent the storm; it's an anchor that holds. Glory to God in the highest! Merry Christmas!
Christmas - the time we celebrate Christ coming into our world. What a time to have Him come into your life! Born in Bethlehem then, born in you this Christmas. I hope you'll spend a few moments at our website - ANewStory.com and find out how you can get started today with this amazing, personal Savior.

Zechariah 3, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: The Grace-given, Give Grace

The grace-given-give grace!  Is grace happening to you?  Is there anyone in your life you refuse to forgive?  If so, do you appreciate God's forgiveness toward you?  Do you resent God's kindness to others?  Do you grumble at God's uneven compensation?  How long has it been since your generosity stunned someone?
Since someone objected, "No, really, this is too generous?"  If it's been awhile reconsider God's extravagant grace.  Psalm 103:2-3 says, "Forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity."
Let grace unscrooge your heart.  Like Peter encourages us in 2 Peter 3:18, "Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
When grace happens, generosity happens.  Unsquashable, eye-popping, big-heartedness happens!  You simply can't contain it all.  Let it bubble over.  Let it spill out.  Let it pour forth.
From GRACE

Zechariah 3

Clean Garments for the High Priest

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan[d] standing at his right side to accuse him. 2 The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?”

3 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. 4 The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.”

Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you.”

5 Then I said, “Put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood by.

6 The angel of the Lord gave this charge to Joshua: 7 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘If you will walk in obedience to me and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here.

8 “‘Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. 9 See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua! There are seven eyes[e] on that one stone, and I will engrave an inscription on it,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day.

10 “‘In that day each of you will invite your neighbor to sit under your vine and fig tree,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”


Our Daily Bread reading and devotion   

Read: Luke 1:26-33

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

The Son Is Given

 December 19, 2013 — by Bill Crowder

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given. —Isaiah 9:6

One of my favorite portions of Handel’s Messiah is the joyous movement “For unto us a Child is born,” from the first part of the oratorio. I especially love how the chorus rises to the phrase, “Unto us a Son is given.” Those words, of course, are taken from Isaiah 9:6, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given.” Handel’s majestic music soars with adoration for the Son who came to us in human flesh that first Christmas.

The New Testament clarifies even further who this Son is. In Luke 1, the angelic messenger appeared to Mary and identified the Christ-child in four ways. He would be the son of Mary, making Him fully human (1:31). He would be the Son of the Highest, which made Him fully divine (1:32). He would also be the Son of David, giving Him royal lineage (1:32). And He would bear the title of Son of God (1:35), giving Him equality with the Father in all things. All of the roles the Messiah was called to fill are made possible in these distinct expressions of His Sonship.

As we worship Him this Christmas, may our celebrations be filled with joy and wonder at the fullness of what it means. Our heavenly Father has given us His perfect, sufficient Son. O come, let us adore Him!
Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning,
Jesus, to Thee be all glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. —Wade
God’s love became incarnate at Bethlehem.

   
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
December 19, 2013

The Focus Of Our Message

I did not come to bring peace but a sword —Matthew 10:34

Never be sympathetic with a person whose situation causes you to conclude that God is dealing harshly with him. God can be more tender than we can conceive, and every once in a while He gives us the opportunity to deal firmly with someone so that He may be viewed as the tender One. If a person cannot go to God, it is because he has something secret which he does not intend to give up— he may admit his sin, but would no more give up that thing than he could fly under his own power. It is impossible to deal sympathetically with people like that. We must reach down deep in their lives to the root of the problem, which will cause hostility and resentment toward the message. People want the blessing of God, but they can’t stand something that pierces right through to the heart of the matter.

If you are sensitive to God’s way, your message as His servant will be merciless and insistent, cutting to the very root. Otherwise, there will be no healing. We must drive the message home so forcefully that a person cannot possibly hide, but must apply its truth. Deal with people where they are, until they begin to realize their true need. Then hold high the standard of Jesus for their lives. Their response may be, “We can never be that.” Then drive it home with, “Jesus Christ says you must.” “But how can we be?” “You can’t, unless you have a new Spirit” (see Luke 11:13).

There must be a sense of need created before your message is of any use. Thousands of people in this world profess to be happy without God. But if we could be truly happy and moral without Jesus, then why did He come? He came because that kind of happiness and peace is only superficial. Jesus Christ came to “bring . . . a sword” through every kind of peace that is not based on a personal relationship with Himself.


A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

A Picture in Advance - #7029

Thursday, December 19, 2013

A college student was supposed to pick me up at this small town airport, and I was going to go to his college to speak. He had my press photo in his hand; just one of those typical head shots...mug shots, you know, that you send out to newspapers and so on. I didn't, of course, have a photo of him. So who would you expect to find who in that airport? It wasn't exactly LaGuardia or Kennedy or Newark Airport. There were only two gates.
My flight came in and I kept waiting for someone to come up and identify themselves, but pretty soon everybody cleared out and there were only two people left. There was me and there was this college student walking back and forth looking at a photo in his hand, looking at me, looking at the photo, looking at me. And the only other person there was the man with a briefcase looking at the college student.
Well, I knew his name was Jeff. I had talked to him on the phone. I said, "Is that you, Jeff?" He looked at the picture again and said, "Is that you, Ron?" I said, "It sure is!" He said, "Oh, in the picture you look tall." What? I must have a tall head. I guess I just got the wrong body. Well now, look! Anyone who has a picture in advance ought to recognize the man when He comes. Right?
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "A Picture in Advance."
Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Matthew 1:21. It's part of the Christmas Story, and the angel is speaking to Joseph. "'She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.' All this took place to fulfill what the Lord has said to the prophet; 'The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, (That's a quote from the book of Isaiah.) and they will call him Immanuel, which means God with us.'"
God says here that "When My Son comes He'll be the fulfillment of a prophecy." He will, in fact, be the fulfillment of scores of prophecies. For two thousand years God had been sending ahead a picture of what His Son would look like when He came to earth. It's sort of like an inverted pyramid. It starts out very broad and comes down to a very narrowly focused picture in advance of what the Messiah will look like.
In Genesis 3:15, way back in the Garden of Eden, God says the answer to sin would be a descendent of Eve. In other words, a man would come. Then in Genesis 12:15, He says what nation He will come from. Of all the nations on earth, it says that the Messiah's blessings will come through the Nation of Israel. Then in Genesis chapter 49, God narrows it down a little more; gives us a little more focused photograph. He says He'll come from the tribe out of the twelve tribes of Israel...look for Him to come from the tribe of Judah.
Then in Isaiah 11:1 He narrows it down to the family. He says He'll come out of the family of David. Isaiah chapter 7, the method - a virgin birth. How could you miss it? Micah 5:2, He says, "Now, here's the place. He'll be born in a little village called Bethlehem." Isaiah 53 describes His death. The book of Zachariah even tells the number of pieces of silver He'll be betrayed for.
They had the picture in their hands back then and they didn't recognize Him. John 1:11, "He came to His own and His own did not receive Him." You say, "How could they miss Him?" Well how can we? We don't just have prophecies, we've got history. We know He walked out of His grave under His own power.
He's identified himself to you as the one you've been looking for. Could it be you're still withholding your allegiance? Could it be you're circling Him like that fellow did at the airport with me; checking out who He is? Well, sometime you've got to do something with Him. John 1:12 says, "As many as received Him, to everyone who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God."
Maybe sometime for you is Christmas time. You don't need evidence now, you need faith. Don't circle Jesus any more. Come to Him and say, "Lord, you are the one I've spent a lifetime searching for."
I would love to help you get started with Him this Christmas. I would invite you to join me at our website. It's ANewStory.com. It could be the beginning of your new story. If you'll tell Jesus, "I'm Yours", well I know where you'll be. You'll be home for Christmas.

Zechariah 2, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Jesus is the Gift

Little Carol with the pigtails, freckles, and shiny back shoes. Don't let her sweet appearance fool you.  She broke my heart!  On the day of the great gift exchange in my fourth-grade class, I ripped the wrapping paper off the box to find-stationery! Brown envelopes and folded note cards with a picture of a cowboy lassoing a horse.  What ten-year-old boy uses stationery?  There's a term for this kind of gift:  obligatory!
I know we shouldn't complain, but don't you detect a lack of originality? And when a person gives a genuine gift, don't you cherish the presence of a gift just for you?  Have you ever received such a gift?  Yes, you have.  You've been given a perfect personal gift.  One just for you. God says to anyone who'll listen:  "There has been born for you…a Savior…." Jesus is the gift!
 "There has been born for you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11"
From GRACE

Zechariah 2
A Man With a Measuring Line

2 [b]Then I looked up, and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand. 2 I asked, “Where are you going?”

He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is.”

3 While the angel who was speaking to me was leaving, another angel came to meet him 4 and said to him: “Run, tell that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of people and animals in it. 5 And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will be its glory within.’

6 “Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the Lord, “for I have scattered you to the four winds of heaven,” declares the Lord.

7 “Come, Zion! Escape, you who live in Daughter Babylon!” 8 For this is what the Lord Almighty says: “After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye— 9 I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them.[c] Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me.

10 “Shout and be glad, Daughter Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you,” declares the Lord. 11 “Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. 12 The Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem. 13 Be still before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.”


Our Daily Bread reading and devotion   
   

Read: Psalm 107:1-9

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his love endures forever.

2 Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—
    those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
3 those he gathered from the lands,
    from east and west, from north and south.[a]

4 Some wandered in desert wastelands,
    finding no way to a city where they could settle.
5 They were hungry and thirsty,
    and their lives ebbed away.
6 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
7 He led them by a straight way
    to a city where they could settle.
8 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
    and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
9 for he satisfies the thirsty
    and fills the hungry with good things.
Footnotes:

    Psalm 107:3 Hebrew north and the sea

Not All Empty

 December 18, 2013 — by David H. Roper

He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness. —Psalm 107:9

Our granddaughter Julia spent the summer working in an orphanage in Busia, Uganda. On the final day of her internship, she went to the children to tell each one goodbye. One little girl named Sumaya was very sad and said to her, “Tomorrow you leave us, and next week the other aunties [interns] leave.”

When Julia agreed that she was indeed leaving, Sumaya thought for a minute and exclaimed, “But we will be all empty. None of you will be left!” Again, Julia agreed. The little girl thought a few moments and replied: “But God will be with us, so we won’t be all empty.”

If we are honest with ourselves, we know that “all empty” feeling. It is an emptiness that friendship, love, sex, money, power, popularity, or success can never assuage—a longing for something indefinable, something incalculably precious but lost. Every good thing can remind, beckon, and awaken in us a greater desire for that elusive “something more.” The closest we get is a hint, an echo in a face, a painting, a scene . . . . And then it is gone. “Our best havings are wantings,” said C. S. Lewis.

We were made for God, and in the end, nothing less will satisfy us. Without Him, we are all empty. He alone fills the hungry with good things (Ps. 107:9).
Dear Lord, fill me with Your goodness and love.
I desire nothing in heaven and earth but You.
Without You, I have nothing. Thank You for the
abiding satisfaction that we can find in You.
God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself because it is not there. —C. S. Lewis


My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
December 18, 2013

Test of Faithfulness

We know that all things work together for good to those who love God . . . —Romans 8:28

It is only a faithful person who truly believes that God sovereignly controls his circumstances. We take our circumstances for granted, saying God is in control, but not really believing it. We act as if the things that happen were completely controlled by people. To be faithful in every circumstance means that we have only one loyalty, or object of our faith— the Lord Jesus Christ. God may cause our circumstances to suddenly fall apart, which may bring the realization of our unfaithfulness to Him for not recognizing that He had ordained the situation. We never saw what He was trying to accomplish, and that exact event will never be repeated in our life. This is where the test of our faithfulness comes. If we will just learn to worship God even during the difficult circumstances, He will change them for the better very quickly if He so chooses.

Being faithful to Jesus Christ is the most difficult thing we try to do today. We will be faithful to our work, to serving others, or to anything else; just don’t ask us to be faithful to Jesus Christ. Many Christians become very impatient when we talk about faithfulness to Jesus. Our Lord is dethroned more deliberately by Christian workers than by the world. We treat God as if He were a machine designed only to bless us, and we think of Jesus as just another one of the workers.

The goal of faithfulness is not that we will do work for God, but that He will be free to do His work through us. God calls us to His service and places tremendous responsibilities on us. He expects no complaining on our part and offers no explanation on His part. God wants to use us as He used His own Son.


A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Don't Let the Bumps Fool You - #7028

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Buttermilk Falls is a beautiful spot! That's what I had been told, and I was always open for a great new spot to go for a Sunday afternoon drive with the kids. So we drove out to the country and set out to discover the beauty of Buttermilk Falls. I did have to stop and ask directions a couple of times; I guess a lot of people didn't know where this great spot was.
Finally someone directed me down this very unlikely back road, and I said, "You mean this goes somewhere?" I want you to know it got more and more doubtful the farther we went down that road. Eventually I was driving about two miles an hour because the ruts got bigger and bigger in the road the farther we went. Pretty soon I thought I'd landed on the moon. These weren't ruts; these were craters! And somebody in the car said, "Dad, this has got to be the wrong road." Well, we kept on traveling and sure enough after all those bumps, we found a very special spot that's called Buttermilk Falls, and we've been back there. It sure felt like we were on the wrong road, but we were right on course.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Don't Let the Bumps Fool You."
Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Luke 2, beginning at verse 1, "In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world and everyone went to his own town to register." What a hassle, right? "So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea to Bethlehem, the town of David, because he belonged in the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there the time came for the baby to be born."
All right, let's go back a little bit and see what's happened in Joseph's commitment to the Lord. Maybe it parallels your own right now. First of all, Joseph had a special encounter with the Lord. The angel of the Lord came to him and told him that He wanted Joseph to make some special sacrifices in order to be specially used. And Joseph said, "I'll do it. I'll take the risk. I'll risk my reputation. No one's going to believe this story about Mary and the virgin birth, but I will risk my reputation and I'll go ahead and marry this girl and I'll raise this son. I'll endure the cloud that might be over our name." And he submitted his family dreams to God's plans.
Joseph obeyed the Lord and he lived happily ever after, right? Wrong. He started down that road marked God's Will, and ran into some very big bumps. New taxes all of a sudden, dangerous journey, no room in the inn. Then he's got to escape to Egypt and he can't return to his home town for two years. Was he still on the right road? Yes. Did it feel like it? Probably not.
All right, let's go to your life right now. You've started down that road that's marked God's Will, and maybe there was a time when you submitted your plans to God's plans like Joseph did. And you've been hitting bumps ever since. You say, "We must be on the wrong road." Well, those bumps are the right road. You see, now you've become the enemy's target because you're doing God's will now. He didn't bother much with you before, and now you've become a divine project and God is allowing some heavy stuff to come into your life, because it will help build you into Christ-likeness. You're worth it.
I'm glad I kept driving through those craters to Buttermilk Falls. The view in fact was beautiful! It was worth it. You're on the right road, too, if you're staying faithful to your commitment. You're going to enjoy that destination once you get there. Just hang on to your Father a little tighter, and don't let those bumps fool you. And for sure, don't let them stop you.

Zechariah 1, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Blessed are the Meek

A small cathedral outside Bethlehem marks the supposed birthplace of Jesus.  Behind a high altar in the church is a cave, a little cavern lit by silver lamps. You can enter the main area and admire the ancient church. You can also enter the quiet cave where a star embedded in the floor recognizes the birth of the King. There’s one stipulation, however.  You have to stoop. The door is so low you can’t go in standing up. The same is true of the Christ. Blessed are the meek, Jesus explained. You can see the world standing tall, but to witness the Savior, you have to get on your knees.

While the theologians were sleeping, and the elite were dreaming, and the successful were snoring, the meek were kneeling. They were kneeling before the One only the meek will see. They were kneeling in front of Jesus.

From The Applause of Heaven

Zechariah 1

A Call to Return to the Lord

In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo:

2 “The Lord was very angry with your ancestors. 3 Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty. 4 Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord. 5 Where are your ancestors now? And the prophets, do they live forever? 6 But did not my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your ancestors?

“Then they repented and said, ‘The Lord Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve, just as he determined to do.’”
The Man Among the Myrtle Trees

7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo.

8 During the night I had a vision, and there before me was a man mounted on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, brown and white horses.

9 I asked, “What are these, my lord?”

The angel who was talking with me answered, “I will show you what they are.”

10 Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They are the ones the Lord has sent to go throughout the earth.”

11 And they reported to the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, “We have gone throughout the earth and found the whole world at rest and in peace.”

12 Then the angel of the Lord said, “Lord Almighty, how long will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem and from the towns of Judah, which you have been angry with these seventy years?” 13 So the Lord spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.

14 Then the angel who was speaking to me said, “Proclaim this word: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion, 15 and I am very angry with the nations that feel secure. I was only a little angry, but they went too far with the punishment.’

16 “Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem,’ declares the Lord Almighty.

17 “Proclaim further: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘My towns will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem.’”
Four Horns and Four Craftsmen

18 Then I looked up, and there before me were four horns. 19 I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these?”

He answered me, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.”

20 Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. 21 I asked, “What are these coming to do?”

He answered, “These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise their head, but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter its people.”[a]


Our Daily Bread reading and devotion   

Read: Philippians 4:10-18

Thanks for Their Gifts

10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

14 Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. 17 Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. 18 I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.

Love And Support

 December 17, 2013 — by Dave Branon

I thank my God . . . for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now. —Philippians 1:3,5

I received this note from a friend serving in an orphanage in a developing country: “Yesterday, as I was sitting at my office desk, I noticed a trail of ants on the floor. As I followed it, I was shocked to see that thousands of ants had blanketed the walls of our office building—inside and out. They swarmed everything. Fortunately, one of the workers . . . set to work. Less than an hour later, the ants were gone.”

After telling this insect story, my friend wrote, “So, how was your day at work?” Sometimes we need reminders of the needs of those who have left behind the comforts and conveniences of home. God calls each of us to different paths of service, and some paths are bumpy. Working in an office that is overrun by ants doesn’t appeal to anyone, but my friend is not there for the perks.

She and many other believers have had their hearts captured by Christ and think that abandoning “essential” comforts and conveniences is a small thing to do to honor Him who loves us. They need our support in the way Paul depended on his friends in Philippi—for fellowship (Phil. 1:5), for finances (4:16), and for care (4:18). When we encourage our friends who have left their familiar environments to serve God elsewhere, we show our love for the One who sent them.
Dear Lord, give me wisdom to know which of Your
workers in the fields of the world need my help.
Show me how my family can surround them
with encouragement and support.
The glory of life is to love, not to be loved; to give, not to get; to serve, not to be served.


My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
December 17, 2013

Redemption— Creating the Need it Satisfies

The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him . . . —1 Corinthians 2:14

The gospel of God creates the sense of need for the gospel. Is the gospel hidden to those who are servants already? No, Paul said, “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe . . .” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). The majority of people think of themselves as being completely moral, and have no sense of need for the gospel. It is God who creates this sense of need in a human being, but that person remains totally unaware of his need until God makes Himself evident. Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you . . .” (Matthew 7:7). But God cannot give until a man asks. It is not that He wants to withhold something from us, but that is the plan He has established for the way of redemption. Through our asking, God puts His process in motion, creating something in us that was nonexistent until we asked. The inner reality of redemption is that it creates all the time. And as redemption creates the life of God in us, it also creates the things which belong to that life. The only thing that can possibly satisfy the need is what created the need. This is the meaning of redemption— it creates and it satisfies.

Jesus said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself” (John 12:32). When we preach our own experiences, people may be interested, but it awakens no real sense of need. But once Jesus Christ is “lifted up,” the Spirit of God creates an awareness of the need for Him. The creative power of the redemption of God works in the souls of men only through the preaching of the gospel. It is never the sharing of personal experiences that saves people, but the truth of redemption. “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).


A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Realizing You're Rich - #7027

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

I've been short and I've been tall. When I interviewed some professional football players, I had to fully extend my arm in order just to get the microphone up to their mouths. I was short. And then I went to Singapore and the Philippines, and I was tall! When I was in Manila I thought I could be in the NBA; I could play professional basketball there. Yeah, I was tall there. Of course, it's all a matter of what standards you compare yourself to. With that in mind, I have some great news for you this Christmas. Man, you are rich!
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Realizing You're Rich."
Our word for today from the Word of God comes from 2 Corinthians 8:9, and it, by the way, is really what Christmas looks like from God's perspective. "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich."
When this talks about God's Son being rich, I mean we're talking about rich beyond our comprehension; owning (the Bible says) the cattle on a thousand hills; owning the hills that the cattle are on. Having made 100 billion galaxies with His hand, there's not a thumb-breadth of the universe that doesn't belong to Him. And yet He came to the bottom rung of earth, wrapped in cloths, lying in hay in a stable. Boy, that says it all: from so rich to so poor.
Now, I said you're rich, and it all depends on what you measure by, just like being short or tall. If you measure by Jesus' life on earth, you and I are millionaires. He had no place to sleep, no place to lay His head. I'm guessing you do. He had to travel on a borrowed donkey, remember? You probably have a more reliable way than that to get around. Mine's got 150,000 miles on it, but it gets around and I don't have to borrow it. He had to borrow a lunch; I'll bet you have one. He had to borrow a coin to tell a story; you probably have a little money in your wallet right now. He wore a poor man's robe; you probably had some choices of clothes this morning.
See, the Bible says, "A servant is not better than his master", but we sure are better off than He was, and He's the Son of God. When I compare my lifestyle to my Master's, I'm suddenly very thankful for things I've never counted as wealth before. If you want to compare with some people who have some more money, or a bigger house, or a nicer car, well good. You get to live in a state of constant discontentment, complaining and striving.
But if you compare yourself with your Lord Jesus, you will fall down on your knees in gratitude this Christmas. By His grace, He allows most of us to live far better than He did. Our expectations should be based on being a Jesus-follower, and that means I expect very little materially on earth. But you and I have very much compared to Him.
So, Christmas touches us on a very personal level; it changes my material expectations, and it changes grumbling to gratitude. It changes my hanging onto things for myself to letting them go for others as my Master did.
Christmas is a time for realizing you're rich and for surrendering for His use all the wealth He's entrusted to you.

2 John 1, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: His Loving Forgetfulness

Hear this powerful passage from Paul's letter to the Galatians. "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." (Galations 3:27). We have "put on" Christ. When God looks at us He doesn't see us; He sees Christ. We wear Him.  We're hidden in Him; covered by Him.
Presumptuous, you say?  Sacrilegious? It would be if it were my idea.  But it isn't, it's His. We're presumptuous not when we marvel at His grace, but when we reject it.  And we're sacrilegious not when we claim His forgiveness, but when we allow the haunting sins of yesterday to convince us God forgives but He doesn't forget.
Do yourself a favor. Take the Roman nails of Calvary and board up the door. Believe in His loving forgetfulness, in His graciously terrible memory.
From God Came Near

2 John 1

New International Version (NIV)

1 The elder,

To the lady chosen by God and to her children, whom I love in the truth—and not I only, but also all who know the truth— 2 because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever:

3 Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.

4 It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. 5 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. 6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

7 I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch out that you do not lose what we[a] have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. 9 Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. 11 Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work.

12 I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.

13 The children of your sister, who is chosen by God, send their greetings.
Footnotes:

    2 John 1:8 Some manuscripts you


Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Read: Matthew 16:21-28

Jesus Predicts His Death

21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

28 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
Footnotes:

    Matthew 16:25 The Greek word means either life or soul; also in verse 26.

Living Backward

 December 16, 2013 — by Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. —Matthew 16:25

The Chicago River is unusual because it flows backward. Engineers reversed its direction over a century ago because city-dwellers were using it as a dump. Dishwater, sewage, and industrial waste all funneled into the river, which emptied into Lake Michigan. Since the lake supplied drinking water for the city, thousands grew sick and died before city authorities decided to redirect the river to flow backward, away from the lake.

When we look at the earthly life of Jesus, it may seem backward from what we would expect. As the King of glory, He came to earth as a vulnerable infant. As God in the flesh, He endured accusations of blasphemy. As the only sinless man, He was crucified as a criminal. But Jesus lived on earth according to God’s will (John 6:38).

As followers of Christ, to clothe ourselves with Jesus’ attitudes and actions may appear “backward.” Blessing our enemies (Rom. 12:14), valuing godliness over wealth (1 Tim. 6:6-9), and taking joy in hardship (James 1:2) seem to oppose worldly wisdom. Yet, Jesus said, “Whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matt. 16:25).

Don’t worry if living your life sometimes means operating in reverse. God will give you the strength to honor Him, and He will propel you forward.
Dear God, please give me the strength to go
against the flow of this world. Help me to resist
what is wrong in Your eyes and to act in ways
that please You, for the glory of Your name.
Clothing ourselves with Jesus’ attitudes and actions shows His presence in our lives.


My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
December 16, 2013

Wrestling Before God

Take up the whole armor of God . . . praying always . . . —Ephesians 6:13,18

You must learn to wrestle against the things that hinder your communication with God, and wrestle in prayer for other people; but to wrestle with God in prayer is unscriptural. If you ever do wrestle with God, you will be crippled for the rest of your life. If you grab hold of God and wrestle with Him, as Jacob did, simply because He is working in a way that doesn’t meet with your approval, you force Him to put you out of joint (see Genesis 32:24-25). Don’t become a cripple by wrestling with the ways of God, but be someone who wrestles before God with the things of this world, because “we are more than conquerors through Him . . .” (Romans 8:37). Wrestling before God makes an impact in His kingdom. If you ask me to pray for you, and I am not complete in Christ, my prayer accomplishes nothing. But if I am complete in Christ, my prayer brings victory all the time. Prayer is effective only when there is completeness— “take up the whole armor of God . . . .”

Always make a distinction between God’s perfect will and His permissive will, which He uses to accomplish His divine purpose for our lives. God’s perfect will is unchangeable. It is with His permissive will, or the various things that He allows into our lives, that we must wrestle before Him. It is our reaction to these things allowed by His permissive will that enables us to come to the point of seeing His perfect will for us. “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God . . .” (Romans 8:28)— to those who remain true to God’s perfect will— His calling in Christ Jesus. God’s permissive will is the testing He uses to reveal His true sons and daughters. We should not be spineless and automatically say, “Yes, it is the Lord’s will.” We don’t have to fight or wrestle with God, but we must wrestle before God with things. Beware of lazily giving up. Instead, put up a glorious fight and you will find yourself empowered with His strength.


A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Bare Feet, Boots and a Man In Blue - #7026

Monday, December 16, 2013

Like most Americans, I just about O.D. on the news. No matter what it's about! It could be news about elections, some economic cliff, or eruptions in the Middle East. It's all important, but it's not exactly in the "joy to the world" category.

So I absolutely loved the feel-good story out of New York City that went viral across Facebook last Christmas. It was about the friendly policeman and the freezing homeless man. And it had "Christmas Story" written all over it.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Bare Feet, Boots and a Man In Blue."

In case you missed it, a young police officer, on patrol in Times Square, came upon a homeless man, sitting barefoot on the sidewalk. It was a "two pair of socks" night for the officer and even then his feet were freezing. He couldn't imagine a man sitting there barefoot all night. So the man in blue went inside a nearby store and bought the homeless man a $100 pair of boots with his own money. When he gave those boots to that barefoot man, well, you can imagine the joy.

It would have been one of life's invisible acts of kindness except for a tourist with a cell phone camera. She was so moved with what she was watching, she snapped a picture, which has now been seen by millions of people. Maybe because it was the Christmas season, that poignant scene triggered a flashback to something my personal Hero did over and over again. It's one of the many things that makes me love Him. That would be Jesus.

The incident I remember took place when Jesus was entering a town, surrounded by crowds anxious to see Him. The Bible says there was a blind beggar who had heard that "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." Much to the aggravation of the people around Jesus, he started shouting loudly, "Jesus, have mercy on me!"

A lot of annoyed people there told him in no uncertain terms to shut up. Or "shutteth up" (sounds more Biblical). So he just shouted louder. The blind man was a nuisance. He was an embarrassment; they had a "celebrity" in town. Then two little words that tell me so much about Jesus, and they're our word for today from the Word of God. Two words: Luke 18:40 ; "Jesus stopped". Nobody else stopped, but Jesus did. Not for the mayor. Not for the millionaires. Not for the ministers, but for the miserable. The guy everyone else walked by or walked over. That's who Jesus stops everything for. And the first thing that blind man ever saw was the face of Jesus. Because Jesus did what only He could do; He gave that man his sight.

The Bible's filled with stories of people nobody would stop for except Jesus. Marginalized people like blind Bartimaeus. Obnoxious people like Zacchaeus. Condemned people like the woman caught in the very act of adultery. Even the hardened criminal on the cross next to His, in His agony Jesus answered the thief's cry for mercy and guaranteed him heaven.

For 2,000 years, Jesus has been stopping for the lonely, the losers, the lost. And letting them know that someone knows their name. Someone hears their cry. Someone really loves them. And it's God's one and only Son. He sees me; He sees a world lost in sin, away from God, headed for an awful eternity. And He does what no one else could do. What no religion could ever do. He pays for my sins with His blood. In the words of the Bible, "He was wounded and bruised for our sins. He was beaten so that we might have peace; He was lashed and we were healed!" (Isaiah 53:5 ).

You know, Jesus stopped for me when my soul was destitute, when my soul was doomed. Like the hymn says, "Once I was lost, but now I am found. I was blind, but now I see." Look, He might be passing your way today. He knows your name. He knows your scars. He knows your sin, and He died for it. He's reaching your direction. Why don't you grab His hand today to begin your personal relationship with the man who loved you enough to die for you.

Listen, if you want to know how; if I could possibly help you, would you check out our website ANewStory.com and join me there? Let Jesus do for you what only He can do.

Haggai 2 Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Courteous Conduct

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Colossians 4:5

Those who don’t believe in Jesus—note what we do. They make decisions about Christ by watching us.

When we are kind, they assume Christ is kind. When we are gracious, they assume Christ is gracious. But when we are dishonest, what assumption will an observer make about our Master?
No wonder Paul says, “Be wise in the way you act with people who are not believers, making the most of every opportunity. When you talk, you should always be kind and pleasant so you will be able to answer everyone in the way you should” (Col. 4:5–6).

Courteous conduct honors Christ.

It also honors his children. When you surrender a parking place to someone, you honor him. When you return a borrowed book, you honor the lender. When you make an effort to greet everyone in the room, especially the ones others may have overlooked, you honor God’s children.

Let your courteous conduct honor Christ.

Haggai 2

The Promised Glory of the New House

In the second year of King Darius, 2 1 on the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: 2 “Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jozadak,[b] the high priest, and to the remnant of the people. Ask them, 3 ‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? 4 But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 5 ‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’

6 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty. 8 ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 9 ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

Blessings for a Defiled People

10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Haggai: 11 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Ask the priests what the law says: 12 If someone carries consecrated meat in the fold of their garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, olive oil or other food, does it become consecrated?’”

The priests answered, “No.”

13 Then Haggai said, “If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?”

“Yes,” the priests replied, “it becomes defiled.”

14 Then Haggai said, “‘So it is with this people and this nation in my sight,’ declares the Lord. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer there is defiled.

15 “‘Now give careful thought to this from this day on[c]—consider how things were before one stone was laid on another in the Lord’s temple. 16 When anyone came to a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty. 17 I struck all the work of your hands with blight, mildew and hail, yet you did not return to me,’ declares the Lord. 18 ‘From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought to the day when the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid. Give careful thought: 19 Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree have not borne fruit.

“‘From this day on I will bless you.’”

Zerubbabel the Lord’s Signet Ring

20 The word of the Lord came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month: 21 “Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. 22 I will overturn royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms. I will overthrow chariots and their drivers; horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother.

23 “‘On that day,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

Haggai 2:2 Hebrew Jehozadak, a variant of Jozadak; also in verse 4
Haggai 2:15 Or to the days past


Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Read: Luke 2:36-38

36 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.[a] She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

Footnotes:

Luke 2:37 Or then had been a widow for eighty-four years.

Canceled Christmas

December 15, 2013 — by Anne Cetas

Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of [Jesus]. —Luke 2:33

We felt as if our Christmas was being canceled last year. Actually, our flight to see family in Missouri was canceled due to snow. It’s been our tradition for quite a few years to celebrate Christmas with them, so we were greatly disappointed when we only got as far as Minnesota and had to return home to Michigan.

On Sunday, in a message we would have missed, our pastor spoke about expectations for Christmas. He caught my attention when he said, “If our expectations for Christmas are gifts and time with family, we have set our expectations too low. Those are enjoyable and things we’re thankful for, but Christmas is the celebration of the coming of Christ and His redemption.”

Simeon and Anna celebrated the coming of Jesus and His salvation when Joseph and Mary brought Him to the temple as a baby (Luke 2:25-38). Simeon, a man who was told by the Spirit that he would not die before he saw the Messiah, declared: “My eyes have seen Your salvation” (v.30). When Anna, a widow who served God, saw Jesus, she “spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem” (v.38).

We may experience disappointments or heartache during the Christmas season, but Jesus and His salvation always give us reason to celebrate.

How wonderful that we on Christmas morn
Though centuries have passed since Christ was born,
May worship still the Living Lord of men,
Our Savior, Jesus, Babe of Bethlehem. —Hutchings
Jesus is always the reason to celebrate.


My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
December 15, 2013

“Approved to God”

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth —2 Timothy 2:15

If you cannot express yourself well on each of your beliefs, work and study until you can. If you don’t, other people may miss out on the blessings that come from knowing the truth. Strive to re-express a truth of God to yourself clearly and understandably, and God will use that same explanation when you share it with someone else. But you must be willing to go through God’s winepress where the grapes are crushed. You must struggle, experiment, and rehearse your words to express God’s truth clearly. Then the time will come when that very expression will become God’s wine of strength to someone else. But if you are not diligent and say, “I’m not going to study and struggle to express this truth in my own words; I’ll just borrow my words from someone else,” then the words will be of no value to you or to others. Try to state to yourself what you believe to be the absolute truth of God, and you will be allowing God the opportunity to pass it on through you to someone else.

Always make it a practice to stir your own mind thoroughly to think through what you have easily believed. Your position is not really yours until you make it yours through suffering and study. The author or speaker from whom you learn the most is not the one who teaches you something you didn’t know before, but the one who helps you take a truth with which you have quietly struggled, give it expression, and speak it clearly and boldly.

Haggai 1 bible reading and daily devotionals.

Max Lucado Daily: God’s Offer to be Adopted

When the doctor handed Max Lucado to Jack Lucado, my dad had no exit option. He couldn’t give me back to the doctor and ask for a better looking or smarter son. The hospital made him take me home!

If you were adopted, however, your parents chose you.  Surprise pregnancies happen.  But surprise adoptions?  I’ve never heard of one.  Your parents wanted you in their family. You object.  “Oh, but if they could have seen the rest of my life, they might have changed their minds.” My point exactly!

God saw our entire lives from beginning to end, birth to hearse, and in spite of what he saw, he was still convinced to adopt us into his own family, bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave him great pleasure. To accept God’s grace is to accept God’s offer to be adopted into his family. It really is this simple!

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.   I Peter 2:9?

From GRACE

Haggai 1

A Call to Build the House of the Lord

1 In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jozadak,[a] the high priest:

2 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord’s house.’”

3 Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: 4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?”

5 Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. 6 You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

7 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. 8 Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the Lord. 9 “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the Lord Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house. 10 Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. 11 I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil and everything else the ground produces, on people and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.”

12 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the Lord their God had sent him. And the people feared the Lord.

13 Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave this message of the Lord to the people: “I am with you,” declares the Lord. 14 So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the Lord Almighty, their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month.


Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Read: Luke 2:25-35

 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
    you may now dismiss[a] your servant in peace.
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31     which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and the glory of your people Israel.”
33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

Footnotes:

Luke 2:29 Or promised, / now dismiss

A New Force

December 14, 2013 — by Philip Yancey

My eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples. —Luke 2:30-31

When Matteo Ricci went to China in the 16th century, he took samples of religious art to illustrate the Christian story for people who had never heard it. They readily accepted portraits of Mary holding the baby Jesus, but when he produced paintings of the crucifixion and tried to explain that the God-child had come to be executed, his audience reacted with revulsion and horror. They couldn’t worship a crucified God.

As I thumb through my Christmas cards, I realize that we do much the same thing. In our celebrations and observances, we may not think about how the story that began at Bethlehem turned out at Calvary.

In Luke’s account of the Christmas story, only one person—the old man Simeon—seems to grasp the mysterious nature of what God has set in motion. “This Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against,” he told Mary, and then he made the prediction that a sword would pierce her own soul (2:34-35).

Simeon knew that though on the surface little had changed—Herod still ruled, Roman troops still occupied Israel—underneath, everything had changed. God’s promised redemption had arrived.

The cradle without the cross misses the true meaning of Christ’s birth.


My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
December 14, 2013

The Great Life

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled . . . —John 14:27

Whenever we experience something difficult in our personal life, we are tempted to blame God. But we are the ones in the wrong, not God. Blaming God is evidence that we are refusing to let go of some disobedience somewhere in our lives. But as soon as we let go, everything becomes as clear as daylight to us. As long as we try to serve two masters, ourselves and God, there will be difficulties combined with doubt and confusion. Our attitude must be one of complete reliance on God. Once we get to that point, there is nothing easier than living the life of a saint. We encounter difficulties when we try to usurp the authority of the Holy Spirit for our own purposes.

God’s mark of approval, whenever you obey Him, is peace. He sends an immeasurable, deep peace; not a natural peace, “as the world gives,” but the peace of Jesus. Whenever peace does not come, wait until it does, or seek to find out why it is not coming. If you are acting on your own impulse, or out of a sense of the heroic, to be seen by others, the peace of Jesus will not exhibit itself. This shows no unity with God or confidence in Him. The spirit of simplicity, clarity, and unity is born through the Holy Spirit, not through your decisions. God counters our self-willed decisions with an appeal for simplicity and unity.

My questions arise whenever I cease to obey. When I do obey God, problems come, not between me and God, but as a means to keep my mind examining with amazement the revealed truth of God. But any problem that comes between God and myself is the result of disobedience. Any problem that comes while I obey God (and there will be many), increases my overjoyed delight, because I know that my Father knows and cares, and I can watch and anticipate how He will unravel my problems.

1 John 5, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado: Grace Forgets

Do you actually believe God would make a statement like, "I will not hold their sins against them"-and then rub your nose in it whenever you ask for help?"  Was He exaggerating when He said He would cast your sins as far as the east is from the west? (Psalm 103:12).
Are you really forgiven?  Does He really forgive and forget?  Yes, but you and I don't. You still remember. That horrid lie. That jealousy. That habit. That business trip.
Do you think God is the voice that reminds you of your past?  Was God teasing when He said, "I will remember your sins no more?"  You and I just need an occasional reminder of God's nature, His forgetful nature.
It's against God's nature to remember forgiven sins. He is the God of perfect grace. Grace forgets. Period.
From God Came Near

1 John 5

New International Version (NIV)
Faith in the Incarnate Son of God

5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

6 This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the[a] Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Concluding Affirmations

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

16 If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.

18 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. 19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.
Footnotes:

    1 John 5:8 Late manuscripts of the Vulgate testify in heaven: the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one. 8 And there are three that testify on earth: the (not found in any Greek manuscript before the fourteenth century)


Our Daily Bread reading and devotion   

Read: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

The Need for Self-Discipline

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Lasting Rewards

 December 13, 2013 — by C. P. Hia

Bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things. —1 Timothy 4:8

Ukrainian gymnast Larisa Latynina held the record of 18 Olympic medals. She won them in the 1956, 1960, and 1964 Olympics. The 48-year-old record was surpassed when Michael Phelps swam for his 19th gold in the 4 x 200-meter freestyle relay in the 2012 London Games. “[Latynina] kind of got lost in history,” the publisher of the International Gymnast magazine said. When the Soviet Union broke up, “we had forgotten about her.”

Paul, the apostle, reminds us that sometimes hard work is forgotten. Athletes subject their bodies to great discipline as they train to win perishable medals for their effort (1 Cor. 9:25). But it is not just that the medals are perishable. Over time, people’s memory of those achievements dim and fade. If athletes can sacrifice so much to achieve rewards on the earth, rewards that will eventually be forgotten, how much more effort should followers of Christ exert to gain an imperishable crown? (1 Tim. 4:8).

Athletes’ sacrifice and determination are rewarded with medals, trophies, and money. But even greater, our Father in heaven rewards the discipline of His children (Luke 19:17).

God will never forget our service done out of love for Him who first loved us.
I thank You, Lord, for the opportunities to use
the gifts You have given me for Your service today.
Help me to do so in obedience, expecting nothing
more than Your “well done” as reward.
Sacrifice for the kingdom is never without reward.

   
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
December 13, 2013

Intercessory Prayer

. . . men always ought to pray and not lose heart —Luke 18:1

You cannot truly intercede through prayer if you do not believe in the reality of redemption. Instead, you will simply be turning intercession into useless sympathy for others, which will serve only to increase the contentment they have for remaining out of touch with God. True intercession involves bringing the person, or the circumstance that seems to be crashing in on you, before God, until you are changed by His attitude toward that person or circumstance. Intercession means to “fill up . . . [with] what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ” (Colossians 1:24), and this is precisely why there are so few intercessors. People describe intercession by saying, “It is putting yourself in someone else’s place.” That is not true! Intercession is putting yourself in God’s place; it is having His mind and His perspective.

As an intercessor, be careful not to seek too much information from God regarding the situation you are praying about, because you may be overwhelmed. If you know too much, more than God has ordained for you to know, you can’t pray; the circumstances of the people become so overpowering that you are no longer able to get to the underlying truth.

Our work is to be in such close contact with God that we may have His mind about everything, but we shirk that responsibility by substituting doing for interceding. And yet intercession is the only thing that has no drawbacks, because it keeps our relationship completely open with God.

What we must avoid in intercession is praying for someone to be simply “patched up.” We must pray that person completely through into contact with the very life of God. Think of the number of people God has brought across our path, only to see us drop them! When we pray on the basis of redemption, God creates something He can create in no other way than through intercessory prayer.


A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Hey! Look Me Over! - #7025

Friday, December 13, 2013

During the summer our family loved going to Ocean City at the Jersey Shore. Now, there's about a two and a half, three mile boardwalk there. And I'll tell you, it's interesting to just sit there and watch the people parade go by. You'll see some guys parade along with torn shirts or real mini t-shirts displaying those bulging muscles, their arms, their chest, their back. I don't do that. No, I sort of cover up as much as I can.
As soon as cooler weather comes, a lot of us run for cover like sweaters that cover a multitude of sins. Meanwhile, our friends in the almost nothing shirts? Oh, they wear them right into December sometimes. I guess it's nice to have nothing to fear from the exposure of the summer, because you know you're in good shape.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Hey! Look Me Over!"
Our word for today from the Word of God; we are in Psalm 17. I'm reading verses 2 and 3 from the pen of David. "May my vindication come from you..." he says to the Lord. "May Your eyes see what is right, though you probe my heart and examine me at night, though you test me, you will find nothing; I have resolved that my mouth will not sin."
That's a powerful invitation. David really is saying something pretty bold of the Lord here. It's an invitation to an examination. He says, "Lord, please give me a spiritual x-ray. Take a look at me inside and out." He says at another place, "Search me, O God, and know me."
I remember an old saying, "People who live in glass houses have to answer the door bell." Well, that's true. Everybody can see everything that's going on inside of a glass house. Now, David is a free man. You can tell that because he doesn't care where you look; which window you look in. He has no dark secrets. He said, "Look at me and then check me out any way you want."
Do you feel like that? Have you got that relaxed peace that can honestly say, "Hey, look me over!" The freest people in the world are those who can say three words about themselves, "Nothing to hide." You can be really confident about your life when you know you're right in God's eyes. That's all that matters; that's what David said here. God's the one whose blessing determines the course of your life, not the blessing of other people.
Even if you're under attack, and actually David was as you read this Psalm, you know that God will defend you. God will vindicate you. He'll make sure that your name is protected. Maybe as I speak you're thinking of a secret in your life that you hope no one ever discovers. Well, it's gonna come out. Listen to God's words, "Be sure your sin will find you out."
Why not face that darkness today voluntarily? Repent of it and tell God it makes you sad to have that sin. Confront it; make necessary changes. Make it right! Get that closet cleaned out, and then you can live each day so honestly and so purely there's no discovery you have to fear. "Go ahead, check out my character."
If you know you're in shape, then you know you have nothing to fear from exposure.

Ezra 4, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: He Doesn't Remember

I was thanking the Father for His mercy. I began listing the sins He'd forgiven. "Remember the time I. . ."  I was about to thank Him for another act of mercy.  But then I stopped.  Something was wrong. The word "remember" seemed displaced, off-key. It was like a baseball game in December… It didn't fit.  Does He remember?
Then I remembered His words in Isaiah 43:25, "I am He who blots out your transgressions, and I will not remember your sins." Wow!  That's a remarkable promise. God doesn't just forgive, he forgets.  He destroys the evidence. He clears the hard drive. He doesn't remember my mistakes.
He doesn't remember! For all the things He does do, this is the one thing He refuses to do!
From God Came Near

Ezra 4

Opposition to the Rebuilding

When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, 2 they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.”

3 But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.”

4 Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.[b] 5 They bribed officials to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Later Opposition Under Xerxes and Artaxerxes

6 At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes,[c] they lodged an accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.

7 And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic script and in the Aramaic language.[d][e]

8 Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows:

9 Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary, together with the rest of their associates—the judges, officials and administrators over the people from Persia, Uruk and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa, 10 and the other people whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the city of Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates.

11 (This is a copy of the letter they sent him.)

To King Artaxerxes,

From your servants in Trans-Euphrates:

12 The king should know that the people who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring the walls and repairing the foundations.

13 Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and eventually the royal revenues will suffer.[f] 14 Now since we are under obligation to the palace and it is not proper for us to see the king dishonored, we are sending this message to inform the king, 15 so that a search may be made in the archives of your predecessors. In these records you will find that this city is a rebellious city, troublesome to kings and provinces, a place with a long history of sedition. That is why this city was destroyed. 16 We inform the king that if this city is built and its walls are restored, you will be left with nothing in Trans-Euphrates.

17 The king sent this reply:

To Rehum the commanding officer, Shimshai the secretary and the rest of their associates living in Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates:

Greetings.

18 The letter you sent us has been read and translated in my presence. 19 I issued an order and a search was made, and it was found that this city has a long history of revolt against kings and has been a place of rebellion and sedition. 20 Jerusalem has had powerful kings ruling over the whole of Trans-Euphrates, and taxes, tribute and duty were paid to them. 21 Now issue an order to these men to stop work, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order. 22 Be careful not to neglect this matter. Why let this threat grow, to the detriment of the royal interests?

23 As soon as the copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum and Shimshai the secretary and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and compelled them by force to stop.

24 Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Ezra 4:6 Hebrew Ahasuerus
Ezra 4:7 Or written in Aramaic and translated
Ezra 4:7 The text of 4:8–6:18 is in Aramaic.
Ezra 4:13 The meaning of the Aramaic for this clause is uncertain.


Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Read: Romans 13:11-14

The Day Is Near

11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.[a]
Footnotes:

    Romans 13:14 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.

Costume Or Uniform?

 December 12, 2013 — by David C. McCasland

Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. —Romans 13:14

Eunice McGarrahan gave an inspiring talk on Christian discipleship in which she said, “A costume is something you put on and pretend that you are what you are wearing. A uniform, on the other hand, reminds you that you are, in fact, what you wear.”

Her comment sparked memories of my first day in US Army basic training when we were each given a box and ordered to put all our civilian clothes in it. The box was mailed to our home address. Every day after that, the uniform we put on reminded us that we had entered a period of disciplined training designed to change our attitudes and actions.

“Cast off the works of darkness,” the apostle Paul told the followers of Jesus living in Rome, “and . . . put on the armor of light” (Rom. 13:12). He followed this with the command to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts” (v.14). The goal of this “casting off” and “putting on” was a new identity and transformed living (v.13).

When we choose to follow Christ as our Lord, He begins the process of making us more like Him each day. It is not a matter of pretending to be what we aren’t but of becoming more and more what we are in Christ.
O to be like Thee, O to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art!
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart. —Chisholm
Salvation is free, but discipleship will cost you your life. —Dietrich Bonhoeffer


My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
December 12, 2013

Personality

. . . that they may be one just as We are one . . . —John 17:22

Personality is the unique, limitless part of our life that makes us distinct from everyone else. It is too vast for us even to comprehend. An island in the sea may be just the top of a large mountain, and our personality is like that island. We don’t know the great depths of our being, therefore we cannot measure ourselves. We start out thinking we can, but soon realize that there is really only one Being who fully understands us, and that is our Creator.

Personality is the characteristic mark of the inner, spiritual man, just as individuality is the characteristic of the outer, natural man. Our Lord can never be described in terms of individuality and independence, but only in terms of His total Person— “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30). Personality merges, and you only reach your true identity once you are merged with another person. When love or the Spirit of God come upon a person, he is transformed. He will then no longer insist on maintaining his individuality. Our Lord never referred to a person’s individuality or his isolated position, but spoke in terms of the total person— “. . . that they may be one just as We are one . . . .” Once your rights to yourself are surrendered to God, your true personal nature begins responding to God immediately. Jesus Christ brings freedom to your total person, and even your individuality is transformed. The transformation is brought about by love— personal devotion to Jesus. Love is the overflowing result of one person in true fellowship with another.


A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

It's Hard To Change the Name - #7024

Thursday, December 12, 2013

There's a spot in upstate New York where our family always loved to go for vacation. And that began years before when some friends looked at my drooping eyelids and said, "You need a vacation." I've heard those words many times. So we went off to Baker's Cabins. Now, we've stayed there at several points over the years, and then they changed the name of that place to Water's Edge. Same place, different name. Now, we went there after they changed the name to Water's Edge, and it had been called that for a while, but I could never seem to remember that name. I always called it Baker's Cabins. Even though they hadn't used that name for several years, well that was the name that was stuck in my mind. See, once you know something by a certain name, it isn't easy to make that new name stick.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "It's Hard To Change the Name."
Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Proverbs 22:1. "A good name," God says, "is more desirable than great riches. To be esteemed is better than silver or gold." Now, the Bible is saying here we should realize the value of our name. And that doesn't just mean Ralph or Bernice or George. It's talking about your reputation; to be esteemed, to be well thought of, to be what the Bible calls "above reproach."
God says your reputation is more important, more valuable than say Donald Trump's fortune, "than great riches." If you've got a great name, if you've got a name people trust and respect, it's better than being rich. In fact, one deciding question should always be, "How is this going to affect my reputation?" And if you're a Christian, then another question should always be, "How is this going to affect Jesus' reputation?"
The problem is that a reputation sticks, even after you've changed. It's like those cabins in upstate New York. I couldn't help but remember what they were, even though they were something else for years. See, that's what happens to human reputations. Long after the thrill is gone, or the deal is made, or a relationship is a memory, the reputation that you compromised in order to get those will still be there. A reputation takes years to build; it takes a day to lose.
If you're still trying to live down an old reputation, you've changed but people are still trying to act as if it's the old you. Well, then, make every effort to go back to the people who remember the old you and tell them what Christ is doing. Tell them that you know what you were, but you know that you are a new person...or you're becoming a new person.
Work very hard at consistency in that area where perhaps you used to fail. Pay back any obligations, repair any hurts, right any wrongs that are from the old days, and ask forgiveness of those who might have been involved in that sin with you. You'll start to build a new reputation. More importantly, let's look past the past. Let's look at the future.
In your choices, always calculate the reputation factor, because "a good name is more desirable than great riches." Guard your good name; guard your Lord's good name. He's staked His reputation on us-His kids. It's His reputation now tied to yours. Before you make that compromise, consider that most important factor, "What will this do to the name...my name; His name?