1 Kings 10 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: GOD HAS THE EYES OF A FATHER - February 3, 2023

Matthew 14:14 says, “He had compassion on them.” When Matthew writes that Jesus had compassion on people, he’s not saying that Jesus felt casual pity for them. Matthew is saying that Jesus felt their hurt in his gut. He felt the limp of the disabled, he felt the hurt of the diseased, he felt the loneliness of the leper, he felt the embarrassment of the sinful. And once he felt their hurts, he couldn’t help but heal their hurts.

He was so touched by their needs that he forgot his own needs. He was so moved by the people’s hurts that he put his hurts on the back burner.

God sees with the eyes of a father. He sees our defects, errors, and blemishes. But he also sees our value. Maybe that’s why God brings hurting people into your world, too.

1 Kings 10

The Queen of Sheba Visits

The queen of Sheba heard about Solomon and his connection with the Name of God. She came to put his reputation to the test by asking tough questions. She made a grand and showy entrance into Jerusalem—camels loaded with spices, a huge amount of gold, and precious gems. She came to Solomon and talked about all the things that she cared about, emptying her heart to him. Solomon answered everything she put to him—nothing stumped him. When the queen of Sheba experienced for herself Solomon’s wisdom and saw with her own eyes the palace he had built, the meals that were served, the impressive array of court officials and sharply dressed waiters, the lavish crystal, and the elaborate worship extravagant with Whole-Burnt-Offerings at the steps leading up to The Temple of God, it took her breath away.

6-9 She said to the king, “It’s all true! Your reputation for accomplishment and wisdom that reached all the way to my country is confirmed. I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it for myself; they didn’t exaggerate! Such wisdom and elegance—far more than I could ever have imagined. Lucky the men and women who work for you, getting to be around you every day and hear your wise words firsthand! And blessed be God, your God, who took such a liking to you and made you king. Clearly, God’s love for Israel is behind this, making you king to keep a just order and nurture a God-pleasing people.”

10 She then gave the king four and a half tons of gold, and also sack after sack of spices and expensive gems. There hasn’t been a cargo of spices like that since that shipload the queen of Sheba brought to King Solomon.

11-12 The ships of Hiram also imported gold from Ophir along with tremendous loads of fragrant sandalwood and expensive gems. The king used the sandalwood for fine cabinetry in The Temple of God and the palace complex, and for making harps and dulcimers for the musicians. Nothing like that shipment of sandalwood has been seen since.

13 King Solomon for his part gave the queen of Sheba all her heart’s desire—everything she asked for, on top of what he had already so generously given her. Satisfied, she returned home with her train of servants.

* * *

14-15 Solomon received twenty-five tons of gold in tribute annually. This was above and beyond the taxes and profit on trade with merchants and assorted kings and governors.

16-17 King Solomon crafted two hundred body-length shields of hammered gold—seven and a half pounds of gold to each shield—and three hundred smaller shields about half that size. He stored the shields in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.

18-20 The king built a massive throne of ivory accented with a veneer of gold. The throne had six steps leading up to it, its back shaped like an arch. The armrests on each side were flanked by lions. Lions, twelve of them, were placed at either end of the six steps. There was no throne like it in any of the surrounding kingdoms.

21 King Solomon’s chalices and tankards were made of gold and all the dinnerware and serving utensils in the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold—nothing was made of silver; silver was considered common and cheap.

22 The king had a fleet of ocean-going ships at sea with Hiram’s ships. Every three years the fleet would bring in a cargo of gold, silver, and ivory, and apes and peacocks.

23-25 King Solomon was wiser and richer than all the kings of the earth—he surpassed them all. People came from all over the world to be with Solomon and drink in the wisdom God had given him. And everyone who came brought gifts—artifacts of gold and silver, fashionable robes and gowns, the latest in weapons, exotic spices, and horses and mules—parades of visitors, year after year.

26-29 Solomon collected chariots and horses: fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses! He stabled them in the special chariot cities as well as in Jerusalem. The king made silver as common as rocks and cedar as common as the fig trees in the lowland hills. His horses were brought in from Egypt and Cilicia, specially acquired by the king’s agents. Chariots from Egypt went for fifteen pounds of silver and a horse for about three and three-quarters pounds of silver. Solomon carried on a brisk horse-trading business with the Hittite and Aramean royal houses.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Friday, February 03, 2023

Today's Scripture

Leviticus 19:32–37

“Show respect to the aged; honor the presence of an elder; fear your God. I am God.

33-34 “When a foreigner lives with you in your land, don’t take advantage of him. Treat the foreigner the same as a native. Love him like one of your own. Remember that you were once foreigners in Egypt. I am God, your God.

35-36 “Don’t cheat when measuring length, weight, or quantity. Use honest scales and weights and measures. I am God, your God. I brought you out of Egypt.

37 “Keep all my decrees and all my laws. Yes, do them. I am God.”

* * *

Insight

The commandments found in Leviticus 19 are rooted in the calling of God’s people to be holy like God (Leviticus 19:2). This chapter reveals that being a holy people—set apart and devoted to God—includes being devoted to justice for the poor and marginalized (vv. 9–10, 13–16, 33–34). Pursuing justice is a way of loving our neighbor, and love for God and neighbor is at the heart of God’s law (Matthew 22:37–40).

Leviticus 19 emphasizes that the “neighbor” who Israel was called to love included foreign residents. They were called to treat foreigners with justice as if they were “native-born” (v. 34). They were to “love them as [themselves], for [they] were foreigners in Egypt” (v. 34). Treating outsiders with compassion and justice is commanded repeatedly in Scripture, often connected to the Israelites’ own experience of being exploited while in a foreign land (Exodus 22:21; 23:9; Deuteronomy 24:17–18).

By: Monica La Rose

We Are Strangers

The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Leviticus 19:34

Everything felt drastically different in their new country—new language, schools, customs, traffic, and weather. They wondered how they would ever adjust. People from a nearby church gathered around them to help them in their new life in a new land. Patti took the couple shopping at a local food market to show them what’s available and how to purchase items. As they wandered around the market, their eyes widened and they smiled broadly when they saw their favorite fruit from their homeland—pomegranates. They bought one for each of their children and even placed one in Patti’s hands in gratefulness. The small fruit and new friends brought big comfort in their strange, new land.

God, through Moses, gave a list of laws for His people, which included a command to treat foreigners among them “as your native-born” (Leviticus 19:34). “Love them as yourself,” God further commanded. Jesus called this the second greatest commandment after loving God (Matthew 22:39). For even God “watches over the foreigner” (Psalm 146:9).

Besides obeying God as we help new friends adapt to life in our country, we may be reminded that we too in a real sense are “strangers on earth” (Hebrews 11:13). And we’ll grow in our anticipation of the new heavenly land to come.

By:  Anne Cetas

Reflect & Pray

Who might God want you to look after? In what ways has He gifted you to spread His love to others?

Compassionate God, I understand a little what it feels like to be a stranger in this world. Lead me to be an encourager of other foreigners and strangers.

For further study, read Walk with Me: Travelling with Jesus and Others on Life’s Road.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Friday, February 03, 2023

Becoming the “Filth of the World”

We have been made as the filth of the world… —1 Corinthians 4:13

These words are not an exaggeration. The only reason they may not be true of us who call ourselves ministers of the gospel is not that Paul forgot or misunderstood the exact truth of them, but that we are too cautious and concerned about our own desires to allow ourselves to become the refuse or “filth of the world.” “Fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ…” (Colossians 1:24) is not the result of the holiness of sanctification, but the evidence of consecration— being “separated to the gospel of God…” (Romans 1:1).

“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you…” (1 Peter 4:12). If we do think the things we encounter are strange, it is because we are fearful and cowardly. We pay such close attention to our own interests and desires that we stay out of the mire and say, “I won’t submit; I won’t bow or bend.” And you don’t have to— you can be saved by the “skin of your teeth” if you like. You can refuse to let God count you as one who is “separated to the gospel….” Or you can say, “I don’t care if I am treated like ‘the filth of the world’ as long as the gospel is proclaimed.” A true servant of Jesus Christ is one who is willing to experience martyrdom for the reality of the gospel of God. When a moral person is confronted with contempt, immorality, disloyalty, or dishonesty, he is so repulsed by the offense that he turns away and in despair closes his heart to the offender. But the miracle of the redemptive reality of God is that the worst and the vilest offender can never exhaust the depths of His love. Paul did not say that God separated him to show what a wonderful man He could make of him, but “to reveal His Son in me…” (Galatians 1:16).

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

We are not to preach the doing of good things; good deeds are not to be preached, they are to be performed. So Send I You, 1330 L

Bible in a Year: Exodus 31-33; Matthew 22:1-22

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Friday, February 03, 2023

INTIMATE BONDING - #9410

Now, you probably wouldn't expect the subject of intimacy to come up in a discussion of wallpaper. Yeah, well it did. I have a friend who is a painter and a wallpaperer for a living, and he was helping in our office. He actually volunteered to help us out by scraping the old wallpaper off a wall that really needed some work. And before we were in our building, someone had put wallpaper on the sheetrock years ago. Well, when I walked in, he was very frustrated because what happened was, well apparently, when they had applied that wallpaper to the sheetrock they hadn't put any preparation layer on it. So, you can probably guess what happened. The wallpaper and the top layer of the sheetrock had sort of become one. And when he scraped off the wallpaper, you got it. The top layer of the sheetrock came with it. He was pretty frustrated, and he held them up to me and he said, "I can't separate them!" Then he said, "You know what we call this, Ron?" We being "wallpaperers" I guess. He said, "We call this an intimate bond." Well, those intimate bonds are hard to separate.

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

Now, our word for today from the Word of God comes from the lips of Jesus in Mark 10, beginning at verse 7. "For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife. And the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore, what God has joined together, let man not separate." Sounds strangely like a conversation I had with the wallpaperer doesn't it? Separated...bonded in a way that you really cannot separate them.

Well, if you go over the 1 Corinthians 6:16, you find out what powerful glue sexual involvement is between two people. Here's what it says, "Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said that two will become one flesh." Now, there's no more meaningless sex than with a prostitute. But even that creates a lasting intimate bond.

Our society has devalued this wonderful bonding God has given us, but it hasn't weakened its power. And maybe you're devaluing this great gift of sexual closeness and intimacy without even knowing it. Let me suggest some ways that can happen.

One is sex without commitment. It could be that you've experimented with sex and played around with it without a lifetime commitment to a partner, and that leaves permanent scars whether you know it or not. You're playing with something that will make that person always a part of you, and that's scary. And if you do it often enough, you will lose your bondability; like tape that gets stuck together too often. You won't be able to stick to another person in that bonded way the Bible talks about.

Secondly, you can devalue it by using sex as a weapon. That's why in 1 Corinthians 7, the Bible says, "Don't deprive each other in marriage of a sexual relationship." Don't use sex as a weapon. It's too special to abuse by using it to get your own way.

Thirdly, we can devalue this bonding by sex without meaning, where you are married but you really aren't one. You had an argument; you're in disagreement, but you're going through the motions. Get your oneness together again emotionally, so you can then express it physically.

And finally, you can devalue it with sex outside the boundaries. That could be an adulterous relationship or somehow you introduce another person into this intimate, unbreakable bond, even pornography. And you create an emotional schizophrenia for everyone involved.

Look, have you played with God's bonding gift? Confess that to Him. Let Him cleanse you as 1 John 1:9 promises He will, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us all our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Make it right. Reserve it for one relationship, and then use it unselfishly. I can still see that wallpaper and that sheetrock merged into one. When it's right, it's so beautiful. When bonding is wrong, it's so destructive.

The language of love that God calls sex, it truly is an intimate bond.

Acts 8:1-25 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: JESUS UNDERSTANDS US - February 2, 2023

When Jesus saw people, He saw an opportunity to love and affirm value. When we see people, we often only see thousands of problems. What did Jesus know that enabled Him to do what He did? He knew how people felt, and He knew that they were special. I hope you never forget that.

You’re under the gun at work? Jesus knows how you feel. People take from you more than they give? Jesus understands. He knows what that’s like. Your teenagers won’t listen? Believe me, Jesus knows how you feel.

You’re precious to Him. So precious that He became like you so that you would come to Him. When you struggle, He listens. And when you yearn, He responds. And when you question, He hears. He loves you. He understands you. And He paid a great price to take you home.

Acts 8:1-25

Simon the Wizard

That set off a terrific persecution of the church in Jerusalem. The believers were all scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. All, that is, but the apostles. Good and brave men buried Stephen, giving him a solemn funeral—not many dry eyes that day!

3-8 And Saul just went wild, devastating the church, entering house after house after house, dragging men and women off to jail. Forced to leave home base, the followers of Jesus all became missionaries. Wherever they were scattered, they preached the Message about Jesus. Going down to a Samaritan city, Philip proclaimed the Message of the Messiah. When the people heard what he had to say and saw the miracles, the clear signs of God’s action, they hung on his every word. Many who could neither stand nor walk were healed that day. The evil spirits protested loudly as they were sent on their way. And what joy in the city!

9-11 Previous to Philip’s arrival, a certain Simon had practiced magic in the city, posing as a famous man and dazzling all the Samaritans with his wizardry. He had them all, from little children to old men, eating out of his hand. They all thought he had supernatural powers, and called him “the Great Wizard.” He had been around a long time and everyone was more or less in awe of him.

12-13 But when Philip came to town announcing the news of God’s kingdom and proclaiming the name of Jesus Christ, they forgot Simon and were baptized, becoming believers right and left! Even Simon himself believed and was baptized. From that moment he was like Philip’s shadow, so fascinated with all the God-signs and miracles that he wouldn’t leave Philip’s side.

14-17 When the apostles in Jerusalem received the report that Samaria had accepted God’s Message, they sent Peter and John down to pray for them to receive the Holy Spirit. Up to this point they had only been baptized in the name of the Master Jesus; the Holy Spirit hadn’t yet fallen on them. Then the apostles laid their hands on them and they did receive the Holy Spirit.

18-19 When Simon saw that the apostles by merely laying on hands conferred the Spirit, he pulled out his money, excited, and said, “Sell me your secret! Show me how you did that! How much do you want? Name your price!”

20-23 Peter said, “To hell with your money! And you along with it. Why, that’s unthinkable—trying to buy God’s gift! You’ll never be part of what God is doing by striking bargains and offering bribes. Change your ways—and now! Ask the Master to forgive you for trying to use God to make money. I can see this is an old habit with you; you reek with money-lust.”

24 “Oh!” said Simon, “pray for me! Pray to the Master that nothing like that will ever happen to me!”

25 And with that, the apostles were on their way, continuing to witness and spread the Message of God’s salvation, preaching in every Samaritan town they passed through on their return to Jerusalem.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Thursday, February 02, 2023

Today's Scripture

Luke 6:37–42

“Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don’t condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you’ll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity.”

39-40 He quoted a proverb: “‘Can a blind man guide a blind man?’ Wouldn’t they both end up in the ditch? An apprentice doesn’t lecture the master. The point is to be careful who you follow as your teacher.

41-42 “It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this I-know-better-than-you mentality again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your own part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.

Insight

How often we use the words judge not in judgment of others whom we perceive to be judging still others. But Jesus’ words “do not judge” (Luke 6:37) don’t mean that we abandon all discernment in favor of approving every behavior. Rather, His edict is given in the context of love and forgiveness—first God’s love for us and the forgiveness He lavishly gives, and then our love and forgiveness extended even to our enemies. In verses 35–36, Jesus spoke about the need to “love [our] enemies” and to “be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Prior to that He said to “do good to those who hate you” (v. 27). If we desire mercy from our Father, we’re to be generous in our forgiveness and restoration of others, just as God is with us. 

Learn more about the practice of forgiveness. By: Tim Gustafson

Like Our Great Teacher

The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher. Luke 6:40

In a viral video, a three-year-old white belt karate student imitated her instructor. With passion and conviction the little girl said the student creed with her leader. Then, with poise and attentiveness, the little ball of cuteness and energy imitated everything her teacher said and did—at least she did a pretty good job!

Jesus once said, “The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher” (Luke 6:40). He told His disciples that to imitate Him included being generous, loving, nonjudgmental (vv. 37–38), and discerning about whom they followed: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit?” (v. 39). His disciples needed to discern that this standard disqualified the Pharisees who were blind guides—leading people to disaster (Matthew 15:14). And they needed to grasp the importance of following their Teacher. Thus, the aim of Christ’s disciples was to become like Jesus Himself. So it was important for them to pay careful attention to Christ’s instruction about generosity and love and apply it.

As believers striving to imitate Jesus today, let’s give our lives over to our Master Teacher so we can become like Him in knowledge, wisdom, and behavior. He alone can help us reflect His generous, loving ways. By:  Marvin Williams

Reflect & Pray

What parts of Jesus’ life are you seeking to imitate these days? When is it most difficult for you to imitate Christ, the Master Teacher?

Jesus, my Great Teacher, help my discipline and attentiveness to be worthy of You!

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Thursday, February 02, 2023

The Compelling Force of the Call

Woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! —1 Corinthians 9:16

Beware of refusing to hear the call of God. Everyone who is saved is called to testify to the fact of his salvation. That, however, is not the same as the call to preach, but is merely an illustration which can be used in preaching. In this verse, Paul was referring to the stinging pains produced in him by the compelling force of the call to preach the gospel. Never try to apply what Paul said regarding the call to preach to those souls who are being called to God for salvation. There is nothing easier than getting saved, because it is solely God’s sovereign work— “Look to Me, and be saved…” (Isaiah 45:22). Our Lord never requires the same conditions for discipleship that he requires for salvation. We are condemned to salvation through the Cross of Christ. But discipleship has an option with it— “If anyone…” (Luke 14:26).

Paul’s words have to do with our being made servants of Jesus Christ, and our permission is never asked as to what we will do or where we will go. God makes us as broken bread and poured-out wine to please Himself. To be “separated to the gospel” means being able to hear the call of God (Romans 1:1). Once someone begins to hear that call, a suffering worthy of the name of Christ is produced. Suddenly, every ambition, every desire of life, and every outlook is completely blotted out and extinguished. Only one thing remains— “…separated to the gospel…” Woe be to the soul who tries to head in any other direction once that call has come to him. The Bible Training College exists so that each of you may know whether or not God has a man or woman here who truly cares about proclaiming His gospel and to see if God grips you for this purpose. Beware of competing calls once the call of God grips you.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

The attitude of a Christian towards the providential order in which he is placed is to recognize that God is behind it for purposes of His own.  Biblical Ethics, 99 R

Bible in a Year: Exodus 29-30; Matthew 21:23-46

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Thursday, February 02, 2023

TWO WORDS THAT CAN GIVE YOU HEAVEN - #9409

When I fly into Washington D.C., I sort of flash back to an unforgettable scene. It's been quite a while, but I can't help but think of it as I see that same bridge. It actually happened way back in 1982 in January. It was when Air Florida's flight 90 took off in Washington. It raked the 14th Street Bridge; plunged into the freezing waters of the Potomac River. I can still remember that image of the tail section sticking up out of the river and six survivors clinging to that plane.

And there was that rescue helicopter circling overhead, lowering a lifeline to those survivors. And there was this one middle-aged man who was unidentified in the news reports. He kept pushing the lifeline away and passing it to the other five passengers. Now, five people had been rescued. When the chopper went back for that sixth man, he'd slipped beneath the water. The pilot said later, "I have never seen one man with that much commitment."

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Two Words That Can Give You Heaven."

One man who gave up his life so others wouldn't have to die; does that sound familiar? Someone did that for you. Oh yeah, The Someone. Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Galatians 2:20. Here's what it says, "The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God (tThat's Jesus), who loved me and gave himself for me."

There are two simple but life-saving facts there. Jesus loves you and He gave His life for you. You say, "How? Why?" Well, Romans 6:23 provides the context for that out of the Bible. It says, "The wages of sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." See, there's a death penalty for this series of life-choices that we've made that God calls sin. You and I have both lived outside of God's boundaries. We've hijacked the life He was supposed to run, and honestly we've run it our way.

Somebody said recently, "Oh, I don't believe a loving God would punish sin." Well, look at the cross of Jesus. He was carrying your sin and mine. He was assuming all the guilt, all the punishment of my sin and yours, and we hear God's one and only Son crying, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" Because a holy God must turn His back on whomever is carrying my sin or yours. Jesus died so you don't have to carry that penalty any longer unless you reject Him and you reject His offer of eternal life.

The sacrifice of that man in the Potomac? That's a picture of Jesus giving up His life so you can live. But it's a very incomplete picture, because Jesus was taking eternal death; all our forever suffering, all our forever separation from God, all our hell.

And those two life-saving words I mentioned. There was a young man we talked to not long ago who was involved in a cult and came back to the church he had grown up in after becoming disillusioned. And he walked in and he said, "For the first time I saw that cross. I mean, I've seen the cross many times in my life, but I looked at Jesus dying on that cross and for the first time I said these words, ‘That was for me, wasn't it?'"

Those are the two life-saving words - for me. To walk up to the cross where Jesus was dying and say those two words as you look at Him, "For me, Jesus." That's exactly what it said in the Bible, "He loved me and gave himself for me." And so you say, "Jesus, I'm taking you for me." Have you ever told Him that? Why would you wait another day to get this settled? Drop your junk at the cross. Put all your faith in Him as your payment for your sin.

If you're ready to finally welcome Him into your life, the One who paid such a high price for you, He's offered His blood to forgive you and erase your sin from God's Book, well then tell Him you want to belong to Him. Let me invite you to join us at our website, because I think we could help you there get started with Jesus. Just go to ANewStory.com.

No one's ever loved you like Jesus. No one's ever given so much than God's one and only Son. There's no reason for you to die. Someone died for you so you don't have to. And his name is Jesus.

1 Kings 9 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

 

Max Lucado Daily: JESUS HAS FELT LIKE YOU DO - February 1, 2023

The next time your world goes from calm to chaos—ponder this:  Jesus knows how you feel.  His eyes have grown weary.  His heart has grown heavy.  He knows how you feel.

You’re no doubt convinced Jesus is acquainted with sorrow and has wrestled with fear.  Most people accept that. But can God relate to the hassles and headaches of your life? For some reason this is harder to believe.

Listen to Hebrews 4:15, “. . .he Himself has shared fully in all our experience of temptation, except that He never sinned.” The writer of Hebrews anticipates our objections. God, it’s easy for you up there.  You don’t know how hard it is from down here.

Listen again.  He has shared fully.  Not nearly. Not to a large degree.  But entirely! In all our experience.  Every hurt.  Every ache. Why?  So that when you hurt, you’ll go to Him who knows how you feel!

1 Kings 9

After Solomon had completed building The Temple of God and his own palace, all the projects he had set his heart on doing, God appeared to Solomon again, just as he had appeared to him at Gibeon.

3-5 And God said to him, “I’ve listened to and received all your prayers, your ever-so-passionate prayers. I’ve sanctified this Temple that you have built: My Name is stamped on it forever; my eyes are on it and my heart in it always. As for you, if you live in my presence as your father David lived, pure in heart and action, living the life I’ve set out for you, attentively obedient to my guidance and judgments, then I’ll back your kingly rule over Israel, make it a sure thing on a solid foundation. The same guarantee I gave David your father I’m giving you: ‘You can count on always having a descendant on Israel’s throne.’

6-9 “But if you or your sons betray me, ignoring my guidance and judgments, taking up with alien gods by serving and worshiping them, then the guarantee is off: I’ll wipe Israel right off the map and repudiate this Temple I’ve just sanctified to honor my Name. And Israel will become nothing but a bad joke among the peoples of the world. And this Temple, splendid as it now is, will become an object of contempt; visitors will shake their heads, saying, ‘Whatever happened here? What’s the story behind these ruins?’ Then they’ll be told, ‘The people who used to live here betrayed their God, the very God who rescued their ancestors from Egypt; they took up with alien gods, worshiping and serving them. That’s what’s behind this God-visited devastation.’”

* * *

10-12 At the end of twenty years, having built the two buildings, The Temple of God and his personal palace, Solomon rewarded Hiram king of Tyre with a gift of twenty villages in the district of Galilee. Hiram had provided him with all the cedar and cypress and gold that he had wanted. But when Hiram left Tyre to look over the villages that Solomon had given him, he didn’t like what he saw.

13-14 He said, “What kind of reward is this, my friend? Twenty backwoods hick towns!” People still refer to them that way. This is all Hiram got from Solomon in exchange for four and a half tons of gold!

* * *

15 This is the work record of the labor force that King Solomon raised to build The Temple of God, his palace, the defense complex (the Millo), the Jerusalem wall, and the fortified cities of Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer.

16-17 Pharaoh king of Egypt had come up and captured Gezer, torched it, and killed all the Canaanites who lived there. He gave it as a wedding present to his daughter, Solomon’s wife. So Solomon rebuilt Gezer.

17-19 He also built Lower Beth Horon, Baalath, and Tamar in the desert, back-country storehouse villages, and villages for chariots and horses. Solomon built widely and extravagantly in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and wherever he fancied.

20-23 The remnants from the original inhabitants of the land (Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—all non-Israelites), survivors of the holy wars, were rounded up by Solomon for his gangs of slave labor, a policy still in effect. But true Israelites were not treated this way; they were used in his army and administration—government leaders and commanders of his chariots and charioteers. They were also the project managers responsible for Solomon’s building operations—550 of them in charge of the workforce.

24 It was after Pharaoh’s daughter ceremonially ascended from the City of David and took up residence in the house built especially for her that Solomon built the defense complex (the Millo).

25 Three times a year Solomon worshiped at the Altar of God, sacrificing Whole-Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings, and burning incense in the presence of God. Everything that had to do with The Temple he did generously and well; he didn’t skimp.

26-28 And ships! King Solomon also built ships at Ezion Geber, located near Elath in Edom on the Red Sea. Hiram sent seaworthy sailors to assist Solomon’s men with the fleet. They embarked for Ophir, brought back sixteen tons of gold, and presented it to King Solomon.

* * *

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Wednesday, February 01, 2023

Today's Scripture

Matthew 5:1–12

You’re Blessed

When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:

3 “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

4 “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

5 “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.

6 “You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.

7 “You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.

8 “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

9 “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.

10 “You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.

11-12 “Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.

Insight

Matthew records five major sections of Jesus’ teaching (Matthew 5–7; 10; 13; 18; 24–25). Matthew 5–7 is known as the Sermon on the Mount because Jesus taught it when he was “on a mountainside” (5:1) in Galilee (4:23). In this sermon, Christ teaches what it takes to be His disciple. First, He describes the character (5:3–12) and then the conduct (5:13–7:29) of a believer in Jesus. Matthew 5:3–12 is known as the Beatitudes, so named because the Latin word for “blessed” or “happy” is beatus. One author calls them the “Beautiful Attitudes.” Each of the eight beatitudes opens with the word blessed (makarios), which is translated “happy” in some versions. But makarios has the basic meaning of “being approved by God” or “receiving God’s favor.” Those who’ve received God’s approval and favor are indeed blessed and have cause to be contented and joyful. By: K. T. Sim

Blessing in the Tears

Blessed are those who mourn. Matthew 5:4

I received an email from a young man in England, a son who explained that his father (only sixty-three) was in the hospital in critical condition, hanging on to life. Though we’d never met, his dad’s work and mine shared many intersections. The son, trying to cheer his father, asked me to send a video message of encouragement and prayer. Deeply moved, I recorded a short message and a prayer for healing. I was told that his dad watched the video and gave a hearty thumbs-up. Sadly, a couple days later, I received another email telling me that he had died. He held his wife’s hand as he took his final breath.

My heart broke. Such love, such devastation. The family lost a husband and father far too soon. Yet it’s surprising to hear Jesus insist that it’s precisely these grieving ones who are blessed: “Blessed are those who mourn,” Jesus says (Matthew 5:4). Jesus isn’t saying suffering and sorrow are good, but rather that God’s mercy and kindness pour over those who need it most. Those overcome by grief due to death or even their own sinfulness are most in need of God’s attention and consolation—and Jesus promises us “they will be comforted” (v. 4).

God steps toward us, His loved children (v. 9). He blesses us in our tears. By:  Winn Collier

Reflect & Pray

What places do you encounter sorrow in your story and in others’ stories? How does Jesus’ promise of blessing alter how you view this grief?

Dear God, when I’m awash in grief and sorrow, please help me to experience Your blessing even in the tears.

Learn more about coping with loss.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Wednesday, February 01, 2023

The Call of God

Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel… —1 Corinthians 1:17

Paul states here that the call of God is to preach the gospel. But remember what Paul means by “the gospel,” namely, the reality of redemption in our Lord Jesus Christ. We are inclined to make sanctification the goal of our preaching. Paul refers to personal experiences only by way of illustration, never as the end of the matter. We are not commissioned to preach salvation or sanctification— we are commissioned to lift up Jesus Christ (see John 12:32). It is an injustice to say that Jesus Christ labored in redemption to make me a saint. Jesus Christ labored in redemption to redeem the whole world and to place it perfectly whole and restored before the throne of God. The fact that we can experience redemption illustrates the power of its reality, but that experience is a byproduct and not the goal of redemption. If God were human, how sick and tired He would be of the constant requests we make for our salvation and for our sanctification. We burden His energies from morning till night asking for things for ourselves or for something from which we want to be delivered! When we finally touch the underlying foundation of the reality of the gospel of God, we will never bother Him anymore with little personal complaints.

The one passion of Paul’s life was to proclaim the gospel of God. He welcomed heartbreak, disillusionment, and tribulation for only one reason— these things kept him unmovable in his devotion to the gospel of God.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

We can understand the attributes of God in other ways, but we can only understand the Father’s heart in the Cross of Christ.  The Highest Good—Thy Great Redemption, 558 L

Bible in a Year: Exodus 27-28; Matthew 21:1-22

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Wednesday, February 01, 2023

CHANGING THE TEMPERATURE IN OVERHEATED TIMES - #9408

It was really cold outside. It wasn't supposed to be cold inside. But when I awoke that morning, my nose felt like a puppy nose. It was cold - 45 degrees in the house! Turned out the problem wasn't the thermometer. No, that just reflected the temperature. It was the thermostat that sets the temperature.

If there was ever a time when our world and our country needed for the followers of Jesus to be thermostats, it's now. It's way too hot. So much anger. You know, yelling and disrespect.

We who bear Jesus' name? We can't afford to be thermometers in an environment like this. If we reflect this fierce and fractured temperature around us, we'll just give people another reason not to trust Jesus.

No issue that I may have is important enough for me to forget who I really am. Or to discredit the One who loves me most.

What I can't forget is that, first and foremost, "we are Christ's ambassadors" (2 Corinthians 5:20). So, as the Bible says, "whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus" (Colossians 3:17). In my texts, my conversations, my emails, my social media posts, my attitude. Folks can't see and hear Jesus. But they can see and hear me and judge my Jesus by me.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Changing The Temperature In Overheated Times."

After an election, or when there's a medical controversy, whatever it is, some are grieving, some are seething, some are celebrating, some are stressing over the outcome. That's why, as one of Jesus' reps, I need to make a choice - that I'm going to bring the peace and the presence of Jesus into every situation and every conversation.

So, I've been thinking about what instructions I have from my King that will help me set a climate He'd be comfortable in. It boils down to five simple responsibilities for a "Jesus ambassador."

One...LOVE: His kind of love. The kind that loved us "while we were yet sinners" (Romans 5:8). It's unconditional. It's uncondemning. It's love that builds up and refuses to tear down or reciprocate. It's a choice. It's not a feeling. Not to treat you like you treated me. But to treat you like Jesus treats me.

If I get sucked into the spiral of hurtful words and inflamed opinions, I become a reason for someone to say, "See, they're just like us!" I can't do that because, as it says in our word for today from the Word of God in John 13:35, "this is how they will know you are My disciples, by your love." Whatever they give, I know what I have to give. I've got to give love like His.

Secondly...PRAY: No matter who leads a nation, no matter who's in charge, my orders are to pray for kings and all those in authority. This pleases God our Savior" the Bible says (1 Timothy 2:2-3). In the Throne Room of God, there are no political parties. Even if I don't vote for someone, I've got to pray for them. And to fervently pray, "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10).

Thirdly...RESPECT: Peter said to represent Him with "gentleness and respect" and to "show proper respect to everyone" (1 Peter 3:15, 2:17). As someone made in God's image and for whom Christ died.

And then there's PARTICIPATE: In Jesus' day, you didn't get to vote on who would be emperor. Whatever our form of government, Jesus' orders remain: "Give back to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's" (Mark 12:17). In the case of our country, we've got a democracy. So, I pay taxes. I do it to obey my King; my King of kings. And living in a democracy, where voices can be freely expressed, we vote and we abide by laws.

And there's one last word that's glue in these shattering times. TRUST: Even when things don't turn out the way we had hoped. You know, I guess you could spend just a lot of time dwelling on your disappointment. Or you could embrace the sovereignty of your King of kings. Which will lead you to ask that soul-lifting question - "How can God use this?"

1 Kings 8 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

 Max Lucado Daily: A NO TOLERANCE POLICY - January 31, 2023

Ananias and Sapphira used the church for self-promotion. God has a strong word for such behavior: hypocrisy. The Greek word for hypocrite originally meant “actor.” First-century actors wore masks. A hypocrite, then, is one who puts on a false face.

Let’s be clear: to do a good thing is a good thing. To do good to be seen is not. In fact, to do good to be seen is a serious offense.

Matthew 6:1 warns, “Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don’t make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won’t be applauding” (The Message).

Hypocrisy turns people against God. So God has a no-tolerance policy. Do good things. Just don’t do them to be noticed. You can be too good for your own good, you know.

1 Kings 8

Bringing all this to a climax, King Solomon called in the leaders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the family patriarchs, to bring up the Chest of the Covenant of God from Zion, the City of David. And they came, all Israel before King Solomon in the month of Ethanim, the seventh month, for the great autumn festival.

3-5 With all Israel’s leaders present, the priests took up the Chest of God and carried up the Chest and the Tent of Meeting and all the holy vessels that went with the Tent. King Solomon and the entire congregation of Israel were there at the Chest worshiping and sacrificing huge numbers of sheep and cattle—so many that no one could keep track.

6-9 Then the priests brought the Chest of the Covenant of God to its place in the Inner Sanctuary, the Holy of Holies, under the wings of the cherubim. The outspread wings of the cherubim stretched over the Chest and its poles. The poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the entrance to the Inner Sanctuary, but were not noticeable farther out. They’re still there today. There was nothing in the Chest but the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb where God made a covenant with Israel after bringing them up from Egypt.

The Temple Finished, Dedicated, Filled

10-11 When the priests left the Holy Place, a cloud filled The Temple of God. The priests couldn’t carry out their priestly duties because of the cloud—the glory of God filled The Temple of God!

12-13 Then Solomon spoke:

God has told us that he lives in the dark

    where no one can see him;

I’ve built this splendid Temple, O God,

    to mark your invisible presence forever.

14 The king then turned to face the congregation and blessed them:

15-16 “Blessed be God, the God of Israel, who spoke personally to my father David. Now he has kept the promise he made when he said, ‘From the day I brought my people Israel from Egypt, I haven’t set apart one city among the tribes of Israel to build a Temple to fix my Name there. But I did choose David to rule my people Israel.’

17-19 “My father David had it in his heart to build a Temple honoring the Name of God, the God of Israel. But God told him ‘It was good that you wanted to build a Temple in my honor—most commendable! But you are not the one to do it—your son will build it to honor my Name.’

20-21 “God has done what he said he would do: I have succeeded David my father and ruled over Israel just as God promised; and now I’ve built a Temple to honor God, the God of Israel, and I’ve secured a place for the Chest that holds the covenant of God, the covenant that he made with our ancestors when he brought them up from the land of Egypt.”

* * *

22-25 Before the entire congregation of Israel, Solomon took a position before the Altar, spread his hands out before heaven, and prayed,

O God, God of Israel, there is no God like you in the skies above or on the earth below who unswervingly keeps covenant with his servants and relentlessly loves them as they sincerely live in obedience to your way. You kept your word to David my father, your personal word. You did exactly what you promised—every detail. The proof is before us today!

Keep it up, God, O God of Israel! Continue to keep the promises you made to David my father when you said, “You’ll always have a descendant to represent my rule on Israel’s throne, on the condition that your sons are as careful to live obediently in my presence as you have.”

26     O God of Israel, let this all happen;

    confirm and establish it!

27-32 Can it be that God will actually move into our neighborhood? Why, the cosmos itself isn’t large enough to give you breathing room, let alone this Temple I’ve built. Even so, I’m bold to ask: Pay attention to these my prayers, both intercessory and personal, O God, my God. Listen to my prayers, energetic and devout, that I’m setting before you right now. Keep your eyes open to this Temple night and day, this place of which you said, “My Name will be honored there,” and listen to the prayers that I pray at this place.

    Listen from your home in heaven

    and when you hear, forgive.

When someone hurts a neighbor and promises to make things right, and then comes and repeats the promise before your Altar in this Temple, listen from heaven and act accordingly: Judge your servants, making the offender pay for his offense and setting the offended free of any charges.

33-34 When your people Israel are beaten by an enemy because they’ve sinned against you, but then turn to you and acknowledge your rule in prayers desperate and devout in this Temple,

    Listen from your home in heaven,

    forgive the sin of your people Israel,

    return them to the land you gave their ancestors.

35-36 When the skies shrivel up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, but then they pray at this place, acknowledging your rule and quitting their sins because you have scourged them,

    Listen from your home in heaven,

    forgive the sins of your servants, your people Israel.

Then start over with them: Train them to live right and well; send rain on the land you gave your people as an inheritance.

37-40 When disasters strike, famine or catastrophe, crop failure or disease, locust or beetle, or when an enemy attacks their defenses—calamity of any sort—any prayer that’s prayed from anyone at all among your people Israel, hearts penetrated by the disaster, hands and arms thrown out to this Temple for help,

    Listen from your home in heaven.

Forgive and go to work on us. Give what each deserves, for you know each life from the inside (you’re the only one with such “inside knowledge”!) so that they’ll live before you in lifelong reverent and believing obedience on this land you gave our ancestors.

41-43 And don’t forget the foreigner who is not a member of your people Israel but has come from a far country because of your reputation. People are going to be attracted here by your great reputation, your wonder-working power, who come to pray at this Temple.

    Listen from your home in heaven.

Honor the prayers of the foreigner so that people all over the world will know who you are and what you’re like and will live in reverent obedience before you, just as your own people Israel do; so they’ll know that you personally make this Temple that I’ve built what it is.

44-51 When your people go to war against their enemies at the time and place you send them and they pray to God toward the city you chose and this Temple I’ve built to honor your Name,

    Listen from heaven to what they pray and ask for,

    and do what’s right for them.

When they sin against you—and they certainly will; there’s no one without sin!—and in anger you turn them over to the enemy and they are taken captive to the enemy’s land, whether far or near, but repent in the country of their captivity and pray with changed hearts in their exile, “We’ve sinned; we’ve done wrong; we’ve been most wicked,” and turn back to you heart and soul in the land of the enemy who conquered them, and pray to you toward their homeland, the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you chose, and this Temple I have built to the honor of your Name,

    Listen from your home in heaven

    to their prayers desperate and devout

    and do what is best for them.

Forgive your people who have sinned against you; forgive their gross rebellions and move their captors to treat them with compassion. They are, after all, your people and your precious inheritance whom you rescued from the heart of that iron-smelting furnace, Egypt!

52-53 O be alert and attentive to the needy prayers of me, your servant, and your dear people Israel; listen every time they cry out to you! You handpicked them from all the peoples on earth to be your very own people, as you announced through your servant Moses when you, O God, in your masterful rule, delivered our ancestors from Egypt.

* * *

54-55 Having finished praying to God—all these bold and passionate prayers—Solomon stood up before God’s Altar where he had been kneeling all this time, his arms stretched upward to heaven. Standing, he blessed the whole congregation of Israel, blessing them at the top of his lungs:

56-58 “Blessed be God, who has given peace to his people Israel just as he said he’d do. Not one of all those good and wonderful words that he spoke through Moses has misfired. May God, our very own God, continue to be with us just as he was with our ancestors—may he never give up and walk out on us. May he keep us centered and devoted to him, following the life path he has cleared, watching the signposts, walking at the pace and rhythms he laid down for our ancestors.

59-61 “And let these words that I’ve prayed in the presence of God be always right there before him, day and night, so that he’ll do what is right for me, to guarantee justice for his people Israel day after day after day. Then all the people on earth will know God is the true God; there is no other God. And you, your lives must be totally obedient to God, our personal God, following the life path he has cleared, alert and attentive to everything he has made plain this day.”

* * *

62-63 The king and all Israel with him then worshiped, offering sacrifices to God. Solomon offered Peace-Offerings, sacrificing to God 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep. This is how the king and all Israel dedicated The Temple of God.

64 That same day, the king set apart the central area of the Courtyard in front of God’s Temple for sacred use and there sacrificed the Whole-Burnt-Offerings, Grain-Offerings, and fat from the Peace-Offerings—the bronze Altar was too small to handle all these offerings.

65-66 This is how Solomon kept the great autumn feast, and all Israel with him, people there all the way from the far northeast (the Entrance to Hamath) to the far southwest (the Brook of Egypt)—a huge congregation. They started out celebrating for seven days—and then did it another seven days! Two solid weeks of celebration! Then he dismissed them. They blessed the king and went home, exuberant with heartfelt gratitude for all the good God had done for his servant David and for his people Israel.

* * *

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Today's Scripture

Deuteronomy 8:10–18

 After a meal, satisfied, bless God, your God, for the good land he has given you.

11-16 Make sure you don’t forget God, your God, by not keeping his commandments, his rules and regulations that I command you today. Make sure that when you eat and are satisfied, build pleasant houses and settle in, see your herds and flocks flourish and more and more money come in, watch your standard of living going up and up—make sure you don’t become so full of yourself and your things that you forget God, your God,

the God who delivered you from Egyptian slavery;

the God who led you through that huge and fearsome wilderness, those desolate, arid badlands crawling with fiery snakes and scorpions;

the God who gave you water gushing from hard rock;

the God who gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never heard of, in order to give you a taste of the hard life, to test you so that you would be prepared to live well in the days ahead of you.

17-18 If you start thinking to yourselves, “I did all this. And all by myself. I’m rich. It’s all mine!”—well, think again. Remember that God, your God, gave you the strength to produce all this wealth so as to confirm the covenant that he promised to your ancestors—as it is today.

Insight

As Deuteronomy opens, the Israelites are preparing to enter the promised land. In this final book attributed to Moses, he recounts the law and reminds the people to remember all God has done for them. In today’s passage, the Israelites are called to remember and obey God when they settle in their new land, for He was and will be the source of their blessings (Deuteronomy 8:17–18). God miraculously delivered them from slavery and the Egyptians, led them through the desert, provided manna, and even kept their clothes from wearing out (5:15; 7:18; 8:2–4; 15:15; 16:3, 12; 24:18, 22).

By: Alyson Kieda

Sustainer of Blessings

Remember the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 8:18

On January 15, 1919, a huge molasses tank burst in Boston. A fifteen-foot wave of more than two million gallons of molasses careened through the street at over 30 mph, sweeping away railcars, buildings, people, and animals. Molasses might seem harmless enough, but that day it was deadly: 21 people lost their lives with more than 150 injured.

Sometimes even good things—like molasses—can overwhelm us unexpectedly. Before the Israelites entered the land God promised them, Moses  warned the people to be careful not to take credit for the good things they’d receive: “When you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase . . . , then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God.” They weren’t to attribute this wealth to their own strength or capabilities. Instead, Moses said, “Remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:12–14, 17–18).  

All good things—including physical health and the skills needed to earn a living—are blessings from the hand of our loving God. Even when we’ve worked hard, it’s He who sustains us. Oh, to hold our blessings with open hands, that we may gratefully praise God for His kindness to us! By:  James Banks

Reflect & Pray

What kindnesses from God are you thankful for today? Who can you help with a blessing you’ve received?

Thank You, Father, for sustaining me every moment. Please help me to recognize Your kindness, so I may share it with others.

For further study, read Compassion: Learning to Love Like Jesus.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Do You See Your Calling?

…separated to the gospel of God… —Romans 1:1

Our calling is not primarily to be holy men and women, but to be proclaimers of the gospel of God. The one all-important thing is that the gospel of God should be recognized as the abiding reality. Reality is not human goodness, or holiness, or heaven, or hell— it is redemption. The need to perceive this is the most vital need of the Christian worker today. As workers, we have to get used to the revelation that redemption is the only reality. Personal holiness is an effect of redemption, not the cause of it. If we place our faith in human goodness we will go under when testing comes.

Paul did not say that he separated himself, but “when it pleased God, who separated me…” (Galatians 1:15). Paul was not overly interested in his own character. And as long as our eyes are focused on our own personal holiness, we will never even get close to the full reality of redemption. Christian workers fail because they place their desire for their own holiness above their desire to know God. “Don’t ask me to be confronted with the strong reality of redemption on behalf of the filth of human life surrounding me today; what I want is anything God can do for me to make me more desirable in my own eyes.” To talk that way is a sign that the reality of the gospel of God has not begun to touch me. There is no reckless abandon to God in that. God cannot deliver me while my interest is merely in my own character. Paul was not conscious of himself. He was recklessly abandoned, totally surrendered, and separated by God for one purpose— to proclaim the gospel of God (see Romans 9:3).

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

The great thing about faith in God is that it keeps a man undisturbed in the midst of disturbance. Notes on Isaiah, 1376 R

Bible in a Year: Exodus 25-26; Matthew 20:17-34

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Tuesday, January 31, 2023

GRAND LARCENY - ROBBING GOD - #9407

It wasn't easy being queen. So it should come as no surprise that monarchs like the late Queen Elizabeth would like to escape from London sometimes. In fact, one such occasion, the queen asked her chauffeur to take her for a ride in the country. Then she asked him to pull over so she could just take a little walk by herself. No crown, no gown - dressed down. So for these golden moments, the queen was just an ordinary lady, taking a walk in the country. She'd gone out about a mile down the road when this sudden rain shower opened up. The queen knocked on the door of a small hut that was nearby. She asked the lady if she had an umbrella. The lady actually had two umbrellas - a tattered, battered old umbrella and a brand new one. She gave her the beat up umbrella. This is the queen, but she doesn't know that of course. The queen promised it would be returned the next day. Well, you've got to imagine the scene as a uniformed chauffeur pulls up in the royal limousine, goes to the door of the hut the next day and announces, "I'm returning this for the queen." Needless to say, the woman was in shock. All she could say was, "If I had known it was for the queen, I would have given her my best!"

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Grand Larceny - Robbing God."

It's amazing how many people give their least, not their best - to the King, that is. The King. The one an ancient hymn calls the "High King of Heaven." The one the Bible calls the "King of kings and Lord of lords." Oh, we'll stand when they sing that in the "Hallelujah Chorus." We'll really get into singing praise songs to Him, but when it comes to the stuff that really matters in our life, we hold onto the best and give what's left to the King of all kings.

Hanging onto our best - giving the King less than our best is not a new thing. In our word for today from the Word of God in Malachi 1:13-14, God rejects the offerings that His people have been bringing. He'd commanded them from the beginning to bring the best of their flocks to Him as an expression of their love for Him. He says: "'When you bring injured, crippled or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands? Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great King,' says the Lord Almighty, 'and My name is to be feared among the nations.'"

Later in this same book, God poses this shocking question, "Will a man rob God?" Then He gives the answer. "Yet you rob Me." When God's people ask how they've robbed Him, He says, "In tithes and offerings." Well, that's one example of withholding your best from the King - by giving Him the money you have left over after you've spent what you really want to spend on yourself. But there are many ways to rob our King. By giving Him your leftover time; by making Him Lord of the things that don't matter that much to you and holding onto the things that you really care about - that relationship, that child, that dream, that favorite thing - that sin. You can rob God by taking on a work for Him and just doing it like halfheartedly, by being lazy or irresponsible in getting it done.

So many ways to rob God. So many ways to hold out one hand, offering God some small pieces of your life, and then to keep the other hand behind your back, tightly clinging to what really matters to you. The command of God's Word is unmistakable: "You must present as the Lord's portion the best and holiest part of everything given to you" (Numbers 18:29). Are you? Why should you? Because, as the Bible says, "He did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all" (Romans 8:32). How can I hold onto my best or give it to someone else when God gave His best, His Son, for me?

It's been said many times, but it says it all, "If He's not Lord of all, He's not Lord at all."

Acts 7:44-60, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: THE SAMARITAN WOMAN - January 30, 2023

“Where is God? My people say he is on the mountain. Your people say he is in Jerusalem. I don’t know where he is” (John 4:20).

I’d give a thousand sunsets to see the expression on the face of Jesus as he heard those words from the Samaritan woman. Did his eyes water? Did he smile? Did he look up and wink at his Father? Of all the places to find a hungry heart—Samaria? And of all the Samaritans to be searching for God—a woman? And of all the women to have an insatiable appetite for God—a five-time divorcée.

“I am the Messiah,” he told her (v. 26). Don’t miss the drama of the moment. Look at her eyes, wide with amazement. Suddenly the insignificance of her life was swallowed by the significance of the moment. “God is here! God has come! And God cares…for me!”

Acts 7:44-60

 “And all this time our ancestors had a tent shrine for true worship, made to the exact specifications God provided Moses. They had it with them as they followed Joshua, when God cleared the land of pagans, and still had it right down to the time of David. David asked God for a permanent place for worship. But Solomon built it.

48-50 “Yet that doesn’t mean that Most High God lives in a building made by carpenters and masons. The prophet Isaiah put it well when he wrote,

“Heaven is my throne room;

    I rest my feet on earth.

So what kind of house

    will you build me?” says God.

“Where I can get away and relax?

    It’s already built, and I built it.”

51-53 “And you continue, so bullheaded! Calluses on your hearts, flaps on your ears! Deliberately ignoring the Holy Spirit, you’re just like your ancestors. Was there ever a prophet who didn’t get the same treatment? Your ancestors killed anyone who dared talk about the coming of the Just One. And you’ve kept up the family tradition—traitors and murderers, all of you. You had God’s Law handed to you by angels—gift-wrapped!—and you squandered it!”

54-56 At that point they went wild, a rioting mob of catcalls and whistles and invective. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, hardly noticed—he only had eyes for God, whom he saw in all his glory with Jesus standing at his side. He said, “Oh! I see heaven wide open and the Son of Man standing at God’s side!”

57-58 Yelling and hissing, the mob drowned him out. Now in full stampede, they dragged him out of town and pelted him with rocks. The ringleaders took off their coats and asked a young man named Saul to watch them.

59-60 As the rocks rained down, Stephen prayed, “Master Jesus, take my life.” Then he knelt down, praying loud enough for everyone to hear, “Master, don’t blame them for this sin”—his last words. Then he died.

Saul was right there, congratulating the killers.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Monday, January 30, 2023

Today's Scripture

Isaiah 40:28–31

Why would you ever complain, O Jacob,

    or, whine, Israel, saying,

“God has lost track of me.

    He doesn’t care what happens to me”?

Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening?

God doesn’t come and go. God lasts.

    He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine.

He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath.

    And he knows everything, inside and out.

He energizes those who get tired,

    gives fresh strength to dropouts.

For even young people tire and drop out,

    young folk in their prime stumble and fall.

But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.

    They spread their wings and soar like eagles,

They run and don’t get tired,

    they walk and don’t lag behind.

Insight

God had warned an unrepentant Judah that He would use two pagan superpowers, the Assyrians and the Babylonians, to discipline them for their unfaithfulness (Isaiah 1–39). Then the prophet Isaiah comforted Judah with the promise that God would restore and bless them once the discipline was completed (chs. 40–66). In chapter 40, Isaiah spoke tenderly of God’s loving care for them—“He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart” (v. 11). Isaiah also extolled the sovereignty, authority, and omnipotence of God (vv. 1–26). Addressing their sense of abandonment (v. 27), the prophet assured them that God wasn’t only resolute in blessing them but also had the absolute power to do so (v. 28). As the everlasting, omnipotent Creator, He was the source of their strength (v. 29). Isaiah called on these despondent Jews to trust God to carry out His promises (vv. 30–31). By: K. T. Sim

Running on Empty

They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31

“I just don’t think I can do this anymore,” my friend said through her tears as she discussed the overwhelming sense of hopelessness she faced as a nurse in a global health crisis. “I know that God has called me to nursing, but I’m overwhelmed and emotionally drained,” she confessed. Seeing that a cloud of exhaustion had come over her, I responded, “I know you feel helpless right now, but ask God to give you the direction you’re seeking and the strength to persevere.” At that moment, she decided to intentionally seek God through prayer. Soon after, my friend was invigorated with a new sense of purpose. Not only was she emboldened to continue nursing, but God also gave her the strength to serve even more people by traveling to hospitals around the country.

As believers in Jesus, we can always look to God for help and encouragement when we feel overburdened because “He will not grow tired or weary” (Isaiah 40:28). The prophet Isaiah states that our Father in heaven “gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak” (v. 29). Though God’s strength is everlasting, He knows that we’ll inevitably have days when we’re physically and emotionally consumed (v. 30). But when we look to God for our strength instead of trying to sprint through life’s challenges alone, He’ll restore and renew us and give us the resolve to press on in faith.

By:  Kimya Loder

Reflect & Pray

When have you tried to handle overwhelming situations alone? How might you look to God for help?

Dear God, thank You for helping me when the challenges of life seem unbearable.

For further study, read Why Doesn’t God Answer Me? Trusting in Times of Doubt and Trial.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Monday, January 30, 2023

The Dilemma of Obedience

Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision. —1 Samuel 3:15

God never speaks to us in dramatic ways, but in ways that are easy to misunderstand. Then we say, “I wonder if that is God’s voice?” Isaiah said that the Lord spoke to him “with a strong hand,” that is, by the pressure of his circumstances (Isaiah 8:11). Without the sovereign hand of God Himself, nothing touches our lives. Do we discern His hand at work, or do we see things as mere occurrences?

Get into the habit of saying, “Speak, Lord,” and life will become a romance (1 Samuel 3:9). Every time circumstances press in on you, say, “Speak, Lord,” and make time to listen. Chastening is more than a means of discipline— it is meant to bring me to the point of saying, “Speak, Lord.” Think back to a time when God spoke to you. Do you remember what He said? Was it Luke 11:13, or was it 1 Thessalonians 5:23? As we listen, our ears become more sensitive, and like Jesus, we will hear God all the time.

Should I tell my “Eli” what God has shown to me? This is where the dilemma of obedience hits us. We disobey God by becoming amateur providences and thinking, “I must shield ‘Eli,’ ” who represents the best people we know. God did not tell Samuel to tell Eli— he had to decide that for himself. God’s message to you may hurt your “Eli,” but trying to prevent suffering in another’s life will prove to be an obstruction between your soul and God. It is at your own risk that you prevent someone’s right hand being cut off or right eye being plucked out (see Matthew 5:29-30).

Never ask another person’s advice about anything God makes you decide before Him. If you ask advice, you will almost always side with Satan. “…I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood…” (Galatians 1:16).

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

God engineers circumstances to see what we will do. Will we be the children of our Father in heaven, or will we go back again to the meaner, common-sense attitude? Will we stake all and stand true to Him? “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” The crown of life means I shall see that my Lord has got the victory after all, even in me.  The Highest Good—The Pilgrim’s Song Book, 530 L

Bible in a Year: Exodus 23-24; Matthew 20:1-16

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Monday, January 30, 2023

NOTHING TO HIDE - #9406

A few years back, there was some things in the news about a lot of grumpy prime ministers and presidents. Yeah. Well, there was a reason. It seemed the U.S. was allegedly dropping in on their phone calls uninvited. Now, I'm not sure what all prime ministers and presidents talk about, but they obviously did not like being snooped on. But then, who does?

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Nothing To Hide."

We keep hearing about government agencies listening in on a lot of us, you know, and we're not prime anythings. Makes you kind of feel violated and vulnerable.

Facebook can change their privacy policy, and other social media outlets. But they are increasingly making "personal information" an oxymoron. With the snooping and archiving technologies of our time, seems like there's hardly any such thing as a secret anymore. It's troubling. But it's not as troubling if you have the wonderful freedom that comes from being able to say three little words, "Nothing to hide." Go ahead. You can listen, watch, dig up. I'm not afraid. I have nothing to hide.

Which is a good way to live even if no one ever listens in. For example, if I'm driving the speed limit, no worries about a police car. I don't have to look obsessively in the rear view mirror. Nope, I can thoroughly enjoy the view ahead. I can't get caught if there's nothing to catch, right?

Sometimes the Bible strikes me pretty funny. Like when it says this, "The wicked man flees though no one pursues." Can't you just picture this guy's always looking over his shoulder, even though there's no one there? Of course, on the flip side, the Bible says, "The man of integrity walks securely." Of course he does. Nothing to hide.

Mark Twain said, "If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember what you said." Good idea. People who just tell it straight have no fear of being caught in a lie. If you're faithful to your mate, there's no double life to be found out. No visiting porn sites? Well, then go ahead and check my emails all you want. No financial games? Well, no worries about someone finding the numbers don't add up.

And there's great freedom when you know there's nothing you're hiding in the dark. Because in a world where it seems someone is always watching or listening, you never know when someone may turn on the light. In reality, someone already has. In our word today from the Word of God, Hebrews 4:13, it says, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before His eyes, and He is the one to whom we are accountable."

I have no secrets from God. Romans 2:16 says, "God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ." All the dark stuff in my heart, my mind, my relationships, my actions; all there on the evidence table when I stand defenseless before the Great Judge. Except for one thing that changes everything. The Bible says, "We have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He Himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins" (1 John 2:1-2).

So, God knows every sin of my life. Jesus paid for every sin of my life with His blood on the cross. I'll never have to face my sins. I'll never have to face God's judgment. Jesus already did, because He loves me enough to die for me. I'm amazed! I'm forgiven. And I wish that great relationship with Jesus for you; to know that every wrong thing of your life erased from God's Book forever; that you will never meet your sin when you meet God on Judgment Day. That you, in fact, will be ready to enter His heaven because your sin has been put under the blood of His Son, Jesus.

Do you want that? Well, then tell Jesus that; that you believe He died for your sin, that you're His from today on. Our website would be a great next destination for you. It's all about how to begin that relationship. The website is ANewStory.com.

And today you could begin to walk out in the light where there's nothing to hide.

1 Kings 7, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Asking for Mercy

"But, ma'am," I pleaded, "I've got to be in Houston this evening."  She was patient but firm.  "I'm sorry, sir, the rules say passengers must be at the gate ten minutes before scheduled departure time."  "I know the rules," I said. "I'm not asking for justice; I'm asking for mercy!"  She didn't give it to me.

She didn't give me mercy, but God does.  Even though by the "book" I'm guilty, by God's love I get another chance. Even though by the law I'm indicted, by mercy I'm given a fresh start.

The Bible says, "For it is by grace you have been saved. . .not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

No other world religion offers such a message. Others say, "You do this, and God will give you that." Christ's kingdom is just the opposite. A kingdom where membership is granted, not purchased! You are placed into God's kingdom!  He gives you, not justice, but mercy!

From The Applause of Heaven

1 Kings 7

 It took Solomon another thirteen years to finish building his own palace complex. He built the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon a hundred and fifty feet long, seventy-five feet wide, and forty-five feet high. There were four rows of cedar columns supporting forty-five cedar beams, fifteen in each row, and then roofed with cedar. Windows in groupings of three were set high in the walls on either side. All the doors were rectangular and arranged symmetrically.

6 He built a colonnaded courtyard seventy-five feet long and forty-five wide. It had a roofed porch at the front with ample eaves.

7 He built a court room, the Hall of Justice, where he would decide judicial matters, and paneled it with cedar.

8 He built his personal residence behind the Hall on a similar plan. Solomon also built another one just like it for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had married.

9-12 No expense was spared—everything here, inside and out, from foundation to roof was constructed using high-quality stone, accurately cut and shaped and polished. The foundation stones were huge, ranging in size from twelve to fifteen feet, and of the very best quality. The finest stone was used above the foundation, shaped to size and trimmed with cedar. The courtyard was enclosed with a wall made of three layers of stone and topped with cedar timbers, just like the one in the porch of The Temple of God.

* * *

13-14 King Solomon sent to Tyre and asked Hiram (not the king; another Hiram) to come. Hiram’s mother was a widow from the tribe of Naphtali. His father was a Tyrian and a master worker in bronze. Hiram was a real artist—he could do anything with bronze. He came to King Solomon and did all the bronze work.

15-22 First he cast two pillars in bronze, each twenty-seven feet tall and eighteen feet in circumference. He then cast two capitals in bronze to set on the pillars; each capital was seven and a half feet high and flared at the top in the shape of a lily. Each capital was dressed with an elaborate filigree of seven braided chains and a double row of two hundred pomegranates, setting the pillars off magnificently. He set the pillars up in the entrance porch to The Temple; the pillar to the south he named Security (Jachin) and the pillar to the north Stability (Boaz). The capitals were in the shape of lilies.

22-24 When the pillars were finished, Hiram’s next project was to make the Sea—an immense round basin of cast metal fifteen feet in diameter, seven and a half feet tall, and forty-five feet in circumference. Just under the rim there were two bands of decorative gourds, ten gourds to each foot and a half. The gourds were cast in one piece with the Sea.

25-26 The Sea was set on twelve bulls, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east; the bulls faced outward supporting the Sea on their hindquarters. The Sea was three inches thick and flared at the rim like a cup, or like a lily. It held about 11,500 gallons.

27-33 Hiram also made ten washstands of bronze. Each was six feet square and four and a half feet tall. They were made like this: Panels were fastened to the uprights. Lions, bulls, and cherubim were represented on the panels and uprights. Beveled wreath-work bordered the lions and bulls above and below. Each stand was mounted on four bronze wheels with bronze axles. The uprights were cast with decorative relief work. Each stand held a basin on a circular engraved support a foot and a half deep set on a pedestal two and a quarter feet square. The washstand itself was square. The axles were attached under the stand and the wheels fixed to them. The wheels were twenty-seven inches in diameter; they were designed like chariot wheels. Everything—axles, rims, spokes, and hubs—was of cast metal.

34-37 There was a handle at the four corners of each washstand, the handles cast in one piece with the stand. At the top of the washstand there was a ring about nine inches deep. The uprights and handles were cast with the stand. Everything and every available surface was engraved with cherubim, lions, and palm trees, bordered by arabesques. The washstands were identical, all cast in the same mold.

38-40 He also made ten bronze washbasins, each six feet in diameter with a capacity of 230 gallons, one basin for each of the ten washstands. He arranged five stands on the south side of The Temple and five on the north. The Sea was placed at the southeast corner of The Temple. Hiram then fashioned the various utensils: buckets and shovels and bowls.

40-45 Hiram completed all the work he set out to do for King Solomon on The Temple of God:

two pillars;

two capitals on top of the pillars;

two decorative filigrees for the capitals;

four hundred pomegranates for the two filigrees

(a double row of pomegranates for each filigree);

ten washstands each with its washbasin;

one Sea;

twelve bulls under the Sea;

miscellaneous buckets, shovels, and bowls.

45-47 All these artifacts that Hiram made for King Solomon for The Temple of God were of burnished bronze. He cast them in clay in a foundry on the Jordan plain between Succoth and Zarethan. These artifacts were never weighed—there were far too many! Nobody has any idea how much bronze was used.

48-50 Solomon was also responsible for all the furniture and accessories in The Temple of God:

the gold Altar;

the gold Table that held the Bread of the Presence;

the pure gold candelabras, five to the right and five to the left in front of the Inner Sanctuary;

the gold flowers, lamps, and tongs;

the pure gold dishes, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, ladles, and censers;

the gold sockets for the doors of the Inner Sanctuary, the Holy of Holies, used also for the doors of the Main Sanctuary.

51 That completed all the work King Solomon did on The Temple of God. He then brought in the items consecrated by his father David, the silver and the gold and the artifacts. He placed them all in the treasury of God’s Temple.

* * *

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Sunday, January 29, 2023

Today's Scripture

John 11:38–43

Then Jesus, the anger again welling up within him, arrived at the tomb. It was a simple cave in the hillside with a slab of stone laid against it. Jesus said, “Remove the stone.”

The sister of the dead man, Martha, said, “Master, by this time there’s a stench. He’s been dead four days!”

40 Jesus looked her in the eye. “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”

41-42 Then, to the others, “Go ahead, take away the stone.”

They removed the stone. Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and prayed, “Father, I’m grateful that you have listened to me. I know you always do listen, but on account of this crowd standing here I’ve spoken so that they might believe that you sent me.”

43-44 Then he shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And he came out, a cadaver, wrapped from head to toe, and with a kerchief over his face.

Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him loose.”

Insight

In the gospel of John, Jesus begins His ministry with the miraculous sign of turning water into wine. As the book progresses, Jesus continues to validate His message with miracles—the last of which is raising Lazarus from the dead.

The author of John argues throughout his gospel that Jesus is the only way to life (see 1:4; 14:6). And here, He proves it inescapably by returning His friend to the land of the living (11:38–44). Ironically, Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead sets off the chain of events that would result in Christ’s own death. But it’s that very death and later resurrection that would secure life for not just Lazarus but all who believe in Jesus. As John states, “By believing you may have life in his name” (20:31). By: Jed Ostoich

Seven Minutes of Terror

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16

When the Mars rover Perseverance landed on that red planet on February 18, 2021, those monitoring its arrival endured “seven minutes of terror.” As the spacecraft ended its 292-million-mile journey, it went through a complex landing procedure it had to do on its own. Signals from Mars to Earth take several minutes, so NASA couldn’t hear from Perseverance during the landing. Not being in contact was frightening for the team who had put so much effort and resources into the mission.

Sometimes we may experience our own times of fear when we feel we’re not hearing from God—we pray but we don’t get answers. In Scripture, we find people getting answers to prayer quickly (see Daniel 9:20–23) and those not getting answers for a long time (see Hannah’s story in 1 Samuel 1:10–20). Perhaps the most poignant example of a delayed answer—one that surely struck terror in the hearts of Mary and Martha—was when they asked Jesus to help their sick brother Lazarus (John 11:3). Jesus delayed, and their brother died (vv. 6–7, 14–15). Yet four days later, Christ answered by resurrecting Lazarus (vv. 43–44).  

Waiting for answers to our prayers can be difficult. But God can comfort and help as we “approach [His] throne of grace with confidence, . . . [that] we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). By:  Dave Branon

Reflect & Pray

What are you praying for, but the answer doesn’t seem to be coming? How can God increase your faith as you wait on Him?

Loving God, You know what’s on my heart. Please help me trust You as I await Your answer.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Sunday, January 29, 2023

How Could Someone Be So Ignorant!

Who are You, Lord? —Acts 26:15

“The Lord spoke thus to me with a strong hand…” (Isaiah 8:11). There is no escape when our Lord speaks. He always comes using His authority and taking hold of our understanding. Has the voice of God come to you directly? If it has, you cannot mistake the intimate insistence with which it has spoken to you. God speaks in the language you know best— not through your ears, but through your circumstances.

God has to destroy our determined confidence in our own convictions. We say, “I know that this is what I should do” — and suddenly the voice of God speaks in a way that overwhelms us by revealing the depths of our ignorance. We show our ignorance of Him in the very way we decide to serve Him. We serve Jesus in a spirit that is not His, and hurt Him by our defense of Him. We push His claims in the spirit of the devil; our words sound all right, but the spirit is that of an enemy. “He…rebuked them, and said, ‘You do not know what manner of spirit you are of’ ” (Luke 9:55). The spirit of our Lord in His followers is described in 1 Corinthians 13.

Have I been persecuting Jesus by an eager determination to serve Him in my own way? If I feel I have done my duty, yet have hurt Him in the process, I can be sure that this was not my duty. My way will not be to foster a meek and quiet spirit, only the spirit of self-satisfaction. We presume that whatever is unpleasant is our duty! Is that anything like the spirit of our Lord— “I delight to do Your will, O my God…” (Psalm 40:8).

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

An intellectual conception of God may be found in a bad vicious character. The knowledge and vision of God is dependent entirely on a pure heart. Character determines the revelation of God to the individual. The pure in heart see God. Biblical Ethics, 125 R

Bible in a Year: Exodus 21-22; Matthew 19

1 Kings 6, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: One of a Kind

I have a sweater I never wear. It's too small.  Some of the buttons are missing, the thread is frazzled.  I should throw it away. I'll never wear it again. Logic says to clear out the space, get rid of the sweater. But love won't let me.

What's unusual about it? It wasn't produced on an assembly line. It's the creation of a devoted mother expressing her love. That sweater is unique. It's one of a kind.  It can't be replaced. And although the sweater has lost all of its use, it's lost none of its value.

That must have been what the psalmist had in mind when he wrote, "You knit me together in my mother's womb" (Psalm 139:13). You were knitted together. You aren't an accident. You weren't mass-produced. You were deliberately planned, specifically gifted, and lovingly positioned on this earth by the Master Craftsman.

From The Applause of Heaven

1 Kings 6

Four hundred and eighty years after the Israelites came out of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s rule over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month, Solomon started building The Temple of God. The Temple that King Solomon built to God was ninety feet long, thirty feet wide, and forty-five feet high. There was a porch across the thirty-foot width of The Temple that extended out fifteen feet. Within The Temple he made narrow, deep-silled windows. Against the outside walls he built a supporting structure in which there were smaller rooms: The lower floor was seven and a half feet wide, the middle floor nine feet, and the third floor ten and a half feet. He had projecting ledges built into the outside Temple walls to support the buttressing beams.

7 The stone blocks for the building of The Temple were all dressed at the quarry so that the building site itself was reverently quiet—no noise from hammers and chisels and other iron tools.

8-10 The entrance to the ground floor was at the south end of The Temple; stairs led to the second floor and then to the third. Solomon built and completed The Temple, finishing it off with roof beams and planks of cedar. The supporting structure along the outside walls was attached to The Temple with cedar beams and the rooms in it were seven and a half feet tall.

11-13 The word of God came to Solomon saying, “About this Temple you are building—what’s important is that you live the way I’ve set out for you and do what I tell you, following my instructions carefully and obediently. Then I’ll complete in you the promise I made to David your father. I’ll personally take up my residence among the Israelites—I won’t desert my people Israel.”

14-18 Solomon built and completed The Temple. He paneled the interior walls from floor to ceiling with cedar planks; for flooring he used cypress. The thirty feet at the rear of The Temple he made into an Inner Sanctuary, cedar planks from floor to ceiling—the Holy of Holies. The Main Sanctuary area in front was sixty feet long. The entire interior of The Temple was cedar, with carvings of fruits and flowers. All cedar—none of the stone was exposed.

19-22 The Inner Sanctuary within The Temple was for housing the Chest of the Covenant of God. This Inner Sanctuary was a cube, thirty feet each way, all plated with gold. The Altar of cedar was also gold-plated. Everywhere you looked there was pure gold: gold chains strung in front of the gold-plated Inner Sanctuary—gold everywhere—walls, ceiling, floor, and Altar. Dazzling!

23-28 Then he made two cherubim, gigantic angel-like figures, from olivewood. Each was fifteen feet tall. The outstretched wings of the cherubim (they were identical in size and shape) measured another fifteen feet. He placed the two cherubim, their wings spread, in the Inner Sanctuary. The combined wingspread stretched the width of the room, the wing of one cherub touched one wall, the wing of the other the other wall, and the wings touched in the middle. The cherubim were gold-plated.

29-30 He then carved engravings of cherubim, palm trees, and flower blossoms on all the walls of both the Inner and the Main Sanctuary. And all the floors of both inner and outer rooms were gold-plated.

31-32 He constructed doors of olivewood for the entrance to the Inner Sanctuary; the lintel and doorposts were five-sided. The doors were also carved with cherubim, palm trees, and flowers, and then covered with gold leaf.

33-35 Similarly, he built the entrance to the Main Sanctuary using olivewood for the doorposts but these doorposts were four-sided. The doors were of cypress, split into two panels, each panel swinging separately. These also were carved with cherubim, palm trees, and flowers, and plated with finely hammered gold leaf.

36 He built the inner court with three courses of dressed stones topped with a course of planed cedar timbers.

37-38 The foundation for God’s Temple was laid in the fourth year in the month of Ziv. It was completed in the eleventh year in the month of Bul (the eighth month) down to the last detail, just as planned. It took Solomon seven years to build it.

* * *

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Saturday, January 28, 2023

Today's Scripture

2 Corinthians 9:6–9

Remember: A stingy planter gets a stingy crop; a lavish planter gets a lavish crop. I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it over, and make up your own mind what you will give. That will protect you against sob stories and arm-twisting. God loves it when the giver delights in the giving.

8-11 God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As one psalmist puts it,

He throws caution to the winds,

    giving to the needy in reckless abandon.

His right-living, right-giving ways

    never run out, never wear out.

This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.

Insight

This small segment of Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth (2 Corinthians 9:6–9) appears amid a much larger section on giving. The apostle had introduced the theme in chapter 8, where he held up the much poorer but very generous Macedonian church as a model to emulate (vv. 1–5). Throughout his appeal, he asked the Corinthian church to keep their original commitment to give (vv. 10–12) and to do so willingly and cheerfully (9:5, 7). As Paul often did, he referenced other Scriptures to build his argument. Here he quoted Psalm 112, which outlines the characteristics of the righteous (“those who fear the Lord,” v. 1). The psalmist noted how they’re “gracious and compassionate” (v. 4), and that “good will come to those who are generous and lend freely” (v. 5). It’s not that generous giving makes one righteous; rather, the one who is righteous will give generously. By: Tim Gustafson

The Pink Coat

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give . . . for God loves a cheerful giver.

2 Corinthians 9:7

Brenda was walking toward the mall exit when a flush of pink from a display window caught her eye. She turned and stood spellbound before a “cotton-candy-colored coat.” Oh, how Holly would love it! Finances had been tight for her coworker friend who was a single mother, and while Brenda knew Holly needed a warm coat, she was also confident that her friend would never lay down cash on such a purchase for herself. After wavering ever so slightly, Brenda smiled, reached for her wallet, and arranged for the coat to be shipped to Holly’s home. She added an anonymous card, “You are so very loved.” Brenda practically danced to her car.

Joy is a by-product of God-nudged giving. As Paul instructed the Corinthians in the art of generosity, he said, “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). He also noted, “Whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (v. 6).

Sometimes we slip cash into the offering plate. At other times we donate online to a worthy ministry. And then there are moments when God leads us to respond to the need of a friend with a tangible expression of His love. We offer a bag of groceries, a tank of gas . . . or even the gift of a perfectly pink coat. By:  Elisa Morgan

Reflect & Pray

Who might you show God’s love to today? How can your generosity bubble up in joy as a return gift to you?

Loving Father, You gave me the gift of Your Son, and so I want to give to others. May I respond to Your gentle nudge to meet the needs of another.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Saturday, January 28, 2023

How Could Someone So Persecute Jesus!

Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? —Acts 26:14

Are you determined to have your own way in living for God? We will never be free from this trap until we are brought into the experience of the baptism of “the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11). Stubbornness and self-will will always stab Jesus Christ. It may hurt no one else, but it wounds His Spirit. Whenever we are obstinate and self-willed and set on our own ambitions, we are hurting Jesus. Every time we stand on our own rights and insist that this is what we intend to do, we are persecuting Him. Whenever we rely on self-respect, we systematically disturb and grieve His Spirit. And when we finally understand that it is Jesus we have been persecuting all this time, it is the most crushing revelation ever.

Is the Word of God tremendously penetrating and sharp in me as I hand it on to you, or does my life betray the things I profess to teach? I may teach sanctification and yet exhibit the spirit of Satan, the very spirit that persecutes Jesus Christ. The Spirit of Jesus is conscious of only one thing— a perfect oneness with the Father. And He tells us, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29). All I do should be based on a perfect oneness with Him, not on a self-willed determination to be godly. This will mean that others may use me, go around me, or completely ignore me, but if I will submit to it for His sake, I will prevent Jesus Christ from being persecuted.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

There is nothing, naturally speaking, that makes us lose heart quicker than decay—the decay of bodily beauty, of natural life, of friendship, of associations, all these things make a man lose heart; but Paul says when we are trusting in Jesus Christ these things do not find us discouraged, light comes through them.  The Place of Help, 1032 L

Bible in a Year: Exodus 19-20; Matthew 18:21-35