Isaiah 36 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: JUST THE BEGINNING - December 18, 2023

In Matthew 1:23, God called himself Immanuel, which means “God with us.” Not just “God made us.” Not just “God thinks about us.” Not just “God above us.” But God with us. God where we are. He breathed our air and walked this earth. God…with…us!

Bethlehem was just the beginning. Jesus has promised a repeat performance. Bethlehem, Act 2. No silent night this time, however. The skies will open and trumpets will blast and a new kingdom will begin. He will empty the tombs and melt the winter of death. Death, you die!  Life, you reign! The manger dares us to believe the best is yet to be.

I love Christmas because it reminds us how “God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God” (Roman 8:28).

Isaiah 36

It’s Their Fate That’s at Stake

1–3  36 In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria made war on all the fortress cities of Judah and took them. Then the king of Assyria sent his general, the “Rabshekah,” accompanied by a huge army, from Lachish to Jerusalem to King Hezekiah. The general stopped at the aqueduct where it empties into the upper pool on the road to the public laundry. Three men went out to meet him: Eliakim son of Hilkiah, in charge of the palace; Shebna the secretary; and Joah son of Asaph, the official historian.

4–7  The Rabshekah said to them, “Tell Hezekiah that the Great King, the king of Assyria, says this: ‘What kind of backing do you think you have against me? You’re bluffing and I’m calling your bluff. Your words are no match for my weapons. What kind of backup do you have now that you’ve rebelled against me? Egypt? Don’t make me laugh. Egypt is a rubber crutch. Lean on Egypt and you’ll end up flat on your face. That’s all Pharaoh king of Egypt is to anyone who leans on him. And if you try to tell me, “We’re leaning on our God,” isn’t it a bit late? Hasn’t Hezekiah just gotten rid of all the places of worship, telling you, “You’ve got to worship at this altar”?

8–9  “ ‘Be reasonable. Face the facts: My master the king of Assyria will give you two thousand horses if you can put riders on them. You can’t do it, can you? So how do you think, depending on flimsy Egypt’s chariots and riders, you can stand up against even the lowest-ranking captain in my master’s army?

10  “ ‘And besides, do you think I came all this way to destroy this land without first getting God’s blessing? It was your God who told me, Make war on this land. Destroy it.’ ”

11  Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah answered the Rabshekah, “Please talk to us in Aramaic. We understand Aramaic. Don’t talk to us in Hebrew within earshot of all the people gathered around.”

12  But the Rabshekah replied, “Do you think my master has sent me to give this message to your master and you but not also to the people clustered here? It’s their fate that’s at stake. They’re the ones who are going to end up eating their own excrement and drinking their own urine.”

13–15  Then the Rabshekah stood up and called out loudly in Hebrew, the common language, “Listen to the message of the great king, the king of Assyria! Don’t listen to Hezekiah’s lies. He can’t save you. And don’t pay any attention to Hezekiah’s pious sermons telling you to lean on God, telling you ‘God will save us, depend on it. God won’t let this city fall to the king of Assyria.’

16–20  “Don’t listen to Hezekiah. Listen to the king of Assyria’s offer: ‘Make peace with me. Come and join me. Everyone will end up with a good life, with plenty of land and water, and eventually something far better. I’ll turn you loose in wide open spaces, with more than enough fertile and productive land for everyone.’ Don’t let Hezekiah mislead you with his lies, ‘God will save us.’ Has that ever happened? Has any god in history ever gotten the best of the king of Assyria? Look around you. Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? The gods of Sepharvaim? Did the gods do anything for Samaria? Name one god that has ever saved its countries from me. So what makes you think that God could save Jerusalem from me?’ ”

21  The three men were silent. They said nothing, for the king had already commanded, “Don’t answer him.”

22  Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph, the court historian, tearing their clothes in defeat and despair, went back and reported what the Rabshekah had said to Hezekiah.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Monday, December 18, 2023

Today's Scripture

Philippians 4:4–7

Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!

6–7  Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Insight

Centuries before Paul penned the letter to the anxious believers in Jesus at Philippi (see Philippians 4:6-7), God inspired Asaph to write about the blessedness of His nearness (see Psalm 73:23-28). The psalmist’s faith had been challenged by what he’d witnessed around him (vv. 2-14). Those who were far from God—“the wicked” (v. 3)—were doing well for themselves. The writer’s perspective changed, however, when he “entered the sanctuary of God” (v. 17). Then he acknowledged, “You hold me by my right hand. . . . Whom have I in heaven but you?” (vv. 23, 25). He concludes by saying: “But as for me, the nearness of God is good for me” (v. 28 NASB). When we’re anxious by what’s going on around us, we can be encouraged by His nearness. Paul assures us that “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). By: Arthur Jackson

My God Is Near

The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but . . . present your requests to God. Philippians 4:5–6

For more than thirty years, Lourdes, a voice teacher in Manila, had taught students face to face. When she was asked to conduct classes online, she was anxious. “I’m not good with computers,” she recounted. “My laptop is old, and I’m not familiar with video conferencing platforms.”

While it may seem a small thing to some, it was a real stressor for her. “I live alone, so there is no one to help,” she said. “I’m concerned that my students will quit, and I need the income.”

Before each class, Lourdes would pray for her laptop to work properly. “Philippians 4:5–6 was the wallpaper on my screen,” she said. “How I clung to those words.”

Paul exhorts us to not be anxious about anything, because “the Lord is near” (Philippians 4:5). God’s promise of His presence is ours to hold on to. As we rest in His nearness and commit everything to Him in prayer—both big and small—His peace guards our “hearts and . . . minds in Christ Jesus” (v. 7).

“God led me to websites about fixing computer glitches,” Lourdes said. “He also gave me patient students who understood my technological limitations.” God’s presence, help, and peace are ours to enjoy as we seek to follow Him all the days of our life. We can say with confidence: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (v. 4).  By:  Karen Huang

Reflect & Pray

How can knowing that God is near change your reaction of worry to one of peace? What specific requests can you present to Him?

Dear God, thank You for being near me. Because of Your loving presence, help, and peace, I don’t have to be anxious.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Monday, December 18, 2023

Test of Faithfulness

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

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

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

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

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

Jesus Christ can afford to be misunderstood; we cannot. Our weakness lies in always wanting to vindicate ourselves.  The Place of Help, 1051 L

Bible in a Year: Obadiah; Revelation 9

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Monday, December 18, 2023

Treasure In Your Desert - #9636

Now, we've driven some pretty desolate stretches of the U.S. For a guy who used to wait 'til the last minute to get gas, those stretches were life-changing. A couple of bad experiences and you become mister "fill up at half a tank." But America's desert and wilderness stretches take a back seat to some of the wilderness of the Middle East; especially some of the desert traversed by God's ancient people as they went from Egypt to the Promised Land. Recently, a writer named decided to physically retrace some of the geography of the first five books of the Bible. Including the still-challenging Sinai wilderness where God's people wandered for forty years. He spent time with the nomadic Bedouins who make that wilderness their home. He walked the hot sands, the daunting mountains of that wilderness. And, in the process, he found himself on an unanticipated journey of spiritual discovery. And he learned something about why God led His children through the desert - and why He still does. Here's what this author said: "In the desert, there's no such thing as independence - only dependence."

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Treasure In Your Desert."

I think it started when we were little kids with words like these, "I can do it myself!" And we've been trying to do it ourselves ever since - even when it comes to totally trusting God. Oh, we believe in Him. We go to His meetings. We try to live by His commandments, but we want to drive. We're control freaks, especially when it comes to the things or people that really matter to us. We can make it happen. We can make it work. We can think of something. We can fix it.

Then comes the desert; a season in your life when the bottom drops out. Things and people that you've depended on either aren't there or aren't enough. It's dry. The heat is intense. You're worn out physically and emotionally, and there's no road to show you the way to go. Welcome to the wilderness. But before you give up or give in, remember the desert is part of the plan. It was for God's ancient people. It was for John the Baptist. It was for Paul. It was for the Son of God, and it is for you.

Here's what God says about the desert stretches; it's in Deuteronomy 8:2-4, our word for today from the Word of God. He says: "Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert...to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord."

Ok, God says He leads us into the desert to humble us; to bring us to a place where the Lord is all we have. Because that's when we learn that the Lord is all we need. "In the desert, there's no such thing as independence - only dependence." When you come to your Lord in total desperation, running on empty, you open yourself up to an experience of God's power and God's grace you can't get any other way.

And just in case you're not sure you can make it through this desert, listen to what your Heavenly Father will do for you there - Deuteronomy 1:31 says this: "In the desert...you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way." And like any tired little child, you'll go much further with your Father carrying you than you could ever go on your own. The desert may not be pleasant. It may stress you, it may strip you, but there's treasure you'll only find there. Because you'll find the treasure that is discovered only when God is all you've got.

Isaiah 35 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Be Ready

John 1:14 says, "The Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness." He lived among us. He donned the costliest of robes: a human body. He became a friend of the sinner and brother of the poor. He touched their sores and felt their tears and paid for their mistakes. And to all of us frightened ones, He shared the same message: "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. . .I will come again and receive you to Myself." (Jn. 14:1)

And how do we respond? Some pretend He doesn't exist. Others hear Him, but don't believe Him. But then, a few decide to give it a try. And when He calls your name, be ready. Look up. He will reach down and take you home…when Christ comes!

From In the Manger

Isaiah 35

The Voiceless Break into Song

1–2  35 Wilderness and desert will sing joyously,

the badlands will celebrate and flower—

Like the crocus in spring, bursting into blossom,

a symphony of song and color.

Mountain glories of Lebanon—a gift.

Awesome Carmel, stunning Sharon—gifts.

God’s resplendent glory, fully on display.

God awesome, God majestic.

3–4  Energize the limp hands,

strengthen the rubbery knees.

Tell fearful souls,

“Courage! Take heart!

God is here, right here,

on his way to put things right

And redress all wrongs.

He’s on his way! He’ll save you!”

5–7  Blind eyes will be opened,

deaf ears unstopped,

Lame men and women will leap like deer,

the voiceless break into song.

Springs of water will burst out in the wilderness,

streams flow in the desert.

Hot sands will become a cool oasis,

thirsty ground a splashing fountain.

Even lowly jackals will have water to drink,

and barren grasslands flourish richly.

8–10  There will be a highway

called the Holy Road.

No one rude or rebellious

is permitted on this road.

It’s for God’s people exclusively—

impossible to get lost on this road.

Not even fools can get lost on it.

No lions on this road,

no dangerous wild animals—

Nothing and no one dangerous or threatening.

Only the redeemed will walk on it.

The people God has ransomed

will come back on this road.

They’ll sing as they make their way home to Zion,

unfading halos of joy encircling their heads,

Welcomed home with gifts of joy and gladness

as all sorrows and sighs scurry into the night.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Sunday, December 17, 2023

Today's Scripture

Proverbs 3:5–18

Trust God from the bottom of your heart;

don’t try to figure out everything on your own.

Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;

he’s the one who will keep you on track.

Don’t assume that you know it all.

Run to God! Run from evil!

Your body will glow with health,

your very bones will vibrate with life!

Honor God with everything you own;

give him the first and the best.

Your barns will burst,

your wine vats will brim over.

But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline;

don’t sulk under his loving correction.

It’s the child he loves that God corrects;

a father’s delight is behind all this.

The Very Tree of Life

13–18  You’re blessed when you meet Lady Wisdom,

when you make friends with Madame Insight.

She’s worth far more than money in the bank;

her friendship is better than a big salary.

Her value exceeds all the trappings of wealth;

nothing you could wish for holds a candle to her.

With one hand she gives long life,

with the other she confers recognition.

Her manner is beautiful,

her life wonderfully complete.

She’s the very Tree of Life to those who embrace her.

Hold her tight—and be blessed!

Insight

Proverbs 3 contains a father’s instruction to his son on the vital importance of wisdom and how humility plays a key role. In verses 11-12, the father highlights the importance of accepting discipline from God. These verses provide a classic example of how the New Testament engages with the Old. The writer of Hebrews quotes this passage while emphasizing the father-child relationship we enjoy with God. “Do not lose heart when [God] rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son” (Hebrews 12:5-6). The writer then notes, “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?” (v. 7). It’s fitting that an earthly father should offer his son advice with our heavenly Father’s correction of His children in view. By: Tim Gustafson

Christmas Dilemma

For the Lord detests the perverse but takes the upright into his confidence. Proverbs 3:32

David and Angie had felt called to move overseas, and the fruitful ministry that followed seemed to confirm it. But there was one downside to their move. David’s elderly parents would now spend Christmases alone.

David and Angie tried to mitigate his parents’ Christmas Day loneliness by posting gifts early and calling on Christmas morning. But what his parents really wanted was them. With David’s income only permitting an occasional trip home, what else could they do? David needed wisdom.

Proverbs 3 is a crash course in wisdom-seeking, showing us how to receive it by taking our situations to God (vv. 5–6), describing its various qualities such as love and faithfulness (vv. 3–4, 7–12), and its benefits as peace and longevity (vv. 13–18). In a touching note, it adds that God gives such wisdom by taking us “into his confidence” (v. 32). He whispers His solutions to those who are close to Him.

Praying about his problem one night, David had an idea. Next Christmas Day, he and Angie put on their best clothes, decorated the table with tinsel, and brought in the roast dinner. David’s parents did the same. Then, placing a laptop on each table, they ate together via video link. It almost felt like they were in the same room. It’s become a family tradition ever since.

God took David into His confidence and gave him wisdom. He loves to whisper creative solutions to our problems. By:  Sheridan Voysey

Reflect & Pray

What dilemma are you facing? What loving solution might God have for you

Father God, please whisper to my heart Your creative solution to my problem.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Sunday, December 17, 2023

Redemption— Creating the Need it Satisfies

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

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

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

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

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

Bible in a Year: Amos 7-9; Revelation 8

Isaiah 34 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: What Love Does

Would you do what Jesus did? He exchanged the worship of angels for the company of killers. If you were God, would you? I wouldn't, but Christ did! Jesus humbled Himself. He went from commanding angels to sleeping in the straw. Why? Because that is what love does. It puts the loved before itself. Your place in heaven was more important to Him than His place in heaven, so He gave up His so you could have yours.

It's time to let His love cover all things in your life. Every promise broken, every cross word, and harsh word. His love covers all things. Let it! Do it for His sake. For the peace of your heart. And do it for their sake. For the people in your life. Let His love fall on you so yours can fall on them.

From In the Manger

Isaiah 34

The Fires Burning Day and Night

1  34 Draw in close now, nations. Listen carefully,

you people. Pay attention!

Earth, you, too, and everything in you.

World, and all that comes from you.

2–4  And here’s why: God is angry,

good and angry with all the nations,

So blazingly angry at their arms and armies

that he’s going to rid earth of them, wipe them out.

The corpses, thrown in a heap,

will stink like the town dump in midsummer,

Their blood flowing off the mountains

like creeks in spring runoff.

Stars will fall out of the sky

like overripe, rotting fruit in the orchard,

And the sky itself will be folded up like a blanket

and put away in a closet.

All that army of stars, shriveled to nothing,

like leaves and fruit in autumn, dropping and rotting!

5–7  “Once I’ve finished with earth and sky,

I’ll start in on Edom.

I’ll come down hard on Edom,

a people I’ve slated for total termination.”

God has a sword, thirsty for blood and more blood,

a sword hungry for well-fed flesh,

Lamb and goat blood,

the suet-rich kidneys of rams.

Yes, God has scheduled a sacrifice in Bozrah, the capital,

the whole country of Edom a slaughterhouse.

A wholesale slaughter, wild animals

and farm animals alike slaughtered.

The whole country soaked with blood,

all the ground greasy with fat.

8–15  It’s God’s scheduled time for vengeance,

the year all Zion’s accounts are settled.

Edom’s streams will flow sluggish, thick with pollution,

the soil sterile, poisoned with waste,

The whole country

a smoking, stinking garbage dump—

The fires burning day and night,

the skies black with endless smoke.

Generation after generation of wasteland—

no more travelers through this country!

Vultures and skunks will police the streets;

owls and crows will feel at home there.

God will reverse creation. Chaos!

He will cancel fertility. Emptiness!

Leaders will have no one to lead.

They’ll name it No Kingdom There,

A country where all kings

and princes are unemployed.

Thistles will take over, covering the castles,

fortresses conquered by weeds and thornbushes.

Wild dogs will prowl the ruins,

ostriches have the run of the place.

Wildcats and hyenas will hunt together,

demons and devils dance through the night.

The night-demon Lilith, evil and rapacious,

will establish permanent quarters.

Scavenging carrion birds will breed and brood,

infestations of ominous evil.

16–17  Get and read God’s book:

None of this is going away,

this breeding, brooding evil.

God has personally commanded it all.

His Spirit set it in motion.

God has assigned them their place,

decreed their fate in detail.

This is permanent—

generation after generation, the same old thing.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Saturday, December 16, 2023

Today's Scripture

Acts 2:38–47

Peter said, “Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is targeted to you and your children, but also to all who are far away—whomever, in fact, our Master God invites.”

40  He went on in this vein for a long time, urging them over and over, “Get out while you can; get out of this sick and stupid culture!”

41–42  That day about three thousand took him at his word, were baptized and were signed up. They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers.

43–45  Everyone around was in awe—all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s need was met.

46–47  They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.

Insight

Luke wrote his gospel to provide an account of the ministry of Jesus (Luke 1:1-4). He followed up with a second volume, The Acts of the Apostles, which documents the work and ministry of Christ’s disciples in bringing the good news to people “in Jerusalem” (chs. 1-7), “in all Judea and Samaria” (chs. 8-12), “and to the ends of the earth” (chs. 13-28). Luke describes the birth of the church on the day of Pentecost (ch. 2) where three thousand people (v. 41) were added to the initial group “numbering about a hundred and twenty” (1:15). In response to Peter’s preaching in the temple, “the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand” (4:4). Despite internal strife, strong opposition, and persistent persecution, the church continued to grow as “the word of God continued to spread and flourish” (12:24) and “more and more men and women believed in the Lord” (5:14; see 6:7; 11:21; 19:20). By: K. T. Sim

Community in Christ

They devoted themselves . . . to fellowship. Acts 2:42

In the southern Bahamas lies a small piece of land called Ragged Island. In the nineteenth century, it had an active salt industry, but because of a decline in that industry, many people emigrated to nearby islands. In 2016, when fewer than eighty people lived there, the island featured three religious denominations, yet the people all gathered together in one place for worship and fellowship each week. With so few residents, a sense of community was especially vital for them.

The people of the early church felt a crucial need and desire for community as well. They were excited about their newfound faith that was made possible by Jesus’ death and resurrection. But they also knew He was no longer physically with them, so they knew they needed each other. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teachings, to fellowship, and to sharing Communion together (Acts 2:42). They gathered in homes for worship and meals and cared for others’ needs. The church is described in this way: “All the believers were one in heart and mind” (4:32). Filled with the Holy Spirit, they praised God continually and brought the church’s needs to Him in prayer.

Community is essential for our growth and support. Don’t try to go it alone. God will develop that sense of community as you share your struggles and joys with others and draw near to Him together. By:  Anne Cetas

Reflect & Pray

How might you commit to spending time with fellow believers? Where and when will you do this?

I need You and Your people, God, to help me live the fullest life for You.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Saturday, December 16, 2023

Wrestling Before God

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

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

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

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

It is not what a man does that is of final importance, but what he is in what he does. The atmosphere produced by a man, much more than his activities, has the lasting influence.  Baffled to Fight Better, 51 L

Bible in a Year: Amos 4-6; Revelation 7

Romans 3 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily:WHY I LOVE CHRISTMAS - December 15, 2023

Let the sleigh bells ring! I love Christmas. Let the carolers sing. The more Santas the merrier. I don’t complain about the crowded shops. I don’t grumble at the jam-packed grocery store. Well, it’s Christmas.

I love it because someone will ask the Christmas questions. “What’s the big deal about the baby in the manger? Who was he? What does his birth have to do with me?” The questioner may be a soldier stationed far from home. She may be a young mom who, for the first time, holds a child on Christmas Eve.

The Christmas season prompts Christmas questions—and answers. Because of Bethlehem, God is always near us. Always for us. Always in us. We may forget him, but God will never forget us. He called himself Immanuel—God with us!

Romans 3

So what difference does it make who’s a Jew and who isn’t, who has been trained in God’s ways and who hasn’t? As it turns out, it makes a lot of difference—but not the difference so many have assumed.

2–6  First, there’s the matter of being put in charge of writing down and caring for God’s revelation, these Holy Scriptures. So, what if, in the course of doing that, some of those Jews abandoned their post? God didn’t abandon them. Do you think their faithlessness cancels out his faithfulness? Not on your life! Depend on it: God keeps his word even when the whole world is lying through its teeth. Scripture says the same:

Your words stand fast and true;

Rejection doesn’t faze you.

But if our wrongdoing only underlines and confirms God’s rightdoing, shouldn’t we be commended for helping out? Since our bad words don’t even make a dent in his good words, isn’t it wrong of God to back us to the wall and hold us to our word? These questions come up. The answer to such questions is no, a most emphatic No! How else would things ever get straightened out if God didn’t do the straightening?

7–8  It’s simply perverse to say, “If my lies serve to show off God’s truth all the more gloriously, why blame me? I’m doing God a favor.” Some people are actually trying to put such words in our mouths, claiming that we go around saying, “The more evil we do, the more good God does, so let’s just do it!” That’s pure slander, as I’m sure you’ll agree.

We’re All in the Same Sinking Boat

9–20  So where does that put us? Do we Jews get a better break than the others? Not really. Basically, all of us, whether insiders or outsiders, start out in identical conditions, which is to say that we all start out as sinners. Scripture leaves no doubt about it:

There’s nobody living right, not even one,

nobody who knows the score, nobody alert for God.

They’ve all taken the wrong turn;

they’ve all wandered down blind alleys.

No one’s living right;

I can’t find a single one.

Their throats are gaping graves,

their tongues slick as mudslides.

Every word they speak is tinged with poison.

They open their mouths and pollute the air.

They race for the honor of sinner-of-the-year,

litter the land with heartbreak and ruin,

Don’t know the first thing about living with others.

They never give God the time of day.

This makes it clear, doesn’t it, that whatever is written in these Scriptures is not what God says about others but to us to whom these Scriptures were addressed in the first place! And it’s clear enough, isn’t it, that we’re sinners, every one of us, in the same sinking boat with everybody else? Our involvement with God’s revelation doesn’t put us right with God. What it does is force us to face our complicity in everyone else’s sin.

God Has Set Things Right

21–24  But in our time something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we’ve compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ.

25–26  God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin. Having faith in him sets us in the clear. God decided on this course of action in full view of the public—to set the world in the clear with himself through the sacrifice of Jesus, finally taking care of the sins he had so patiently endured. This is not only clear, but it’s now—this is current history! God sets things right. He also makes it possible for us to live in his rightness.

27–28  So where does that leave our proud Jewish insider claims and counterclaims? Canceled? Yes, canceled. What we’ve learned is this: God does not respond to what we do; we respond to what God does. We’ve finally figured it out. Our lives get in step with God and all others by letting him set the pace, not by proudly or anxiously trying to run the parade.

29–30  And where does that leave our proud Jewish claim of having a corner on God? Also canceled. God is the God of outsider non-Jews as well as insider Jews. How could it be otherwise since there is only one God? God sets right all who welcome his action and enter into it, both those who follow our religious system and those who have never heard of our religion.

31  But by shifting our focus from what we do to what God does, don’t we cancel out all our careful keeping of the rules and ways God commanded? Not at all. What happens, in fact, is that by putting that entire way of life in its proper place, we confirm it.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Friday, December 15, 2023

Today's Scripture

Romans 3:21–26

Righteousness Through Faith

21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of Godb has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.c 22 This righteousnessd is given through faithe inh Jesus Christf to all who believe.g There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,h 23 for all have sinnedi and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justifiedj freely by his gracek through the redemptionl that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,i m through the shedding of his bloodn—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunishedo—26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

Insight

In Romans 3:21-26, Paul is building a legal case for our need of a savior—our need for Jesus. And even though he’s writing to gentiles in Rome, he roots his argument in the Old Testament. The evidence of our need is set forth in verses 10-18, which begins with the phrase “as it is written” because Paul is drawing from several psalms and Isaiah. The conclusion? “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The apostle describes the utter sinfulness of the human condition to prepare us for God’s response. He didn’t abandon us to our guilt and shame but sent His Son to our rescue: “All are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith” (vv. 24-25). This is the good news of the gospel! By: Bill Crowder

Equal before God

Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all. Proverbs 22:2

While on vacation, my wife and I enjoyed some early morning bike rides. One route took us through a neighborhood of multi-million-dollar homes. We saw a variety of people—residents walking their dogs, fellow bike riders, and numerous workers building new homes or tending well-kept landscapes. It was a mixture of people from all walks of life, and I was reminded of a valuable reality. There was no true distinction among us. Rich or poor. Wealthy or working-class. Known or unknown. All of us on that street that morning were the same. “Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all” (Proverbs 22:2). Regardless of differences, we were all made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27).

But there’s more. Being equal before God also means that no matter our economic, social, or ethnic situation, we’re all born with a sin condition: “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We’re all disobedient and equally guilty before Him, and we need Jesus.

We often divide people into groups for a variety of reasons. But, in reality, we’re all part of the human race. And though we’re all in the same situation—sinners in need of a Savior—we can be “justified freely” (made right with God) by His grace (v. 24). By:  Dave Branon

Reflect & Pray

How does it help you to love others better by recognizing we’re all equal before God? How has Jesus met your deepest need?

Dear God, thank You for sending Jesus to earth to live a perfect life and to willingly give His life as a sacrifice for my sins.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Friday, December 15, 2023

“Approved to God”

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

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

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

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

If there is only one strand of faith amongst all the corruption within us, God will take hold of that one strand.  Not Knowing Whither, 888 L

Bible in a Year: Amos 1-3; Revelation 6

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Friday, December 15, 2023

The Most Dangerous Season of All - #9635

It happens a lot in sports - especially when there's one of those games they like to call "The Big Game." Two rivals go at it in a game that's really important in the standings, and one team blows out the other team with this huge, lopsided victory. You can almost predict what's going to happen to the winning team in their next game, even if they play some pitiful team that loses a lot more than they win. The guys who totally dominated their rivals in the Big Game may very well lose the little game that follows. It happens a lot. You win big and then, for some reason, you lose big.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Most Dangerous Season of All."

When you've really won big, it's easy to let down, get overconfident, or just get careless. When you've been the champion for a while, you tend to coast, and suddenly you're not the champion anymore. That doesn't just happen in sports, it happens in life. In fact, it happened many times in the Bible; like what happened to the Jewish king Uzziah, as recorded in 2 Chronicles 26, which is where we find our word for today from the Word of God.

From this story, and many others like it, we can conclude that a season of success in your life may actually be the most dangerous season of all. Uzziah led his nation to new levels of economic prosperity, military dominance, and international respect. The Bible says, "As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success." Notice, God gave him success; see, success is not your achievement. It's God's gift. You don't achieve success, you receive success.

Now, in 2 Chronicles 26:15 we read, "His fame spread far and wide, for he was greatly helped until he became powerful. But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall." What follows is the tragic account of a king who becomes arrogant, self-willed, a man who starts doing it His way, not God's way; and ultimately a man who dies the horrible death of leprosy.

Uzziah's story, unfortunately, is not unique. The truth is that very few of us are able to handle success. If you're experiencing a time of success and pretty smooth sailing right now, it's important to realize that you may be in the spiritual danger zone. When you're flying high, it's just all too easy to forget how you got there. Or, more importantly, Who (capital "W"!)... Who got you there. The ancient Jews were given a solemn warning from God when they went from the wilderness to the wealth of the Promised Land: "Be careful that you do not forget the Lord." And, sure enough, they did.

So if this is a good season of your life, don't ruin it by getting careless. Have you allowed your success to inflate you? Are you thinking, "Hey, I'm really something" instead of "He's really something"? Have you moved from the desperate praying of the hard times to less-frequent, less-fervent prayers now that you're in the good times? Have you started to rely on your gifts, your cleverness, your experience, your strength, instead of what you once relied on - totally depending on God? Are you becoming more self-focused? Are you taking more things into your own hands instead of leaving them in God's hands?

Those are some of the great dangers of success. Don't make God remind you who is the source of everything you've got. Because success that costs you the blessing of your Lord is simply success that you cannot afford.

Isaiah 33 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: GOD SENT A SAVIOR - December 14, 2023

Christmas cards. Punctuated promises. Can I share words from my favorite Christmas cards?

“He became like us, so we could become like Him.” “Angels still sing and the star still beckons.” And from Isaiah 9, verse 6: “God has given a Son to us. His name will be Wonderful Counselor, Powerful God, and Prince of Peace.”

And my favorite: “If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. But since our greatest need was forgiveness, God sent us a Savior.” Merry Christmas, everybody.

Isaiah 33

The Ground Under Our Feet Mourns

1  33 Doom to you, Destroyer,

not yet destroyed;

And doom to you, Betrayer,

not yet betrayed.

When you finish destroying,

your turn will come—destroyed!

When you quit betraying,

your turn will come—betrayed!

2–4  God, treat us kindly. You’re our only hope.

First thing in the morning, be there for us!

When things go bad, help us out!

You spoke in thunder and everyone ran.

You showed up and nations scattered.

Your people, for a change, got in on the loot,

picking the field clean of the enemy spoils.

5–6  God is supremely esteemed. His center holds.

Zion brims over with all that is just and right.

God keeps your days stable and secure—

salvation, wisdom, and knowledge in surplus,

and best of all, Zion’s treasure, Fear-of-God.

7–9  But look! Listen!

Tough men weep openly.

Peacemaking diplomats are in bitter tears.

The roads are empty—

not a soul out on the streets.

The peace treaty is broken,

its conditions violated,

its signers reviled.

The very ground under our feet mourns,

the Lebanon mountains hang their heads,

Flowering Sharon is a weed-choked gully,

and the forests of Bashan and Carmel? Bare branches.

10–12  “Now I’m stepping in,” God says.

“From now on, I’m taking over.

The gloves come off. Now see how mighty I am.

There’s nothing to you.

Pregnant with chaff, you produce straw babies;

full of hot air, you self-destruct.

You’re good for nothing but fertilizer and fuel.

Earth to earth—and the sooner the better.

13–14  “If you’re far away,

get the reports on what I’ve done,

And if you’re in the neighborhood,

pay attention to my record.

The sinners in Zion are rightly terrified;

the godless are at their wit’s end:

‘Who among us can survive this firestorm?

Who of us can get out of this purge with our lives?’ ”

15–16  The answer’s simple:

Live right,

speak the truth,

despise exploitation,

refuse bribes,

reject violence,

avoid evil amusements.

This is how you raise your standard of living!

A safe and stable way to live.

A nourishing, satisfying way to live.

God Makes All the Decisions Here

17–19  Oh, you’ll see the king—a beautiful sight!

And you’ll take in the wide vistas of land.

In your mind you’ll go over the old terrors:

“What happened to that Assyrian inspector who condemned and

confiscated?

And the one who gouged us of taxes?

And that cheating moneychanger?”

Gone! Out of sight forever! Their insolence

nothing now but a fading stain on the carpet!

No more putting up with a language you can’t understand,

no more sounds of gibberish in your ears.

20–22  Just take a look at Zion, will you?

Centering our worship in festival feasts!

Feast your eyes on Jerusalem,

a quiet and permanent place to live.

No more pulling up stakes and moving on,

no more patched-together lean-tos.

Instead, God! God majestic, God himself the place

in a country of broad rivers and streams,

But rivers blocked to invading ships,

off-limits to predatory pirates.

For God makes all the decisions here. God is our king.

God runs this place and he’ll keep us safe.

23  Ha! Your sails are in shreds,

your mast wobbling,

your hold leaking.

The plunder is free for the taking, free for all—

for weak and strong, insiders and outsiders.

24  No one in Zion will say, “I’m sick.”

Best of all, they’ll all live guilt-free.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Thursday, December 14, 2023

Today's Scripture

Psalm 131

A song by David for going up to worship. 

1  O Lord, my heart is not conceited. 

My eyes do not look down on others. 

I am not involved in things too big or too difficult for me. 

2  Instead, I have kept my soul calm and quiet. 

My soul is content as a weaned child is content in its mother’s arms. 

3  Israel, put your hope in the Lord now and forever. 

Insight

The language of Psalm 131 can seem a bit odd. Isn’t the psalmist a little prideful to declare to God that he’s not prideful? But the psalmist isn’t after praise for his humility. Instead, the words of the song communicate great confidence in knowing his station in life and being satisfied with it.

Rather than aspire to things beyond his reach, the psalmist looks to what’s in front of him. He finds contentment in quiet and peace, an idea the NIV brings to the front by translating verse 2—which reads literally, “like a weaned child I am on myself”—as “like a weaned child I am content.”

In the end, the psalmist encourages Israel to hope in Yahweh. Contentment with our lot in life—neither looking higher or lower—comes from our confidence in God, because He is enough. By: Jed Ostoich

Appetite for Distraction

I have calmed and quieted myself, . . . I am content. Psalm 131:2

I set my phone down, weary of the constant bombardment of images, ideas, and notifications that the little screen broadcasted. Then, I picked it up and turned it on again. Why?

In his book The Shallows, Nicholas Carr describes how the internet has shaped our relationship with stillness: “What the Net seems to be doing is chipping away my capacity for concentration and contemplation. Whether I’m online or not, my mind now expects to take in information the way the Net distributes it: in a swiftly moving stream of particles. Once I was a scuba diver in the sea of words. Now I zip along the surface like a guy on a Jet Ski.”

Living life on a mental jet ski doesn’t sound healthy. But how do we begin to slow down, to dive deeply into still spiritual waters?  

In Psalm 131, David writes, “I have calmed and quieted myself” (v. 2). David’s words remind me that I have responsibility. Changing habits starts with my choice to be still—even if I must make that choice over and over again. Slowly, though, we experience God’s satisfying goodness. Like a little child, we rest in contentment, remembering that He alone offers hope (v. 3)—soul-satisfaction that no smartphone app can touch and no social media site can deliver.    By:  Adam Holz

Reflect & Pray

How does technology influence your ability to rest quietly before God? Does your phone contribute to your contentment? Why or why not?

Father, the world is awash in distraction that doesn’t satisfy my soul. Please help me trust You to fill me with genuine contentment.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Thursday, December 14, 2023

The Great Life

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

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

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

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

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

There is no condition of life in which we cannot abide in Jesus. We have to learn to abide in Him wherever we are placed. Our Brilliant Heritage

Bible in a Year: Joel 1-3; Revelation 5

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Thursday, December 14, 2023

Security When You're On Empty - #9634

So who needs an alarm clock in our neighborhood? We've got ravens! Yeah, those big black birds discovered our backyard. Now, ravens apparently are early risers, a little earlier than most people are. And they are also, shall we say, active conversationalists. Which makes them wonderful alarm clocks for those early morning hours whether you want them or not! Now I don't mind it. It's great to have all the birds singing their little spring concert in our yard. Actually, they do more than sing, they preach!

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Security When You're On Empty."

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Luke 12, where we find the Gospel from the birds. The Gospel's not for the birds, no, it's from the birds. The subject of their sermon is security. And that might be an issue that you have reason to be concerned about right now.

In this passage, Jesus has just told us about a man whose idea of security echoes that of almost everyone around us. He has a lot of crops to take care of, and he says in Luke 12:18, "I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to myself, ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years.'" Well, that's pretty much our world's concept of security. What have you got in your storeroom, man? What have you got to fall back on? What have you got in your IRA? What have you got for retirement? What have you got in case medical emergencies come up?"

Then here comes the message from that bird passage in the Bible as Jesus talks to us beginning at verse 22, "Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body what you will wear. Life is more than food and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens..." Well, I have no choice. They make sure I consider them every morning. Jesus said, "Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap. They have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable are you than birds!"

I love these simple words, "They have no storeroom, yet God feeds them." And then He says, "If He'll do that for the ravens, He'll surely do that for you." Now, we live in a world that says surplus equals security. The Gospel according to the birds is simple but eloquent. It says, "Our security is this: We have a Father who is a great provider. That's where your security is; not what you have in your storeroom."

Jesus goes on to talk about how the pagans are chasing after things and after material security. But He says, "You seek His kingdom, and then sell what you have and give to the poor, and pass on the kingdom to other people." You're secure. Not because you can see where it's going to come from, but because of who your Father is. In fact, I wonder if some day Jesus isn't going to return and say to a lot of us, "What are you doing sitting on all of that? Why do you have so much in your storeroom?"

See, we are Father-fed people. We don't need big reserves. We're to feed others with the gifts that He's given to us. You don't ever have to worry about having enough. In fact, one day those ravens proved that God will always find a way to meet your need. When every other source of security and supply was cut off from the prophet Elijah, the ravens brought it. God will always find a way, even if you have to keep your window open for the ravens to come in and give it to you.

If the usual means of supply are cut off, God can do it without those. It's been God that's been your source all along. He'll deliver it another way. He will feed you from His storeroom. If you don't believe me, just ask the birds.

Isaiah 32, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

 Max Lucado Daily: DELIVER CHRIST INTO YOUR WORLD - December 13, 2023

The virgin birth is more, much more than a Christmas story. It’s a story of how close Christ will come to you.

The first stop on his itinerary was a womb. Where will God go to touch the world? Look deep inside Mary for an answer. Better still, look deep within yourself. “Christ in you, the hope of glory,” Scripture says (Colossians 1:27).

Christ grew in Mary until he had to come out. Christ will grow in you until the same occurs. He will come out in your speech, in your actions, in your decisions. Every place you live will be a Bethlehem. Every day you live will be a Christmas. Deliver Christ into the world—your world.

Isaiah 32

Safe Houses, Quiet Gardens

1–8  32 But look! A king will rule in the right way,

and his leaders will carry out justice.

Each one will stand as a shelter from high winds,

provide safe cover in stormy weather.

Each will be cool running water in parched land,

a huge granite outcrop giving shade in the desert.

Anyone who looks will see,

anyone who listens will hear.

The impulsive will make sound decisions,

the tongue-tied will speak with eloquence.

No more will fools become celebrities,

nor crooks be rewarded with fame.

For fools are fools and that’s that,

thinking up new ways to do mischief.

They leave a wake of wrecked lives

and lies about God,

Turning their backs on the homeless hungry,

ignoring those dying of thirst in the streets.

And the crooks? Underhanded sneaks they are,

inventive in sin and scandal,

Exploiting the poor with scams and lies,

unmoved by the victimized poor.

But those who are noble make noble plans,

and stand for what is noble.

9–14  Take your stand, indolent women!

Listen to me!

Indulgent, indolent women,

listen closely to what I have to say.

In just a little over a year from now,

you’ll be shaken out of your lazy lives.

The grape harvest will fail,

and there’ll be no fruit on the trees.

Oh tremble, you indolent women.

Get serious, you pampered dolls!

Strip down and discard your silk fineries.

Put on funeral clothes.

Shed honest tears for the lost harvest,

the failed vintage.

Weep for my people’s gardens and farms

that grow nothing but thistles and thornbushes.

Cry tears, real tears, for the happy homes no longer happy,

the merry city no longer merry.

The royal palace is deserted,

the bustling city quiet as a morgue,

The emptied parks and playgrounds

taken over by wild animals,

delighted with their new home.

15–20  Yes, weep and grieve until the Spirit is poured

down on us from above

And the badlands desert grows crops

and the fertile fields become forests.

Justice will move into the badlands desert.

Right will build a home in the fertile field.

And where there’s Right, there’ll be Peace

and the progeny of Right: quiet lives and endless trust.

My people will live in a peaceful neighborhood—

in safe houses, in quiet gardens.

The forest of your pride will be clear-cut,

the city showing off your power leveled.

But you will enjoy a blessed life,

planting well-watered fields and gardens,

with your farm animals grazing freely.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

Today's Scripture

Genesis 50:15–21

After the funeral, Joseph’s brothers talked among themselves: “What if Joseph is carrying a grudge and decides to pay us back for all the wrong we did him?”

16–17  So they sent Joseph a message, “Before his death, your father gave this command: Tell Joseph, ‘Forgive your brothers’ sin—all that wrongdoing. They did treat you very badly.’ Will you do it? Will you forgive the sins of the servants of your father’s God?”

When Joseph received their message, he wept.

18  Then the brothers went in person to him, threw themselves on the ground before him and said, “We’ll be your slaves.”

19–21  Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid. Do I act for God? Don’t you see, you planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good, as you see all around you right now—life for many people. Easy now, you have nothing to fear; I’ll take care of you and your children.” He reassured them, speaking with them heart-to-heart.

Insight

In Genesis 50, we see the mysterious interplay and tension between human responsibility and God’s sovereignty. When the survival of Jacob’s offspring was threatened, God’s preservation plan was already in play. Joseph, who’d triumphed through trials, was at the right place, at the right time, occupying the right position. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (v. 20). This verse weds humanity’s evil and God’s sovereignty and previews what we see in the crucifixion of Jesus. Peter’s preaching on Pentecost included these words: “This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead” (Acts 2:23-24; see 4:24-30). By: Arthur Jackson

Overcoming Trials

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good . . . the saving of many lives. Genesis 50:20

Anne grew up in poverty and pain. Two of her siblings died in infancy. At five, an eye disease left her partially blind and unable to read or write. When Anne was eight, her mother died from tuberculosis. Shortly after, her abusive father abandoned his three surviving children. The youngest was sent to live with relatives, but Anne and her brother, Jimmie, went to Tewksbury Almshouse, a dilapidated, overcrowded poorhouse. A few months later, Jimmie died.

At age fourteen, Anne’s circumstances brightened. She was sent to a school for the blind, where she underwent surgery to improve her vision and learned to read and write. Though she struggled to fit in, she excelled academically and graduated valedictorian. Today we know her best as Anne Sullivan, Helen Keller’s teacher and companion. Through effort, patience, and love, Anne taught blind and deaf Helen to speak, to read Braille, and to graduate from college.

Joseph too had to overcome extreme trials: at seventeen, he was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and was later wrongly imprisoned (Genesis 37; 39–41). Yet God used him to save Egypt and his family from famine (50:20).

We all face trials and troubles. But just as God helped Joseph and Anne to overcome and to deeply impact the lives of others, He can help and use us. Seek Him for help and guidance. He sees and hears. 

By:  Alyson Kieda

Reflect & Pray

How has God helped you through a trial? How have you been able to help another in their struggle?

Dear God, thank You! You helped me come through a trial. Please help me to be a helper to others.

Learn more about suffering in the Christian life.

https://odbu.org/courses/ca211/lessons/ca211-01-suffering-comes-with-the-freedom-to-choose/topic/ca211-01-lecture/

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

Intercessory Prayer

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

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

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

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

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

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: Hosea 12-14; Revelation 4

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

A Leader's #1 Job - #9633

I was in a board meeting in a hotel conference room. It was in the 90s outside, but I was ready to put gloves on so I could write without shaking. The air conditioner in our conference room was set one notch past high. It was on arctic! We wandered over to the control box on the wall, and all we did was discover that the controls were locked up. Great! So, we called the desk and they had a hard time understanding us because our teeth were chattering. (I'm not exaggerating at all, no.) They finally got the message, and the maintenance man came and he turned down that ice machine. At that moment, he had the power in his hands. Summer or winter, he is the man who decides what the temperature will be. You know, that's a pretty significant position.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "A Leader's #1 Job."

Our word for today from the Word of God turns the spotlight on one of the Bible's greatest role models for leadership - my hero, Nehemiah. He led God's people in the effort to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem in just 52 days. As we join the story, Nehemiah is now governor for a poor group of people who are trying to establish life in their rebuilt city. In that difficult time, the climate was very important, and God had a man who knew how to establish just the right temperature.

Our word for today from the Word of God, Nehemiah 5 beginning in verse 14. "When I was appointed to be their governor...neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. But the earlier governors - those preceding me - placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God, I did not act like that. Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled for the work; we did not acquire any land. Furthermore," Nehemiah says, "a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations...I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people."

In the intensity of this survival situation, the people desperately needed a climate of unselfishness, of sharing, of cooperation. But someone had to be the thermostat, and Nehemiah was that man. He led the way, setting a temperature of sharing, and you know what? The people followed.

The greatest responsibility of any leader is probably not even in his or her job description. It's establishing a climate. Parents do it at home; Dad establishes a climate when he walks in the door at night. Teachers set a temperature in a classroom. A chairman sets a temperature in a meeting. Leaders do it in a church. Supervisors set a climate in an office or factory. In a sense, we're all leaders to the extent that we set a climate where we are.

If you're in a position of influencing others, have you considered how the temperature feels where you are, what kind of climate you're establishing? Not so much with what you say, but more with the way you are. Is it tense around you or peaceful? Are people around you seeing a model of caring? Of unselfishness? Of pitching in on what needs to be done, as Governor Nehemiah did with the work on the wall? Are you setting a climate of respect for other people? If people are around you, do they become people of prayer?

You're a leader. You're setting a climate, whether you realize it or not. And the interesting thing is that you end up reaping the climate you sow. So make the place where you are feel like it would if Jesus were there. He is.

Romans 2, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: DOWN ON YOUR KNEES - December 12, 2023

A small cathedral outside Bethlehem marks the supposed birthplace of Jesus. Behind a high altar in the church is a cave, a little cavern lit by silver lamps. You can enter the main edifice and admire the ancient church. You can also enter the quiet cave, where a star embedded in the floor recognizes the birth of the King. There is one stipulation, however – you have to stoop. The door is so low you can’t enter standing up.

The same is true of the Christ. You know, you can see the world standing tall, but to witness the Savior you have to get on your knees. So at the birth of Jesus, while the theologians were sleeping and the elite were dreaming and the successful were snoring, the meek were kneeling. They were kneeling before the One only the meek will see. They were kneeling in front of Jesus.

Romans 2

God Is Kind, but Not Soft

1–2  2 Those people are on a dark spiral downward. But if you think that leaves you on the high ground where you can point your finger at others, think again. Every time you criticize someone, you condemn yourself. It takes one to know one. Judgmental criticism of others is a well-known way of escaping detection in your own crimes and misdemeanors. But God isn’t so easily diverted. He sees right through all such smoke screens and holds you to what you’ve done.

3–4  You didn’t think, did you, that just by pointing your finger at others you would distract God from seeing all your misdoings and from coming down on you hard? Or did you think that because he’s such a nice God, he’d let you off the hook? Better think this one through from the beginning. God is kind, but he’s not soft. In kindness he takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change.

5–8  You’re not getting by with anything. Every refusal and avoidance of God adds fuel to the fire. The day is coming when it’s going to blaze hot and high, God’s fiery and righteous judgment. Make no mistake: In the end you get what’s coming to you—Real Life for those who work on God’s side, but to those who insist on getting their own way and take the path of least resistance, Fire!

9–11  If you go against the grain, you get splinters, regardless of which neighborhood you’re from, what your parents taught you, what schools you attended. But if you embrace the way God does things, there are wonderful payoffs, again without regard to where you are from or how you were brought up. Being a Jew won’t give you an automatic stamp of approval. God pays no attention to what others say (or what you think) about you. He makes up his own mind.

12–13  If you sin without knowing what you’re doing, God takes that into account. But if you sin knowing full well what you’re doing, that’s a different story entirely. Merely hearing God’s law is a waste of your time if you don’t do what he commands. Doing, not hearing, is what makes the difference with God.

14–16  When outsiders who have never heard of God’s law follow it more or less by instinct, they confirm its truth by their obedience. They show that God’s law is not something alien, imposed on us from without, but woven into the very fabric of our creation. There is something deep within them that echoes God’s yes and no, right and wrong. Their response to God’s yes and no will become public knowledge on the day God makes his final decision about every man and woman. The Message from God that I proclaim through Jesus Christ takes into account all these differences.

Religion Can’t Save You

17–24  If you’re brought up Jewish, don’t assume that you can lean back in the arms of your religion and take it easy, feeling smug because you’re an insider to God’s revelation, a connoisseur of the best things of God, informed on the latest doctrines! I have a special word of caution for you who are sure that you have it all together yourselves and, because you know God’s revealed Word inside and out, feel qualified to guide others through their blind alleys and dark nights and confused emotions to God. While you are guiding others, who is going to guide you? I’m quite serious. While preaching “Don’t steal!” are you going to rob people blind? Who would suspect you? The same with adultery. The same with idolatry. You can get by with almost anything if you front it with eloquent talk about God and his law. The line from Scripture, “It’s because of you Jews that the outsiders are down on God,” shows it’s an old problem that isn’t going to go away.

25–29  Circumcision, the surgical ritual that marks you as a Jew, is great if you live in accord with God’s law. But if you don’t, it’s worse than not being circumcised. The reverse is also true: The uncircumcised who keep God’s ways are as good as the circumcised—in fact, better. Better to keep God’s law uncircumcised than break it circumcised. Don’t you see: It’s not the cut of a knife that makes a Jew. You become a Jew by who you are. It’s the mark of God on your heart, not of a knife on your skin, that makes a Jew. And recognition comes from God, not legalistic critics.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Tuesday, December 12, 2023

Today's Scripture

Proverbs 18:10–15

God’s name is a place of protection—

good people can run there and be safe.

11  The rich think their wealth protects them;

they imagine themselves safe behind it.

12  Pride first, then the crash,

but humility is precursor to honor.

13  Answering before listening

is both stupid and rude.

14  A healthy spirit conquers adversity,

but what can you do when the spirit is crushed?

15  Wise men and women are always learning,

always listening for fresh insights.

Insight

As the writer of Proverbs so beautifully stated, “The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe” (Proverbs 18:10). In Judges 9, the people of Shechem ran to a stronghold (v. 46) for refuge when Abimelek—one of Gideon’s sons—threatened the city. Abimelek had previously executed all seventy of his brothers, except Jotham who escaped (v. 5). Unfortunately, the people weren’t safe in this tower because Abimelek set it on fire and all perished (v. 49). But unlike the temporary security of a manmade tower or stronghold, nothing can stand against God. The psalmist David proclaimed God “a strong tower against the foe” (Psalm 61:3) and “a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble” (9:9; see 18:2). We can always find refuge in Him. By: Alyson Kieda

Lean on God

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

While at a water park with some friends, we attempted to navigate a floating obstacle course made of inflatable platforms. The bouncy, slippery platforms made walking straight almost impossible. As we wobbled our way across ramps, cliffs, and bridges, we found ourselves yelping as we fell unceremoniously into the water. After completing one course, my friend, completely exhausted, leaned on one of the “towers” to catch her breath. Almost immediately, it buckled under her weight, sending her hurtling into the water.

Unlike the flimsy towers at the water park, in Bible times, a tower was a stronghold for defense and protection. Judges 9:50–51 describes how the people of Thebez fled to “a strong tower” to hide from Abimelek’s attack on their city. In Proverbs 18:10, the writer used the image of a strong tower to describe who God is—the One who saves those who trust Him.

Sometimes, however, rather than lean on the strong tower of God when we're tired or beaten down, we seek other things for safety and support—a career, relationships, or physical comforts. We’re no different from the rich man who looked for strength in his wealth (v. 11). But just as the inflatable tower couldn’t support my friend, these things can’t give us what we really need. God—who’s all-powerful and in control of all situations—provides true comfort and security. By:  Jasmine Goh

Reflect & Pray

What “towers” do you lean on? How can you remind yourself to run to God, the strong tower?

Dear God, help me to run to You instead of turning to other things for comfort and security.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Tuesday, December 12, 2023

Personality

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

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

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

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

There is no allowance whatever in the New Testament for the man who says he is saved by grace but who does not produce the graceful goods. Jesus Christ by His Redemption can make our actual life in keeping with our religious profession. Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, 1465 R

Bible in a Year: Hosea 9-11; Revelation 3

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Tuesday, December 12, 2023 (12/13/2021)

Destiny In the Drudgery - #9111

If you want to have some fun at a gathering where there are married couples, just ask a simple question. "How did you two meet?" You'll get some run-of-the-mill, maybe average type stories like, "We knew each other since we were six days old." But you may also get a few of them who start laughing out loud before they tell you why. They start rolling their eyes, they look at each other, and one or the other of them will say, "Do you really want to know?"

Occasionally, you'll get an answer that's about some random way of meeting - like in a laundromat, or an elevator, or some unexpected public place. Of course, you know, computer online. It's amazing how you can go out not looking, just doing something mundane, and in the middle of some everyday activity, "Poof!" There's what turns out to be your life partner. You know, sometimes that everyday stuff, whoa, turns out not to be so every day.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Destiny In the Drudgery."

Now, our word for today from the Word of God comes right out of the Christmas Story; those wonderful, familiar words about destiny in the drudgery. Luke 2:4 says, "So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son." Well, and the rest, I think we would say, is really history.

Now, Joseph needed to be in Bethlehem. Mary needed to be in Bethlehem, because all the prophecies of the Old Testament have said that the Son of God will come and be born in Bethlehem. Problem: Joseph and Mary are 90 miles away; they're up in Nazareth. Now, how are we going to get them to be in the destiny place for their lives? Ah-ha! Taxes! That's right! It was taxes that got Joseph to the town where Jesus was destined to be born. He had to go there and register. What a drudge!

Here he is, tromping over the hills, going there with his wife - mundane chores. And in the middle of the mundane is the birth of the Son of God. Now, that's very appropriate that it would happen that way, because God often buries a great gift in everyday stuff. Often the good things of your life that you're looking for come when you're not looking for them. God makes destiny out of drudgery...like a woman going to a well to draw water and she meets her Messiah in the middle of her daily chores. Or a fisherman cleaning his nets; he's cleaning up for the day, getting ready to go home and he leaves that day as a disciple of Jesus Christ - it's Simon Peter. Or how about a farmer's son, looking for his Dad's lost donkeys - Saul - and it's in that maneuver that he runs into Samuel and becomes the first King of Israel.

You know, I remember back some years ago, I had been looking - I think for about five years - for an experienced leader to take a vital leadership role in our organization, and God brought me together with someone perfectly gifted, perfectly prepared. You know how? He picked me up in an airport one day. That's how we met. Big deal! But his destiny and mine were in the drudgery of a trip to and from an airport. You say, "Well, so what?" Well, there's no such thing as waking up and saying, "Ho-hum, another day." Uh-uh. God is making something with this day. This is the day the Lord is making! Has made! "I will rejoice and be glad in it." He's weaving a tapestry. Oh, you just see the threads, but God's looking at the tapestry.

So, it's wise to commit yourself to a daily God hunt. Look for Him - God sightings, as He reveals himself somewhere in today's everyday stuff. So go with your eyes wide open into each new day - there's destiny in that drudgery. When Christ is your Lord, everyday stuff isn't everyday stuff.