Genesis 49 Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Revenge is Natural, Not Spiritual

When we are mistreated, our animalistic response is to go on the hunt. Getting even is only natural. Which, incidentally, is precisely the problem. Revenge is natural, not spiritual. Getting even is the rule of the jungle. Giving grace is the rule of the kingdom.

You may be thinking, easy for you to say, Max, you have no idea how hard my life has been. You are right, I don’t. But I have a very clear idea how miserable your future will be unless you deal with your anger.

X-ray the soul of the vengeful and behold the tumor of bitterness; menacing, malignant. Yesterday you cannot alter, but your reaction to yesterday you can. After all, don’t we have enough things to do without trying to do God’s work too? Forgiveness is not saying the one who hurt you was right.  Forgiveness is stating that God will do what is right.

From When God Whispers Your Name

Genesis 49

Jacob Blesses His Sons

Then Jacob called for his sons and said: “Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come.

2 “Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob;
    listen to your father Israel.
3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn,
    my might, the first sign of my strength,
    excelling in honor, excelling in power.
4 Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel,
    for you went up onto your father’s bed,
    onto my couch and defiled it.
5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers—
    their swords[a] are weapons of violence.
6 Let me not enter their council,
    let me not join their assembly,
for they have killed men in their anger
    and hamstrung oxen as they pleased.
7 Cursed be their anger, so fierce,
    and their fury, so cruel!
I will scatter them in Jacob
    and disperse them in Israel.
8 “Judah,[b] your brothers will praise you;
    your hand will be on the neck of your enemies;
    your father’s sons will bow down to you.
9 You are a lion’s cub, Judah;
    you return from the prey, my son.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down,
    like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,
    nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,[c]
until he to whom it belongs[d] shall come
    and the obedience of the nations shall be his.
11 He will tether his donkey to a vine,
    his colt to the choicest branch;
he will wash his garments in wine,
    his robes in the blood of grapes.
12 His eyes will be darker than wine,
    his teeth whiter than milk.[e]
13 “Zebulun will live by the seashore
    and become a haven for ships;
    his border will extend toward Sidon.
14 “Issachar is a rawboned[f] donkey
    lying down among the sheep pens.[g]
15 When he sees how good is his resting place
    and how pleasant is his land,
he will bend his shoulder to the burden
    and submit to forced labor.
16 “Dan[h] will provide justice for his people
    as one of the tribes of Israel.
17 Dan will be a snake by the roadside,
    a viper along the path,
that bites the horse’s heels
    so that its rider tumbles backward.
18 “I look for your deliverance, Lord.
19 “Gad[i] will be attacked by a band of raiders,
    but he will attack them at their heels.
20 “Asher’s food will be rich;
    he will provide delicacies fit for a king.
21 “Naphtali is a doe set free
    that bears beautiful fawns.[j]
22 “Joseph is a fruitful vine,
    a fruitful vine near a spring,
    whose branches climb over a wall.[k]
23 With bitterness archers attacked him;
    they shot at him with hostility.
24 But his bow remained steady,
    his strong arms stayed[l] limber,
because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,
    because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,
25 because of your father’s God, who helps you,
    because of the Almighty,[m] who blesses you
with blessings of the skies above,
    blessings of the deep springs below,
    blessings of the breast and womb.
26 Your father’s blessings are greater
    than the blessings of the ancient mountains,
    than[n] the bounty of the age-old hills.
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,
    on the brow of the prince among[o] his brothers.
27 “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;
    in the morning he devours the prey,
    in the evening he divides the plunder.”
28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing appropriate to him.

The Death of Jacob
29 Then he gave them these instructions: “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite. 31 There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I buried Leah. 32 The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.[p]”

33 When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.


Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Read: Psalm 72:12-20

For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
    the afflicted who have no one to help.
13 He will take pity on the weak and the needy
    and save the needy from death.
14 He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
    for precious is their blood in his sight.
15 Long may he live!
    May gold from Sheba be given him.
May people ever pray for him
    and bless him all day long.
16 May grain abound throughout the land;
    on the tops of the hills may it sway.
May the crops flourish like Lebanon
    and thrive[a] like the grass of the field.
17 May his name endure forever;
    may it continue as long as the sun.
Then all nations will be blessed through him,[b]
    and they will call him blessed.
18 Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel,
    who alone does marvelous deeds.
19 Praise be to his glorious name forever;
    may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen and Amen.
20 This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.
Footnotes:

Psalm 72:16 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text Lebanon, / from the city
Psalm 72:17 Or will use his name in blessings (see Gen. 48:20)

Insight
Solomon and wisdom are virtually synonymous. As great as Solomon was and as much as he did for Israel through his kingship—economic prosperity, peace, arts, and culture—he still fell short of what God can do. In today’s psalm, Solomon, the man who built golden temples and palaces, reflects on the power of God to save souls and to bring growth to barren places (72:13,16). God is the only one who truly does wondrous things (v.18).

Grain On The Mountaintop
By David H. Roper

There will be an abundance of grain in the earth, on the top of the mountains. —Psalm 72:16

I’ve been on a number of mountaintops in the US in my time, and I can tell you that not much grows up there. The summits of mountains are bare rock and lichen. That’s not where you would normally find an abundance of grain.

But Solomon, who wrote Psalm 72, asked God for “an abundance of grain . . . on the top of the mountains,” to characterize his reign as king. If grain on the mountain is so unusual, what is Solomon suggesting? That God’s power can produce results in even the most unpromising soil?

Perhaps you think of yourself as a little person, with very little to bring to the kingdom. Take courage: God can produce an abundant harvest through you. This is one of the ironies of faith: God uses the insignificant to accomplish the great. Not many of us are wise or noble; most of us are anonymous and far from extraordinary. Yet all of us can be used. And contrary to what we might think, it is because of our weakness that we can be used by God (1 Cor. 1:27-29; 2 Cor. 12:10).

It’s possible to be too big or proud for God to use, but we can never be too little. “Out of weakness” we are “made strong” (Heb. 11:34). By God’s great power, we can do all that He has called us to do.

Lord, You work through such common things—
those of us with flaws and weaknesses.
We are in awe of Your power and humbled by Your
choice of us. Our hearts long to be faithful to You.
To experience God’s power, we must first admit that we are weak.


My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Monday, July 14, 2014

Suffering Afflictions and Going the Second Mile

I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also —Matthew 5:39
This verse reveals the humiliation of being a Christian. In the natural realm, if a person does not hit back, it is because he is a coward. But in the spiritual realm, it is the very evidence of the Son of God in him if he does not hit back. When you are insulted, you must not only not resent it, but you must make it an opportunity to exhibit the Son of God in your life. And you cannot imitate the nature of Jesus— it is either in you or it is not. A personal insult becomes an opportunity for a saint to reveal the incredible sweetness of the Lord Jesus.

The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is not, “Do your duty,” but is, in effect, “Do what is not your duty.” It is not your duty to go the second mile, or to turn the other cheek, but Jesus said that if we are His disciples, we will always do these things. We will not say, “Oh well, I just can’t do any more, and I’ve been so misrepresented and misunderstood.” Every time I insist on having my own rights, I hurt the Son of God, while in fact I can prevent Jesus from being hurt if I will take the blow myself. That is the real meaning of filling “up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ . . .” (Colossians 1:24). A disciple realizes that it is his Lord’s honor that is at stake in his life, not his own honor.

Never look for righteousness in the other person, but never cease to be righteous yourself. We are always looking for justice, yet the essence of the teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is— Never look for justice, but never cease to give it.


A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Monday, July 14, 2014

Camera Ready - #7176

My wife and I had just visited her father and we were driving on this busy Interstate that's right near a large city. Suddenly everyone was coming to a complete stop, and we immediately thought, "Oh, there's got to be an accident, or maybe it could be construction."
Well, my wife was driving, and as we inch along we see that there is a road block ahead that was stopping everything. A man with a hard hat stuck his head in the window and began asking questions. "Where did you begin your journey today? How long have you been driving? Where are you headed?" My wife said, "What's this for?" He replied, "Oh, we're just taking a survey here to see if we need to widen the road."
So, they are stopping the busiest highway in the area to do a survey as the traffic is backing up behind us? My wife then notices this video camera filming the conversation with Mr. Hard Hat, and a woman with a microphone in her hand. And she saw the letters on the microphone. We've got a TV anchor woman here. And suddenly my wife began to think, what any of us would think if we suddenly saw a TV camera filming us, "Oh, what do I look like?" Well, that morning we had hurried to get started on a long drive, so no makeup, no hair grooming, kind of crummy travel clothes. As we pulled away, my wife pulled down the visor mirror and she said, "Is that what they saw?" Well, you never know when folks are going to be seeing you.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Camera Ready."
Here's our word for today from the Word of God from John chapter 3, beginning at verse 19, "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men love darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been through God."
Now, this verse makes me think about people who have one of life's great freedoms-nothing to hide. "I've got nothing to hide. Stop me any time. I'm living in the light. I don't care what's exposed. Roll the film, roll the tape. I don't fear discovery." See, that's a great way to live isn't it? I mean, you never know when someone will be watching, as my wife discovered on that busy Interstate that day.You can be sure that God's tape is rolling on every conversation you have, no matter how secret you think it is. His camera is rolling on every activity, no matter how alone you may think you are, and usually people find out too. The Bible says, "Be sure your sin will find you out." It's often not right away, but at a later time when the disclosure can do the greatest damage to your family, or your ministry, or to your representation of Christ.
It's a good idea to never leave home without making sure you look okay inside. Each new day, why don't we deal with the attitudes that we don't want recorded that day, the compromises, the selfish way we get things done, that runaway mouth that keeps hurting people, the immoral thoughts, the sins that beat you yesterday. Repentance is what makes you a camera-ready person who's got nothing to hide."Hey, I've confessed it to Jesus. I've let Him clean me up today." And repentance honestly should be a regular part of getting dressed spiritually every morning. It just feels so good to know you can welcome the light; you can welcome exposure. You don't need to hide in a dark corner because somebody might find out.
Maybe God is using our visit today to speak to you about some dark secret. Would you listen to His voice? It's not mine; it's His. Come clean with Jesus about it today, and then you'll have no fear of any film or any tape on earth.
By the way, the Bible says that when Jesus comes and when we stand before Him that "all men's secrets will be revealed." And we will be judged based on the things that were in the dark. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have all that erased from God's Book so you would never meet them on Judgment Day? There's one person who can do that; the man who died to make it happen. That would be Jesus. The day you say, "Jesus, I'm Yours" is the day that every sin of your life is forgiven forever.
This could be that day. I'd love to help you know how to make that happen. Would you visit our website? It's ANewStory.com. Let's get this done. The cameras are rolling in heaven and they're rolling on earth, in public or in private. So always provide a picture that you can be proud of.

Ezekiel 2, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Important But Not Essential

Do you want to snatch a day from the grip of boredom?  Do overly generous deeds, acts beyond reimbursement. Kindness without compensation.  Here’s another idea…Get over yourself!

Sound too harsh?

Well, Moses did.  Numbers 12:3 says, he was a “very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.”

Mary did.  When Jesus called her womb His home, she did not boast; she simple confessed: “I am the Lord’s maid, ready to serve.”

Most of all–Jesus did.  Jesus chose the servants’ quarters.  Can’t we?

We’re important but not essential, valuable but not indispensable.  We have a song to sing, but we’re not the featured act.  God is!

He did well before our births; he’ll do fine after our deaths.  He started it all, sustains it all, and will bring it all to a glorious climax!

From Great Day Every Day

Ezekiel 2

It said, “Son of man, stand up. I have something to say to you.”

2  The moment I heard the voice, the Spirit entered me and put me on my feet. As he spoke to me, I listened.

3–7  He said, “Son of man, I’m sending you to the family of Israel, a rebellious nation if there ever was one. They and their ancestors have fomented rebellion right up to the present. They’re a hard case, these people to whom I’m sending you—hardened in their sin. Tell them, ‘This is the Message of God, the Master.’ They are a defiant bunch. Whether or not they listen, at least they’ll know that a prophet’s been here. But don’t be afraid of them, son of man, and don’t be afraid of anything they say. Don’t be afraid when living among them is like stepping on thorns or finding scorpions in your bed. Don’t be afraid of their mean words or their hard looks. They’re a bunch of rebels. Your job is to speak to them. Whether they listen is not your concern. They’re hardened rebels.

8  “Only take care, son of man, that you don’t rebel like these rebels. Open your mouth and eat what I give you.”

9–10  When I looked he had his hand stretched out to me, and in the hand a book, a scroll. He unrolled the scroll. On both sides, front and back, were written lamentations and mourning and doom.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Saturday, July 13, 2024

Today's Scripture

Ezra 3:1-6

The Building Begun: “The Foundation of the Temple Was Laid”

1–2  3 When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled into their towns, the people assembled together in Jerusalem. Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brother priests, along with Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and his relatives, went to work and built the Altar of the God of Israel to offer Whole-Burnt-Offerings on it as written in The Revelation of Moses the man of God.

3–5  Even though they were afraid of what their non-Israelite neighbors might do, they went ahead anyway and set up the Altar on its foundations and offered Whole-Burnt-Offerings on it morning and evening. They also celebrated the Festival of Booths as prescribed and the daily Whole-Burnt-Offerings set for each day. And they presented the regular Whole-Burnt-Offerings for Sabbaths, New Moons, and God’s Holy Festivals, as well as Freewill-Offerings for God.

6  They began offering Whole-Burnt-Offerings to God from the very first day of the seventh month, even though The Temple of God’s foundation had not yet been laid.

Insight

The book of Ezra is one of the post-exilic books in the Old Testament, meaning it recounts events following the exile of Judah to Babylon. After seventy years in captivity, when the people were allowed to return to the land of their forefathers, they found Jerusalem a mere shadow of its former glory. With both the impact of Babylon’s attack and the seven decades of neglect having taken its toll, the city needed to be rebuilt. However, the people also needed to be rebuilt in their relationship with God as His covenant people. Described as a teacher of the law (Ezra 7:6, 10), Ezra reestablished the law of Moses and called the people to worship the God their ancestors had forsaken—which had prompted the exile in the first place. Ezra was also of the priestly line, descending from Seraiah, the last chief priest to serve in Solomon’s temple (2 Kings 25:18). By: Bill Crowder

Worship First

They began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, though the foundation of the Lord’s temple had not yet been laid. 

Ezra 3:6

I’d never planned to start a non-profit organization about adult friendship, and when I felt called to do so, I had so many questions. How would the charity be financed, and who should help me build it? My greatest help on these matters ended up coming not from a business book, but a biblical one.

The book of Ezra is essential reading for anyone called by God to build something. Recounting how the Jews rebuilt Jerusalem after their exile, it shows how God provided funds through public donations and government grants (Ezra 1:4-11; 6:8-10), and how both volunteers and contractors did the work (1:5; 3:7). It shows the importance of preparation time, with rebuilding not beginning until the second year of the Jews’ return (3:8). It shows how opposition may come (ch. 4). But one thing in the story particularly stood out to me. A whole year before any building began, the Jews erected the altar (3:1-6). The people worshiped “though the foundation of the Lord’s temple had not yet been laid” (v. 6). Worship came first.

Is God calling you to start something new? Ezra’s principle is poignant whether you’re starting a charity, a Bible study, a creative project, or some new task at work. Even a God-given project can take our attention away from Him, so let’s focus on God first. Before we work, we worship.  By:  Sheridan Voysey

Reflect & Pray

Why do you think the Jews built the altar first? How could worship fit into your workflow today?

Heavenly Father, I worship You as Lord of all, including the tasks You’ve given me to do today.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Saturday, July 13, 2024

The Price of Vision

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord. —Isaiah 6:1

Our soul’s history with God is frequently the history of the passing of the hero. Over and over again, God has to remove our King Uzziahs—our friends and personal heroes—so that he can take his rightful place in our lives. Often when this happens, we faint and fail and get discouraged.

Take it to heart: In the year I lost the person who held the place of God in my life, what did I do? Did I give up on everything? Did I become sick and disheartened? Or did I see the Lord?

My ability to see God depends upon the state of my character. Character determines revelation. Before I can say, “I saw the Lord,” there must be something corresponding to God in my character, something I received when I was born again in the Spirit. Until I am born again and begin to see the kingdom of God, I see through the cloud of my own prejudices. I need an internal purification as well as the surgical operation of external events. It must be God first, God second, and God third, until my life is faced steadily with God and no one else is of any importance.

Whom seek they or whom find? for in all the world

There is none but thee, my God, there is none but thee.

—Frederic W. H. Myers

Keep paying the price. Let God see that you are willing to seek none but him.

Psalms 7-9; Acts 18

WISDOM FROM OSWALD

No one could have had a more sensitive love in human relationship than Jesus; and yet He says there are times when love to father and mother must be hatred in comparison to our love for Him.  

So Send I You, 1301 L

Ezekiel 1, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: KNOW WHERE TO LOOK - July 12, 2024

Jesus said, “Father, if you are willing, take away this cup of suffering” (Luke 22:42 NCV). Jesus could have confided in his disciples. He could have assembled a prayer meeting. But when he faced fear he went first to his Father. Oh, how we tend to go everywhere else. First to the bar, to the counselor, to the self-help book, or to the friend next door. Not Jesus. The first one to hear his fear was his Father in heaven.

A millennium earlier David was urging the fear-filled to do the same. “I will fear no evil.” How could David make such a claim? Because he knew where to look. Rather than turn to the other sheep, David turned to the Shepherd. Rather than stare at the problems, he stared at the rod and staff. Because he knew where to look, David was able to say, “I will fear no evil.”

 Ezekiel 1

Wheels Within Wheels, Like a Gyroscope

1  1 When I was thirty years of age, I was living with the exiles on the Kebar River. On the fifth day of the fourth month, the sky opened up and I saw visions of God.

2–3  (It was the fifth day of the month in the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin that God’s Word came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, on the banks of the Kebar River in the country of Babylon. God’s hand came upon him that day.)

4–9  I looked: I saw an immense dust storm come from the north, an immense cloud with lightning flashing from it, a huge ball of fire glowing like bronze. Within the fire were what looked like four creatures vibrant with life. Each had the form of a human being, but each also had four faces and four wings. Their legs were as sturdy and straight as columns, but their feet were hoofed like those of a calf and sparkled from the fire like burnished bronze. On all four sides under their wings they had human hands. All four had both faces and wings, with the wings touching one another. They turned neither one way nor the other; they went straight forward.

10–12  Their faces looked like this: In front a human face, on the right side the face of a lion, on the left the face of an ox, and in back the face of an eagle. So much for the faces. The wings were spread out with the tips of one pair touching the creature on either side; the other pair of wings covered its body. Each creature went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit went, they went. They didn’t turn as they went.

13–14  The four creatures looked like a blazing fire, or like fiery torches. Tongues of fire shot back and forth between the creatures, and out of the fire, bolts of lightning. The creatures flashed back and forth like strikes of lightning.

15–16  As I watched the four creatures, I saw something that looked like a wheel on the ground beside each of the four-faced creatures. This is what the wheels looked like: They were identical wheels, sparkling like diamonds in the sun. It looked like they were wheels within wheels, like a gyroscope.

17–21  They went in any one of the four directions they faced, but straight, not veering off. The rims were immense, circled with eyes. When the living creatures went, the wheels went; when the living creatures lifted off, the wheels lifted off. Wherever the spirit went, they went, the wheels sticking right with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. When the creatures went, the wheels went; when the creatures stopped, the wheels stopped; when the creatures lifted off, the wheels lifted off, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

22–24  Over the heads of the living creatures was something like a dome, shimmering like a sky full of cut glass, vaulted over their heads. Under the dome one set of wings was extended toward the others, with another set of wings covering their bodies. When they moved I heard their wings—it was like the roar of a great waterfall, like the voice of The Strong God, like the noise of a battlefield. When they stopped, they folded their wings.

25–28  And then, as they stood with folded wings, there was a voice from above the dome over their heads. Above the dome there was something that looked like a throne, sky-blue like a sapphire, with a humanlike figure towering above the throne. From what I could see, from the waist up he looked like burnished bronze and from the waist down like a blazing fire. Brightness everywhere! The way a rainbow springs out of the sky on a rainy day—that’s what it was like. It turned out to be the Glory of God!

When I saw all this, I fell to my knees, my face to the ground. Then I heard a voice.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Friday, July 12, 2024

Today's Scripture

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

The last and final word is this:

Fear God.

Do what he tells you.

14  And that’s it. Eventually God will bring everything that we do out into the open and judge it according to its hidden intent, whether it’s good or evil.

Insight

The final two verses of Ecclesiastes 12 comprise the conclusion to a sobering chapter in which old age is looked at with an unflinching lens. These verses also serve as the conclusion to the entire book of Ecclesiastes—possibly the most depressing book in the Bible after Lamentations. In both the first and last chapters, the author tells us “everything is meaningless” (1:2; 12:8). The bulk of the twelve chapters examine the futility of everything we do to try to find meaning and purpose. Upon closer inspection, however, we see that the writer does find meaning. That’s why he writes, “Fear God and keep his commandments” (v. 13) for there’s a coming judgment (v. 14). Keep in mind that “the Teacher” (1:1) is writing from the perspective of this life only. Only when he acknowledges the next life does he find purpose and, ultimately, fulfillment. By: Tim Gustafson

Uncovered Sins

God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. Ecclesiastes 12:14

A thief broke into a phone repair shop, smashed the glass of a display case, and began pocketing phones and more. He tried to conceal his identity from the surveillance camera by covering his head with a cardboard box. But during the burglary, the box briefly tipped, uncovering his face. Minutes later, the store owner saw the video footage of the robbery, called the police, and they arrested the robber outside a nearby store. His story reminds us that every hidden sin will be uncovered one day.

It's human nature to try to hide our sins. But in Ecclesiastes, we read that we should keep God’s commandments, for every hidden thing will be brought before His righteous gaze and just verdict (12:14). The author wrote, “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind” (v. 13). Even the hidden things which the Ten Commandments rebuked (Leviticus 4:13) won’t escape His evaluation. He’ll bring every deed into judgment, whether good or evil. But, because of His grace, we can find forgiveness for our sins in Jesus and His sacrifice on our behalf (Ephesians 2:4-5).

When we’re conscious of and internalize His commandments, it can lead to a reverent fear of Him and a lifestyle to match. Let’s bring our sins to Him and experience anew His loving, forgiving heart.

By:  Marvin Williams

Reflect & Pray

How can you maintain a reverent fear of God? What can you do this week to be conscious of His commandments?

Dear God, I repent of my secret sins. Please look on me with mercy and help me live rightly before You.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers

Friday, July 12, 2024

The Spiritual Society

. . . until we all reach unity in the faith. . . , attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. —Ephesians 4:13

In the redemption, Jesus Christ rehabilitated the whole of humanity, putting it back into a right relationship with God. Our Lord’s sacrifice means that now each and every one of us is able to enjoy an intimate, personal relationship with the Father. But developing a spiritual life of our own isn’t the only reason we are here. We are also here to “reach unity in the faith”—to realize Jesus Christ in our shared life in the church.

“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers . . .” (1 Corinthians 12:27–28). The first great obedience of the church is to Jesus Christ. When the church stops putting Christ first and starts focusing on its own development as an organization, it ceases to be a spiritual society. The reason Jesus Christ places apostles and teachers in the church isn’t to build up a worldly institution; it’s to build up the body of Christ—the unified community of believers.

Am I building up the shared body of Christ? Or am I seeking personal development only? If I am keeping my focus on the essential thing—my relationship to Jesus Christ—then I am doing what is right for the entire body. If instead I am wanting and seeking things for myself, my relationship to Christ and to his community is distorted. It will be a big humiliation to recognize that I haven’t been concerned about realizing Jesus Christ, but only about realizing what he has done for me.

My goal is God himself, not joy nor peace,

Nor even blessing, but himself, my God.

—Frances Brook

Am I measuring my life by this standard, or by something less?

WISDOM FROM OSWALD

Our danger is to water down God’s word to suit ourselves. God never fits His word to suit me; He fits me to suit His word.

Not Knowing Whither, 901 R

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Friday, July 12, 2024

The Lion That Stalks Us All - #9785

I was speaking at some youth conferences in South Africa and my South African friend, Ted, was driving me through this massive game reserve during a break at the conference. It was winter and the grass was tall. He said, "You'll see the big animals - but not the cats. Oh they'll be there, but they're in the grass." I've got to tell you, it was amazing to drive behind two slow-moving giraffes and ostriches. We didn't try to pass. We got behind some zebras too.

I'll never forget the once-in-a-lifetime sight of 30 elephants all ages and sizes. They were having a family meeting right next to the road. For the first time since we entered the park, I started to get out of the car to take pictures.

My friend made one comment: "I'll watch your back." When I asked him what he meant, he said, "Well, there have been four tourists mauled to death by lions in the past few months. So I'll watch your back." You know, it's surprising what great pictures you can get through the window of a car. I nearly lost my head ducking back into the car!

Sadly, the young woman who had been mauled to death a couple months before, hadn't even gotten out of the car. She just had her window rolled down. But a lioness, with her cubs nearby, leaped through the window to attack. I thought about Ted's "watch your back" and how that lion killed that woman and only needed an open window.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Lion That Stalks Us All."

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from 1 Peter 5:8. Here's a sobering picture from the Bible; a picture of the clear and present danger all of us humans face from the lion from hell. It says, "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour." And then there's this "watch your back" warning from God in Ephesians 4:27, "Do not give the devil a foothold."

The devil doesn't mind if people don't take him seriously. In fact, he prefers it so he can do deadly damage before we ever realize what's happening. And it only takes one open window for your spiritual enemy to get in, and he pounces on your carelessness.

That one click to check out that website. The one night with friends who bring you down. The extended time alone with that person you have feelings for. That first thought of leaving your marriage. It doesn't take much. One dark secret. One "white lie." Bitterness that you bury. A small compromise. A little gossip. An innocent "flirtation." Those angry, wounding words. Devilish opportunities, that's what they are; open windows to tragedy.

The lion from hell only needs an opening to ultimately destroy a life, a reputation, a marriage, a future. He never tells you where this little detour will take you. If you knew, you would keep the window closed. The Bible says, "Desire, when it has conceived, "gives birth to sin. And sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death" (James 1:15).

The lion is strong but I am not defenseless. My Savior is stronger. The Bible says Jesus is "the someone stronger who attacks and overpowers" the enemy of our soul (Luke 11:22). He did, in fact in the Bible's words, "triumph" over all the forces of darkness "by His cross" (Colossians 2:15).

When Jesus is invited into a life, He brings all the power that raised Him from the dead. He is the death-beater - the "lion tamer" - because He offered up His life to pay for human sin and break its hold.

I don't know if you've ever taken for yourself what He died to give you, and to finally give you power over all the forces of darkness around you and in you. You can do that today. Say, "Jesus, I'm yours." You want to know more about how that happens, our website is there for you right now. Please go there. It's ANewStory.com.

See, when the devil comes knocking, you send Jesus to the door and you keep your windows closed.

Genesis 47 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: Judgment is God's Job

There is power in revenge. Intoxicating power. Haven't we tasted it? Haven't we been tempted to get even? As we escort the offender into the courtroom, we announce, "He hurt me!" and jurors shake their heads in disgust. "He abandoned me!" we explain, and the chambers echo with our accusation. "Guilty!" the judge snarls as he slams the gavel. "Guilty!" the jury agrees. We delight in this moment of justice. We relish this pound of flesh.
I don't mean to be cocky, but why are you doing God's work for Him?  "Vengeance" is Mine," God declared. "I will repay." Proverbs 20:22 says, "Don't say, 'I'll pay you back for the wrong you did.' Wait for the Lord, and He will make things right." Judgment is God's job. To assume otherwise is to assume God can't do it. God has not asked us to settle the score or get even. Ever!
From When God Whispers Your Name

Genesis 47

Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father and brothers, with their flocks and herds and everything they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in Goshen.” 2 He chose five of his brothers and presented them before Pharaoh.

3 Pharaoh asked the brothers, “What is your occupation?”

“Your servants are shepherds,” they replied to Pharaoh, “just as our fathers were.” 4 They also said to him, “We have come to live here for a while, because the famine is severe in Canaan and your servants’ flocks have no pasture. So now, please let your servants settle in Goshen.”

5 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you, 6 and the land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best part of the land. Let them live in Goshen. And if you know of any among them with special ability, put them in charge of my own livestock.”

7 Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in and presented him before Pharaoh. After Jacob blessed[i] Pharaoh, 8 Pharaoh asked him, “How old are you?”

9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers.” 10 Then Jacob blessed[j] Pharaoh and went out from his presence.

11 So Joseph settled his father and his brothers in Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the district of Rameses, as Pharaoh directed. 12 Joseph also provided his father and his brothers and all his father’s household with food, according to the number of their children.

Joseph and the Famine
13 There was no food, however, in the whole region because the famine was severe; both Egypt and Canaan wasted away because of the famine. 14 Joseph collected all the money that was to be found in Egypt and Canaan in payment for the grain they were buying, and he brought it to Pharaoh’s palace. 15 When the money of the people of Egypt and Canaan was gone, all Egypt came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? Our money is all gone.”

16 “Then bring your livestock,” said Joseph. “I will sell you food in exchange for your livestock, since your money is gone.” 17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses, their sheep and goats, their cattle and donkeys. And he brought them through that year with food in exchange for all their livestock.

18 When that year was over, they came to him the following year and said, “We cannot hide from our lord the fact that since our money is gone and our livestock belongs to you, there is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land. 19 Why should we perish before your eyes—we and our land as well? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we with our land will be in bondage to Pharaoh. Give us seed so that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become desolate.”

20 So Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh. The Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields, because the famine was too severe for them. The land became Pharaoh’s, 21 and Joseph reduced the people to servitude,[k] from one end of Egypt to the other. 22 However, he did not buy the land of the priests, because they received a regular allotment from Pharaoh and had food enough from the allotment Pharaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell their land.

23 Joseph said to the people, “Now that I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed for you so you can plant the ground. 24 But when the crop comes in, give a fifth of it to Pharaoh. The other four-fifths you may keep as seed for the fields and as food for yourselves and your households and your children.”

25 “You have saved our lives,” they said. “May we find favor in the eyes of our lord; we will be in bondage to Pharaoh.”

26 So Joseph established it as a law concerning land in Egypt—still in force today—that a fifth of the produce belongs to Pharaoh. It was only the land of the priests that did not become Pharaoh’s.

27 Now the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and were fruitful and increased greatly in number.

28 Jacob lived in Egypt seventeen years, and the years of his life were a hundred and forty-seven. 29 When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise that you will show me kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but when I rest with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried.”

“I will do as you say,” he said.

31 “Swear to me,” he said. Then Joseph swore to him, and Israel worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.[l]


Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Read: 1 John 4:1-6,17-19

On Denying the Incarnation

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit[a] of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

Footnotes:

1 John 4:6 Or spirit

Insight
First John 4:2-3 is used often by Christians as a test to determine if one is demon-possessed. This ignores the context. John is warning against false prophets who deny the humanity of Christ and teach that Jesus only appeared to be human. A false teacher is one who denies that Jesus Christ is both fully man and fully God.

Paranoia In Reverse
By Philip Yancey

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. —1 John 4:18

I remember watching television news reports in 1991 as the nonviolent revolution took place in the streets of Moscow. Russians who had grown up in totalitarianism suddenly declared, “We will act as if we are free,” taking to the streets and staring down tanks. The contrast between the faces of the leaders inside and the masses outside showed who was really afraid, and who was really free.

Watching the newsreels from Red Square on Finnish television, I came up with a new definition of faith: paranoia in reverse. A truly paranoid person organizes his or her life around a common perspective of fear. Anything that happens feeds that fear.

Faith works in reverse. A faithful person organizes his or her life around a common perspective of trust, not fear. Despite the apparent chaos of the present moment, God does reign. Regardless of how I may feel, I truly matter to a God of love.

What could happen if we in God’s kingdom truly acted as if the words of the apostle John were literally true: “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). What if we really started living as if the most-repeated prayer in Christendom has actually been answered—that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven?

Far, far above thy thought
His counsel shall appear,
When fully He the work hath wrought
That caused thy needless fear. —Gerhardt
Feeding your faith helps starve your fears.


My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Friday, July 11, 2014

The Spiritually Vigorous Saint

. . . that I may know Him . . . —Philippians 3:10
A saint is not to take the initiative toward self-realization, but toward knowing Jesus Christ. A spiritually vigorous saint never believes that his circumstances simply happen at random, nor does he ever think of his life as being divided into the secular and the sacred. He sees every situation in which he finds himself as the means of obtaining a greater knowledge of Jesus Christ, and he has an attitude of unrestrained abandon and total surrender about him. The Holy Spirit is determined that we will have the realization of Jesus Christ in every area of our lives, and He will bring us back to the same point over and over again until we do. Self-realization only leads to the glorification of good works, whereas a saint of God glorifies Jesus Christ through his good works. Whatever we may be doing— even eating, drinking, or washing disciples’ feet— we have to take the initiative of realizing and recognizing Jesus Christ in it. Every phase of our life has its counterpart in the life of Jesus. Our Lord realized His relationship to the Father even in the most menial task. “Jesus, knowing . . . that He had come from God and was going to God, . . . took a towel . . . and began to wash the disciples’ feet . . .” (John 13:3-5).

The aim of a spiritually vigorous saint is “that I may know Him . . .” Do I know Him where I am today? If not, I am failing Him. I am not here for self-realization, but to know Jesus Christ. In Christian work our initiative and motivation are too often simply the result of realizing that there is work to be done and that we must do it. Yet that is never the attitude of a spiritually vigorous saint. His aim is to achieve the realization of Jesus Christ in every set of circumstances.

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Friday, July 11, 2014

Mother's Voice is Still There - #7175

The florists have been looking forward to their recliners. They finally get to recover from their busiest day of the year. Well, you know what that is. It was Mother's Day. Hallmark is counting all their Mother's Day card money. Phone companies get pretty happy then, too. It's the busiest calling day of the year. Did you know that? Mother's Day, of course, that's over. It only lasts a day. It's over until next year. Oh, but not their marks on our life.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Mother's Voice Is Still There."
I wrote some short stories when I was a kid, and there was only one person who would listen to me read them - Mom. And as lame as those stories may have been, she watered this wannabe writer with her encouragement. And she was my #1 fan at every activity. She even laughed at my jokes, even if she didn't always get them.
I was thinking today about how our mother's voice and our mother's influence is with us for life. It reminded me of the story of a man named John Newton. That's not a really well-known name. But what he wrote is known around the world.
It's the song they play at virtually every police and fire funeral. At times, it was the song heard almost every day at Ground Zero after September 11, 2001. If people only know one hymn, it's the one John Newton wrote - Amazing Grace.
But no one would have ever - ever - picked John Newton as the writer of an immortal hymn. When his mother died when he was a boy, his seafaring dad took him to sea. That's where John learned the partying and harsh ways of a sailor. As for God, well you could forget about that. Newton's cargo was human beings. Ripped from their families and chained in the belly of some death-trap slave ship.
Until the day a violent storm threatened to sink his ship. In that moment when he knew where his only hope was, John Newton yelled into the storm, "My mother's God - God of mercy - save me!" And his mother's God did. More importantly, his mother's God became John Newton's God that day. His life was saved that day. But so was his soul. Because of that "amazing grace" that enabled him to say, "I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind, but
now I see."
Over the years many a son or daughter has been the subject of many a mother's prayers. But it could be they've never chosen her God to be their God until the storm. It's when we are suddenly at the mercy of something we can't control, we can't fix, that we finally say, "I'm not enough." And a mother's prayers are finally answered. She may not have lived to see it, but her prayers have followed us wherever we've gone.
John Newton picked a pretty good word to describe a life that we're running instead of the God who gave it to us - lost. I'd still be lost, wondering why I'm here, wondering where I'm going, and what would fill the hole in my heart. If it weren't for the Man who said why He came here in our word today from the Word of God recorded in the Bible in Luke 19:10, "The Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost." That's what Jesus was doing when He was nailed to a cross. He said those three words that change a person's life; that change a person's eternity, "Father, forgive them."
I wonder if you have ever embraced what He did on that cross for you and made the Savior your Savior; knowing that it was your sin He was intending to forgive. But He waits to come in to become your rescuer from your sin. He's come to seek you today through our being together so He could save you for now and forever.
Do you want to know how to begin a relationship with Him? Would you go to our website and just spend a few minutes with me there? It's ANewStory.com. If you've been so blessed to have a mother who's prayed for you, that's a powerful reason to say "Thank you" and to ask her God to save you, as He has so many.
Believe me, there's no need to wait 'til the ship is coming apart.

Genesis 46 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: I Choose

It's quiet.  It's early.  For the next 12 hours I'll be exposed to the day's demands.  It's now that I must make a choice.  And so I choose-love. I will love God and what God loves.
I choose joy.
I choose peace. I will live forgiven.
I choose patience-Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I'll thank God for a moment to pray.
I choose kindness-for that's how God has treated me.
I choose goodness.
I choose faithfulness.  Today I'll keep my promises. My wife will not question my love.
I choose gentleness.  If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.
I choose self-control.  I will be impassioned only by my faith and influenced only by God.
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. When this day is done, I'll place my head on my pillow and rest.
From When God Whispers Your Name

Genesis 46

Jacob Goes to Egypt

So Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.

2 And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, “Jacob! Jacob!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

3 “I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. 4 I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.”

5 Then Jacob left Beersheba, and Israel’s sons took their father Jacob and their children and their wives in the carts that Pharaoh had sent to transport him. 6 So Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt, taking with them their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in Canaan. 7 Jacob brought with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring.

8 These are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt:

Reuben the firstborn of Jacob.

9 The sons of Reuben:

Hanok, Pallu, Hezron and Karmi.

10 The sons of Simeon:

Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.

11 The sons of Levi:

Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

12 The sons of Judah:

Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez and Zerah (but Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan).

The sons of Perez:

Hezron and Hamul.

13 The sons of Issachar:

Tola, Puah,[a] Jashub[b] and Shimron.

14 The sons of Zebulun:

Sered, Elon and Jahleel.

15 These were the sons Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram,[c] besides his daughter Dinah. These sons and daughters of his were thirty-three in all.

16 The sons of Gad:

Zephon,[d] Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli.

17 The sons of Asher:

Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah.

Their sister was Serah.

The sons of Beriah:

Heber and Malkiel.

18 These were the children born to Jacob by Zilpah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Leah—sixteen in all.

19 The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel:

Joseph and Benjamin. 20 In Egypt, Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.[e]

21 The sons of Benjamin:

Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.

22 These were the sons of Rachel who were born to Jacob—fourteen in all.

23 The son of Dan:

Hushim.

24 The sons of Naphtali:

Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem.

25 These were the sons born to Jacob by Bilhah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Rachel—seven in all.

26 All those who went to Egypt with Jacob—those who were his direct descendants, not counting his sons’ wives—numbered sixty-six persons. 27 With the two sons[f] who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob’s family, which went to Egypt, were seventy[g] in all.

28 Now Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When they arrived in the region of Goshen, 29 Joseph had his chariot made ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel. As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father[h] and wept for a long time.

30 Israel said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive.”

31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and speak to Pharaoh and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were living in the land of Canaan, have come to me. 32 The men are shepherds; they tend livestock, and they have brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own.’ 33 When Pharaoh calls you in and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34 you should answer, ‘Your servants have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the region of Goshen, for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.”


Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Read: Psalm 121

A song of ascents.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—
    he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord watches over you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore.

Insight
The superscription for Psalm 121 is “A Song of Ascents.” This designation is actually given to the collection of psalms that includes Psalms 120–134. Called “a psalter within the psalter” by Charles Haddon Spurgeon, these songs were sung by Jewish pilgrims making their way to Jerusalem for the three primary feast times of the year. The reason for calling them songs of “ascent” is that Jerusalem is the highest point in Israel, so people going to Jerusalem were always going up.

Look To The Hills
By Bill Crowder 

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. —Psalm 121:1-2

Atop Corcovado Mountain overlooking the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, stands Christ the Redeemer, one of the tallest statues of Christ in the world. Standing 30 meters tall, with arms spreading 28 meters, this sculpture weighs 635 metric tons. It can be seen day or night from almost anywhere in the city. One look to the hills brings this figure of Christ the Redeemer into view.

The New Testament tells us that Christ is not only the Redeemer, but He is also the Creator of the universe, and that Creator is in view in Psalm 121. There the psalmist challenges us to lift our eyes to the hills to see God, for our “help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (vv.1-2). He alone is sufficient to be our strength and to guide our steps as we make our way through a dangerous and troubled world.

We lift our eyes to the One who keeps us (v.3), guards us (vv.5-6), and overshadows us in the face of all types of danger. He preserves us from evil and keeps us safely in His care for all eternity (vv.7-8).

In faith, we lift our eyes to the One who is our Redeemer and Creator. He is our help and our hope and our eternal home.
O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home! —Watts
Christ was lifted up that He might lift us up.


My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Thursday, July 10, 2014

The Spiritually Lazy Saint

Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together . . . —Hebrews 10:24-25

We are all capable of being spiritually lazy saints. We want to stay off the rough roads of life, and our primary objective is to secure a peaceful retreat from the world. The ideas put forth in these verses from Hebrews 10 are those of stirring up one another and of keeping ourselves together. Both of these require initiative— our willingness to take the first step toward Christ-realization, not the initiative toward self-realization. To live a distant, withdrawn, and secluded life is diametrically opposed to spirituality as Jesus Christ taught it.

The true test of our spirituality occurs when we come up against injustice, degradation, ingratitude, and turmoil, all of which have the tendency to make us spiritually lazy. While being tested, we want to use prayer and Bible reading for the purpose of finding a quiet retreat. We use God only for the sake of getting peace and joy. We seek only our enjoyment of Jesus Christ, not a true realization of Him. This is the first step in the wrong direction. All these things we are seeking are simply effects, and yet we try to make them causes.

“Yes, I think it is right,” Peter said, “. . . to stir you up by reminding you . . .” (2 Peter 1:13). It is a most disturbing thing to be hit squarely in the stomach by someone being used of God to stir us up— someone who is full of spiritual activity. Simple active work and spiritual activity are not the same thing. Active work can actually be the counterfeit of spiritual activity. The real danger in spiritual laziness is that we do not want to be stirred up— all we want to hear about is a spiritual retirement from the world. Yet Jesus Christ never encourages the idea of retirement— He says, “Go and tell My brethren . . .” (Matthew 28:10).


A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Thursday, July 10, 2014

Big Ears - #7174

I recently heard a story about a farmer who was suing for damages that he had incurred in an automobile accident. A truck hit his pickup truck, and 
his pickup was totaled. Well, he was being cross-examined in court by the insurance company attorney who said, "Sir, the report that was taken at 
the scene said you told the officer you were fine. Can you explain that?" In other words, why was he suing? And I understand the farmer said, "Me 
and my old cow, Bessy, was driving down the road in my pickup truck."
Well, the attorney objected. He said, "Your Honor, wait a minute! He's not answering the question." And the judge said, "Sir, you do have to answer 
the question. Would you please?" "Me and my old cow, Bessy, was driving down the road in my pickup truck." Well, now the attorney is a little more 
ticked. He said, "He is evading the question, your Honor. I object! Make him answer the question."
The judge said, "Well, maybe we ought to hear everything he has to say." "Me and my..." You want to say it with me now? "Me and my old cow, Bessy, 
was driving down the road in my pickup truck, when suddenly this big old semi came across the road and hit us and threw me out of the truck; landed 
on the highway. Pretty soon I saw this big old officer standing over me, and I said, 'How is Bessy?' And he said, 'Well, I went over and Bessy 
wasn't doing well at all, so I took out my gun and I shot her.' Then he asked me, 'Now, how are you doing?'" I guess he was fine. See, hearing the 
rest of the story can make a very big difference.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Big Ears."
Our word for today from the Word of God comes from James 1:19. In a way it's a big ears verse. Here's what it says, "Everyone should be quick to 
listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry." I remember Warren Wiersbe saying one time, "People get most of their exercise jumping to 
conclusions." Well, it's true. It's like the attorney with that farmer. If you'd be silent long enough to hear the whole story, it might change 
everything.
That's probably why it says in this verse that people who are quick to listen are slow to become angry. Because they get the rest of the story, and 
that often makes the difference. Now, listening makes a big difference in whether or not you understand the other person. You've got to be willing 
to hear their whole paragraph, not just the opening sentence and you think you know the rest of it.

A lot of times we just impatiently think, "Yeah, I know what you're going to say." But listen! Hear their heart, not just their words. I mean, this 
is basic to a married couple being able to grow into oneness. Or people in a church or a business who have different viewpoints. It's essential to 
listen to find some middle ground.
Listening also makes a big difference in whether or not you are listened to. Nowhere is this more important than between parents and kids. When a 
parent speaks without listening, which we so often do, that parent has forfeited a lot of authority when they speak. You cut off the communication 
that every parent so desperately wants. Our children need to hear our wisdom about their friends, their school work, their music, and their love 
life. But they're not going to hear it if we don't win the right to be heard by listening.
And when you're sharing Jesus with someone, don't be a gospel machine gun. Listen! Find out where their need is first. Find out about their 
background. One way to show a person you really care is to have big ears. It's very hard for someone to talk into a big mouth. Listen aggressively 
with your eyes, with your hands. Ask that second or third question that shows you really care. "How are you doing?" "Fine." "Really? Are you 
really?" You can't imagine how much your relationship could be improved by heeding this simple advice from the Word of God, "be quick to listen."
So here's the question for today. When I ask it, I want you to think about the people around you in your personal universe. Would they call me a 
good listener? If you haven't been listening, tell them you're sorry you haven't and that you're asking God to help you change.
Beginning today, give the people around you that great gift of your big ears.