Nahum 1, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

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Max Lucado Daily: Your Middle C

When author Lloyd Douglas attended college, he lived in a boardinghouse with a retired music professor who lived on the first floor. Douglas would stick his head in the door and ask, “Well, what’s the good news?” The old man would pick up his tuning fork, tap it on the side of his chair and say, “That’s middle C.  It was middle C yesterday; it will be middle C tomorrow; it will be middle C a thousand years from now.  The tenor upstairs sings flat. The piano across the hall is out of tune, but, my friend, that is middle C!”

You and I need a middle C.  A still point in a turning world.  An unchanging Shepherd. A God who can still the storm.  A Lord who can declare the meaning of life.  And according to David in Psalm 23—you have one. The Lord is your shepherd!  He is your middle C!

From Traveling Light

Nahum 1
A prophecy concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
The Lord’s Anger Against Nineveh
2 The Lord is a jealous and avenging God;
    the Lord takes vengeance and is filled with wrath.
The Lord takes vengeance on his foes
    and vents his wrath against his enemies.
3 The Lord is slow to anger but great in power;
    the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished.
His way is in the whirlwind and the storm,
    and clouds are the dust of his feet.
4 He rebukes the sea and dries it up;
    he makes all the rivers run dry.
Bashan and Carmel wither
    and the blossoms of Lebanon fade.
5 The mountains quake before him
    and the hills melt away.
The earth trembles at his presence,
    the world and all who live in it.
6 Who can withstand his indignation?
    Who can endure his fierce anger?
His wrath is poured out like fire;
    the rocks are shattered before him.
7 The Lord is good,
    a refuge in times of trouble.
He cares for those who trust in him,
8     but with an overwhelming flood
he will make an end of Nineveh;
    he will pursue his foes into the realm of darkness.
9 Whatever they plot against the Lord
    he will bring[a] to an end;
    trouble will not come a second time.
10 They will be entangled among thorns
    and drunk from their wine;
    they will be consumed like dry stubble.[b]
11 From you, Nineveh, has one come forth
    who plots evil against the Lord
    and devises wicked plans.
12 This is what the Lord says:

“Although they have allies and are numerous,

    they will be destroyed and pass away.

Although I have afflicted you, Judah,

    I will afflict you no more.

13 Now I will break their yoke from your neck

    and tear your shackles away.”

14 The Lord has given a command concerning you, Nineveh:

    “You will have no descendants to bear your name.

I will destroy the images and idols

    that are in the temple of your gods.

I will prepare your grave,

    for you are vile.”

15 Look, there on the mountains,

    the feet of one who brings good news,

    who proclaims peace!

Celebrate your festivals, Judah,

    and fulfill your vows.

No more will the wicked invade you;

    they will be completely destroyed.[c]

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Read: Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2     He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3     he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

Leading From The Front

June 6, 2013 — by Bill Crowder

He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. —Psalm 23:2-3

Stephen Ambrose’s book Band of Brothers follows the US Army’s Easy Company from training in Georgia through the Normandy Invasion of D-Day (June 6, 1944) and ultimately to the end of World War II in Europe. For the bulk of that time, Easy Company was led by Richard Winters. Winters was an especially good officer because he led from the front. The most commonly heard words from Winters in combat were, “Follow me!” Other officers may have sought the safety of the rear areas, but if Winters’ men were going into combat, he was going to lead them.

Jesus is the one true Leader of His children. He knows what we need and where we are most vulnerable. His leading is part of what makes Psalm 23 the most beloved song in the Bible’s hymnal. In verse 2, David says that the Shepherd “leads me beside the still waters,” and in verse 3 he adds, “He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” These twin ideas reveal why His care is so complete. Whether it is times of refreshing and strengthening (“still waters”) or seasons of doing what pleases Him (“paths of righteousness”), we can follow Him.

As the old song says, “My Lord knows the way through the wilderness; all I have to do is follow.”

My Lord knows the way through the wilderness;
All I have to do is follow.
Strength for today is mine always
And all that I need for tomorrow. —Cox
Jesus knows the way—follow Him!


My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 6, 2013

“Work Out” What God “Works in” You

. . . work out your own salvation . . . for it is God who works in you . . . —Philippians 2:12-13

Your will agrees with God, but in your flesh there is a nature that renders you powerless to do what you know you ought to do. When the Lord initially comes in contact with our conscience, the first thing our conscience does is awaken our will, and our will always agrees with God. Yet you say, “But I don’t know if my will is in agreement with God.” Look to Jesus and you will find that your will and your conscience are in agreement with Him every time. What causes you to say “I will not obey” is something less deep and penetrating than your will. It is perversity or stubbornness, and they are never in agreement with God. The most profound thing in a person is his will, not sin.

The will is the essential element in God’s creation of human beings— sin is a perverse nature which entered into people. In someone who has been born again, the source of the will is Almighty God. “. . . for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” With focused attention and great care, you have to “work out” what God “works in” you— not work to accomplish or earn “your own salvation,” but work it out so you will exhibit the evidence of a life based with determined, unshakable faith on the complete and perfect redemption of the Lord. As you do this, you do not bring an opposing will up against God’s will— God’s will is your will. Your natural choices will be in accordance with God’s will, and living this life will be as natural as breathing. Stubbornness is an unintelligent barrier, refusing enlightenment and blocking its flow. The only thing to do with this barrier of stubbornness is to blow it up with “dynamite,” and the “dynamite” is obedience to the Holy Spirit.

Do I believe that Almighty God is the Source of my will? God not only expects me to do His will, but He is in me to do it.


A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

It's Not My Job - #6889

Thursday, June 6, 2013

t's almost become a gag line; it expresses the attitude of an employee who just wants to meet the bare minimums of their job. You ask them a question, ask them to do some small task; kind of shrugs his shoulders, puts his hands in the air and says, "Not my job!" Well, that can be a lazy response or maybe a wise one in some cases. For example, if you ask me to repair your car, I probably should say, "It's not my job." Or if you ask the local mechanic to take care of your toothache, it would be good if he said, "It's not my job." Or if you ask your dentist to program your computer, it would probably be good for him to say, "It's not my job." See, you really shouldn't be working out of what really isn't your job and you don't know how to do.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "It's Not My Job."

Our word for today from the Word of God is Psalm 84:11, "For the Lord God is a sun and a shield. The Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does He withhold from them whose walk is blameless." Wow, that's a great promise, isn't it? No good thing... Any good thing; anything that's really good for you, He will never withhold if your walk is blameless. And, of course, He's the one who defines what's good for us, because He knows best.

What's interesting about this verse is that it tells you three responsibilities that are not your job. "It's not my job!" Number one it's not your job to provide. It says here, "The Lord bestows favor." God gives you what you need. Jesus told us in the Sermon on the Mount, "Don't go chasing after food and clothing like the rest of the world does, because your Father knows what you have need of. You seek the kingdom of God and all the things will be taken care of."

You lose a lot of peace worrying about where the dollars are going to come from, the transportation, the resources. Three times in that passage Jesus told us, "Don't worry! Don't worry!" They're going to come from your Jehovah Jireh-the Lord who provides. He will take care of it. Although He expects us to work, ultimately the provision of your needs is not your job.

Secondly, protecting is not your job. It says, "The Lord is your shield." We waste a lot of effort defending our position, trying to look good, answering criticism from people, trying to protect our spot, fearing injury, fearing disappointment. What are you doing to just try to protect yourself? The Lord is your shield. It's not your job.

Then it's also not your job to promote. It says, "The Lord gives honor to people." Quit trying to get the spotlight for yourself; God exalts people. What are you doing trying to promote yourself? So, what is your job? Well, it says, "He does this for those whose walk is blameless." Your job is your walk. You're supposed to concentrate on cleaning up your walk with God; getting rid of those traits that displease Him and that bring criticism from others. Your job is to focus on spending time with your Lord; treating people as your Lord does, eliminating those stubborn sins that you tolerate rather than eliminate.

God's job is to provide your needs, to protect you from hurt, and to promote you to positions that He chooses. I wonder, have you been trying to do one of His jobs? Why don't you concentrate on your own? Concentrate on the purity of your walk, and God will keep His promise, "No good thing will He withhold from those whose walk is blameless."

Acts 22, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

(Click here to listen to God's love letter to you)

Max Lucado Daily:

An Unchanging God

You and I are governed. The weather determines what we wear. Gravity dictates our speed and health determines our strength. We may change these forces, alter them slightly, but we never remove them.  God is an unchanging God, an uncaused God, and an ungoverned God. He doesn’t check the weather; He makes it. He doesn’t defy gravity; He created it. He isn’t affected by health; He has no body.

Jesus said, “God is spirit.” (John 4:24). Since He has no body, He has no limitations—equally active in Cambodia as He is in Connecticut.

“Where can I go to get away from your Spirit?” asked David. (Psalm 139:7)  God–Unchanging.  God–Uncaused.  God–Ungoverned. Only a fraction of God’s qualities, but aren’t they enough to give you a glimpse of your Father?

Psalm 90:2 says,  “Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God!”

Acts 22
New International Version (NIV)
22 1 “Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense.”

2 When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet.

Then Paul said: 3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. 4 I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, 5 as the high priest and all the Council can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.

6 “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’

8 “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.

“ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. 9 My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.

10 “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked.

“ ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’ 11 My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.

12 “A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. 13 He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.

14 “Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. 15 You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’

17 “When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance 18 and saw the Lord speaking to me. ‘Quick!’ he said. ‘Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people here will not accept your testimony about me.’

19 “‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. 20 And when the blood of your martyr[a] Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’

21 “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”

Paul the Roman Citizen

22 The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He’s not fit to live!”

23 As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, 24 the commander ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. He directed that he be flogged and interrogated in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this. 25 As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?”

26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. “What are you going to do?” he asked. “This man is a Roman citizen.”

27 The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?”

“Yes, I am,” he answered.

28 Then the commander said, “I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship.”

“But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.

29 Those who were about to interrogate him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains.

Paul Before the Sanhedrin

30 The commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews. So the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the members of the Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them.



Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Read: John 15:1-13

The Vine and the Branches

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

More Than Information

June 5, 2013 — by Marvin Williams

Abide in Me, and I in you. —John 15:4

How is behavior altered? In his book The Social Animal, David Brooks notes that some experts have said people just need to be taught the long-term risks of bad behavior. For example, he writes: “Smoking can lead to cancer. Adultery destroys families, and lying destroys trust. The assumption was that once you reminded people of the foolishness of their behavior, they would be motivated to stop. Both reason and will are obviously important in making moral decisions and exercising self-control. But neither of these character models has proven very effective.” In other words, information alone is not powerful enough to transform behavior.

As Jesus’ followers, we want to grow and change spiritually. More than two millennia ago, Jesus told His disciples how that can happen. He said, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me” (John 15:4). Jesus is the Vine and we, His followers, are the branches. If we’re honest, we know we’re utterly helpless and spiritually ineffective apart from Him.

Jesus transforms us spiritually and reproduces His life in us—as we abide in Him.

Lord, take my life and make it wholly Thine;
Fill my poor heart with Thy great love divine.
Take all my will, my passion, self, and pride;
I now surrender, Lord—in me abide. —Orr
A change in behavior begins with Jesus changing our heart.


My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 5, 2013

God’s Assurance

He Himself has said . . . . So we may boldly say . . . —Hebrews 13:5-6

My assurance is to be built upon God’s assurance to me. God says, “I will never leave you,” so that then I “may boldly say, ’The Lord is my helper; I will not fear’ ” (Hebrews 13:5-6). In other words, I will not be obsessed with apprehension. This does not mean that I will not be tempted to fear, but I will remember God’s words of assurance. I will be full of courage, like a child who strives to reach the standard his father has set for him. The faith of many people begins to falter when apprehensions enter their thinking, and they forget the meaning of God’s assurance— they forget to take a deep spiritual breath. The only way to remove the fear from our lives is to listen to God’s assurance to us.

What are you fearing? Whatever it may be, you are not a coward about it— you are determined to face it, yet you still have a feeling of fear. When it seems that there is nothing and no one to help you, say to yourself, “But ’The Lord is my helper’ this very moment, even in my present circumstance.” Are you learning to listen to God before you speak, or are you saying things and then trying to make God’s Word fit what you have said? Take hold of the Father’s assurance, and then say with strong courage, “I will not fear.” It does not matter what evil or wrong may be in our way, because “He Himself has said, ’I will never leave you . . . .’ ”

Human frailty is another thing that gets between God’s words of assurance and our own words and thoughts. When we realize how feeble we are in facing difficulties, the difficulties become like giants, we become like grasshoppers, and God seems to be nonexistent. But remember God’s assurance to us— “I will never. . . forsake you.” Have we learned to sing after hearing God’s keynote? Are we continually filled with enough courage to say, “The Lord is my helper,” or are we yielding to fear?


A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

You Didn't Call - #6888

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

I remember the time that my son got in real late. And I remember because that really wasn't his usual style. And, of course, I was waiting calmly and patiently for him to get home and, you know, waiting to hear his explanation; except for the hand cuffs and the bright light that I greeted him with. Now, he had good reasons. There were car problems, and there were people who really did have to be dropped off before he was, and, oh yeah, they got lost. It all checked out, but I was still an unhappy father for one important thing that he missed. Can you guess what it is? Uh-huh, "You didn't call!" Every parent knows, and most teenagers learn that you're making a big mistake when you don't call home.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "You Didn't Call."

I'm going to read our word for today from the Word of God from 1 Chronicles 14. David is in his unstoppable years; everything he does works, and there are secrets here to being unstoppable. Verse 10 says, "David inquired of God, 'Shall I go and attack the Philistines?' And the Lord answered him, 'Go and I will hand them over to you.'" In verse 14, it says, "David inquired of God again." And in this case he happens to be asking Him about a strategy for defeating the Philistines. You see, David checked with the Lord apparently on everything...well, almost everything.

One day he did a great thing. He had the ark moved from the suburbs so to speak, the outer country, to where it would be in the center of things. But it was only to be handled by the Levites. That's the law! And they didn't do it God's way and a man died while transporting that ark. Now we read in chapter 15 of 1 Chronicles, "You are the heads of the Levitical families. You and your fellow Levites are to consecrate yourselves and bring up the ark of the Lord to the place I have prepared for it. It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that the Lord our God broke out in anger against us. (Now listen to this.) We did not inquire of Him about how to do it in the prescribed way."

In other words, David is saying, "We messed up because we didn't call our Father; we didn't check to see how God wanted this done." Our tendency is to pray about something, and then check in same time, same station maybe tomorrow. Or pray when we're losing the battle. Can we learn a lesson from David when he was in his unstoppable years? Pray first about which battles to fight. Not every battle is one God wants you to be involved in. Get His orders before you get involved.

Then ask the Lord about how to fight the battle. Pray until you start to feel His plan for that battle unfolding. The ark incident teaches us that you can do a good thing in a way God doesn't want it done. Good thing, wrong way, and it won't work.

Too often, this guy's got to confess to you, I will pray about something in the morning, and then I'll put myself on cruise control and just kind of go ahead and not check in again until I hit a crisis. I'm a victim of my own momentum. Our Father expects us to check with Him frequently, regularly, all through the day, before a call, before an email, before a signature, before we drive, before we park, before we make a decision about where we're going to go next. "What do You want me to do, Lord?" "How do You want me to do it?"

You can be unstoppable if you move through all your day's choices in consultation with your Heavenly Father. Like earthly kids, we tend to get in a mess, and then come into the Father's presence with our head hanging. And our Father says, "You didn't call."

Micah 7, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

(Click here to listen to God's love letter to you)

Max Lucado Daily:

A Great Race to Run

God wants to use you my friend, but how can He if you’re exhausted?

The other day when I was getting ready for my run, the sun was out, but the wind was chilly.  Jacket or sweatshirt?  The Boy Scout within me prevailed and  I wore both.  Got my cell phone, my water bottle. So no one would steal my car, I pocketed my keys.  I looked more like a pack mule than a runner!  Within half a mile, I was pealing off the jacket.

That kind of weight will slow you down. What’s true in jogging is true in faith.  God has a great race for you to run.  But you have to drop some stuff.  How can you lift someone else’s load if your arms are full with your own?

For the sake of those you love, travel light. For the sake of the God you serve, travel light. For the sake of your own joy, travel light!

From Traveling Light

Micah 7

Israel’s Misery

7 What misery is mine!
I am like one who gathers summer fruit
    at the gleaning of the vineyard;
there is no cluster of grapes to eat,
    none of the early figs that I crave.
2 The faithful have been swept from the land;
    not one upright person remains.
Everyone lies in wait to shed blood;
    they hunt each other with nets.
3 Both hands are skilled in doing evil;
    the ruler demands gifts,
the judge accepts bribes,
    the powerful dictate what they desire—
    they all conspire together.
4 The best of them is like a brier,
    the most upright worse than a thorn hedge.
The day God visits you has come,
    the day your watchmen sound the alarm.
    Now is the time of your confusion.
5 Do not trust a neighbor;
    put no confidence in a friend.
Even with the woman who lies in your embrace
    guard the words of your lips.
6 For a son dishonors his father,
    a daughter rises up against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
    a man’s enemies are the members of his own household.
7 But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord,
    I wait for God my Savior;
    my God will hear me.
Israel Will Rise

8 Do not gloat over me, my enemy!
    Though I have fallen, I will rise.
Though I sit in darkness,
    the Lord will be my light.
9 Because I have sinned against him,
    I will bear the Lord’s wrath,
until he pleads my case
    and upholds my cause.
He will bring me out into the light;
    I will see his righteousness.
10 Then my enemy will see it
    and will be covered with shame,
she who said to me,
    “Where is the Lord your God?”
My eyes will see her downfall;
    even now she will be trampled underfoot
    like mire in the streets.
11 The day for building your walls will come,
    the day for extending your boundaries.
12 In that day people will come to you
    from Assyria and the cities of Egypt,
even from Egypt to the Euphrates
    and from sea to sea
    and from mountain to mountain.
13 The earth will become desolate because of its inhabitants,
    as the result of their deeds.
Prayer and Praise

14 Shepherd your people with your staff,
    the flock of your inheritance,
which lives by itself in a forest,
    in fertile pasturelands.[h]
Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead
    as in days long ago.
15 “As in the days when you came out of Egypt,
    I will show them my wonders.”
16 Nations will see and be ashamed,
    deprived of all their power.
They will put their hands over their mouths
    and their ears will become deaf.
17 They will lick dust like a snake,
    like creatures that crawl on the ground.
They will come trembling out of their dens;
    they will turn in fear to the Lord our God
    and will be afraid of you.
18 Who is a God like you,
    who pardons sin and forgives the transgression
    of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever
    but delight to show mercy.
19 You will again have compassion on us;
    you will tread our sins underfoot
    and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
20 You will be faithful to Jacob,
    and show love to Abraham,
as you pledged on oath to our ancestors
    in days long ago.


Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Read: Philippians 1:12-18; 3:8-11

Paul’s Chains Advance the Gospel

12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,[a] that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard[b] and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.

15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,

Philippians 3:8-11
New International Version (NIV)
8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

Pressing On

June 4, 2013 — by David C. McCasland

That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings. —Philippians 3:10

At a Christian men’s conference, I talked with a longtime friend who has encouraged and mentored me for many years. With him were two young men from China, new in their faith and deeply grateful for this man’s faithful friendship and spiritual help. My friend Clyde, nearing 80 years of age, glowed with enthusiasm as he said, “I’ve never been more excited about knowing and loving Christ than I am today.”

Paul’s letter to the Philippians reveals a heart and purpose that never diminished with time: “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (Phil. 3:10). From the root of Paul’s relationship with Jesus came the fruit of his undiminished fervor that others be guided to faith in Him. He rejoiced to share the gospel and was encouraged that others became bolder because of him (1:12-14).

If our goal is merely service for the Lord, we may burn out somewhere along the line. But if our purpose, like Paul’s and Clyde’s and many others, is to know Christ and love Him, we’ll find that He will give us the strength to make Him known to others. Let us joyfully press on in the strength God gives!

Father God, I want to know You in all Your fullness and
to love You completely. I believe that relationship
with You is the basis for my service for You.
Help me not to serve out of my own strength.
Learn from Christ then make Him known.


My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 4, 2013

The Never-forsaking God

He Himself has said, ’I will never leave you nor forsake you’ —Hebrews 13:5

What line of thinking do my thoughts take? Do I turn to what God says or to my own fears? Am I simply repeating what God says, or am I learning to truly hear Him and then to respond after I have heard what He says? “For He Himself has said, ’I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ’The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’ ” (Hebrews 13:5-6).

“I will never leave you . . .”— not for any reason; not my sin, selfishness, stubbornness, nor waywardness. Have I really let God say to me that He will never leave me? If I have not truly heard this assurance of God, then let me listen again.

“I will never . . . forsake you.” Sometimes it is not the difficulty of life but the drudgery of it that makes me think God will forsake me. When there is no major difficulty to overcome, no vision from God, nothing wonderful or beautiful— just the everyday activities of life— do I hear God’s assurance even in these?

We have the idea that God is going to do some exceptional thing— that He is preparing and equipping us for some extraordinary work in the future. But as we grow in His grace we find that God is glorifying Himself here and now, at this very moment. If we have God’s assurance behind us, the most amazing strength becomes ours, and we learn to sing, glorifying Him even in the ordinary days and ways of life.


A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Training Your Eyes - #6887

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

I think my son was about four the first time we played baseball together, and I taught him with a plastic Wiffle bat and Wiffle ball. I remember telling him rule number one of baseball even then, and really of other sports too. I said, "Now, son, keep your eye on the ball." Well, I've told him that lots of times over his growing up years, and it wasn't always about baseball. Whenever he's had trouble with his hitting, though, which today really isn't very often, it usually was because he wasn't watching where he should be.

Now, of course, now he's a grown man with a family of his own. We recently went outside with a ball and bat. He threw and I attempted to hit the ball. You can probably guess what's coming. I wasn't connecting. So he gave me a little advice, "Hey, Dad, keep your eye on the ball!" The tables have turned.

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

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Matthew 6:22-23. Jesus is talking about the importance of our eyes in following Him and what we should be keeping our eyes on and off of. It's a lesson in how not to strike out spiritually. Listen to His words: "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness."

Now, Jesus here is not talking about your need for an optometrist or getting stronger glasses. He's talking about the fact that your eyes are the point of entry for everything you think about, and what you think about is what turns out to be the beginning point of the actions you commit. So your eyes gather input that is sent to your brain and stored there, and then as the Bible says, "As a man thinks in his heart so is he." But it all begins at eye level.

Do you remember what Jesus had just said in the previous chapter, Matthew 5:28? He said, "I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." There are the eyes again. The place you have to stop sexual sin is at eye level. It's like baseball. If your eye is on the right thing, you'll be okay. If your eye is looking at the wrong thing, you're going to fail. No Christians have ever had to live with the bombardment of sexual images that we get daily. Nobody's ever had the media we have, and we get so much we're almost numb to it.

See, a fundamental discipline of a Jesus follower has to be training your eyes. It's a firm resolve that you just won't look at what is suggested. When a billboard appears with a provocative picture, you just commit yourself to instantly look the other way; you don't even consider what you'll do. When a magazine ad, or a TV channel, an Internet website; maybe you're jumping around and you're looking at all kinds of channels or websites and suddenly there's this sexually attractive image in front of you. You could linger. But no, you can't afford to do that. You move on quickly.

Training your eyes is as practical as simply not allowing your eyes to wander beyond the face of the opposite sex or just turning away. There's a powerful temptation isn't there to linger, to fanaticize, to kind of work it over in your mind, to let your eyes sin? You say, "Well, I didn't do anything." And yet the Bible says that if it's gotten to your eyes, then through them you are full of darkness. That's what Jesus taught us.

Every time you linger on a sexually tempting image, you send ammunition to your enemy; ammunition you can be guaranteed he will use to defeat you spiritually. So you've got to avoid spiritual strike outs, and that begins with training your eyes.

Micah 6, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

(Click here to listen to God's love letter to you)

Max Lucado Daily: Learn to Travel Light

I don’t know how to travel light.  But I need to learn. You can’t enjoy a journey carrying so much stuff—so much luggage. Odds are, somewhere this morning between the first step on the floor and the last step out the door, you grabbed some luggage.

Don’t remember doing so?  That is because you did it without thinking. That’s because the bags we grab aren’t made of leather, they are made of burdens. The suitcase of guilt.  A duffel bag of weariness, a hanging bag of grief.  A backpack of doubt, an overnight bag of fear. Lugging luggage is exhausting!

God is saying, “Set that stuff down.  You’re carrying burdens you don’t need to bear.” Jesus says in Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

I need to learn to travel light!

From Traveling Light

Micah 6

The Lord’s Case Against Israel

6 Listen to what the Lord says:

“Stand up, plead my case before the mountains;
    let the hills hear what you have to say.
2 “Hear, you mountains, the Lord’s accusation;
    listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth.
For the Lord has a case against his people;
    he is lodging a charge against Israel.
3 “My people, what have I done to you?
    How have I burdened you? Answer me.
4 I brought you up out of Egypt
    and redeemed you from the land of slavery.
I sent Moses to lead you,
    also Aaron and Miriam.
5 My people, remember
    what Balak king of Moab plotted
    and what Balaam son of Beor answered.
Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal,
    that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord.”
6 With what shall I come before the Lord
    and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
    with calves a year old?
7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
    with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression,
    the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly[a] with your God.
Israel’s Guilt and Punishment

9 Listen! The Lord is calling to the city—
    and to fear your name is wisdom—
    “Heed the rod and the One who appointed it.[b]
10 Am I still to forget your ill-gotten treasures, you wicked house,
    and the short ephah,[c] which is accursed?
11 Shall I acquit someone with dishonest scales,
    with a bag of false weights?
12 Your rich people are violent;
    your inhabitants are liars
    and their tongues speak deceitfully.
13 Therefore, I have begun to destroy you,
    to ruin[d] you because of your sins.
14 You will eat but not be satisfied;
    your stomach will still be empty.[e]
You will store up but save nothing,
    because what you save[f] I will give to the sword.
15 You will plant but not harvest;
    you will press olives but not use the oil,
    you will crush grapes but not drink the wine.
16 You have observed the statutes of Omri
    and all the practices of Ahab’s house;
    you have followed their traditions.
Therefore I will give you over to ruin
    and your people to derision;
    you will bear the scorn of the nations.[g]”


Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Read: Ecclesiastes 12:6-14

Remember him—before the silver cord is severed,
    and the golden bowl is broken;
before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
    and the wheel broken at the well,
7 and the dust returns to the ground it came from,
    and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
8 “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher.[a]
    “Everything is meaningless!”
The Conclusion of the Matter

9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. 10 The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.

11 The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails—given by one shepherd.[b] 12 Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.

Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.

13 Now all has been heard;
    here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
    for this is the duty of all mankind.
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,
    including every hidden thing,
    whether it is good or evil.

Wise Words

June 3, 2013 — by Dennis Fisher

The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd. —Ecclesiastes 12:11

Now in my sixties, I reflect back on wise spiritual leaders who had a positive impact on my life. In Bible school, God used my Old Testament professor to make the Word come alive. My Greek teacher relentlessly employed high standards to goad my study of the New Testament. And the senior pastor in my first pastoral ministry shepherded me in building vital ministries to help others grow spiritually. Each of these teachers encouraged me in different ways.

King Solomon wisely observed some ways that spiritual leaders can help us grow: “The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd” (Eccl. 12:11). Some teachers prod us; others build solid spiritual structures into our lives. Still others, as caring shepherds, are there with a listening ear when we hurt.

The Good Shepherd has given leaders a variety of gifts: exhorting, developing, and shepherding. Whether we’re a leader or a learner, though, He desires that we maintain humble hearts and a love for others. What a privilege to be led and used by our Shepherd to encourage others in their walk with Him.

Give us the wisdom we need, Lord, to encourage
others in their spiritual walk. We know we need Your
Spirit’s power to do that. Use the gifts You have
given us to help others along on their journey.
May our words reflect the heart of God and His wisdom.


My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 3, 2013

“The Secret of the Lord”

The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him . . . —Psalm 25:14

What is the sign of a friend? Is it that he tells you his secret sorrows? No, it is that he tells you his secret joys. Many people will confide their secret sorrows to you, but the final mark of intimacy is when they share their secret joys with you. Have we ever let God tell us any of His joys? Or are we continually telling God our secrets, leaving Him no time to talk to us? At the beginning of our Christian life we are full of requests to God. But then we find that God wants to get us into an intimate relationship with Himself— to get us in touch with His purposes. Are we so intimately united to Jesus Christ’s idea of prayer— “Your will be done” (Matthew 6:10)— that we catch the secrets of God? What makes God so dear to us is not so much His big blessings to us, but the tiny things, because they show His amazing intimacy with us— He knows every detail of each of our individual lives.

“Him shall He teach in the way He chooses” (Psalm 25:12). At first, we want the awareness of being guided by God. But then as we grow spiritually, we live so fully aware of God that we do not even need to ask what His will is, because the thought of choosing another way will never occur to us. If we are saved and sanctified, God guides us by our everyday choices. And if we are about to choose what He does not want, He will give us a sense of doubt or restraint, which we must heed. Whenever there is doubt, stop at once. Never try to reason it out, saying, “I wonder why I shouldn’t do this?” God instructs us in what we choose; that is, He actually guides our common sense. And when we yield to His teachings and guidance, we no longer hinder His Spirit by continually asking, “Now, Lord, what is Your will?”


A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

The Bible Bombshell - #6886

Monday, June 3, 2013

I'm used to turning on the news and hearing about bullets or ballots or budgets. But the Bible? On newscast after newscast not long ago the Bible was one of the lead stories. Well, I mean, actually "The Bible." I mean the ten-hour History Channel mini-series that stunned everybody with blockbuster ratings, especially among young viewers. There were epic moments from Noah's Ark to the parting of the Red Sea, and of course David decking Goliath.

But the last night is what so many were talking about; particularly the one scene that they said literally "lit up" the social networks like Twitter-the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. All over the cyber-universe, people said they were in tears watching Jesus die. Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was in so many conversations.

For those of us who belong to this Jesus, there's a message in all of this that could change eternities. That message could be summed up in four little words, "It's all about Jesus."

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

This heartfelt response to the portrayal of Jesus on the cross I think is a wakeup call-for those who don't know Him and for those who do. For those who don't, the choice that actually determines your destiny is what you do with what He did there for you. For those who do know Him, that cross and that miraculous resurrection is our message-unencumbered.

The famous preacher, Charles Spurgeon, called the cross of Jesus "that magnificent magnet." It really is. Over and over, I've seen that when you can get someone to that cross, their hearts are stolen away. So why do we Christians spend so much time on detours that distract from the destination? Like expounding on what we're against, or promoting our church, or arguing about religion.

What that series "The Bible" did in its final episode was strip away 2,000 years of Christianity and bring us back to the heartbeat of God; His Son dying for us. In our word for today from the Word of God, 1 Corinthians 2:2 Paul said, "I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified."

Before there were churches, before there were "Christians", before there were creeds, there was a cross. That's the Good News that we have for our friend, our neighbor, our family member, our coworker. Not a church to go to. Not a religion to join. Not some belief to sign up for. Not an indictment of how they're living.

But a Savior, hanging on that cross, paying the awful price for all the junk of our life. It's not just how Jesus died that's so heart-rending. It's the reason He died. The Bible says, "He was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped and we were healed! The Lord laid on Him the guilt and sins of us all" (Isaiah 53:5-6 - NLB).

It's not about Christians. It's not about Christianity. It's about the living Christ who loved you enough to die for you; a love that would pay any price not to lose you. That's the Good News we're commanded to share. No more. No less.

Jesus' repeated invitation was simply, "Follow Me." Not My followers, not My religion, not My rules. Just "follow Me." Jesus made it all about Jesus. We should, too. Bring people up Skull Hill with you. Stand them at the foot of that old rugged cross and whisper two words, "For you. This was for you."

Maybe you've never done that for yourself. You have never made personal what Jesus did on the cross for you. Let this be the day you get it done for yourself. It's at that moment when you make personal what Jesus did on the cross that changes everything. It changes the rest of your life. It changes your eternity!

I hope you'll go to our website. If you're not sure you belong to Him, go to yoursforlife.net and let me meet you there to help you begin your relationship with Him. You can get this settled today once and for all.

Acts 21:18-40 , Bible reading and Daily Devotions

(Click here to listen to God's Love letter to you.)

Max Lucado Daily: Contentment

“Godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Timothy 6:6, NKJV

In our world, contentment is a strange street vendor, roaming . . . slowly from house to house . . . offering his wares: an hour of peace, a smile of acceptance, a sigh of relief . . .

When I asked him why so few welcomed him into their homes, his answer left me convicted. “I charge a high price, you know . . . I ask people to trade in their schedules, frustrations, and anxieties . . . You’d think I’d have more buyers . . . but people seem strangely proud of their ulcers and headaches.”

Acts 21:18-40
New International Version (NIV)
18 The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. 19 Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

20 When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. 21 They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. 22 What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, 23 so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. 24 Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. 25 As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.”

26 The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.

Paul Arrested

27 When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, 28 shouting, “Fellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.” 29 (They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.)

30 The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. 31 While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32 He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

33 The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done. 34 Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another, and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. 35 When Paul reached the steps, the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. 36 The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Get rid of him!”

Paul Speaks to the Crowd

37 As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?”

“Do you speak Greek?” he replied. 38 “Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the wilderness some time ago?”

39 Paul answered, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.”

40 After receiving the commander’s permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic[a]:


Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Read: John 13:5-17

5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Show And Tell

June 2, 2013 — by Julie Ackerman Link

I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. —John 13:15

If you take a course on writing or attend a writer’s conference, you’ll likely hear the phrase, “Show, don’t tell.” In other words, “show” your readers what is happening, don’t just tell them. Don’t tell readers what you did; describe doing it.

One of the reasons we tend to tell rather than show is that it’s easier and faster. Showing how to do something requires time and effort. In teaching, it’s easier to tell students what’s wrong with what they did than to show them how to do it right. The latter, however, is more effective.

For thousands of years, the Jewish people had only the law telling them what to do and what not to do. But then came Jesus Christ, who showed them how to live the life God had been telling them about all along. Jesus didn’t just say, “Be humble”; He “humbled Himself” (Phil. 2:8). He didn’t just say, “Forgive others”; He forgave us (Col. 3:13). He didn’t just say, “Love God and your neighbors”; He demonstrated love by His actions (John 15:12).

Christ’s perfect example of love shows how great God’s love is for us and how we are to show His love to others.

Bless the Lord for love victorious,
Love that conquered on the tree;
For His grace so great and glorious
Flowing out from Calvary. —Peterson
Love is God’s will in action.


My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 2, 2013

Are You Obsessed by Something?

Who is the man that fears the Lord? —Psalm 25:12

Are you obsessed by something? You will probably say, “No, by nothing,” but all of us are obsessed by something— usually by ourselves, or, if we are Christians, by our own experience of the Christian life. But the psalmist says that we are to be obsessed by God. The abiding awareness of the Christian life is to be God Himself, not just thoughts about Him. The total being of our life inside and out is to be absolutely obsessed by the presence of God. A child’s awareness is so absorbed in his mother that although he is not consciously thinking of her, when a problem arises, the abiding relationship is that with the mother. In that same way, we are to “live and move and have our being” in God (Acts 17:28), looking at everything in relation to Him, because our abiding awareness of Him continually pushes itself to the forefront of our lives.

If we are obsessed by God, nothing else can get into our lives— not concerns, nor tribulation, nor worries. And now we understand why our Lord so emphasized the sin of worrying. How can we dare to be so absolutely unbelieving when God totally surrounds us? To be obsessed by God is to have an effective barricade against all the assaults of the enemy.

“He himself shall dwell in prosperity . . .” (Psalm 25:13). God will cause us to “dwell in prosperity,” keeping us at ease, even in the midst of tribulation, misunderstanding, and slander, if our “life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). We rob ourselves of the miraculous, revealed truth of this abiding companionship with God. “God is our refuge . . .” (Psalm 46:1). Nothing can break through His shelter of protection.

Micah 5, Bible reading and Daily Devotions

(Click here to listen to God's love letter to you)

Max Lucado Daily: God So Loved Us

“If God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:11, NKJV

Jesus humbled himself. He went from commanding angels to sleeping in the straw. From holding stars to clutching Mary’s finger. The palm that held the universe took the nail of a soldier.

Why? Because that’s what love does. It puts the beloved before itself.

Micah 5

A Promised Ruler From Bethlehem

5 [d]Marshal your troops now, city of troops,
    for a siege is laid against us.
They will strike Israel’s ruler
    on the cheek with a rod.
2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
    though you are small among the clans[e] of Judah,
out of you will come for me
    one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
    from ancient times.”
3 Therefore Israel will be abandoned
    until the time when she who is in labor bears a son,
and the rest of his brothers return
    to join the Israelites.
4 He will stand and shepherd his flock
    in the strength of the Lord,
    in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness
    will reach to the ends of the earth.
5 And he will be our peace
    when the Assyrians invade our land
    and march through our fortresses.
We will raise against them seven shepherds,
    even eight commanders,
6 who will rule[f] the land of Assyria with the sword,
    the land of Nimrod with drawn sword.[g]
He will deliver us from the Assyrians
    when they invade our land
    and march across our borders.
7 The remnant of Jacob will be
    in the midst of many peoples
like dew from the Lord,
    like showers on the grass,
which do not wait for anyone
    or depend on man.
8 The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations,
    in the midst of many peoples,
like a lion among the beasts of the forest,
    like a young lion among flocks of sheep,
which mauls and mangles as it goes,
    and no one can rescue.
9 Your hand will be lifted up in triumph over your enemies,
    and all your foes will be destroyed.
10 “In that day,” declares the Lord,

“I will destroy your horses from among you
    and demolish your chariots.
11 I will destroy the cities of your land
    and tear down all your strongholds.
12 I will destroy your witchcraft
    and you will no longer cast spells.
13 I will destroy your idols
    and your sacred stones from among you;
you will no longer bow down
    to the work of your hands.
14 I will uproot from among you your Asherah poles[h]
    when I demolish your cities.
15 I will take vengeance in anger and wrath
    on the nations that have not obeyed me.”


Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Read: John 10:7-14

7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.[a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—

I’m Bored

June 1, 2013 — by Bill Crowder

I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. —John 10:10

When our kids were teens, we repeatedly had the following discussion after their church youth group meeting: I asked, “How was youth group tonight?” And they responded, “It was boring.” After several weeks of this, I decided to find out for myself. I slipped into the gym where their meeting was held, and I watched. I saw them participating, laughing, listening—having a great time. That night on the way home I asked about their evening and, once again, they said, “It was boring.” I responded, “I was there. I watched. You had a great time!” They responded, “Maybe it wasn’t as bad as usual.”

I recognized that behind their reluctance to admit they were enjoying youth group were things such as peer pressure and a fear of not appearing “cool.” But then I wondered, Am I similarly afraid to get too excited about spiritual things?

Indeed, there is nothing in this universe more worthy of our enthusiasm than who Christ is and what He did for us. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). That’s the opposite of boring! At any age, we have a gift from the Savior that is worth celebrating. Our salvation is something to get excited about!

Father, please fill my heart with the joy of Christ.
I desire that the abundant life I have found
in Him might contagiously reach
out to others around me.
If you know Christ, you always have a reason to celebrate.


My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 1, 2013

The Staggering Question

He said to me, ’Son of man, can these bones live?’ —Ezekiel 37:3

Can a sinner be turned into a saint? Can a twisted life be made right? There is only one appropriate answer— “O Lord God, You know” (Ezekiel 37:3). Never forge ahead with your religious common sense and say, “Oh, yes, with just a little more Bible reading, devotional time, and prayer, I see how it can be done.”

It is much easier to do something than to trust in God; we see the activity and mistake panic for inspiration. That is why we see so few fellow workers with God, yet so many people working for God. We would much rather work for God than believe in Him. Do I really believe that God will do in me what I cannot do? The degree of hopelessness I have for others comes from never realizing that God has done anything for me. Is my own personal experience such a wonderful realization of God’s power and might that I can never have a sense of hopelessness for anyone else I see? Has any spiritual work been accomplished in me at all? The degree of panic activity in my life is equal to the degree of my lack of personal spiritual experience.

“Behold, O My people, I will open your graves . . .” (Ezekiel 37:12). When God wants to show you what human nature is like separated from Himself, He shows it to you in yourself. If the Spirit of God has ever given you a vision of what you are apart from the grace of God (and He will only do this when His Spirit is at work in you), then you know that in reality there is no criminal half as bad as you yourself could be without His grace. My “grave” has been opened by God and “I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells” (Romans 7:18). God’s Spirit continually reveals to His children what human nature is like apart from His grace.

Micah 4, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

(Click here to listen to God's love letter to you)

Max Lucado Daily: We’ve Figured it Out

Ironic isn’t it?  The more we know, the less we believe! Strange, don’t you think?

We understand how storms are created. We map solar systems and transplant hearts.  We measure the depths of the ocean and send signals to distant planets.  We’re learning how it all works!  And for some, the loss of mystery has led to the loss of majesty!  The more we know, the less we believe.

But knowledge of the workings should not negate wonder. It should stir wonder!  Who has more reason to worship than the astronomer who has seen the stars? Why then should we worship less?  We’re more impressed with our discovery of the light switch than with the one who invented electricity. And rather than worship the Creator, we worship the creation!

No wonder there is no wonder!  We think we have figured it all out!

From Grace for the Moment

Micah 4

The Mountain of the Lord

4 In the last days

the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established
    as the highest of the mountains;
it will be exalted above the hills,
    and peoples will stream to it.
2 Many nations will come and say,

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
    to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
    so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion,
    the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
3 He will judge between many peoples
    and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
    and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
    nor will they train for war anymore.
4 Everyone will sit under their own vine
    and under their own fig tree,
and no one will make them afraid,
    for the Lord Almighty has spoken.
5 All the nations may walk
    in the name of their gods,
but we will walk in the name of the Lord
    our God for ever and ever.
The Lord’s Plan

6 “In that day,” declares the Lord,

“I will gather the lame;
    I will assemble the exiles
    and those I have brought to grief.
7 I will make the lame my remnant,
    those driven away a strong nation.
The Lord will rule over them in Mount Zion
    from that day and forever.
8 As for you, watchtower of the flock,
    stronghold[a] of Daughter Zion,
the former dominion will be restored to you;
    kingship will come to Daughter Jerusalem.”
9 Why do you now cry aloud—
    have you no king[b]?
Has your ruler[c] perished,
    that pain seizes you like that of a woman in labor?
10 Writhe in agony, Daughter Zion,
    like a woman in labor,
for now you must leave the city
    to camp in the open field.
You will go to Babylon;
    there you will be rescued.
There the Lord will redeem you
    out of the hand of your enemies.
11 But now many nations
    are gathered against you.
They say, “Let her be defiled,
    let our eyes gloat over Zion!”
12 But they do not know
    the thoughts of the Lord;
they do not understand his plan,
    that he has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.
13 “Rise and thresh, Daughter Zion,
    for I will give you horns of iron;
I will give you hooves of bronze,
    and you will break to pieces many nations.”
You will devote their ill-gotten gains to the Lord,
    their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.


Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Read: John 12:12-19; 19:14-16

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,

“Hosanna![a]”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[b]
“Blessed is the king of Israel!”
14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:

15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
    see, your king is coming,
    seated on a donkey’s colt.”[c]
16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.

17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”

New International Version (NIV)
14 It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon.

“Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews.

15 But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”

“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.

“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.

16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.

The Crucifixion of Jesus

So the soldiers took charge of Jesus.

Fickle Followers

May 31, 2013 — by Julie Ackerman Link

Behold, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt. —John 12:15

How quickly public opinion can change! When Jesus entered Jerusalem for the Passover feast, He was welcomed by crowds cheering to have Him made king (John 12:13). But by the end of the week, the crowds were demanding that He be crucified (19:15).

I recognize myself in those fickle crowds. I love cheering for a team that’s winning, but my interest wanes when they start losing. I love being part of a movement that is new and exciting, but when the energy moves to a new part of town, I’m ready to move on. I love following Jesus when He is doing the impossible, but I slink away when He expects me to do something difficult. It’s exciting to follow Jesus when I can do it as part of the “in” crowd. It’s easy to trust Him when He outsmarts the smart people and outmaneuvers the people in power (see Matt. 12:10; 22:15-46). But when He begins to talk about suffering and sacrifice and death, I hesitate.

I like to think that I would have followed Jesus all the way to the cross—but I have my doubts. After all, if I don’t speak up for Him in places where it’s safe, what makes me think I would do so in a crowd of His opponents?

How thankful I am that Jesus died for fickle followers so that we can become devoted followers.

For Further Thought
Read these Bible verses and ponder Jesus’ love for you
(Rom. 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
; Rom. 8:37-39 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.; Heb. 13:5-6 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."6 So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?",8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.; 1 John 3:1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.).

Allow your devotion to Him to grow.
Christ deserves full-time followers.


My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
June 1, 2013

Put God First

Jesus did not commit Himself to them . . .for He knew what was in man —John 2:24-25

Put Trust in God First. Our Lord never put His trust in any person. Yet He was never suspicious, never bitter, and never lost hope for anyone, because He put His trust in God first. He trusted absolutely in what God’s grace could do for others. If I put my trust in human beings first, the end result will be my despair and hopelessness toward everyone. I will become bitter because I have insisted that people be what no person can ever be— absolutely perfect and right. Never trust anything in yourself or in anyone else, except the grace of God.

Put God’s Will First. “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God” (Hebrews 10:9).

A person’s obedience is to what he sees to be a need— our Lord’s obedience was to the will of His Father. The rallying cry today is, “We must get to work! The heathen are dying without God. We must go and tell them about Him.” But we must first make sure that God’s “needs” and His will in us personally are being met. Jesus said, “. . . tarry . . . until you are endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). The purpose of our Christian training is to get us into the right relationship to the “needs” of God and His will. Once God’s “needs” in us have been met, He will open the way for us to accomplish His will, meeting His “needs” elsewhere.

Put God’s Son First. “Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me” (Matthew 18:5).

God came as a baby, giving and entrusting Himself to me. He expects my personal life to be a “Bethlehem.” Am I allowing my natural life to be slowly transformed by the indwelling life of the Son of God? God’s ultimate purpose is that His Son might be exhibited in me.


A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Guaranteed Disclosure - #6885

Friday, May 31, 2013

Every once in a while the monotony of driving the Interstate is broken by some interesting signs. Sometimes I'll see one and my mind will get going, and it will process what I saw and I'll think about it for several minutes. I remember one in particular. There was a big, old truck speeding down the Interstate and it had in bold letters this sign: "Guaranteed Destruction of Confidential Files and Records." Well, that got me going! There was also a phone number. I didn't write it down; I didn't actually have any need for their services. But there was a number to call if you wanted all your confidential things destroyed. I thought about who might want a service such as that. I brainstormed some intriguing reasons and some intriguing people who might want to call that number. Guaranteed destruction! Actually, there's another sign that interests us even more.

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

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from 1 Corinthians chapter 4, and I'll begin reading at verse 4. Paul says, "My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness, and He will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time, each will receive his praise from God."

This phrase that brings to light the hidden things and exposing the motive of men's hearts in the original Greek has the thought of turning something inside out; opening all the closets, showing what no one else has seen before. In other words, God is going to expose every secret. Now, there might be some who think they've destroyed all the evidence. The fellow driving that truck, he had that sign that said, "Will destroy your confidential files and records."

Did you know that no matter who destroys them on earth, God still has His copy? He knows every detail of every one of your financial dealings, every financial transaction, and every business transaction. He knows the letters you have written that you want no one else to see. He knows your motives. He's recorded every idle word, every angry word, and every dirty word. We think we got away with it because no one else knew. If God knows, you're caught, and He does. And so will everyone else one day.

That's why the Apostle John says, "Walk in the light as He is in the light." It's so freeing to be able to live saying, "I've got nothing to hide." Live without sinful secrets. You don't have to worry then if the closets come open. There's nothing there to hide. Live lives that are relaxed and confident, because you've got no fear of discovery; you don't have to keep looking over your shoulder. When you're living within the limits, you don't have to keep looking in the rearview mirror to see if the law enforcement is coming over the hill.

Again, some of the most liberating words in the world; look in the mirror, "Nothing to hide." Isn't that awesome?

God's sign says: "Guaranteed Disclosure of Confidential Files and Records." So, live the kind of life that isn't afraid of everybody knowing, because they will.

Acts 21:1-17 Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

(Click here to listen to God's love letter to you)

Max Lucado Daily: A Love That Never Fails

A love that never fails!  Hard to imagine, isn’t it?  Has human love ever failed you?  I’m guessing your answer may be, “Yes it has—more times than I like to admit!” I Corinthians 13:8 promises that “love never fails!” Not God’s kind of love anyway.

I sense you may be so thirsty for this type of love. Those who should have loved you, did not.  Those who could have loved you, didn’t. You were left at the hospital.  Left at the altar. Left with an empty bed.  Left with a broken heart.  Left with your question, “Does anybody love me?”

Listen to heaven’s answer:  God loves you—with a love that never fails.  Personally.  Powerfully.  Passionately.  God loves you with unfailing love!

And His love, if you’ll let it, can fill you!  Come thirsty, my friend, and drink deeply!

From Come Thirsty

Acts 21:1-17
New International Version (NIV)
On to Jerusalem

21 After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Kos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. 2 We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and set sail. 3 After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. 4 We sought out the disciples there and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 When it was time to leave, we left and continued on our way. All of them, including wives and children, accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. 6 After saying goodbye to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.

7 We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed with them for a day. 8 Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.

10 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”

12 When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

15 After this, we started on our way up to Jerusalem. 16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us and brought us to the home of Mnason, where we were to stay. He was a man from Cyprus and one of the early disciples.

Paul’s Arrival at Jerusalem

17 When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters received us warmly.


Our Daily Bread reading and devotion

Read: 2 Chronicles 26:3-15

3 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jekoliah; she was from Jerusalem. 4 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done. 5 He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear[a] of God. As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.

6 He went to war against the Philistines and broke down the walls of Gath, Jabneh and Ashdod. He then rebuilt towns near Ashdod and elsewhere among the Philistines. 7 God helped him against the Philistines and against the Arabs who lived in Gur Baal and against the Meunites. 8 The Ammonites brought tribute to Uzziah, and his fame spread as far as the border of Egypt, because he had become very powerful.

9 Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate and at the angle of the wall, and he fortified them. 10 He also built towers in the wilderness and dug many cisterns, because he had much livestock in the foothills and in the plain. He had people working his fields and vineyards in the hills and in the fertile lands, for he loved the soil.

11 Uzziah had a well-trained army, ready to go out by divisions according to their numbers as mustered by Jeiel the secretary and Maaseiah the officer under the direction of Hananiah, one of the royal officials. 12 The total number of family leaders over the fighting men was 2,600. 13 Under their command was an army of 307,500 men trained for war, a powerful force to support the king against his enemies. 14 Uzziah provided shields, spears, helmets, coats of armor, bows and slingstones for the entire army. 15 In Jerusalem he made devices invented for use on the towers and on the corner defenses so that soldiers could shoot arrows and hurl large stones from the walls. His fame spread far and wide, for he was greatly helped until he became powerful.

The Tragic Flaw

May 30, 2013 — by David C. McCasland

His fame spread far and wide, for he was marvelously helped till he became strong. —2 Chronicles 26:15

In literature, a tragic flaw is a character trait that causes the downfall of a story’s hero. That was true of Uzziah, who was crowned king of Judah at age 16. For many years, he sought the Lord; and while he did, God gave him great success (2 Chron. 26:4-5). But things changed when “his fame spread far and wide, for he was marvelously helped till he became strong. But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction” (vv.15-16).

Uzziah entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar (v.16), openly defying God’s decree. Perhaps pride convinced him that God’s rules applied to everyone except him. When Uzziah raged against the priests who told him this was not right, the Lord struck him with leprosy (vv.18-20).

In literature and in life, how often we see a person of good reputation fall from honor into disgrace and suffering. “King Uzziah was a leper until the day of his death. He dwelt in an isolated house, . . . cut off from the house of the Lord” (v.21).

The only way we can prevent the nectar of praise from becoming the poison of pride is by following the Lord with a humble heart.

Humility’s a slippery prize
That seldom can be won;
We’re only humble in God’s eyes
When serving like His Son. —Gustafson
The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives. —Proverbs 27:21 NIV


My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
May 30, 2013

“Yes— But . . .!”

Lord, I will follow You, but . . . —Luke 9:61

Suppose God tells you to do something that is an enormous test of your common sense, totally going against it. What will you do? Will you hold back? If you get into the habit of doing something physically, you will do it every time you are tested until you break the habit through sheer determination. And the same is true spiritually. Again and again you will come right up to what Jesus wants, but every time you will turn back at the true point of testing, until you are determined to abandon yourself to God in total surrender. Yet we tend to say, “Yes, but— suppose I do obey God in this matter, what about . . . ?” Or we say, “Yes, I will obey God if what He asks of me doesn’t go against my common sense, but don’t ask me to take a step in the dark.”

Jesus Christ demands the same unrestrained, adventurous spirit in those who have placed their trust in Him that the natural man exhibits. If a person is ever going to do anything worthwhile, there will be times when he must risk everything by his leap in the dark. In the spiritual realm, Jesus Christ demands that you risk everything you hold on to or believe through common sense, and leap by faith into what He says. Once you obey, you will immediately find that what He says is as solidly consistent as common sense.

By the test of common sense, Jesus Christ’s statements may seem mad, but when you test them by the trial of faith, your findings will fill your spirit with the awesome fact that they are the very words of God. Trust completely in God, and when He brings you to a new opportunity of adventure, offering it to you, see that you take it. We act like pagans in a crisis— only one out of an entire crowd is daring enough to invest his faith in the character of God.


A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

Not Until You Need It - #6884

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Sometimes I wish it were in my power to get every church youth group in America to go on a missions' trip. Something unusual happens when some all-American kids suddenly get plunged into another culture to do some work in Jesus' name. It does something for the people they go to help, but I think it does more for the kids who are doing the helping. I heard a local youth group report on their trip to Mexico. Basically they had all of their support stripped away from them while they were there. It was a language they weren't accustomed to, the money was different, they didn't have the comforts they were used to, they had some spiders hanging over them as they slept at night which they for the most part don't have at home. They had unfamiliar food. The customs were things they weren't used to.

The result on these mission trips is pretty predictable. All of a sudden, kids who never have devotions are up early in the morning on a rock with a Bible somewhere. Kids who have always thought prayer was boring are saying, "Let's pray!" What they learn several thousand miles from home is something you may need to learn right where you are today.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Not Until You Need It."

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Matthew 5:6. You might recognize this as being in what's called The Beatitudes, Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. He says, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." I think Jesus is describing spiritual health here in terms similar to what we do when we talk about physical health-appetite. How's your appetite? And He is talking about people who say, "I'm hungry for the Lord; I'm thirsty for the Lord. I need more of You, Lord. I need You!"

Those kids on that missionary trip are learning a valuable lesson. With all of their usual dependencies stripped away, they find out that you know the Lord when you need the Lord. Maybe that's why third-world Christians have so much more power in their lives, and have so much more revival in their experience than we do. They don't have all of the props we do, and it seems that those who know the Lord the best are those who need Him the most.

We dig deeply into the Lord when the bottom drops out. I'm sure you have. I have. And then, once things have stabilized, we tend to return to our old props. We tend to return to a casual Christianity instead of this desperately dependant but very rich faith. The fact is we desperately need the Lord every day, not just when the bottom drops out. We're as needy as the people in the third world. We shouldn't be confused because we've got recordings, and movies, and concerts, and websites, and church services, and homes and all these other support structures. We just don't cling to Him because we're surrounded by so many other resources.

Do we have to wait for all our resources to be stripped away before we learn how much we need our Lord? Do we have to be starving to death before we get to be hungry for more of Him? "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. They will be filled." See what we're missing because we haven't acknowledged how much we need Him?

Even now, why don't you ask the Lord (it's kind of a strange prayer), "Lord, make me desperate for You." He'd rather do it without trauma and without tragedy. Ask Him to give you a new hour-by-hour sense of your desperate need for Him; an hour-by-hour dependency; the child on his Heavenly Father. And then live today as if God is your only hope, not just one of your many resources. When you need the Lord desperately, you get to know Him deeply.