Max Lucado Daily: HEIRS OF GOD’S PROMISE
Heroes in the Bible came from all walks of life—rulers, servants, teachers, and doctors—male, female, single, and married. Yet one common denominator united them: they built their lives on the promises of God. Noah believed in rain before rain was a word. Joshua led two million people into enemy territory. One writer went so far as to call such saints “heirs of the promise” in Hebrews 6:17.
As God prepared the Israelites to face a new land, he made a promise to them. “Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the LORD, will do for you” (Exodus 34:10). God’s promises are unbreakable; our hope is unshakable!
2 Chronicles 5
That completed the work King Solomon did on The Temple of God. He then brought in the holy offerings of his father David, the silver and the gold and the artifacts. He placed them all in the treasury of God’s Temple.
2-3 Bringing all this to a climax, Solomon got all the leaders together in Jerusalem—all the chiefs of tribes and the family patriarchs—to move the Chest of the Covenant of God from Zion and install it in The Temple. All the men of Israel assembled before the king on the feast day of the seventh month, the Feast of Booths.
4-6 When all the leaders of Israel were ready, the Levites took up the Chest. They carried the Chest, the Tent of Meeting, and all the sacred things in the Tent used in worship. The priests, all Levites, carried them. King Solomon and the entire congregation of Israel were there before the Chest, worshiping and sacrificing huge numbers of sheep and cattle—so many that no one could keep track.
7-10 The priests brought the Chest of the Covenant of God to its place in the Inner Sanctuary, the Holy of Holies, under the wings of the cherubim. The outspread wings of the cherubim formed a canopy over the Chest and its poles. The ends of the poles were so long that they stuck out from the entrance of the Inner Sanctuary, but were not noticeable further out—they’re still there today. There was nothing in the Chest itself but the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb where God made a covenant with Israel after bringing them up from Egypt.
11-13 The priests then left the Holy Place. All the priests there were consecrated, regardless of rank or assignment; and all the Levites who were musicians were there—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their families, dressed in their worship robes; the choir and orchestra assembled on the east side of the Altar and were joined by 120 priests blowing trumpets. The choir and trumpets made one voice of praise and thanks to God—orchestra and choir in perfect harmony singing and playing praise to God:
Yes! God is good!
His loyal love goes on forever!
13-14 Then a billowing cloud filled The Temple of God. The priests couldn’t even carry out their duties because of the cloud—the glory of God!—that filled The Temple of God.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Monday, February 03, 2020
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Luke 3:15–18
The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if Johny might possibly be the Messiah.z 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you withb water.a But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you withc the Holy Spirit and fire.b 17 His winnowing forkc is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”d 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.
Insight
Fire shows up in the Bible in literal and figurative ways. As a common source of light and heat, it’s a word picture for both the danger and consequences of sin (Proverbs 6:27–28; Isaiah 9:18) and for God (Deuteronomy 4:24). He speaks to Moses from within a burning bush that wasn’t consumed (Exodus 3:2) while describing Himself as a consuming fire that rages against evil and refines what He wants to preserve (Deuteronomy 4:24–26; 1 Peter 1:7). God is with His people through the literal fires of human persecution (Daniel 3:19–22) as well as in the figurative fires of cleansing judgment (1 Corinthians 3:11–15). By: Mart DeHaan
A Fire Called Holy
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Luke 3:16
After several years of drought, the wildfires of Southern California left some residents thinking of them as acts of God. This disturbing impression was reinforced when news sources began referring to one as the Holy Fire. Many unfamiliar with the area didn’t realize it was a reference to the Holy Jim Canyon region. But who was Holy Jim? According to local history, he was a nineteenth-century beekeeper so irreligious and cantankerous that neighbors tagged him with that ironic nickname.
John the Baptist’s reference to a baptism of “the Holy Spirit and fire” also came with its own story and explanation (Luke 3:16). Looking back, he was likely thinking of the kind of Messiah and refining fire foreseen by the prophet Malachi (3:1–3; 4:1). But only after the Spirit of God came like wind and fire on the followers of Jesus did the words of Malachi and John come into focus (Acts 2:1–4).
The fire John predicted wasn’t what was expected. As a true act of God, it came with boldness to proclaim a different kind of Messiah and holy flame. In the Spirit of Jesus, it exposed and consumed our futile human efforts—while making room for the love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control of the Holy Spirit (see Galatians 5:22–23). Those are the acts of God that He would like to work in us. By: Mart DeHaan
Reflect & Pray
How has your life been affected by the work of the Holy Spirit? What does it mean for you to pursue a holy—set apart—life before God?
Father in heaven, please replace our fear of Your Holy Spirit with a love, joy, and peace that is as priceless as our stubborn ways are worthless.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Monday, February 03, 2020
Becoming the “Filth of the World”
We have been made as the filth of the world… —1 Corinthians 4:13
These words are not an exaggeration. The only reason they may not be true of us who call ourselves ministers of the gospel is not that Paul forgot or misunderstood the exact truth of them, but that we are too cautious and concerned about our own desires to allow ourselves to become the refuse or “filth of the world.” “Fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ…” (Colossians 1:24) is not the result of the holiness of sanctification, but the evidence of consecration— being “separated to the gospel of God…” (Romans 1:1).
“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you…” (1 Peter 4:12). If we do think the things we encounter are strange, it is because we are fearful and cowardly. We pay such close attention to our own interests and desires that we stay out of the mire and say, “I won’t submit; I won’t bow or bend.” And you don’t have to— you can be saved by the “skin of your teeth” if you like. You can refuse to let God count you as one who is “separated to the gospel….” Or you can say, “I don’t care if I am treated like ‘the filth of the world’ as long as the gospel is proclaimed.” A true servant of Jesus Christ is one who is willing to experience martyrdom for the reality of the gospel of God. When a moral person is confronted with contempt, immorality, disloyalty, or dishonesty, he is so repulsed by the offense that he turns away and in despair closes his heart to the offender. But the miracle of the redemptive reality of God is that the worst and the vilest offender can never exhaust the depths of His love. Paul did not say that God separated him to show what a wonderful man He could make of him, but “to reveal His Son in me…” (Galatians 1:16).
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
Defenders of the faith are inclined to be bitter until they learn to walk in the light of the Lord. When you have learned to walk in the light of the Lord, bitterness and contention are impossible.
Biblical Psychology
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Monday, February 03, 2020
Your Proven Provider - #8626
Helen Roseveare was a veteran missionary, and I heard a true story from her life and it really touched me. And it reminded me of why I can face some huge needs with perfect peace. I thought it would be an encouragement to you today, too. Maybe you need this. Helen was a medical missionary in Zaire, and she told about the night she had tried to save a mother in the labor ward. And those efforts did not succeed. The mother died, left the missionaries with a crying two-year-old daughter and this tiny, premature baby. Now, they didn't have an incubator. They didn't have electricity to run an incubator, and they didn't have any special feeding facilities. And even though they lived on the equator where the nights got pretty chilly. So they wrapped the baby in cotton wool, put him in a box then, and they stoked up a fire. What they really needed was a good, old fashioned hot water bottle for the tiny newborn, but they discovered that the last one they had was burst and there was no way to get one. So they put the baby as near the fire as they could safely and they hoped it would be enough. But it was a touch-and-go fight for that little life. And then came the little girl's prayer.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Your Proven Provider."
The next day, the missionary, Helen, had prayers with the orphanage children. She explained the problem of keeping the baby warm enough; mentioning the need for a hot water bottle. She also told the children about the two-year-old sister who was crying because her mother died. And that's when ten-year-old Ruth started talking to God.
Here's what she prayed, "Please, God, send us a water bottle. It'll be no good tomorrow, God, because the baby will be dead. So please send it this afternoon. And while you're at it, would you please send me a dolly for the little girl so she'll know you really love her?"
Well, of course, Inwardly the missionary was struggling even to honestly say "amen" to that prayer. I mean, after all, the only way God could answer such a pointed prayer would be by sending her a parcel from her homeland in England. And she had been in Africa for almost four years, and she'd never gotten a parcel from home! Besides, who would send a hot water bottle to someone living on the equator!
Well, that afternoon, a large 22-pound parcel arrived on Helen's doorstep, and tears came to her eyes. She asked the orphanage children to help her unwrap and unpack that package. And there were 30 or 40 pairs of eyes focused on this large cardboard box. The missionary lifted out some brightly colored jerseys, which she gave out to the excited children. Then the kids looked a little bored as she pulled out the knitted bandages for the leprosy patient. Then came a box of raisins. Then, as Helen put her hand in again, she felt...well, she had to pull it out to believe it. Yep. it was a brand new (you guessed it) hot water bottle! Helen later said, "I had not asked God to send it; I had not truly believed He could."
Ruth, the little African girl with the bold prayer, rushed forward and she said, "Well, if God has sent the bottle, He must have sent the dolly, too!" And He did. At the bottom of the box was a beautifully dressed dolly. The parcel had been on the way for five months! It had been packed by Helen's former Sunday School class, whose leader just obeyed a prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator. Oh, yes, and a dolly. Five months before, God had provided the answer to the believing prayer of a ten-year-old girl to bring it in that afternoon.
Whatever you're facing right now, that's the God you belong to. That's the God who provides every need for you in the most amazing ways! So, would you relax in His proven provision and finally - our word for today from the Word of God. The promise that I saved until the end. Isaiah 65:24 - "Before they call, I will answer."
Monday, February 3, 2020
Sunday, February 2, 2020
2 Chronicles 4, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals
Max Lucado Daily: Appeal to the Heart
Remember the church at Corinth? A problem on every pew? Territorially selfish. Morally shameless. Theologically reckless. How do you help a congregation like that? You can correct them. Paul did. You can instruct them, which Paul did. You can reason with them; Paul did. But at some point you stop talking to the head and start appealing to the heart. And Paul did that.
I Corinthians 13:4-7 says, "Love. . .bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
He saw only one solution-love! Don't we need the same prescription today? Someday there will be a community where everyone behaves and no one complains. But it won't be this side of heaven. So what do we do? We reason. We confront. We teach. But most of all, we love.
From Max on Life
2 Chronicles 4
He made the Bronze Altar thirty feet long, thirty feet wide, and ten feet high.
2-5 He made a Sea—an immense round basin of cast metal fifteen feet in diameter, seven and a half feet high, and forty-five feet in circumference. Just under the rim, there were two parallel bands of something like bulls, ten to each foot and a half. The figures were cast in one piece with the Sea. The Sea was set on twelve bulls, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. All the bulls faced outward and supported the Sea on their hindquarters. The Sea was three inches thick and flared at the rim like a cup, or a lily. It held about 18,000 gallons.
6 He made ten Washbasins, five set on the right and five on the left, for rinsing the things used for the Whole-Burnt-Offerings. The priests washed themselves in the Sea.
7 He made ten gold Lampstands, following the specified pattern, and placed five on the right and five on the left.
8 He made ten tables and set five on the right and five on the left. He also made a hundred gold bowls.
9 He built a Courtyard especially for the priests and then the great court and doors for the court. The doors were covered with bronze.
10 He placed the Sea on the right side of The Temple at the southeast corner.
11-16 He also made ash buckets, shovels, and bowls.
And that about wrapped it up: Huram completed the work he had contracted to do for King Solomon:
two pillars;
two bowl-shaped capitals for the tops of the pillars;
two decorative filigrees for the capitals;
four hundred pomegranates for the filigrees (a double row of pomegranates for each filigree);
ten washstands with their basins;
one Sea and the twelve bulls under it;
miscellaneous buckets, forks, shovels, and bowls.
16-18 All these artifacts that Huram-Abi made for King Solomon for The Temple of God were made of burnished bronze. The king had them cast in clay in a foundry on the Jordan plain between Succoth and Zarethan. These artifacts were never weighed—there were far too many! Nobody has any idea how much bronze was used.
19-22 Solomon was also responsible for the furniture and accessories in The Temple of God:
the gold Altar;
the tables that held the Bread of the Presence;
the Lampstands of pure gold with their lamps, to be lighted
before the Inner Sanctuary, the Holy of Holies;
the gold flowers, lamps, and tongs (all solid gold);
the gold wick trimmers, bowls, ladles, and censers;
the gold doors of The Temple, doors to the Holy of Holies, and the doors to the main sanctuary.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Sunday, February 02, 2020
Today's Scripture & Insight: Isaiah 61:1–7
The Year of the Lord’s Favor
61 The Spirite of the Sovereign Lordf is on me,
because the Lord has anointedg me
to proclaim good newsh to the poor.i
He has sent me to bind upj the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedomk for the captivesl
and release from darkness for the prisoners,a
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favorm
and the day of vengeancen of our God,
to comforto all who mourn,p
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crownq of beauty
instead of ashes,r
the oils of joy
instead of mourning,t
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a plantingu of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.v
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruinsw
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.
5 Strangersx will shepherd your flocks;
foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.
6 And you will be called priestsy of the Lord,
you will be named ministers of our God.
You will feed on the wealthz of nations,
and in their riches you will boast.
7 Instead of your shamea
you will receive a doubleb portion,
and instead of disgrace
you will rejoice in your inheritance.
And so you will inheritc a double portion in your land,
and everlasting joyd will be yours.
Insight
More than seven centuries after the book of Isaiah was written, Luke recorded that when Jesus stood up to read in the synagogue in His hometown of Nazareth “the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him” (Luke 4:17). Standing to read (v. 16) was a common synagogue practice in that day (as was sitting to teach, v. 20). When Jesus read what we know as Isaiah 61:1–2, He didn’t include the second half of verse 2—“and the day of vengeance of our God.” Presumably He stopped where He did because the focus of His ministry wasn’t the punishment of Israel or her enemies. He’d come to save; His focus was rescue as seen through His liberating works and His death and resurrection (see Luke 19:10). By: Arthur Jackson
A Time for Beauty
A crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning. Isaiah 61:3
One January morning I woke expecting to see the same dreary midwinter landscape that had greeted me for several weeks: beige grass poking through patches of snow, gray skies, and skeletal trees. Something unusual had happened overnight, though. A frost had coated everything with ice crystals. The lifeless and depressing landscape had become a beautiful scene that glistened in the sun and dazzled me.
Sometimes we view problems without the imagination it takes to have faith. We expect pain, fear, and despair to greet us every morning, but overlook the possibility of something different ever happening. We don’t expect recovery, growth, or victory through God’s power. Yet the Bible says God is the one who helps us through difficult times. He repairs broken hearts and liberates people in bondage. He comforts the grieving with “a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair” (Isaiah 61:3).
It isn’t that God just wants to cheer us up when we have problems. It’s that He Himself is our hope during trials. Even if we have to wait for heaven to find ultimate relief, God is present with us, encouraging us and often giving us glimpses of Himself. In our journey through life, may we come to understand St. Augustine’s words: “In my deepest wound I saw your glory, and it dazzled me.” By: Jennifer Benson Schuldt
Reflect & Pray
How can you turn to God when you’re in trouble? What rewards can come from this practice?
Faithful God, give me the faith I need to make it through today and help me to see You at work as I face adversity.
To learn more about helping people, visit christianuniversity.org/CC205.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Sunday, February 02, 2020
The Compelling Force of the Call
Woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! —1 Corinthians 9:16
Beware of refusing to hear the call of God. Everyone who is saved is called to testify to the fact of his salvation. That, however, is not the same as the call to preach, but is merely an illustration which can be used in preaching. In this verse, Paul was referring to the stinging pains produced in him by the compelling force of the call to preach the gospel. Never try to apply what Paul said regarding the call to preach to those souls who are being called to God for salvation. There is nothing easier than getting saved, because it is solely God’s sovereign work— “Look to Me, and be saved…” (Isaiah 45:22). Our Lord never requires the same conditions for discipleship that he requires for salvation. We are condemned to salvation through the Cross of Christ. But discipleship has an option with it— “If anyone…” (Luke 14:26).
Paul’s words have to do with our being made servants of Jesus Christ, and our permission is never asked as to what we will do or where we will go. God makes us as broken bread and poured-out wine to please Himself. To be “separated to the gospel” means being able to hear the call of God (Romans 1:1). Once someone begins to hear that call, a suffering worthy of the name of Christ is produced. Suddenly, every ambition, every desire of life, and every outlook is completely blotted out and extinguished. Only one thing remains— “…separated to the gospel…” Woe be to the soul who tries to head in any other direction once that call has come to him. The Bible Training College exists so that each of you may know whether or not God has a man or woman here who truly cares about proclaiming His gospel and to see if God grips you for this purpose. Beware of competing calls once the call of God grips you.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
Civilization is based on principles which imply that the passing moment is permanent. The only permanent thing is God, and if I put anything else as permanent, I become atheistic. I must build only on God (John 14:6). The Highest Good—Thy Great Redemption, 565 L
Remember the church at Corinth? A problem on every pew? Territorially selfish. Morally shameless. Theologically reckless. How do you help a congregation like that? You can correct them. Paul did. You can instruct them, which Paul did. You can reason with them; Paul did. But at some point you stop talking to the head and start appealing to the heart. And Paul did that.
I Corinthians 13:4-7 says, "Love. . .bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
He saw only one solution-love! Don't we need the same prescription today? Someday there will be a community where everyone behaves and no one complains. But it won't be this side of heaven. So what do we do? We reason. We confront. We teach. But most of all, we love.
From Max on Life
2 Chronicles 4
He made the Bronze Altar thirty feet long, thirty feet wide, and ten feet high.
2-5 He made a Sea—an immense round basin of cast metal fifteen feet in diameter, seven and a half feet high, and forty-five feet in circumference. Just under the rim, there were two parallel bands of something like bulls, ten to each foot and a half. The figures were cast in one piece with the Sea. The Sea was set on twelve bulls, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. All the bulls faced outward and supported the Sea on their hindquarters. The Sea was three inches thick and flared at the rim like a cup, or a lily. It held about 18,000 gallons.
6 He made ten Washbasins, five set on the right and five on the left, for rinsing the things used for the Whole-Burnt-Offerings. The priests washed themselves in the Sea.
7 He made ten gold Lampstands, following the specified pattern, and placed five on the right and five on the left.
8 He made ten tables and set five on the right and five on the left. He also made a hundred gold bowls.
9 He built a Courtyard especially for the priests and then the great court and doors for the court. The doors were covered with bronze.
10 He placed the Sea on the right side of The Temple at the southeast corner.
11-16 He also made ash buckets, shovels, and bowls.
And that about wrapped it up: Huram completed the work he had contracted to do for King Solomon:
two pillars;
two bowl-shaped capitals for the tops of the pillars;
two decorative filigrees for the capitals;
four hundred pomegranates for the filigrees (a double row of pomegranates for each filigree);
ten washstands with their basins;
one Sea and the twelve bulls under it;
miscellaneous buckets, forks, shovels, and bowls.
16-18 All these artifacts that Huram-Abi made for King Solomon for The Temple of God were made of burnished bronze. The king had them cast in clay in a foundry on the Jordan plain between Succoth and Zarethan. These artifacts were never weighed—there were far too many! Nobody has any idea how much bronze was used.
19-22 Solomon was also responsible for the furniture and accessories in The Temple of God:
the gold Altar;
the tables that held the Bread of the Presence;
the Lampstands of pure gold with their lamps, to be lighted
before the Inner Sanctuary, the Holy of Holies;
the gold flowers, lamps, and tongs (all solid gold);
the gold wick trimmers, bowls, ladles, and censers;
the gold doors of The Temple, doors to the Holy of Holies, and the doors to the main sanctuary.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Sunday, February 02, 2020
Today's Scripture & Insight: Isaiah 61:1–7
The Year of the Lord’s Favor
61 The Spirite of the Sovereign Lordf is on me,
because the Lord has anointedg me
to proclaim good newsh to the poor.i
He has sent me to bind upj the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedomk for the captivesl
and release from darkness for the prisoners,a
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favorm
and the day of vengeancen of our God,
to comforto all who mourn,p
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crownq of beauty
instead of ashes,r
the oils of joy
instead of mourning,t
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a plantingu of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.v
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruinsw
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.
5 Strangersx will shepherd your flocks;
foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.
6 And you will be called priestsy of the Lord,
you will be named ministers of our God.
You will feed on the wealthz of nations,
and in their riches you will boast.
7 Instead of your shamea
you will receive a doubleb portion,
and instead of disgrace
you will rejoice in your inheritance.
And so you will inheritc a double portion in your land,
and everlasting joyd will be yours.
Insight
More than seven centuries after the book of Isaiah was written, Luke recorded that when Jesus stood up to read in the synagogue in His hometown of Nazareth “the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him” (Luke 4:17). Standing to read (v. 16) was a common synagogue practice in that day (as was sitting to teach, v. 20). When Jesus read what we know as Isaiah 61:1–2, He didn’t include the second half of verse 2—“and the day of vengeance of our God.” Presumably He stopped where He did because the focus of His ministry wasn’t the punishment of Israel or her enemies. He’d come to save; His focus was rescue as seen through His liberating works and His death and resurrection (see Luke 19:10). By: Arthur Jackson
A Time for Beauty
A crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning. Isaiah 61:3
One January morning I woke expecting to see the same dreary midwinter landscape that had greeted me for several weeks: beige grass poking through patches of snow, gray skies, and skeletal trees. Something unusual had happened overnight, though. A frost had coated everything with ice crystals. The lifeless and depressing landscape had become a beautiful scene that glistened in the sun and dazzled me.
Sometimes we view problems without the imagination it takes to have faith. We expect pain, fear, and despair to greet us every morning, but overlook the possibility of something different ever happening. We don’t expect recovery, growth, or victory through God’s power. Yet the Bible says God is the one who helps us through difficult times. He repairs broken hearts and liberates people in bondage. He comforts the grieving with “a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair” (Isaiah 61:3).
It isn’t that God just wants to cheer us up when we have problems. It’s that He Himself is our hope during trials. Even if we have to wait for heaven to find ultimate relief, God is present with us, encouraging us and often giving us glimpses of Himself. In our journey through life, may we come to understand St. Augustine’s words: “In my deepest wound I saw your glory, and it dazzled me.” By: Jennifer Benson Schuldt
Reflect & Pray
How can you turn to God when you’re in trouble? What rewards can come from this practice?
Faithful God, give me the faith I need to make it through today and help me to see You at work as I face adversity.
To learn more about helping people, visit christianuniversity.org/CC205.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Sunday, February 02, 2020
The Compelling Force of the Call
Woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! —1 Corinthians 9:16
Beware of refusing to hear the call of God. Everyone who is saved is called to testify to the fact of his salvation. That, however, is not the same as the call to preach, but is merely an illustration which can be used in preaching. In this verse, Paul was referring to the stinging pains produced in him by the compelling force of the call to preach the gospel. Never try to apply what Paul said regarding the call to preach to those souls who are being called to God for salvation. There is nothing easier than getting saved, because it is solely God’s sovereign work— “Look to Me, and be saved…” (Isaiah 45:22). Our Lord never requires the same conditions for discipleship that he requires for salvation. We are condemned to salvation through the Cross of Christ. But discipleship has an option with it— “If anyone…” (Luke 14:26).
Paul’s words have to do with our being made servants of Jesus Christ, and our permission is never asked as to what we will do or where we will go. God makes us as broken bread and poured-out wine to please Himself. To be “separated to the gospel” means being able to hear the call of God (Romans 1:1). Once someone begins to hear that call, a suffering worthy of the name of Christ is produced. Suddenly, every ambition, every desire of life, and every outlook is completely blotted out and extinguished. Only one thing remains— “…separated to the gospel…” Woe be to the soul who tries to head in any other direction once that call has come to him. The Bible Training College exists so that each of you may know whether or not God has a man or woman here who truly cares about proclaiming His gospel and to see if God grips you for this purpose. Beware of competing calls once the call of God grips you.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
Civilization is based on principles which imply that the passing moment is permanent. The only permanent thing is God, and if I put anything else as permanent, I become atheistic. I must build only on God (John 14:6). The Highest Good—Thy Great Redemption, 565 L
Saturday, February 1, 2020
1 Corinthians 16, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals
Max Lucado Daily: Max Lucado Daily: Just Like Jesus
When they were young, my daughters loved playing “dress-up.” They’d put on their mom’s shoes, fill up a grown-up purse with crayons and pretend grown-up scenarios. For the moment, they wanted to be just like mom.
Don’t we do the same? We look at ourselves, with our immaturity, our sinfulness, and we want to clothe ourselves in something better. We want to be just like Jesus. This seems like an impossible goal until we accept one simple truth: God will help us. He loves us. Not only does God love each of us exactly as we are, but he wants us, little by little, to become like him. Why? Because he wants us to have a heart like his.
Need to hear that message a few more times? Don’t we all? God loves you just the way you are, but he refuses to leave you that way! He wants you to be just like Jesus!
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26).
From Just Like Jesus
1 Corinthians 16
Regarding the relief offering for poor Christians that is being collected, you get the same instructions I gave the churches in Galatia. Every Sunday each of you make an offering and put it in safekeeping. Be as generous as you can. When I get there you’ll have it ready, and I won’t have to make a special appeal. Then after I arrive, I’ll write letters authorizing whomever you delegate, and send them off to Jerusalem to deliver your gift. If you think it best that I go along, I’ll be glad to travel with them.
5-9 I plan to visit you after passing through northern Greece. I won’t be staying long there, but maybe I can stay awhile with you—maybe even spend the winter? Then you could give me a good send-off, wherever I may be headed next. I don’t want to just drop by in between other “primary” destinations. I want a good, long, leisurely visit. If the Master agrees, we’ll have it! For the present, I’m staying right here in Ephesus. A huge door of opportunity for good work has opened up here. (There is also mushrooming opposition.)
10-11 If Timothy shows up, take good care of him. Make him feel completely at home among you. He works so hard for the Master, just as I do. Don’t let anyone disparage him. After a while, send him on to me with your blessing. Tell him I’m expecting him, and any friends he has with him.
12 About our friend Apollos, I’ve done my best to get him to pay you a visit, but haven’t talked him into it yet. He doesn’t think this is the right time. But there will be a “right time.”
13-14 Keep your eyes open, hold tight to your convictions, give it all you’ve got, be resolute, and love without stopping.
15-16 Would you do me a favor, friends, and give special recognition to the family of Stephanas? You know, they were among the first converts in Greece, and they’ve put themselves out, serving Christians ever since then. I want you to honor and look up to people like that: companions and workers who show us how to do it, giving us something to aspire to.
17-18 I want you to know how delighted I am to have Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus here with me. They partially make up for your absence! They’ve refreshed me by keeping me in touch with you. Be proud that you have people like this among you.
19 The churches here in western Asia send greetings.
Aquila, Priscilla, and the church that meets in their house say hello.
20 All the friends here say hello.
Pass the greetings around with holy embraces!
21 And I, Paul—in my own handwriting!—send you my regards.
22 If anyone won’t love the Master, throw him out. Make room for the Master!
23 Our Master Jesus has his arms wide open for you.
24 And I love all of you in the Messiah, in Jesus.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Saturday, February 01, 2020
Today's Scripture & Insight:
1 Thessalonians 5:12–28
Final Instructions
12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hardd among you, who care for you in the Lorde and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.f 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idleg and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak,h be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong,i but always strive to do what is good for each otherj and for everyone else.
16 Rejoice always,k 17 pray continually,l 18 give thanks in all circumstances;m for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not quench the Spirit.n 20 Do not treat prophecieso with contempt 21 but test them all;p hold on to what is good,q 22 reject every kind of evil.
23 May God himself, the God of peace,r sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, souls and body be kept blamelesst at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.u 24 The one who callsv you is faithful,w and he will do it.x
25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us.y 26 Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss.z 27 I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.a
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.b
Insight
Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians is one of his most personal and warm epistles—and that’s not surprising. He personally planted the church at Thessalonica and knew the people there well. Paul’s introduction to this Greek city came during his second missionary journey, between his stops in Philippi and Athens (see Acts 17:1–9). Although he spent a relatively short period in Thessalonica (v. 2), it was a challenging time filled with controversy. An uproar resulted in an attack upon a man named Jason (apparently a new believer), and Paul and Silas being sent away to Berea. Undoubtedly, these shared experiences of hardship bonded their hearts together—explaining perhaps why this letter reveals such a closely held relationship. By: Bill Crowder
Full Attention
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances. 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18
Technology today seems to demand our constant attention. The modern “miracle” of the internet gives us the amazing capacity to access humanity’s collective learning in the palm of our hand. But for many, such constant access can come at a cost.
Writer Linda Stone has coined the phrase “continual partial attention” to describe the modern impulse to always need to know what’s happening “out there,” to make sure we’re not missing anything. If that sounds like it could produce chronic anxiety, you’re right!
Although the apostle Paul struggled with different reasons for anxiety, he knew our souls are wired to find peace in God. Which is why, in a letter to new believers who’d endured persecution (1 Thessalonians 2:14), Paul concluded by urging the believers to “rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances” (5:16–18).
Praying “continually” might seem pretty daunting. But then, how often do we check our phones? What if we instead let that urge be a prompt to talk to God?
More important, what if we learned to exchange a need to always be in “the know” for continual, prayerful rest in God’s presence? Through relying on Christ’s Spirit, we can learn to give our heavenly Father our continual full attention as we make our way through each day. By: Adam R. Holz
Reflect & Pray
How would you say technology impacts your faith, both negatively and positively? What might help you grow in undivided focus on God?
Father, thank You for inviting us into a relationship with You, one in which You long to hear from us continually.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Saturday, February 01, 2020
The Call of God
Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel… —1 Corinthians 1:17
Paul states here that the call of God is to preach the gospel. But remember what Paul means by “the gospel,” namely, the reality of redemption in our Lord Jesus Christ. We are inclined to make sanctification the goal of our preaching. Paul refers to personal experiences only by way of illustration, never as the end of the matter. We are not commissioned to preach salvation or sanctification— we are commissioned to lift up Jesus Christ (see John 12:32). It is an injustice to say that Jesus Christ labored in redemption to make me a saint. Jesus Christ labored in redemption to redeem the whole world and to place it perfectly whole and restored before the throne of God. The fact that we can experience redemption illustrates the power of its reality, but that experience is a byproduct and not the goal of redemption. If God were human, how sick and tired He would be of the constant requests we make for our salvation and for our sanctification. We burden His energies from morning till night asking for things for ourselves or for something from which we want to be delivered! When we finally touch the underlying foundation of the reality of the gospel of God, we will never bother Him anymore with little personal complaints.
The one passion of Paul’s life was to proclaim the gospel of God. He welcomed heartbreak, disillusionment, and tribulation for only one reason— these things kept him unmovable in his devotion to the gospel of God.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
We are apt to think that everything that happens to us is to be turned into useful teaching; it is to be turned into something better than teaching, viz. into character. We shall find that the spheres God brings us into are not meant to teach us something but to make us something. The Love of God—The Ministry of the Unnoticed, 664 L
When they were young, my daughters loved playing “dress-up.” They’d put on their mom’s shoes, fill up a grown-up purse with crayons and pretend grown-up scenarios. For the moment, they wanted to be just like mom.
Don’t we do the same? We look at ourselves, with our immaturity, our sinfulness, and we want to clothe ourselves in something better. We want to be just like Jesus. This seems like an impossible goal until we accept one simple truth: God will help us. He loves us. Not only does God love each of us exactly as we are, but he wants us, little by little, to become like him. Why? Because he wants us to have a heart like his.
Need to hear that message a few more times? Don’t we all? God loves you just the way you are, but he refuses to leave you that way! He wants you to be just like Jesus!
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26).
From Just Like Jesus
1 Corinthians 16
Regarding the relief offering for poor Christians that is being collected, you get the same instructions I gave the churches in Galatia. Every Sunday each of you make an offering and put it in safekeeping. Be as generous as you can. When I get there you’ll have it ready, and I won’t have to make a special appeal. Then after I arrive, I’ll write letters authorizing whomever you delegate, and send them off to Jerusalem to deliver your gift. If you think it best that I go along, I’ll be glad to travel with them.
5-9 I plan to visit you after passing through northern Greece. I won’t be staying long there, but maybe I can stay awhile with you—maybe even spend the winter? Then you could give me a good send-off, wherever I may be headed next. I don’t want to just drop by in between other “primary” destinations. I want a good, long, leisurely visit. If the Master agrees, we’ll have it! For the present, I’m staying right here in Ephesus. A huge door of opportunity for good work has opened up here. (There is also mushrooming opposition.)
10-11 If Timothy shows up, take good care of him. Make him feel completely at home among you. He works so hard for the Master, just as I do. Don’t let anyone disparage him. After a while, send him on to me with your blessing. Tell him I’m expecting him, and any friends he has with him.
12 About our friend Apollos, I’ve done my best to get him to pay you a visit, but haven’t talked him into it yet. He doesn’t think this is the right time. But there will be a “right time.”
13-14 Keep your eyes open, hold tight to your convictions, give it all you’ve got, be resolute, and love without stopping.
15-16 Would you do me a favor, friends, and give special recognition to the family of Stephanas? You know, they were among the first converts in Greece, and they’ve put themselves out, serving Christians ever since then. I want you to honor and look up to people like that: companions and workers who show us how to do it, giving us something to aspire to.
17-18 I want you to know how delighted I am to have Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus here with me. They partially make up for your absence! They’ve refreshed me by keeping me in touch with you. Be proud that you have people like this among you.
19 The churches here in western Asia send greetings.
Aquila, Priscilla, and the church that meets in their house say hello.
20 All the friends here say hello.
Pass the greetings around with holy embraces!
21 And I, Paul—in my own handwriting!—send you my regards.
22 If anyone won’t love the Master, throw him out. Make room for the Master!
23 Our Master Jesus has his arms wide open for you.
24 And I love all of you in the Messiah, in Jesus.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Saturday, February 01, 2020
Today's Scripture & Insight:
1 Thessalonians 5:12–28
Final Instructions
12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hardd among you, who care for you in the Lorde and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.f 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idleg and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak,h be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong,i but always strive to do what is good for each otherj and for everyone else.
16 Rejoice always,k 17 pray continually,l 18 give thanks in all circumstances;m for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not quench the Spirit.n 20 Do not treat prophecieso with contempt 21 but test them all;p hold on to what is good,q 22 reject every kind of evil.
23 May God himself, the God of peace,r sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, souls and body be kept blamelesst at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.u 24 The one who callsv you is faithful,w and he will do it.x
25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us.y 26 Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss.z 27 I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.a
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.b
Insight
Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians is one of his most personal and warm epistles—and that’s not surprising. He personally planted the church at Thessalonica and knew the people there well. Paul’s introduction to this Greek city came during his second missionary journey, between his stops in Philippi and Athens (see Acts 17:1–9). Although he spent a relatively short period in Thessalonica (v. 2), it was a challenging time filled with controversy. An uproar resulted in an attack upon a man named Jason (apparently a new believer), and Paul and Silas being sent away to Berea. Undoubtedly, these shared experiences of hardship bonded their hearts together—explaining perhaps why this letter reveals such a closely held relationship. By: Bill Crowder
Full Attention
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances. 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18
Technology today seems to demand our constant attention. The modern “miracle” of the internet gives us the amazing capacity to access humanity’s collective learning in the palm of our hand. But for many, such constant access can come at a cost.
Writer Linda Stone has coined the phrase “continual partial attention” to describe the modern impulse to always need to know what’s happening “out there,” to make sure we’re not missing anything. If that sounds like it could produce chronic anxiety, you’re right!
Although the apostle Paul struggled with different reasons for anxiety, he knew our souls are wired to find peace in God. Which is why, in a letter to new believers who’d endured persecution (1 Thessalonians 2:14), Paul concluded by urging the believers to “rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances” (5:16–18).
Praying “continually” might seem pretty daunting. But then, how often do we check our phones? What if we instead let that urge be a prompt to talk to God?
More important, what if we learned to exchange a need to always be in “the know” for continual, prayerful rest in God’s presence? Through relying on Christ’s Spirit, we can learn to give our heavenly Father our continual full attention as we make our way through each day. By: Adam R. Holz
Reflect & Pray
How would you say technology impacts your faith, both negatively and positively? What might help you grow in undivided focus on God?
Father, thank You for inviting us into a relationship with You, one in which You long to hear from us continually.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Saturday, February 01, 2020
The Call of God
Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel… —1 Corinthians 1:17
Paul states here that the call of God is to preach the gospel. But remember what Paul means by “the gospel,” namely, the reality of redemption in our Lord Jesus Christ. We are inclined to make sanctification the goal of our preaching. Paul refers to personal experiences only by way of illustration, never as the end of the matter. We are not commissioned to preach salvation or sanctification— we are commissioned to lift up Jesus Christ (see John 12:32). It is an injustice to say that Jesus Christ labored in redemption to make me a saint. Jesus Christ labored in redemption to redeem the whole world and to place it perfectly whole and restored before the throne of God. The fact that we can experience redemption illustrates the power of its reality, but that experience is a byproduct and not the goal of redemption. If God were human, how sick and tired He would be of the constant requests we make for our salvation and for our sanctification. We burden His energies from morning till night asking for things for ourselves or for something from which we want to be delivered! When we finally touch the underlying foundation of the reality of the gospel of God, we will never bother Him anymore with little personal complaints.
The one passion of Paul’s life was to proclaim the gospel of God. He welcomed heartbreak, disillusionment, and tribulation for only one reason— these things kept him unmovable in his devotion to the gospel of God.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
We are apt to think that everything that happens to us is to be turned into useful teaching; it is to be turned into something better than teaching, viz. into character. We shall find that the spheres God brings us into are not meant to teach us something but to make us something. The Love of God—The Ministry of the Unnoticed, 664 L
Friday, January 31, 2020
2 Chronicles 3, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals
Max Lucado Daily: STEPHEN REMEMBERED
The greatest example of humility is none other than Jesus Christ. Who had more reason to boast than he? Yet he never did. He was utterly reliant upon the Father and the Holy Spirit.
What gift are you giving that he did not first give? You love. But who loved you first? You serve. But who served the most? What are you doing for God that he could not do alone? How kind of him to use us. How wise of us to remember.
Stephen remembered. As Stephen’s accusers reached for their rocks, he looked toward Christ. “Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God; he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand” (Acts 7:55). Stephen stood on behalf of Christ, and in the end, Christ returned the favor.
2 Chronicles 3
So Solomon broke ground, launched construction of the house of God in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, the place where God had appeared to his father David. The precise site, the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, had been designated by David. He broke ground on the second day in the second month of the fourth year of his rule. These are the dimensions that Solomon set for the construction of the house of God: ninety feet long and thirty feet wide. The porch in front stretched the width of the building, that is, thirty feet; and it was thirty feet high.
4-7 The interior was gold-plated. He paneled the main hall with cypress and veneered it with fine gold engraved with palm tree and chain designs. He decorated the building with precious stones and gold from Parvaim. Everything was coated with gold veneer: rafters, doorframes, walls, and doors. Cherubim were engraved on the walls.
8-9 He made the Holy of Holies a cube, thirty feet wide, long, and high. It was veneered with six hundred talents (something over twenty-two tons) of gold. The gold nails weighed fifty shekels (a little over a pound). The upper rooms were also veneered in gold.
10-13 He made two sculptures of cherubim, gigantic angel-like figures, for the Holy of Holies, both veneered with gold. The combined wingspread of the side-by-side cherubim (each wing measuring seven and a half feet) stretched from wall to wall, thirty feet. They stood erect facing the main hall.
14 He fashioned the curtain of violet, purple, and crimson fabric and worked a cherub design into it.
15-17 He made two huge free-standing pillars, each fifty-two feet tall, their capitals extending another seven and a half feet. The top of each pillar was set off with an elaborate filigree of chains, like necklaces, from which hung a hundred pomegranates. He placed the pillars in front of The Temple, one on the right, and the other on the left. The right pillar he named Jakin (Security) and the left pillar he named Boaz (Stability).
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Friday, January 31, 2020
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Proverbs 23:1–5
Saying 7
23 When you sit to dine with a ruler,
note well whata is before you,
2 and put a knife to your throat
if you are given to gluttony.
3 Do not crave his delicacies,w
for that food is deceptive.
Saying 8
4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
do not trust your own cleverness.
5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,x
for they will surely sprout wings
and fly off to the sky like an eagle.y
Insight
Proverbs 22:17–24:22 is marked out as a separate section with the prologue, “Thirty Sayings of the Wise.” Some scholars have argued that Solomon “borrowed” some of these proverbs from an ancient Egyptian wisdom work “The Instruction of Amenemope,” which has thirty chapters. Regardless of its source, we believe that these “Thirty Sayings” are “God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16–17).
The seventh saying (Proverbs 23:1–3) paints the picture of being invited to dinner by a powerful host, and warns of being enamored by the appearance of social prestige. Instead, we’re to be vigilant and restrained at a time when it’s easy to indulge. The eighth saying (vv. 4–5) warns of the danger of greed, of being consumed by money and materialism, of trusting in riches. Since wealth is fleeting (27:24), it’s foolish to trust in it (Ecclesiastes 5:13–15; Matthew 6:19; 1 Timothy 6:6–10; James 5:1–6).
Going, Going, Gone
Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone. Proverbs 23:5
The mischievous artist Banksy pulled off another practical joke. His painting Girl with Balloon sold for one million pounds at Sotheby’s auction house in London. Moments after the auctioneer yelled “Sold,” an alarm sounded and the painting slipped halfway through a shredder mounted inside the bottom of the frame. Banksy tweeted a picture of bidders gasping at his ruined masterpiece, with the caption, “Going, going, gone.”
Banksy relished pulling one over on the wealthy, but he need not have bothered. Wealth itself has plenty of pranks up its sleeve. God says, “Do not wear yourself out to get rich . . . . Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle” (Proverbs 23:4–5).
Few things are less secure than money. We work hard to earn it, yet there are many ways to lose it. Investments go sour, inflation erodes, bills come, thieves steal, and fire and flood destroy. Even if we manage to keep our money, the time we have to spend it continually flies. Blink, and your life is going, going, gone.
What to do? God tells us a few verses later: “always be zealous for the fear of the Lord. There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off” (vv. 17–18). Invest your life in Jesus; He alone will keep you forever. By: Mike Wittmer
Reflect & Pray
Where does your life feel insecure? How might that lead you to Jesus?
God, help me to give my insecurities to You and to trust in Your goodness and faithfulness.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Friday, January 31, 2020
Do You See Your Calling?
…separated to the gospel of God… —Romans 1:1
Our calling is not primarily to be holy men and women, but to be proclaimers of the gospel of God. The one all-important thing is that the gospel of God should be recognized as the abiding reality. Reality is not human goodness, or holiness, or heaven, or hell— it is redemption. The need to perceive this is the most vital need of the Christian worker today. As workers, we have to get used to the revelation that redemption is the only reality. Personal holiness is an effect of redemption, not the cause of it. If we place our faith in human goodness we will go under when testing comes.
Paul did not say that he separated himself, but “when it pleased God, who separated me…” (Galatians 1:15). Paul was not overly interested in his own character. And as long as our eyes are focused on our own personal holiness, we will never even get close to the full reality of redemption. Christian workers fail because they place their desire for their own holiness above their desire to know God. “Don’t ask me to be confronted with the strong reality of redemption on behalf of the filth of human life surrounding me today; what I want is anything God can do for me to make me more desirable in my own eyes.” To talk that way is a sign that the reality of the gospel of God has not begun to touch me. There is no reckless abandon to God in that. God cannot deliver me while my interest is merely in my own character. Paul was not conscious of himself. He was recklessly abandoned, totally surrendered, and separated by God for one purpose— to proclaim the gospel of God (see Romans 9:3).
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
To those who have had no agony Jesus says, “I have nothing for you; stand on your own feet, square your own shoulders. I have come for the man who knows he has a bigger handful than he can cope with, who knows there are forces he cannot touch; I will do everything for him if he will let Me. Only let a man grant he needs it, and I will do it for him.”
The Shadow of an Agony
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Friday, January 31, 2020
One of Us - #8625
I guess every generation has its surprising music hits. Like a song by a Mississippi truck driver about a hound dog - Elvis something - or a song by some longhaired British quartet about wanting to hold your hand. I think they were called The Beatles. Now, in more recent years, there was a very surprising song that skyrocketed to number one for several weeks and to a Grammy nomination. It's been a while, but it was a pretty provocative song. The singer was not well known, but the song asked some questions that I never thought I'd hear in a popular song. It had a haunting melody that was pretty hard to forget. Years ago, as I played a portion of that song for 11,000 teenagers I was speaking to, virtually everyone in the room sang the lyrics. "What if God was one of us, what would His name be? If God was one of us, what would His face look like?" You know what? The questions were provocative. The answers are shocking!
I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "One of Us."
Actually, God became one of us. John 1:14, our word for today from the Word of God says, "The Word," speaking of Jesus Christ, "became flesh and lived among us and we beheld His glory." Earlier in that chapter it says He was there from the beginning. He created everything there is, and now He became one of us.
The song asked what would His name be? That would be Jesus. Jesus said, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father." When God was one of us, what was He like? Well, He was poor by choice; born in a stable. His family turned on Him - maybe like yours has. He was tempted like you are, except He was tempted by Satan himself. He grieved over the death of people He loved - perhaps as you have.
When God was one of us, He knew what it was like to be lonely, to be betrayed, to be physically abused, to die. When God was one of us, He forgave a sinful woman everyone else was ready to stone. He's ready to forgive you. He loved the children. Even His own disciples thought they were unimportant. He still loves those that others think are unimportant - maybe like you. When God was one of us, He walked right past the cheering crowds to seek out one hurting person in need just as He's seeking you today.
And when God was one of us, what did his face look like? The prophet Isaiah says His face was disfigured beyond that of any man and His form was marred beyond human likeness. Why would God become one of us and submit Himself to this humiliating, dehumanizing torture? His answer is in His own words, Mark 10:45. "For even the Son of Man came...to give His life as a ransom for many." And we know what a ransom is. It's the price you pay to get someone back. And Jesus said that's what I've come to do - I came to pay the price to bring you back...terminally away from God because of our sin. But through Jesus' brutal death He became the substitute - God's own Son - to take our hell and to pay our penalty.
Nobody has ever loved you like Jesus. And now He's close to you; He's right where you are. He's made His move all the way from heaven's glory to become one of us because only one of us could pay the penalty for us. And now He's come to where you are to offer you this opportunity to begin that relationship for which He spent His life - and it's your move now.
Jesus walked out of his grave after his death three days later, conquering death. And He's ready to walk into your life today upon your invitation. His love b
ecomes yours when you say something like this, "Lord, I've been doing my life my way. I've sinned. My only hope of being forgiven - of knowing God - of ever getting to heaven, is You. I'm putting all my trust in You, Lord Jesus, beginning right now."
There's more about this at our website that will help you get this settled. Go to ANewStory.com.
Jesus has gone the distance from heaven to the cross to where you are right now, to reach out to you with His incredible love. Please don't make life's biggest mistake. Don't miss Jesus.
The greatest example of humility is none other than Jesus Christ. Who had more reason to boast than he? Yet he never did. He was utterly reliant upon the Father and the Holy Spirit.
What gift are you giving that he did not first give? You love. But who loved you first? You serve. But who served the most? What are you doing for God that he could not do alone? How kind of him to use us. How wise of us to remember.
Stephen remembered. As Stephen’s accusers reached for their rocks, he looked toward Christ. “Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God; he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand” (Acts 7:55). Stephen stood on behalf of Christ, and in the end, Christ returned the favor.
2 Chronicles 3
So Solomon broke ground, launched construction of the house of God in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, the place where God had appeared to his father David. The precise site, the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, had been designated by David. He broke ground on the second day in the second month of the fourth year of his rule. These are the dimensions that Solomon set for the construction of the house of God: ninety feet long and thirty feet wide. The porch in front stretched the width of the building, that is, thirty feet; and it was thirty feet high.
4-7 The interior was gold-plated. He paneled the main hall with cypress and veneered it with fine gold engraved with palm tree and chain designs. He decorated the building with precious stones and gold from Parvaim. Everything was coated with gold veneer: rafters, doorframes, walls, and doors. Cherubim were engraved on the walls.
8-9 He made the Holy of Holies a cube, thirty feet wide, long, and high. It was veneered with six hundred talents (something over twenty-two tons) of gold. The gold nails weighed fifty shekels (a little over a pound). The upper rooms were also veneered in gold.
10-13 He made two sculptures of cherubim, gigantic angel-like figures, for the Holy of Holies, both veneered with gold. The combined wingspread of the side-by-side cherubim (each wing measuring seven and a half feet) stretched from wall to wall, thirty feet. They stood erect facing the main hall.
14 He fashioned the curtain of violet, purple, and crimson fabric and worked a cherub design into it.
15-17 He made two huge free-standing pillars, each fifty-two feet tall, their capitals extending another seven and a half feet. The top of each pillar was set off with an elaborate filigree of chains, like necklaces, from which hung a hundred pomegranates. He placed the pillars in front of The Temple, one on the right, and the other on the left. The right pillar he named Jakin (Security) and the left pillar he named Boaz (Stability).
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Friday, January 31, 2020
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Proverbs 23:1–5
Saying 7
23 When you sit to dine with a ruler,
note well whata is before you,
2 and put a knife to your throat
if you are given to gluttony.
3 Do not crave his delicacies,w
for that food is deceptive.
Saying 8
4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
do not trust your own cleverness.
5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,x
for they will surely sprout wings
and fly off to the sky like an eagle.y
Insight
Proverbs 22:17–24:22 is marked out as a separate section with the prologue, “Thirty Sayings of the Wise.” Some scholars have argued that Solomon “borrowed” some of these proverbs from an ancient Egyptian wisdom work “The Instruction of Amenemope,” which has thirty chapters. Regardless of its source, we believe that these “Thirty Sayings” are “God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16–17).
The seventh saying (Proverbs 23:1–3) paints the picture of being invited to dinner by a powerful host, and warns of being enamored by the appearance of social prestige. Instead, we’re to be vigilant and restrained at a time when it’s easy to indulge. The eighth saying (vv. 4–5) warns of the danger of greed, of being consumed by money and materialism, of trusting in riches. Since wealth is fleeting (27:24), it’s foolish to trust in it (Ecclesiastes 5:13–15; Matthew 6:19; 1 Timothy 6:6–10; James 5:1–6).
Going, Going, Gone
Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone. Proverbs 23:5
The mischievous artist Banksy pulled off another practical joke. His painting Girl with Balloon sold for one million pounds at Sotheby’s auction house in London. Moments after the auctioneer yelled “Sold,” an alarm sounded and the painting slipped halfway through a shredder mounted inside the bottom of the frame. Banksy tweeted a picture of bidders gasping at his ruined masterpiece, with the caption, “Going, going, gone.”
Banksy relished pulling one over on the wealthy, but he need not have bothered. Wealth itself has plenty of pranks up its sleeve. God says, “Do not wear yourself out to get rich . . . . Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle” (Proverbs 23:4–5).
Few things are less secure than money. We work hard to earn it, yet there are many ways to lose it. Investments go sour, inflation erodes, bills come, thieves steal, and fire and flood destroy. Even if we manage to keep our money, the time we have to spend it continually flies. Blink, and your life is going, going, gone.
What to do? God tells us a few verses later: “always be zealous for the fear of the Lord. There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off” (vv. 17–18). Invest your life in Jesus; He alone will keep you forever. By: Mike Wittmer
Reflect & Pray
Where does your life feel insecure? How might that lead you to Jesus?
God, help me to give my insecurities to You and to trust in Your goodness and faithfulness.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Friday, January 31, 2020
Do You See Your Calling?
…separated to the gospel of God… —Romans 1:1
Our calling is not primarily to be holy men and women, but to be proclaimers of the gospel of God. The one all-important thing is that the gospel of God should be recognized as the abiding reality. Reality is not human goodness, or holiness, or heaven, or hell— it is redemption. The need to perceive this is the most vital need of the Christian worker today. As workers, we have to get used to the revelation that redemption is the only reality. Personal holiness is an effect of redemption, not the cause of it. If we place our faith in human goodness we will go under when testing comes.
Paul did not say that he separated himself, but “when it pleased God, who separated me…” (Galatians 1:15). Paul was not overly interested in his own character. And as long as our eyes are focused on our own personal holiness, we will never even get close to the full reality of redemption. Christian workers fail because they place their desire for their own holiness above their desire to know God. “Don’t ask me to be confronted with the strong reality of redemption on behalf of the filth of human life surrounding me today; what I want is anything God can do for me to make me more desirable in my own eyes.” To talk that way is a sign that the reality of the gospel of God has not begun to touch me. There is no reckless abandon to God in that. God cannot deliver me while my interest is merely in my own character. Paul was not conscious of himself. He was recklessly abandoned, totally surrendered, and separated by God for one purpose— to proclaim the gospel of God (see Romans 9:3).
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
To those who have had no agony Jesus says, “I have nothing for you; stand on your own feet, square your own shoulders. I have come for the man who knows he has a bigger handful than he can cope with, who knows there are forces he cannot touch; I will do everything for him if he will let Me. Only let a man grant he needs it, and I will do it for him.”
The Shadow of an Agony
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Friday, January 31, 2020
One of Us - #8625
I guess every generation has its surprising music hits. Like a song by a Mississippi truck driver about a hound dog - Elvis something - or a song by some longhaired British quartet about wanting to hold your hand. I think they were called The Beatles. Now, in more recent years, there was a very surprising song that skyrocketed to number one for several weeks and to a Grammy nomination. It's been a while, but it was a pretty provocative song. The singer was not well known, but the song asked some questions that I never thought I'd hear in a popular song. It had a haunting melody that was pretty hard to forget. Years ago, as I played a portion of that song for 11,000 teenagers I was speaking to, virtually everyone in the room sang the lyrics. "What if God was one of us, what would His name be? If God was one of us, what would His face look like?" You know what? The questions were provocative. The answers are shocking!
I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "One of Us."
Actually, God became one of us. John 1:14, our word for today from the Word of God says, "The Word," speaking of Jesus Christ, "became flesh and lived among us and we beheld His glory." Earlier in that chapter it says He was there from the beginning. He created everything there is, and now He became one of us.
The song asked what would His name be? That would be Jesus. Jesus said, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father." When God was one of us, what was He like? Well, He was poor by choice; born in a stable. His family turned on Him - maybe like yours has. He was tempted like you are, except He was tempted by Satan himself. He grieved over the death of people He loved - perhaps as you have.
When God was one of us, He knew what it was like to be lonely, to be betrayed, to be physically abused, to die. When God was one of us, He forgave a sinful woman everyone else was ready to stone. He's ready to forgive you. He loved the children. Even His own disciples thought they were unimportant. He still loves those that others think are unimportant - maybe like you. When God was one of us, He walked right past the cheering crowds to seek out one hurting person in need just as He's seeking you today.
And when God was one of us, what did his face look like? The prophet Isaiah says His face was disfigured beyond that of any man and His form was marred beyond human likeness. Why would God become one of us and submit Himself to this humiliating, dehumanizing torture? His answer is in His own words, Mark 10:45. "For even the Son of Man came...to give His life as a ransom for many." And we know what a ransom is. It's the price you pay to get someone back. And Jesus said that's what I've come to do - I came to pay the price to bring you back...terminally away from God because of our sin. But through Jesus' brutal death He became the substitute - God's own Son - to take our hell and to pay our penalty.
Nobody has ever loved you like Jesus. And now He's close to you; He's right where you are. He's made His move all the way from heaven's glory to become one of us because only one of us could pay the penalty for us. And now He's come to where you are to offer you this opportunity to begin that relationship for which He spent His life - and it's your move now.
Jesus walked out of his grave after his death three days later, conquering death. And He's ready to walk into your life today upon your invitation. His love b
ecomes yours when you say something like this, "Lord, I've been doing my life my way. I've sinned. My only hope of being forgiven - of knowing God - of ever getting to heaven, is You. I'm putting all my trust in You, Lord Jesus, beginning right now."
There's more about this at our website that will help you get this settled. Go to ANewStory.com.
Jesus has gone the distance from heaven to the cross to where you are right now, to reach out to you with His incredible love. Please don't make life's biggest mistake. Don't miss Jesus.
Thursday, January 30, 2020
2 Chronicles 2, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals
Max Lucado Daily: REMEMBER WHO HOLDS YOU
Frightening thing, this pride. Doesn’t it sneak up on us? We begin spiritual journeys as small people. The act of conversion is a humbling one. We confess sins, beg for mercy, bend our knees. We come to God humbly. No swagger, no boasts. And God works. He works the miracle of salvation. He immerses us in mercy. He stitches together our shredded souls. He deposits his Spirit in our hearts and implants heavenly gifts. Our big God blesses our small faith.
Gradually our big God changes us. People notice the difference. They applaud. They admire us. And kudos become ladder rungs, and we begin to elevate ourselves. We forget. We forget who brought us here. Take time to remember. “Look at what you were when God called you” (1 Corinthians 1:26 NCV). Remember who held you in the beginning. And remember who holds you today.
2 Chronicles 2
Solomon gave orders to begin construction on the house of worship in honor of God and a palace for himself.
2 Solomon assigned seventy thousand common laborers, eighty thousand to work the quarries in the mountains, and thirty-six hundred foremen to manage the workforce.
3-4 Then Solomon sent this message to King Hiram of Tyre: “Send me cedar logs, the same kind you sent David my father for building his palace. I’m about to build a house of worship in honor of God, a holy place for burning perfumed incense, for setting out holy bread, for making Whole-Burnt-Offerings at morning and evening worship, and for Sabbath, New Moon, and Holy Day services of worship—the acts of worship required of Israel.
5-10 “The house I am building has to be the best, for our God is the best, far better than competing gods. But who is capable of building such a structure? Why, the skies—the entire cosmos!—can’t begin to contain him. And me, who am I to think I can build a house adequate for God—burning incense to him is about all I’m good for! I need your help: Send me a master artisan in gold, silver, bronze, iron, textiles of purple, crimson, and violet, and who knows the craft of engraving; he will supervise the trained craftsmen in Judah and Jerusalem that my father provided. Also send cedar, cypress, and algum logs from Lebanon; I know you have lumberjacks experienced in the Lebanon forests. I’ll send workers to join your crews to cut plenty of timber—I’m going to need a lot, for this house I’m building is going to be absolutely stunning—a showcase temple! I’ll provide all the food necessary for your crew of lumberjacks and loggers: 130,000 bushels of wheat, 120,000 gallons of wine, and 120,000 gallons of olive oil.”
11 Hiram king of Tyre wrote Solomon in reply: “It’s plain that God loves his people—he made you king over them!”
12-14 He wrote on, “Blessed be the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, and who gave King David a son so wise, so knowledgeable and shrewd, to build a temple for God and a palace for himself. I’ve sent you Huram-Abi—he’s already on his way—he knows the construction business inside and out. His mother is from Dan and his father from Tyre. He knows how to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, in purple, violet, linen, and crimson textiles; he is also an expert engraver and competent to work out designs with your artists and architects, and those of my master David, your father.
15-16 “Go ahead and send the wheat, barley, olive oil, and wine you promised for my work crews. We’ll log the trees you need from the Lebanon forests and raft them down to Joppa. You’ll have to get the timber up to Jerusalem yourself.”
17-18 Solomon then took a census of all the foreigners living in Israel, using the same census-taking method employed by his father. They numbered 153,600. He assigned 70,000 of them as common laborers, 80,000 to work the quarries in the mountains, and 3,600 as foremen to manage the work crews.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Thursday, January 30, 2020
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Isaiah 35:1–4
Joy of the Redeemed
35 The deserth and the parched land will be glad;
the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.i
Like the crocus,j 2 it will burst into bloom;
it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.k
The glory of Lebanonl will be given to it,
the splendor of Carmelm and Sharon;n
they will see the gloryo of the Lord,
the splendor of our God.p
3 Strengthen the feeble hands,
steady the kneesq that give way;
4 sayr to those with fearful hearts,s
“Be strong, do not fear;t
your God will come,u
he will come with vengeance;v
with divine retribution
he will come to savew you.”
Insight
Isaiah 35 follows six woes in chapters 28–33 that proclaim judgment on sinful nations, and chapter 34 that declares judgment on those oppressing God’s people. Chapter 35 stands in stark contrast because it talks of future blessings of a restored Zion; this chapter is peace in chaos as chapters 36–39 transition to focus on the threat of the Babylonian exile, which stood as judgment for Israel’s sin.
In contrast to the theme of God’s anger and coming judgment leading to destruction, chapter 35 promises that God’s people will be heirs of a new age and speaks of nature’s restoration and a salvation that includes freedom from their enemies. Even though the nations, including Israel, would be judged, ultimately God in His goodness would redeem the land. By: Julie Schwab
Strengthening Weak Knees
Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way. Isaiah 35:3
When I was a kid, I thought the song title “He Looked Beyond My Fault and Saw My Need,” written by Dottie Rambo in 1967, was “He Looked Beyond My Faults and Saw My Knees.” Employing the logic of a child, I wondered why God would look at knees. Was it because they were weak? I knew that weak-kneed meant “afraid.” I later discovered that Dottie had written the song about God’s unconditional love in response to her brother Eddie’s belief that he was unlovable because of the wrong things he’d done. Dottie assured him that God saw his weakness but loved him anyway.
God’s unconditional love is apparent throughout the many weak-kneed moments of the people of Israel and Judah. He sent prophets like Isaiah with messages for His wayward people. In Isaiah 35, the prophet shares the hope of God’s restoration. The encouragement that would come as a result of embracing hope would “strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way” (v. 3). Through the encouragement they received, God’s people would in turn be able to encourage others. This is why Isaiah instructs in verse 4, “Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear.’ ”
Feeling weak-kneed? Talk to your heavenly Father. He strengthens weak knees through the truth of the Scriptures and the power of His presence. You’ll then be able to encourage others. By: Linda Washington
Reflect & Pray
What are some of the ways you’ve been encouraged recently? How will you encourage someone who’s facing hard times?
Father, I need Your strength and Your grace today.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Thursday, January 30, 2020
The Dilemma of Obedience
Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision. —1 Samuel 3:15
God never speaks to us in dramatic ways, but in ways that are easy to misunderstand. Then we say, “I wonder if that is God’s voice?” Isaiah said that the Lord spoke to him “with a strong hand,” that is, by the pressure of his circumstances (Isaiah 8:11). Without the sovereign hand of God Himself, nothing touches our lives. Do we discern His hand at work, or do we see things as mere occurrences?
Get into the habit of saying, “Speak, Lord,” and life will become a romance (1 Samuel 3:9). Every time circumstances press in on you, say, “Speak, Lord,” and make time to listen. Chastening is more than a means of discipline— it is meant to bring me to the point of saying, “Speak, Lord.” Think back to a time when God spoke to you. Do you remember what He said? Was it Luke 11:13, or was it 1 Thessalonians 5:23? As we listen, our ears become more sensitive, and like Jesus, we will hear God all the time.
Should I tell my “Eli” what God has shown to me? This is where the dilemma of obedience hits us. We disobey God by becoming amateur providences and thinking, “I must shield ‘Eli,’ ” who represents the best people we know. God did not tell Samuel to tell Eli— he had to decide that for himself. God’s message to you may hurt your “Eli,” but trying to prevent suffering in another’s life will prove to be an obstruction between your soul and God. It is at your own risk that you prevent someone’s right hand being cut off or right eye being plucked out (see Matthew 5:29-30).
Never ask another person’s advice about anything God makes you decide before Him. If you ask advice, you will almost always side with Satan. “…I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood…” (Galatians 1:16).
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
We all have the trick of saying—If only I were not where I am!—If only I had not got the kind of people I have to live with! If our faith or our religion does not help us in the conditions we are in, we have either a further struggle to go through, or we had better abandon that faith and religion. The Shadow of an Agony, 1178 L
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Thursday, January 30, 2020
What to Ask a King For - #8624
A local pastor told me about an incident that reportedly happened when a world-famous professional golfer was playing in Saudi Arabia. Apparently, the King was so impressed with this man's playing that he said to him, "I'd like to give you a gift of appreciation." This renowned golfer told the King that no gift was necessary; he just appreciated the opportunity to play in his country. But the King was insistent, not only that the golfer receive a gift, but that he could name any gift he wanted.
Well, after just a brief moment to think about it, he just said, "A golf club." He thought maybe the King would give him a golf club that had some gold or maybe even a jewel in it. A few days later, a representative of the King came to the golfer's hotel to present the King's gift - an object that was only about a foot long, carried inside a leather pouch. Well, apparently this was going to be a fairly small golf club. Then the golfer opened the pouch only to discover inside a deed - a deed that made him the owner of a golf club, as in the hundreds of acres that made up the beautiful golf club he had been given!
I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "What to Ask a King For."
Now this famous golfer had one observation to make after this overwhelming response to his request. He said, "In the presence of a great king, you do not ask for small gifts!" How right he is.
Listen to our word for today from the Word of God. It's about the King who made all the other kings! Jeremiah 33:2-3 - "This is what the Lord says, He who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it - the Lord is His name." Those are our King's incredible credentials. Now, based on who He is, God says, "Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."
I'm reminded of a companion promise in the New Testament. Ephesians 3:20 identifies our Lord as "Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us." Now I hate to say it, but in light of the kind of King we have and the kind of promises He's made to us, most of our prayers are pretty lame. We come into the Throne Room from which the universe is governed with our little "Dear God" ditties: "Dear God, thank You for this day, thank You for Your many blessings, forgive us our many sins, help us with our many problems, and bless the missionaries, whoever they may be. Amen." Oh, man!
Our praying is often just so predictable, so routine, so small. It's an insult to the God who's invited us to come to Him for "no small gifts." When's the last time you really believed God for some things that are so big only God could do them? Or have you been praying you-sized prayers, man-sized prayers, earth-sized prayers? We're guilty of under-praying and under-trusting!
When you pray, take a little time to focus on the God whose incredible, awesome presence you've just entered - the One who controls billions of galaxies! Do you pray like that? Let yourself be overwhelmed...not by your problems or your questions, but by the size of your Lord! Then pray in ways that are worthy of the great God you're with!
The hymn writer had it right, "O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer."
Remember, when you pray, you are in the presence of the King of all kings. Don't ask for small gifts!
Frightening thing, this pride. Doesn’t it sneak up on us? We begin spiritual journeys as small people. The act of conversion is a humbling one. We confess sins, beg for mercy, bend our knees. We come to God humbly. No swagger, no boasts. And God works. He works the miracle of salvation. He immerses us in mercy. He stitches together our shredded souls. He deposits his Spirit in our hearts and implants heavenly gifts. Our big God blesses our small faith.
Gradually our big God changes us. People notice the difference. They applaud. They admire us. And kudos become ladder rungs, and we begin to elevate ourselves. We forget. We forget who brought us here. Take time to remember. “Look at what you were when God called you” (1 Corinthians 1:26 NCV). Remember who held you in the beginning. And remember who holds you today.
2 Chronicles 2
Solomon gave orders to begin construction on the house of worship in honor of God and a palace for himself.
2 Solomon assigned seventy thousand common laborers, eighty thousand to work the quarries in the mountains, and thirty-six hundred foremen to manage the workforce.
3-4 Then Solomon sent this message to King Hiram of Tyre: “Send me cedar logs, the same kind you sent David my father for building his palace. I’m about to build a house of worship in honor of God, a holy place for burning perfumed incense, for setting out holy bread, for making Whole-Burnt-Offerings at morning and evening worship, and for Sabbath, New Moon, and Holy Day services of worship—the acts of worship required of Israel.
5-10 “The house I am building has to be the best, for our God is the best, far better than competing gods. But who is capable of building such a structure? Why, the skies—the entire cosmos!—can’t begin to contain him. And me, who am I to think I can build a house adequate for God—burning incense to him is about all I’m good for! I need your help: Send me a master artisan in gold, silver, bronze, iron, textiles of purple, crimson, and violet, and who knows the craft of engraving; he will supervise the trained craftsmen in Judah and Jerusalem that my father provided. Also send cedar, cypress, and algum logs from Lebanon; I know you have lumberjacks experienced in the Lebanon forests. I’ll send workers to join your crews to cut plenty of timber—I’m going to need a lot, for this house I’m building is going to be absolutely stunning—a showcase temple! I’ll provide all the food necessary for your crew of lumberjacks and loggers: 130,000 bushels of wheat, 120,000 gallons of wine, and 120,000 gallons of olive oil.”
11 Hiram king of Tyre wrote Solomon in reply: “It’s plain that God loves his people—he made you king over them!”
12-14 He wrote on, “Blessed be the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, and who gave King David a son so wise, so knowledgeable and shrewd, to build a temple for God and a palace for himself. I’ve sent you Huram-Abi—he’s already on his way—he knows the construction business inside and out. His mother is from Dan and his father from Tyre. He knows how to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, in purple, violet, linen, and crimson textiles; he is also an expert engraver and competent to work out designs with your artists and architects, and those of my master David, your father.
15-16 “Go ahead and send the wheat, barley, olive oil, and wine you promised for my work crews. We’ll log the trees you need from the Lebanon forests and raft them down to Joppa. You’ll have to get the timber up to Jerusalem yourself.”
17-18 Solomon then took a census of all the foreigners living in Israel, using the same census-taking method employed by his father. They numbered 153,600. He assigned 70,000 of them as common laborers, 80,000 to work the quarries in the mountains, and 3,600 as foremen to manage the work crews.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Thursday, January 30, 2020
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Isaiah 35:1–4
Joy of the Redeemed
35 The deserth and the parched land will be glad;
the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.i
Like the crocus,j 2 it will burst into bloom;
it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.k
The glory of Lebanonl will be given to it,
the splendor of Carmelm and Sharon;n
they will see the gloryo of the Lord,
the splendor of our God.p
3 Strengthen the feeble hands,
steady the kneesq that give way;
4 sayr to those with fearful hearts,s
“Be strong, do not fear;t
your God will come,u
he will come with vengeance;v
with divine retribution
he will come to savew you.”
Insight
Isaiah 35 follows six woes in chapters 28–33 that proclaim judgment on sinful nations, and chapter 34 that declares judgment on those oppressing God’s people. Chapter 35 stands in stark contrast because it talks of future blessings of a restored Zion; this chapter is peace in chaos as chapters 36–39 transition to focus on the threat of the Babylonian exile, which stood as judgment for Israel’s sin.
In contrast to the theme of God’s anger and coming judgment leading to destruction, chapter 35 promises that God’s people will be heirs of a new age and speaks of nature’s restoration and a salvation that includes freedom from their enemies. Even though the nations, including Israel, would be judged, ultimately God in His goodness would redeem the land. By: Julie Schwab
Strengthening Weak Knees
Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way. Isaiah 35:3
When I was a kid, I thought the song title “He Looked Beyond My Fault and Saw My Need,” written by Dottie Rambo in 1967, was “He Looked Beyond My Faults and Saw My Knees.” Employing the logic of a child, I wondered why God would look at knees. Was it because they were weak? I knew that weak-kneed meant “afraid.” I later discovered that Dottie had written the song about God’s unconditional love in response to her brother Eddie’s belief that he was unlovable because of the wrong things he’d done. Dottie assured him that God saw his weakness but loved him anyway.
God’s unconditional love is apparent throughout the many weak-kneed moments of the people of Israel and Judah. He sent prophets like Isaiah with messages for His wayward people. In Isaiah 35, the prophet shares the hope of God’s restoration. The encouragement that would come as a result of embracing hope would “strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way” (v. 3). Through the encouragement they received, God’s people would in turn be able to encourage others. This is why Isaiah instructs in verse 4, “Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear.’ ”
Feeling weak-kneed? Talk to your heavenly Father. He strengthens weak knees through the truth of the Scriptures and the power of His presence. You’ll then be able to encourage others. By: Linda Washington
Reflect & Pray
What are some of the ways you’ve been encouraged recently? How will you encourage someone who’s facing hard times?
Father, I need Your strength and Your grace today.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Thursday, January 30, 2020
The Dilemma of Obedience
Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision. —1 Samuel 3:15
God never speaks to us in dramatic ways, but in ways that are easy to misunderstand. Then we say, “I wonder if that is God’s voice?” Isaiah said that the Lord spoke to him “with a strong hand,” that is, by the pressure of his circumstances (Isaiah 8:11). Without the sovereign hand of God Himself, nothing touches our lives. Do we discern His hand at work, or do we see things as mere occurrences?
Get into the habit of saying, “Speak, Lord,” and life will become a romance (1 Samuel 3:9). Every time circumstances press in on you, say, “Speak, Lord,” and make time to listen. Chastening is more than a means of discipline— it is meant to bring me to the point of saying, “Speak, Lord.” Think back to a time when God spoke to you. Do you remember what He said? Was it Luke 11:13, or was it 1 Thessalonians 5:23? As we listen, our ears become more sensitive, and like Jesus, we will hear God all the time.
Should I tell my “Eli” what God has shown to me? This is where the dilemma of obedience hits us. We disobey God by becoming amateur providences and thinking, “I must shield ‘Eli,’ ” who represents the best people we know. God did not tell Samuel to tell Eli— he had to decide that for himself. God’s message to you may hurt your “Eli,” but trying to prevent suffering in another’s life will prove to be an obstruction between your soul and God. It is at your own risk that you prevent someone’s right hand being cut off or right eye being plucked out (see Matthew 5:29-30).
Never ask another person’s advice about anything God makes you decide before Him. If you ask advice, you will almost always side with Satan. “…I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood…” (Galatians 1:16).
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
We all have the trick of saying—If only I were not where I am!—If only I had not got the kind of people I have to live with! If our faith or our religion does not help us in the conditions we are in, we have either a further struggle to go through, or we had better abandon that faith and religion. The Shadow of an Agony, 1178 L
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Thursday, January 30, 2020
What to Ask a King For - #8624
A local pastor told me about an incident that reportedly happened when a world-famous professional golfer was playing in Saudi Arabia. Apparently, the King was so impressed with this man's playing that he said to him, "I'd like to give you a gift of appreciation." This renowned golfer told the King that no gift was necessary; he just appreciated the opportunity to play in his country. But the King was insistent, not only that the golfer receive a gift, but that he could name any gift he wanted.
Well, after just a brief moment to think about it, he just said, "A golf club." He thought maybe the King would give him a golf club that had some gold or maybe even a jewel in it. A few days later, a representative of the King came to the golfer's hotel to present the King's gift - an object that was only about a foot long, carried inside a leather pouch. Well, apparently this was going to be a fairly small golf club. Then the golfer opened the pouch only to discover inside a deed - a deed that made him the owner of a golf club, as in the hundreds of acres that made up the beautiful golf club he had been given!
I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "What to Ask a King For."
Now this famous golfer had one observation to make after this overwhelming response to his request. He said, "In the presence of a great king, you do not ask for small gifts!" How right he is.
Listen to our word for today from the Word of God. It's about the King who made all the other kings! Jeremiah 33:2-3 - "This is what the Lord says, He who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it - the Lord is His name." Those are our King's incredible credentials. Now, based on who He is, God says, "Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."
I'm reminded of a companion promise in the New Testament. Ephesians 3:20 identifies our Lord as "Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us." Now I hate to say it, but in light of the kind of King we have and the kind of promises He's made to us, most of our prayers are pretty lame. We come into the Throne Room from which the universe is governed with our little "Dear God" ditties: "Dear God, thank You for this day, thank You for Your many blessings, forgive us our many sins, help us with our many problems, and bless the missionaries, whoever they may be. Amen." Oh, man!
Our praying is often just so predictable, so routine, so small. It's an insult to the God who's invited us to come to Him for "no small gifts." When's the last time you really believed God for some things that are so big only God could do them? Or have you been praying you-sized prayers, man-sized prayers, earth-sized prayers? We're guilty of under-praying and under-trusting!
When you pray, take a little time to focus on the God whose incredible, awesome presence you've just entered - the One who controls billions of galaxies! Do you pray like that? Let yourself be overwhelmed...not by your problems or your questions, but by the size of your Lord! Then pray in ways that are worthy of the great God you're with!
The hymn writer had it right, "O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer."
Remember, when you pray, you are in the presence of the King of all kings. Don't ask for small gifts!
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
2 Chronicles 1, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals
Max Lucado Daily: STEPHEN’S MESSAGE
Stephen was one of the seven men tasked to care for the Gentile widows. His ministry, however, provoked antagonism. A sect of jealous enemies falsely accused him of blasphemy. They marched him to the council of the Sanhedrin and demanded that he defend himself…and did he ever!
He caused a stir before he even opened his mouth. “Everyone in the high council stared at Stephen, because his face became as bright as an angel’s” (Acts 6:15 NLT). Did heaven bathe him in a tunnel of brightness? I don’t know how to imagine the scene. But I know how to interpret it. That was God speaking.
The sermon emerges, not from Stephen’s mind, but from God’s heart. It was not a lightweight message. Fifty-two verses led the listeners from Abraham to Jesus. Two thousand years of Hebrew history resulted in one indictment– “You’re forgetting who holds you.”
2 Chronicles 1
Solomon son of David took a firm grip on the reins of his kingdom. God was with him and gave him much help. Solomon addressed all Israel—the commanders and captains, the judges, every leader, and all the heads of families. Then Solomon and the entire company went to the worship center at Gibeon—that’s where the Tent of Meeting of God was, the one that Moses the servant of God had made in the wilderness. The Chest of God, though, was in Jerusalem—David had brought it up from Kiriath Jearim, prepared a special place for it, and pitched a tent for it. But the Bronze Altar that Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made was in Gibeon, in its place before the Tabernacle of God; and that is where Solomon and the congregation gathered to pray. Solomon worshiped God at the Bronze Altar in front of the Tent of Meeting; he sacrificed a thousand Whole-Burnt-Offerings on it.
7 That night God appeared to Solomon. God said, “What do you want from me? Ask.”
8-10 Solomon answered, “You were extravagantly generous with David my father, and now you have made me king in his place. Establish, God, the words you spoke to my father, for you’ve given me a staggering task, ruling this mob of people. Yes, give me wisdom and knowledge as I come and go among this people—for who on his own is capable of leading these, your glorious people?”
11-12 God answered Solomon, “This is what has come out of your heart: You didn’t grasp for money, wealth, fame, and the doom of your enemies; you didn’t even ask for a long life. You asked for wisdom and knowledge so you could govern well my people over whom I’ve made you king. Because of this, you get what you asked for—wisdom and knowledge. And I’m presenting you the rest as a bonus—money, wealth, and fame beyond anything the kings before or after you had or will have.”
13 Then Solomon left the worship center at Gibeon and the Tent of Meeting and went to Jerusalem. He set to work as king of Israel.
14-17 Solomon collected chariots and horses: fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses! He stabled them in the special chariot-cities as well as in Jerusalem. The king made silver and gold as common as rocks, and cedar as common as the fig trees in the lowland hills. His horses were brought in from Egypt and Cilicia, specially acquired by the king’s agents. Chariots from Egypt went for fifteen pounds of silver and a horse for about three and three-quarters of a pound of silver. Solomon carried on a brisk horse-trading business with the Hittite and Aramean royal houses.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Today's Scripture & Insight:
John 10:7–15
Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I amn the gateo for the sheep. 8 All who have come before mep are thieves and robbers,q 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,r and have it to the full.s
11 “I amt the good shepherd.u The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.v 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.w 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;x I know my sheepy and my sheep know me—15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Fatherz—and I lay down my life for the sheep.
Insight
The seven “I am” statements recorded in the gospel of John are Christ’s own descriptions of Himself. They’re metaphors He uses to draw out imagery that describes the implications of His identity. Jesus says, “I am the bread of life” (6:35); “the light of the world” (8:12); “the gate” (10:9); “the good shepherd” (10:11); “the resurrection and the life” (11:25–26); “the way and the truth and the life” (14:6); and “the vine” (15:5).
By describing Himself as the gate (10:7), He declares that the sheep will only find safety and pasture when they enter through Him. Then, in related imagery, Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd (v. 11). This is imagery of trust and intimacy. Jesus knows His sheep in a deep and personal way and lays down His life for them in the face of threat.
Life to the Full
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10
The year was 1918, near the end of World War I, and photographer Eric Enstrom was putting together a portfolio of his work. He wanted to include one that communicated a sense of fullness in a time that felt quite empty to so many people. In his now much-loved photo, a bearded old man sits at a table with his head bowed and his hands clasped in prayer. On the surface before him there is only a book, spectacles, a bowl of gruel, a loaf of bread, and a knife. Nothing more, but also nothing less.
Some might say the photograph reveals scarcity. But Enstrom’s point was quite the opposite: Here is a full life, one lived in gratitude, one you and I can experience as well regardless of our circumstances. Jesus announces the good news in John 10: “life . . . to the full” (v. 10). We do a grave disservice to such good news when we equate full with many things. The fullness Jesus speaks of isn’t measured in worldly categories like riches or real estate, but rather a heart, mind, soul, and strength brimming in gratitude that the Good Shepherd gave “his life for the sheep” (v. 11), and cares for us and our daily needs. This is a full life—enjoying relationship with God—that’s possible for every one of us. By: John Blase
Reflect & Pray
Would you say that right now you’re living “life to the full”? Why or why not? Have you had a tendency to equate full with many things?
Good Shepherd, thank You for laying down Your life for me, one of the sheep. And thank You for Your promise to provide nothing less than the daily bread I need, both literally and figuratively.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
How Could Someone Be So Ignorant!
Who are You, Lord? —Acts 26:15
“The Lord spoke thus to me with a strong hand…” (Isaiah 8:11). There is no escape when our Lord speaks. He always comes using His authority and taking hold of our understanding. Has the voice of God come to you directly? If it has, you cannot mistake the intimate insistence with which it has spoken to you. God speaks in the language you know best— not through your ears, but through your circumstances.
God has to destroy our determined confidence in our own convictions. We say, “I know that this is what I should do” — and suddenly the voice of God speaks in a way that overwhelms us by revealing the depths of our ignorance. We show our ignorance of Him in the very way we decide to serve Him. We serve Jesus in a spirit that is not His, and hurt Him by our defense of Him. We push His claims in the spirit of the devil; our words sound all right, but the spirit is that of an enemy. “He…rebuked them, and said, ‘You do not know what manner of spirit you are of’ ” (Luke 9:55). The spirit of our Lord in His followers is described in 1 Corinthians 13.
Have I been persecuting Jesus by an eager determination to serve Him in my own way? If I feel I have done my duty, yet have hurt Him in the process, I can be sure that this was not my duty. My way will not be to foster a meek and quiet spirit, only the spirit of self-satisfaction. We presume that whatever is unpleasant is our duty! Is that anything like the spirit of our Lord— “I delight to do Your will, O my God…” (Psalm 40:8).
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
The life of Abraham is an illustration of two things: of unreserved surrender to God, and of God’s complete possession of a child of His for His own highest end. Not Knowing Whither, 901 R
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
The Big Little People - #8623
I was in my office, trying to crawl out of an avalanche of papers on my desk. Suddenly, there was a knock on my door and in came one of our team members with his wife and their bright-eyed eight-month-old little boy, Zachary. My wife joined our little Zachary party back then and proceeded to plop this animated little bundle right in the middle of my desk, in the middle of a mountain of paperwork, right where I couldn't ignore him. Oh, great! And you know something, I didn't actually mind. Little Zachary and I had a great conversation, which means I did all the talking. We played, we laughed, and Zachary creatively reorganized (shall we say) the project I was working on. It was one of the best things that happened that day. It took me a while to reconstruct my project, but it was sure fun having that little guy right in the middle of everything!
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Big Little People."
Jesus had a pretty radical view of who the VIPs in the world are. Our word for today from the Word of God, Matthew 19:13-14 - "Then little children were brought to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them and pray for them." Now, Jesus didn't have a desk, but this is sort of the equivalent of plopping the children right down in the middle of Jesus' work. Another account suggests that Jesus was meeting with some of the "big shots" from Jerusalem at this time. So, it's no wonder that "the disciples rebuked those who had brought them." Don't bother Jesus! He's with the important people.
Okay, then "Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.' When He had placed His hands on them, He went on from there." You see, Jesus drops everything for the children. We should too. Children don't have money, they don't have votes, they don't have influence to give you, but they are numero uno to Jesus.
That day in my office, little Zachary was right in the middle where I couldn't ignore him. Well, that's exactly where God intends for us to put the children in our world, right in the middle. It could be that a child in your world has been pushed to the edge by all your work. All your work should be pushed to the edge for that child.
Churches need to focus on the children and the young people. After all, three-fourths of the people who ever come to Christ do it by the age of 18. We don't have anything more important to do than to reach them. But too many churches allow the kids to be pushed to the back for the "important" people - the adults. Jesus would probably put the children right back in the middle of everything.
Maybe some child or some children in your world have become more of a nuisance to you, an interruption, a problem. Interestingly enough, if you don't put a child where he or she belongs - where they're not ignored - that child will do whatever it takes to not be ignored by you; even if it drives you crazy or breaks your heart. They shouldn't have to fight for your attention.
A Jesus-heart puts the children and the young people first. They're His little big people. Do you notice that whenever a child came to Jesus they were blessed by being in His presence? Whenever a child or a young person is in your presence, if you're a follower of Jesus Christ, I hope you'll have that same impact. I hope they'll be blessed by being with you.
One grandmother summed it up in a prayer that she has on a plaque on her wall
. It really emphasizes why the children must be where we do not ignore them in our lives. Here's the prayer. I think you'll like it. "It is my greatest prayer that on that resurrection day, I may stand before my Savior and say, 'Here am I and the children You gave me.'"
Stephen was one of the seven men tasked to care for the Gentile widows. His ministry, however, provoked antagonism. A sect of jealous enemies falsely accused him of blasphemy. They marched him to the council of the Sanhedrin and demanded that he defend himself…and did he ever!
He caused a stir before he even opened his mouth. “Everyone in the high council stared at Stephen, because his face became as bright as an angel’s” (Acts 6:15 NLT). Did heaven bathe him in a tunnel of brightness? I don’t know how to imagine the scene. But I know how to interpret it. That was God speaking.
The sermon emerges, not from Stephen’s mind, but from God’s heart. It was not a lightweight message. Fifty-two verses led the listeners from Abraham to Jesus. Two thousand years of Hebrew history resulted in one indictment– “You’re forgetting who holds you.”
2 Chronicles 1
Solomon son of David took a firm grip on the reins of his kingdom. God was with him and gave him much help. Solomon addressed all Israel—the commanders and captains, the judges, every leader, and all the heads of families. Then Solomon and the entire company went to the worship center at Gibeon—that’s where the Tent of Meeting of God was, the one that Moses the servant of God had made in the wilderness. The Chest of God, though, was in Jerusalem—David had brought it up from Kiriath Jearim, prepared a special place for it, and pitched a tent for it. But the Bronze Altar that Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made was in Gibeon, in its place before the Tabernacle of God; and that is where Solomon and the congregation gathered to pray. Solomon worshiped God at the Bronze Altar in front of the Tent of Meeting; he sacrificed a thousand Whole-Burnt-Offerings on it.
7 That night God appeared to Solomon. God said, “What do you want from me? Ask.”
8-10 Solomon answered, “You were extravagantly generous with David my father, and now you have made me king in his place. Establish, God, the words you spoke to my father, for you’ve given me a staggering task, ruling this mob of people. Yes, give me wisdom and knowledge as I come and go among this people—for who on his own is capable of leading these, your glorious people?”
11-12 God answered Solomon, “This is what has come out of your heart: You didn’t grasp for money, wealth, fame, and the doom of your enemies; you didn’t even ask for a long life. You asked for wisdom and knowledge so you could govern well my people over whom I’ve made you king. Because of this, you get what you asked for—wisdom and knowledge. And I’m presenting you the rest as a bonus—money, wealth, and fame beyond anything the kings before or after you had or will have.”
13 Then Solomon left the worship center at Gibeon and the Tent of Meeting and went to Jerusalem. He set to work as king of Israel.
14-17 Solomon collected chariots and horses: fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses! He stabled them in the special chariot-cities as well as in Jerusalem. The king made silver and gold as common as rocks, and cedar as common as the fig trees in the lowland hills. His horses were brought in from Egypt and Cilicia, specially acquired by the king’s agents. Chariots from Egypt went for fifteen pounds of silver and a horse for about three and three-quarters of a pound of silver. Solomon carried on a brisk horse-trading business with the Hittite and Aramean royal houses.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Today's Scripture & Insight:
John 10:7–15
Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I amn the gateo for the sheep. 8 All who have come before mep are thieves and robbers,q 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,r and have it to the full.s
11 “I amt the good shepherd.u The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.v 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.w 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;x I know my sheepy and my sheep know me—15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Fatherz—and I lay down my life for the sheep.
Insight
The seven “I am” statements recorded in the gospel of John are Christ’s own descriptions of Himself. They’re metaphors He uses to draw out imagery that describes the implications of His identity. Jesus says, “I am the bread of life” (6:35); “the light of the world” (8:12); “the gate” (10:9); “the good shepherd” (10:11); “the resurrection and the life” (11:25–26); “the way and the truth and the life” (14:6); and “the vine” (15:5).
By describing Himself as the gate (10:7), He declares that the sheep will only find safety and pasture when they enter through Him. Then, in related imagery, Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd (v. 11). This is imagery of trust and intimacy. Jesus knows His sheep in a deep and personal way and lays down His life for them in the face of threat.
Life to the Full
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10
The year was 1918, near the end of World War I, and photographer Eric Enstrom was putting together a portfolio of his work. He wanted to include one that communicated a sense of fullness in a time that felt quite empty to so many people. In his now much-loved photo, a bearded old man sits at a table with his head bowed and his hands clasped in prayer. On the surface before him there is only a book, spectacles, a bowl of gruel, a loaf of bread, and a knife. Nothing more, but also nothing less.
Some might say the photograph reveals scarcity. But Enstrom’s point was quite the opposite: Here is a full life, one lived in gratitude, one you and I can experience as well regardless of our circumstances. Jesus announces the good news in John 10: “life . . . to the full” (v. 10). We do a grave disservice to such good news when we equate full with many things. The fullness Jesus speaks of isn’t measured in worldly categories like riches or real estate, but rather a heart, mind, soul, and strength brimming in gratitude that the Good Shepherd gave “his life for the sheep” (v. 11), and cares for us and our daily needs. This is a full life—enjoying relationship with God—that’s possible for every one of us. By: John Blase
Reflect & Pray
Would you say that right now you’re living “life to the full”? Why or why not? Have you had a tendency to equate full with many things?
Good Shepherd, thank You for laying down Your life for me, one of the sheep. And thank You for Your promise to provide nothing less than the daily bread I need, both literally and figuratively.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
How Could Someone Be So Ignorant!
Who are You, Lord? —Acts 26:15
“The Lord spoke thus to me with a strong hand…” (Isaiah 8:11). There is no escape when our Lord speaks. He always comes using His authority and taking hold of our understanding. Has the voice of God come to you directly? If it has, you cannot mistake the intimate insistence with which it has spoken to you. God speaks in the language you know best— not through your ears, but through your circumstances.
God has to destroy our determined confidence in our own convictions. We say, “I know that this is what I should do” — and suddenly the voice of God speaks in a way that overwhelms us by revealing the depths of our ignorance. We show our ignorance of Him in the very way we decide to serve Him. We serve Jesus in a spirit that is not His, and hurt Him by our defense of Him. We push His claims in the spirit of the devil; our words sound all right, but the spirit is that of an enemy. “He…rebuked them, and said, ‘You do not know what manner of spirit you are of’ ” (Luke 9:55). The spirit of our Lord in His followers is described in 1 Corinthians 13.
Have I been persecuting Jesus by an eager determination to serve Him in my own way? If I feel I have done my duty, yet have hurt Him in the process, I can be sure that this was not my duty. My way will not be to foster a meek and quiet spirit, only the spirit of self-satisfaction. We presume that whatever is unpleasant is our duty! Is that anything like the spirit of our Lord— “I delight to do Your will, O my God…” (Psalm 40:8).
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
The life of Abraham is an illustration of two things: of unreserved surrender to God, and of God’s complete possession of a child of His for His own highest end. Not Knowing Whither, 901 R
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
The Big Little People - #8623
I was in my office, trying to crawl out of an avalanche of papers on my desk. Suddenly, there was a knock on my door and in came one of our team members with his wife and their bright-eyed eight-month-old little boy, Zachary. My wife joined our little Zachary party back then and proceeded to plop this animated little bundle right in the middle of my desk, in the middle of a mountain of paperwork, right where I couldn't ignore him. Oh, great! And you know something, I didn't actually mind. Little Zachary and I had a great conversation, which means I did all the talking. We played, we laughed, and Zachary creatively reorganized (shall we say) the project I was working on. It was one of the best things that happened that day. It took me a while to reconstruct my project, but it was sure fun having that little guy right in the middle of everything!
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Big Little People."
Jesus had a pretty radical view of who the VIPs in the world are. Our word for today from the Word of God, Matthew 19:13-14 - "Then little children were brought to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them and pray for them." Now, Jesus didn't have a desk, but this is sort of the equivalent of plopping the children right down in the middle of Jesus' work. Another account suggests that Jesus was meeting with some of the "big shots" from Jerusalem at this time. So, it's no wonder that "the disciples rebuked those who had brought them." Don't bother Jesus! He's with the important people.
Okay, then "Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.' When He had placed His hands on them, He went on from there." You see, Jesus drops everything for the children. We should too. Children don't have money, they don't have votes, they don't have influence to give you, but they are numero uno to Jesus.
That day in my office, little Zachary was right in the middle where I couldn't ignore him. Well, that's exactly where God intends for us to put the children in our world, right in the middle. It could be that a child in your world has been pushed to the edge by all your work. All your work should be pushed to the edge for that child.
Churches need to focus on the children and the young people. After all, three-fourths of the people who ever come to Christ do it by the age of 18. We don't have anything more important to do than to reach them. But too many churches allow the kids to be pushed to the back for the "important" people - the adults. Jesus would probably put the children right back in the middle of everything.
Maybe some child or some children in your world have become more of a nuisance to you, an interruption, a problem. Interestingly enough, if you don't put a child where he or she belongs - where they're not ignored - that child will do whatever it takes to not be ignored by you; even if it drives you crazy or breaks your heart. They shouldn't have to fight for your attention.
A Jesus-heart puts the children and the young people first. They're His little big people. Do you notice that whenever a child came to Jesus they were blessed by being in His presence? Whenever a child or a young person is in your presence, if you're a follower of Jesus Christ, I hope you'll have that same impact. I hope they'll be blessed by being with you.
One grandmother summed it up in a prayer that she has on a plaque on her wall
. It really emphasizes why the children must be where we do not ignore them in our lives. Here's the prayer. I think you'll like it. "It is my greatest prayer that on that resurrection day, I may stand before my Savior and say, 'Here am I and the children You gave me.'"
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
1 Corinthians 15:35-58, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals
Max Lucado Daily: STAND UP FOR THE HAVE NOTS
In the game of life, many of us who cross home plate do so because we were born on third base. Others aren’t even on a team. Some people are poor because they are lazy and they need to get off their duffs. Others, however, are poor because they were born in the wrong place. A latitude largely vacant of libraries, vaccinations, clean water, and paved roads.
The ultimate solution to poverty is found in the compassion of God’s people. Scripture endorses not forced communism but Spirit-led volunteerism among God’s people. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.
What about you? Why not teach an inner-city Bible study? Use your vacation to build houses in hurricane-ravaged towns? Run for public office? Get out of your comfort zone…for Christ’s sake.
1 Corinthians 15:35-58
Some skeptic is sure to ask, “Show me how resurrection works. Give me a diagram; draw me a picture. What does this ‘resurrection body’ look like?” If you look at this question closely, you realize how absurd it is. There are no diagrams for this kind of thing. We do have a parallel experience in gardening. You plant a “dead” seed; soon there is a flourishing plant. There is no visual likeness between seed and plant. You could never guess what a tomato would look like by looking at a tomato seed. What we plant in the soil and what grows out of it don’t look anything alike. The dead body that we bury in the ground and the resurrection body that comes from it will be dramatically different.
39-41 You will notice that the variety of bodies is stunning. Just as there are different kinds of seeds, there are different kinds of bodies—humans, animals, birds, fish—each unprecedented in its form. You get a hint at the diversity of resurrection glory by looking at the diversity of bodies not only on earth but in the skies—sun, moon, stars—all these varieties of beauty and brightness. And we’re only looking at pre-resurrection “seeds”—who can imagine what the resurrection “plants” will be like!
42-44 This image of planting a dead seed and raising a live plant is a mere sketch at best, but perhaps it will help in approaching the mystery of the resurrection body—but only if you keep in mind that when we’re raised, we’re raised for good, alive forever! The corpse that’s planted is no beauty, but when it’s raised, it’s glorious. Put in the ground weak, it comes up powerful. The seed sown is natural; the seed grown is supernatural—same seed, same body, but what a difference from when it goes down in physical mortality to when it is raised up in spiritual immortality!
45-49 We follow this sequence in Scripture: The First Adam received life, the Last Adam is a life-giving Spirit. Physical life comes first, then spiritual—a firm base shaped from the earth, a final completion coming out of heaven. The First Man was made out of earth, and people since then are earthy; the Second Man was made out of heaven, and people now can be heavenly. In the same way that we’ve worked from our earthy origins, let’s embrace our heavenly ends.
50 I need to emphasize, friends, that our natural, earthy lives don’t in themselves lead us by their very nature into the kingdom of God. Their very “nature” is to die, so how could they “naturally” end up in the Life kingdom?
51-57 But let me tell you something wonderful, a mystery I’ll probably never fully understand. We’re not all going to die—but we are all going to be changed. You hear a blast to end all blasts from a trumpet, and in the time that you look up and blink your eyes—it’s over. On signal from that trumpet from heaven, the dead will be up and out of their graves, beyond the reach of death, never to die again. At the same moment and in the same way, we’ll all be changed. In the resurrection scheme of things, this has to happen: everything perishable taken off the shelves and replaced by the imperishable, this mortal replaced by the immortal. Then the saying will come true:
Death swallowed by triumphant Life!
Who got the last word, oh, Death?
Oh, Death, who’s afraid of you now?
It was sin that made death so frightening and law-code guilt that gave sin its leverage, its destructive power. But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three—sin, guilt, death—are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God!
58 With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. And don’t hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
Today's Scripture & Insight:
2 Corinthians 4:7–12
But we have this treasure in jars of clayw to show that this all-surpassing power is from Godx and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side,y but not crushed; perplexed,z but not in despair; 9 persecuted,a but not abandoned;b struck down, but not destroyed.c 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus,d so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.e 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake,f so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.g
Insight
Paul’s call to ministry included the call to suffer (Acts 9:15–16). In 2 Corinthians 1:8–10; 6:4–10; and 11:23–27 he elaborated on the many oppositions, persecutions, threats, and dangers he faced. He sees these hardships from God’s perspective and desires to persevere through them with God’s provision (4:14–18). Paul’s confident resolve is to not “lose heart” (vv. 1, 16).
In the Bible, earthen vessels (objects made from clay) are used as a metaphor for human weakness and powerlessness (Job 4:19; 10:9; Psalm 31:12; 103:14–15). By speaking of himself as a “jar of clay” (2 Corinthians 4:7), Paul acknowledges his frailty and mortality. His confidence isn’t rooted in himself, but in God’s sovereign power and sustaining grace (vv. 7–9), Jesus’ resurrection life (vv. 10–15), and an expectation of a future reward and eternal glory (vv. 16–18).
An Old Clay Pot
We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7
I’ve acquired a number of old clay pots over the years. My favorite was excavated from a site dated during Abraham’s time. It’s at least one item in our home that is older than I! It’s not much to look at: stained, cracked, chipped, and in need of a good scrubbing. I keep it to remind me that I’m just a man made out of mud. Though fragile and weak, I carry an immeasurably precious treasure—Jesus. “We have this treasure [Jesus] in jars of clay” (2 Corinthians 4:7).
Paul continues: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (vv. 8–9). Hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted, struck down. These are the pressures the pot must bear. Not crushed, in despair, abandoned, destroyed. These are the effects of the counteracting strength of Jesus in us.
“We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus” (v. 10). This is the attitude that characterized Jesus who died to Himself every day. And this is the attitude that can characterize us—a willingness to die to self-effort, trusting solely in the sufficiency of the One who lives in us.
“So that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal body” (v. 10). This is the outcome: the beauty of Jesus made visible in an old clay pot. By: David H. Roper
You can make an impact today.
Reflect & Pray
How can you meet the demands placed on you? Where does your strength come from?
God, I’m weak and fragile. Thank You for living in me. I want You and Your strength to be seen.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
How Could Someone So Persecute Jesus!
Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? —Acts 26:14
Are you determined to have your own way in living for God? We will never be free from this trap until we are brought into the experience of the baptism of “the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11). Stubbornness and self-will will always stab Jesus Christ. It may hurt no one else, but it wounds His Spirit. Whenever we are obstinate and self-willed and set on our own ambitions, we are hurting Jesus. Every time we stand on our own rights and insist that this is what we intend to do, we are persecuting Him. Whenever we rely on self-respect, we systematically disturb and grieve His Spirit. And when we finally understand that it is Jesus we have been persecuting all this time, it is the most crushing revelation ever.
Is the Word of God tremendously penetrating and sharp in me as I hand it on to you, or does my life betray the things I profess to teach? I may teach sanctification and yet exhibit the spirit of Satan, the very spirit that persecutes Jesus Christ. The Spirit of Jesus is conscious of only one thing— a perfect oneness with the Father. And He tells us, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29). All I do should be based on a perfect oneness with Him, not on a self-willed determination to be godly. This will mean that others may use me, go around me, or completely ignore me, but if I will submit to it for His sake, I will prevent Jesus Christ from being persecuted.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
We have no right to judge where we should be put, or to have preconceived notions as to what God is fitting us for. God engineers everything; wherever He puts us, our one great aim is to pour out a whole-hearted devotion to Him in that particular work. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.” My Utmost for His Highest, April 23, 773 L
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
What a Man Can't Afford to Miss - #8622
It was one of those days I stopped by our local post office - sort of notorious there I guess. Not because my picture was on a poster there, but because I kid around with the workers a lot. I wasn't kidding them when I complimented them on their new uniforms. They had just at that point premiered a redesigned uniform, and I actually noticed. One of the women there seemed pleasantly surprised. I said, "Can you believe it? An observant male!" She smiled and said, "I thought that was an oxymoron." Oh boy! Unfortunately, it would be all too many times.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "What a Man Can't Afford to Miss."
Okay, it's true that men are not always the most observant people. We miss a lot of things that we should notice. There are some things we can't afford to miss; especially in the woman we've pledged our life to - the woman we promised to love, to protect, to honor, to put first.
Our word for today from the Word of God doesn't mention a man and his wife, but it promotes a principle that is fundamental to a strong and lasting marriage. It's in the Book of Proverbs. I love to come back to this verse. It's in Proverbs 27:23 - gives this warning: "Be sure you know the condition of your flocks; give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations." Principle: if a man doesn't stay in touch with what's valuable to him, he'll lose what's valuable to him. Let's try this application: "Be sure you know the condition of your wife; give careful attention to the woman in your life."
So often the man is the last to know how badly his wife is hurting. He seems to be the last to know that his marriage is in trouble. Maybe it's because a lot of us have the tendency to ignore warning signs in a relationship; to postpone dealing with those difficult issues; to minimize what doesn't seem that important to us; to deny what we don't want to face. Those tendencies to be an ignorer, a postponer, a minimizer, a denier; these tendencies can cause a man to miss things that are slowly destroying the one he loves most.
So when it comes to your marriage, you can't afford to not know the condition of your wife. There's no excuse for neglecting being that kind of observer. But you have to take time - the thing you have the least of - to hear not only her words, but to hear her heart. Because men are bottom-liners, we get impatient with a lot of detail, right? And it helps if a woman can give us an edited version or at least let us know where all this is going! But if you have to listen a lot to get to what's in your wife's heart, then that is her language of love. You have to allow time in your life on a regular basis to hear what she cares about, what's hurting her, what she needs, and what she sees that you might be missing.
It's all part of being the kind of man God describes in 1 Peter 3:7 - "Husbands, be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect." That includes being attentive to this most important person in your world.
At our wedding I prayed something that I haven't always done, but it should be
every husband's commitment. Here's what the prayer said, "Lord, may Your voice always be the most important in heaven, and my wife's the most important on earth."
In the game of life, many of us who cross home plate do so because we were born on third base. Others aren’t even on a team. Some people are poor because they are lazy and they need to get off their duffs. Others, however, are poor because they were born in the wrong place. A latitude largely vacant of libraries, vaccinations, clean water, and paved roads.
The ultimate solution to poverty is found in the compassion of God’s people. Scripture endorses not forced communism but Spirit-led volunteerism among God’s people. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.
What about you? Why not teach an inner-city Bible study? Use your vacation to build houses in hurricane-ravaged towns? Run for public office? Get out of your comfort zone…for Christ’s sake.
1 Corinthians 15:35-58
Some skeptic is sure to ask, “Show me how resurrection works. Give me a diagram; draw me a picture. What does this ‘resurrection body’ look like?” If you look at this question closely, you realize how absurd it is. There are no diagrams for this kind of thing. We do have a parallel experience in gardening. You plant a “dead” seed; soon there is a flourishing plant. There is no visual likeness between seed and plant. You could never guess what a tomato would look like by looking at a tomato seed. What we plant in the soil and what grows out of it don’t look anything alike. The dead body that we bury in the ground and the resurrection body that comes from it will be dramatically different.
39-41 You will notice that the variety of bodies is stunning. Just as there are different kinds of seeds, there are different kinds of bodies—humans, animals, birds, fish—each unprecedented in its form. You get a hint at the diversity of resurrection glory by looking at the diversity of bodies not only on earth but in the skies—sun, moon, stars—all these varieties of beauty and brightness. And we’re only looking at pre-resurrection “seeds”—who can imagine what the resurrection “plants” will be like!
42-44 This image of planting a dead seed and raising a live plant is a mere sketch at best, but perhaps it will help in approaching the mystery of the resurrection body—but only if you keep in mind that when we’re raised, we’re raised for good, alive forever! The corpse that’s planted is no beauty, but when it’s raised, it’s glorious. Put in the ground weak, it comes up powerful. The seed sown is natural; the seed grown is supernatural—same seed, same body, but what a difference from when it goes down in physical mortality to when it is raised up in spiritual immortality!
45-49 We follow this sequence in Scripture: The First Adam received life, the Last Adam is a life-giving Spirit. Physical life comes first, then spiritual—a firm base shaped from the earth, a final completion coming out of heaven. The First Man was made out of earth, and people since then are earthy; the Second Man was made out of heaven, and people now can be heavenly. In the same way that we’ve worked from our earthy origins, let’s embrace our heavenly ends.
50 I need to emphasize, friends, that our natural, earthy lives don’t in themselves lead us by their very nature into the kingdom of God. Their very “nature” is to die, so how could they “naturally” end up in the Life kingdom?
51-57 But let me tell you something wonderful, a mystery I’ll probably never fully understand. We’re not all going to die—but we are all going to be changed. You hear a blast to end all blasts from a trumpet, and in the time that you look up and blink your eyes—it’s over. On signal from that trumpet from heaven, the dead will be up and out of their graves, beyond the reach of death, never to die again. At the same moment and in the same way, we’ll all be changed. In the resurrection scheme of things, this has to happen: everything perishable taken off the shelves and replaced by the imperishable, this mortal replaced by the immortal. Then the saying will come true:
Death swallowed by triumphant Life!
Who got the last word, oh, Death?
Oh, Death, who’s afraid of you now?
It was sin that made death so frightening and law-code guilt that gave sin its leverage, its destructive power. But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three—sin, guilt, death—are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God!
58 With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. And don’t hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
Today's Scripture & Insight:
2 Corinthians 4:7–12
But we have this treasure in jars of clayw to show that this all-surpassing power is from Godx and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side,y but not crushed; perplexed,z but not in despair; 9 persecuted,a but not abandoned;b struck down, but not destroyed.c 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus,d so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.e 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake,f so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.g
Insight
Paul’s call to ministry included the call to suffer (Acts 9:15–16). In 2 Corinthians 1:8–10; 6:4–10; and 11:23–27 he elaborated on the many oppositions, persecutions, threats, and dangers he faced. He sees these hardships from God’s perspective and desires to persevere through them with God’s provision (4:14–18). Paul’s confident resolve is to not “lose heart” (vv. 1, 16).
In the Bible, earthen vessels (objects made from clay) are used as a metaphor for human weakness and powerlessness (Job 4:19; 10:9; Psalm 31:12; 103:14–15). By speaking of himself as a “jar of clay” (2 Corinthians 4:7), Paul acknowledges his frailty and mortality. His confidence isn’t rooted in himself, but in God’s sovereign power and sustaining grace (vv. 7–9), Jesus’ resurrection life (vv. 10–15), and an expectation of a future reward and eternal glory (vv. 16–18).
An Old Clay Pot
We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7
I’ve acquired a number of old clay pots over the years. My favorite was excavated from a site dated during Abraham’s time. It’s at least one item in our home that is older than I! It’s not much to look at: stained, cracked, chipped, and in need of a good scrubbing. I keep it to remind me that I’m just a man made out of mud. Though fragile and weak, I carry an immeasurably precious treasure—Jesus. “We have this treasure [Jesus] in jars of clay” (2 Corinthians 4:7).
Paul continues: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (vv. 8–9). Hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted, struck down. These are the pressures the pot must bear. Not crushed, in despair, abandoned, destroyed. These are the effects of the counteracting strength of Jesus in us.
“We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus” (v. 10). This is the attitude that characterized Jesus who died to Himself every day. And this is the attitude that can characterize us—a willingness to die to self-effort, trusting solely in the sufficiency of the One who lives in us.
“So that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal body” (v. 10). This is the outcome: the beauty of Jesus made visible in an old clay pot. By: David H. Roper
You can make an impact today.
Reflect & Pray
How can you meet the demands placed on you? Where does your strength come from?
God, I’m weak and fragile. Thank You for living in me. I want You and Your strength to be seen.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
How Could Someone So Persecute Jesus!
Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? —Acts 26:14
Are you determined to have your own way in living for God? We will never be free from this trap until we are brought into the experience of the baptism of “the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11). Stubbornness and self-will will always stab Jesus Christ. It may hurt no one else, but it wounds His Spirit. Whenever we are obstinate and self-willed and set on our own ambitions, we are hurting Jesus. Every time we stand on our own rights and insist that this is what we intend to do, we are persecuting Him. Whenever we rely on self-respect, we systematically disturb and grieve His Spirit. And when we finally understand that it is Jesus we have been persecuting all this time, it is the most crushing revelation ever.
Is the Word of God tremendously penetrating and sharp in me as I hand it on to you, or does my life betray the things I profess to teach? I may teach sanctification and yet exhibit the spirit of Satan, the very spirit that persecutes Jesus Christ. The Spirit of Jesus is conscious of only one thing— a perfect oneness with the Father. And He tells us, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29). All I do should be based on a perfect oneness with Him, not on a self-willed determination to be godly. This will mean that others may use me, go around me, or completely ignore me, but if I will submit to it for His sake, I will prevent Jesus Christ from being persecuted.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
We have no right to judge where we should be put, or to have preconceived notions as to what God is fitting us for. God engineers everything; wherever He puts us, our one great aim is to pour out a whole-hearted devotion to Him in that particular work. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.” My Utmost for His Highest, April 23, 773 L
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
What a Man Can't Afford to Miss - #8622
It was one of those days I stopped by our local post office - sort of notorious there I guess. Not because my picture was on a poster there, but because I kid around with the workers a lot. I wasn't kidding them when I complimented them on their new uniforms. They had just at that point premiered a redesigned uniform, and I actually noticed. One of the women there seemed pleasantly surprised. I said, "Can you believe it? An observant male!" She smiled and said, "I thought that was an oxymoron." Oh boy! Unfortunately, it would be all too many times.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "What a Man Can't Afford to Miss."
Okay, it's true that men are not always the most observant people. We miss a lot of things that we should notice. There are some things we can't afford to miss; especially in the woman we've pledged our life to - the woman we promised to love, to protect, to honor, to put first.
Our word for today from the Word of God doesn't mention a man and his wife, but it promotes a principle that is fundamental to a strong and lasting marriage. It's in the Book of Proverbs. I love to come back to this verse. It's in Proverbs 27:23 - gives this warning: "Be sure you know the condition of your flocks; give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations." Principle: if a man doesn't stay in touch with what's valuable to him, he'll lose what's valuable to him. Let's try this application: "Be sure you know the condition of your wife; give careful attention to the woman in your life."
So often the man is the last to know how badly his wife is hurting. He seems to be the last to know that his marriage is in trouble. Maybe it's because a lot of us have the tendency to ignore warning signs in a relationship; to postpone dealing with those difficult issues; to minimize what doesn't seem that important to us; to deny what we don't want to face. Those tendencies to be an ignorer, a postponer, a minimizer, a denier; these tendencies can cause a man to miss things that are slowly destroying the one he loves most.
So when it comes to your marriage, you can't afford to not know the condition of your wife. There's no excuse for neglecting being that kind of observer. But you have to take time - the thing you have the least of - to hear not only her words, but to hear her heart. Because men are bottom-liners, we get impatient with a lot of detail, right? And it helps if a woman can give us an edited version or at least let us know where all this is going! But if you have to listen a lot to get to what's in your wife's heart, then that is her language of love. You have to allow time in your life on a regular basis to hear what she cares about, what's hurting her, what she needs, and what she sees that you might be missing.
It's all part of being the kind of man God describes in 1 Peter 3:7 - "Husbands, be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect." That includes being attentive to this most important person in your world.
At our wedding I prayed something that I haven't always done, but it should be
every husband's commitment. Here's what the prayer said, "Lord, may Your voice always be the most important in heaven, and my wife's the most important on earth."
Monday, January 27, 2020
1 Chronicles 29, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals
Max Lucado Daily: DO GOOD, QUIETLY
Hypocrisy turns people against God. So God has a no-tolerance policy. Let’s take hypocrisy as seriously as God does.
Expect no credit for good deeds. Give financial gifts in secret. Don’t fake spirituality. When you go to church, don’t select a seat just to be seen or sing just to be heard. And if you raise your hands in worship, raise holy ones, not showy ones. Bottom line: don’t make a theater production out of your faith. Slay the desire to be noticed. Stir the desire to serve God.
Heed the counsel of Christ. “First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too” (Matthew 23:26 NLT). Do good things. Just don’t do them to be noticed. You can be too good for your own good, you know.
1 Chronicles 29
Then David the king addressed the congregation: “My son Solomon was singled out and chosen by God to do this. But he’s young and untested and the work is huge—this is not just a place for people to meet each other, but a house for God to meet us. I’ve done my best to get everything together for building this house for my God, all the materials necessary: gold, silver, bronze, iron, lumber, precious and varicolored stones, and building stones—vast stockpiles. Furthermore, because my heart is in this, in addition to and beyond what I have gathered, I’m turning over my personal fortune of gold and silver for making this place of worship for my God: 3,000 talents (about 113 tons) of gold—all from Ophir, the best—and 7,000 talents (214 tons) of silver for covering the walls of the buildings, and for the gold and silver work by craftsmen and artisans.
“And now, how about you? Who among you is ready and willing to join in the giving?”
6-8 Ready and willing, the heads of families, leaders of the tribes of Israel, commanders and captains in the army, stewards of the king’s affairs, stepped forward and gave willingly. They gave 5,000 talents (188 tons) and 10,000 darics (185 pounds) of gold, 10,000 talents of silver (377 tons), 18,000 talents of bronze (679 tons), and 100,000 talents (3,775 tons) of iron. Anyone who had precious jewels put them in the treasury for the building of The Temple of God in the custody of Jehiel the Gershonite.
9 And the people were full of a sense of celebration—all that giving! And all given willingly, freely! King David was exuberant.
10-13 David blessed God in full view of the entire congregation:
Blessed are you, God of Israel, our father
from of old and forever.
To you, O God, belong the greatness and the might,
the glory, the victory, the majesty, the splendor;
Yes! Everything in heaven, everything on earth;
the kingdom all yours! You’ve raised yourself high over all.
Riches and glory come from you,
you’re ruler over all;
You hold strength and power in the palm of your hand
to build up and strengthen all.
And here we are, O God, our God, giving thanks to you,
praising your splendid Name.
14-19 “But me—who am I, and who are these my people, that we should presume to be giving something to you? Everything comes from you; all we’re doing is giving back what we’ve been given from your generous hand. As far as you’re concerned, we’re homeless, shiftless wanderers like our ancestors, our lives mere shadows, hardly anything to us. God, our God, all these materials—these piles of stuff for building a house of worship for you, honoring your Holy Name—it all came from you! It was all yours in the first place! I know, dear God, that you care nothing for the surface—you want us, our true selves—and so I have given from the heart, honestly and happily. And now see all these people doing the same, giving freely, willingly—what a joy! O God, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, keep this generous spirit alive forever in these people always, keep their hearts set firmly in you. And give my son Solomon an uncluttered and focused heart so that he can obey what you command, live by your directions and counsel, and carry through with building The Temple for which I have provided.”
20 David then addressed the congregation: “Bless God, your God!” And they did it, blessed God, the God of their ancestors, and worshiped reverently in the presence of God and the king.
21-22 The very next day they butchered the sacrificial animals and offered in the worship of Israel to God a thousand bulls, a thousand rams, a thousand sheep, and in addition drink offerings and many other sacrifices. They feasted all day, eating and drinking before God, exuberant with joy.
22-25 Then they ceremonially reenacted Solomon’s coronation, anointing David’s son before God as their leader, and Zadok as priest. Solomon sat on the throne of God as king in place of David his father. And everything went well; all Israel obeyed him. All the leaders of the people, including all the sons of King David, accepted Solomon as their king and promised their loyalty. Solomon rode high on a crest of popular acclaim—it was all God’s doing. God gave him position and honor beyond any king in Israel before him.
26-30 David son of Jesse ruled over all Israel. He was king for forty years. He ruled from Hebron seven years and from Jerusalem thirty-three. He died at a ripe old age, full of days, wealth, and glory. His son Solomon ruled after him. The history of David the king, from start to finish, is written in the chronicles of Samuel the seer, Nathan the prophet, and Gad the seer, including a full account of his rule, his exploits, and the times through which he and Israel and the surrounding kingdoms passed.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Monday, January 27, 2020
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Exodus 33:9–11
As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloudr would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spokes with Moses. 10 Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent.t 11 The Lord would speak to Moses face to face,u as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshuav son of Nun did not leave the tent.
Insight
In Exodus 25:8, God gave Moses specific instructions for building a “tabernacle” or place of worship: “Have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.” In obedience to this command, Moses directed the building of a very elaborate, portable, tent-like structure (chs. 25–31). This dwelling was often referred to as the “tent of meeting” (27:21; 29:44; 40:2).
While God was giving Moses instructions on how to build the tabernacle, the children of Israel sinned by worshiping a golden calf (ch. 32). Now under God’s judgment (v. 35), they faced the threat of God not journeying with them (33:3). So Moses set up a “tent of meeting” outside the camp (vv. 7–11), which provided a degree of separation between God and His rebellious people. There Moses conducted God’s business with His people. This tent of meeting was a separate structure from the tabernacle described in chapters 25–31, which wasn’t completed until later (see 39:32).
By: Arthur Jackson
Friendship Bench
The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Exodus 33:11
In the African country of Zimbabwe, war trauma and high unemployment can leave people in despair—until they find hope on a “friendship bench.” Hopeless people can go there to talk with trained “grandmothers”—elderly women taught to listen to people struggling with depression, known in that nation’s Shona language as kufungisisa, or “thinking too much.”
The Friendship Bench Project is being launched in other places, including Zanzibar, London, and New York City. “We were thrilled to bits with the results,” said one London researcher. A New York counselor agreed. “Before you know it, you’re not on a bench, you’re just inside a warm conversation with someone who cares.”
The project evokes the warmth and wonder of talking with our Almighty God. Moses put up not a bench but a tent to commune with God, calling it the tent of meeting. There, “the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend” (Exodus 33:11). Joshua, his assistant, wouldn’t even leave the tent, perhaps because he so valued his time with God (v. 11).
Today we no longer need a tent of meeting. Jesus has brought the Father near. As He told His disciples, “I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15). Yes, our God awaits us. He’s our heart’s wisest helper, our understanding Friend. Talk with Him now. By: Patricia Raybon
Reflect & Pray
What worries consume your thoughts today? As you talk to God about these concerns, what good thoughts about Him can you focus on instead?
Dear God, thank You for encouraging our hearts with noble thoughts of You. When we’re sick with worry, point our minds back to You.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Monday, January 27, 2020
Look Again and Think
Do not worry about your life… —Matthew 6:25
A warning which needs to be repeated is that “the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches,” and the lust for other things, will choke out the life of God in us (Matthew 13:22). We are never free from the recurring waves of this invasion. If the frontline of attack is not about clothes and food, it may be about money or the lack of money; or friends or lack of friends; or the line may be drawn over difficult circumstances. It is one steady invasion, and these things will come in like a flood, unless we allow the Spirit of God to raise up the banner against it.
“I say to you, do not worry about your life….” Our Lord says to be careful only about one thing— our relationship to Him. But our common sense shouts loudly and says, “That is absurd, I must consider how I am going to live, and I must consider what I am going to eat and drink.” Jesus says you must not. Beware of allowing yourself to think that He says this while not understanding your circumstances. Jesus Christ knows our circumstances better than we do, and He says we must not think about these things to the point where they become the primary concern of our life. Whenever there are competing concerns in your life, be sure you always put your relationship to God first.
“Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34). How much trouble has begun to threaten you today? What kind of mean little demons have been looking into your life and saying, “What are your plans for next month— or next summer?” Jesus tells us not to worry about any of these things. Look again and think. Keep your mind on the “much more” of your heavenly Father (Matthew 6:30).
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
There is no condition of life in which we cannot abide in Jesus. We have to learn to abide in Him wherever we are placed. Our Brilliant Heritage
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Monday, January 27, 2020
One Solid Beginning - #8621
It's a good thing that out of our three children we had only one daughter. I could only afford one wedding! Now my wife did all kinds of resourceful things to keep the costs way down. It was so nice of those guests to bring a sack lunch, I'll tell you. You know? The only time they'd been to a reception like it. No, no, I'm only kidding. It was modest, but it was beautiful. But it certainly wasn't free! We like watching the video of the wedding once in a while, but we won't have to do the wedding again! No, can you imagine if her husband kept saying every few months, "I think we need to have another wedding. I want to make sure we're married." They haven't needed to do that! Neither have her mother and I because we know we got married that day.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "One Solid Beginning."
Now there's no doubt about it, that day in June, I committed my life to my wife a long time ago. If you asked me if I was married to her, what would you think if I answered, "Well, I hope so; I think I'm married. We probably got married to each other somewhere along the way!" You'd probably say, "Ron, if you don't know you made a commitment to her, you didn't!" And you'd be right! It's the same way when it comes to a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Our word for today from the Word of God is a great eternal life insurance policy for someone who's listening, but it's a life-or-death alert for someone else who's listening. John 5:24 - "I tell you the truth," Jesus says, "whoever hears my word and believes in Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." Man, that's an incredible statement about settling your eternity once and for all. Whoever believes will not be condemned - no fear of God's judgment for your sins, no fear of hell when you die, never condemned!
Notice the finality, it says, "He has crossed from death to life." Like that day I made my lifetime commitment to my wife. I crossed over - past tense - from single to married. There's either been a time when that change took place or not. It's the same way with knowing Christ. It's all based on whether or not there's been a time when you consciously believe - that means put all your trust in - Jesus Christ to have your sins erased from God's Book and your judgment cancelled because He took your judgment on the cross.
I had a meeting where there, many young people had publicly committed themselves to Jesus. And one young man said to me, "I've done this before. I've done it lots of times." Well, that would be sort of like me telling you that my wife and I had to have continual weddings to make sure we had a married relationship. The good news is if you've told the Lord you're turning from your sin and pinning all your hopes on Him, you have the relationship. You can quit trying to get it! You have passed over - past tense - it's settled! Satan would love to have you spend the rest of your life wondering whether or not you belong to Jesus so you'll never get on with really living for Him. If you know you've made that lifetime commitment to Him, let's get on with the relationship.
But, as I'm talking about this, maybe you're realizing you're not sure there's ever been a solid definite beginning with Jesus in your life. You do
n't have to remember exactly when it was, but you have to know that it was. I wonder when that time was when you said, "Jesus, I'm all yours." Maybe you've been around Jesus your whole life, you've learned tons about Him, you feel good about Him, and maybe even do things for Him And yet you still may have missed your personal moment at His cross, trusting yourself to the one who was dying there for you. That's equivalent to, well, say I was dating my wife, got to know all about her, got engaged to her, but somehow never having a wedding day.
If there has never been a clear, definite beginning to your relationship with Jesus, please make it today. Literally in these next few minutes you could cross over from death to life and know you did. The issue here is literally life forever or death eternally! "Jesus, I'm yours. You died for me. You rose from the dead to bring me eternal life. I'm yours beginning today."
Go to our website. It will help you be sure you belong to Him. ANewStory.com Get there as quick as you can today.
God may have given you this one more opportunity to move from death to life. It's the only opportunity you can really be sure of.
Hypocrisy turns people against God. So God has a no-tolerance policy. Let’s take hypocrisy as seriously as God does.
Expect no credit for good deeds. Give financial gifts in secret. Don’t fake spirituality. When you go to church, don’t select a seat just to be seen or sing just to be heard. And if you raise your hands in worship, raise holy ones, not showy ones. Bottom line: don’t make a theater production out of your faith. Slay the desire to be noticed. Stir the desire to serve God.
Heed the counsel of Christ. “First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too” (Matthew 23:26 NLT). Do good things. Just don’t do them to be noticed. You can be too good for your own good, you know.
1 Chronicles 29
Then David the king addressed the congregation: “My son Solomon was singled out and chosen by God to do this. But he’s young and untested and the work is huge—this is not just a place for people to meet each other, but a house for God to meet us. I’ve done my best to get everything together for building this house for my God, all the materials necessary: gold, silver, bronze, iron, lumber, precious and varicolored stones, and building stones—vast stockpiles. Furthermore, because my heart is in this, in addition to and beyond what I have gathered, I’m turning over my personal fortune of gold and silver for making this place of worship for my God: 3,000 talents (about 113 tons) of gold—all from Ophir, the best—and 7,000 talents (214 tons) of silver for covering the walls of the buildings, and for the gold and silver work by craftsmen and artisans.
“And now, how about you? Who among you is ready and willing to join in the giving?”
6-8 Ready and willing, the heads of families, leaders of the tribes of Israel, commanders and captains in the army, stewards of the king’s affairs, stepped forward and gave willingly. They gave 5,000 talents (188 tons) and 10,000 darics (185 pounds) of gold, 10,000 talents of silver (377 tons), 18,000 talents of bronze (679 tons), and 100,000 talents (3,775 tons) of iron. Anyone who had precious jewels put them in the treasury for the building of The Temple of God in the custody of Jehiel the Gershonite.
9 And the people were full of a sense of celebration—all that giving! And all given willingly, freely! King David was exuberant.
10-13 David blessed God in full view of the entire congregation:
Blessed are you, God of Israel, our father
from of old and forever.
To you, O God, belong the greatness and the might,
the glory, the victory, the majesty, the splendor;
Yes! Everything in heaven, everything on earth;
the kingdom all yours! You’ve raised yourself high over all.
Riches and glory come from you,
you’re ruler over all;
You hold strength and power in the palm of your hand
to build up and strengthen all.
And here we are, O God, our God, giving thanks to you,
praising your splendid Name.
14-19 “But me—who am I, and who are these my people, that we should presume to be giving something to you? Everything comes from you; all we’re doing is giving back what we’ve been given from your generous hand. As far as you’re concerned, we’re homeless, shiftless wanderers like our ancestors, our lives mere shadows, hardly anything to us. God, our God, all these materials—these piles of stuff for building a house of worship for you, honoring your Holy Name—it all came from you! It was all yours in the first place! I know, dear God, that you care nothing for the surface—you want us, our true selves—and so I have given from the heart, honestly and happily. And now see all these people doing the same, giving freely, willingly—what a joy! O God, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, keep this generous spirit alive forever in these people always, keep their hearts set firmly in you. And give my son Solomon an uncluttered and focused heart so that he can obey what you command, live by your directions and counsel, and carry through with building The Temple for which I have provided.”
20 David then addressed the congregation: “Bless God, your God!” And they did it, blessed God, the God of their ancestors, and worshiped reverently in the presence of God and the king.
21-22 The very next day they butchered the sacrificial animals and offered in the worship of Israel to God a thousand bulls, a thousand rams, a thousand sheep, and in addition drink offerings and many other sacrifices. They feasted all day, eating and drinking before God, exuberant with joy.
22-25 Then they ceremonially reenacted Solomon’s coronation, anointing David’s son before God as their leader, and Zadok as priest. Solomon sat on the throne of God as king in place of David his father. And everything went well; all Israel obeyed him. All the leaders of the people, including all the sons of King David, accepted Solomon as their king and promised their loyalty. Solomon rode high on a crest of popular acclaim—it was all God’s doing. God gave him position and honor beyond any king in Israel before him.
26-30 David son of Jesse ruled over all Israel. He was king for forty years. He ruled from Hebron seven years and from Jerusalem thirty-three. He died at a ripe old age, full of days, wealth, and glory. His son Solomon ruled after him. The history of David the king, from start to finish, is written in the chronicles of Samuel the seer, Nathan the prophet, and Gad the seer, including a full account of his rule, his exploits, and the times through which he and Israel and the surrounding kingdoms passed.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Monday, January 27, 2020
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Exodus 33:9–11
As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloudr would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spokes with Moses. 10 Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent.t 11 The Lord would speak to Moses face to face,u as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshuav son of Nun did not leave the tent.
Insight
In Exodus 25:8, God gave Moses specific instructions for building a “tabernacle” or place of worship: “Have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.” In obedience to this command, Moses directed the building of a very elaborate, portable, tent-like structure (chs. 25–31). This dwelling was often referred to as the “tent of meeting” (27:21; 29:44; 40:2).
While God was giving Moses instructions on how to build the tabernacle, the children of Israel sinned by worshiping a golden calf (ch. 32). Now under God’s judgment (v. 35), they faced the threat of God not journeying with them (33:3). So Moses set up a “tent of meeting” outside the camp (vv. 7–11), which provided a degree of separation between God and His rebellious people. There Moses conducted God’s business with His people. This tent of meeting was a separate structure from the tabernacle described in chapters 25–31, which wasn’t completed until later (see 39:32).
By: Arthur Jackson
Friendship Bench
The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Exodus 33:11
In the African country of Zimbabwe, war trauma and high unemployment can leave people in despair—until they find hope on a “friendship bench.” Hopeless people can go there to talk with trained “grandmothers”—elderly women taught to listen to people struggling with depression, known in that nation’s Shona language as kufungisisa, or “thinking too much.”
The Friendship Bench Project is being launched in other places, including Zanzibar, London, and New York City. “We were thrilled to bits with the results,” said one London researcher. A New York counselor agreed. “Before you know it, you’re not on a bench, you’re just inside a warm conversation with someone who cares.”
The project evokes the warmth and wonder of talking with our Almighty God. Moses put up not a bench but a tent to commune with God, calling it the tent of meeting. There, “the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend” (Exodus 33:11). Joshua, his assistant, wouldn’t even leave the tent, perhaps because he so valued his time with God (v. 11).
Today we no longer need a tent of meeting. Jesus has brought the Father near. As He told His disciples, “I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15). Yes, our God awaits us. He’s our heart’s wisest helper, our understanding Friend. Talk with Him now. By: Patricia Raybon
Reflect & Pray
What worries consume your thoughts today? As you talk to God about these concerns, what good thoughts about Him can you focus on instead?
Dear God, thank You for encouraging our hearts with noble thoughts of You. When we’re sick with worry, point our minds back to You.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Monday, January 27, 2020
Look Again and Think
Do not worry about your life… —Matthew 6:25
A warning which needs to be repeated is that “the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches,” and the lust for other things, will choke out the life of God in us (Matthew 13:22). We are never free from the recurring waves of this invasion. If the frontline of attack is not about clothes and food, it may be about money or the lack of money; or friends or lack of friends; or the line may be drawn over difficult circumstances. It is one steady invasion, and these things will come in like a flood, unless we allow the Spirit of God to raise up the banner against it.
“I say to you, do not worry about your life….” Our Lord says to be careful only about one thing— our relationship to Him. But our common sense shouts loudly and says, “That is absurd, I must consider how I am going to live, and I must consider what I am going to eat and drink.” Jesus says you must not. Beware of allowing yourself to think that He says this while not understanding your circumstances. Jesus Christ knows our circumstances better than we do, and He says we must not think about these things to the point where they become the primary concern of our life. Whenever there are competing concerns in your life, be sure you always put your relationship to God first.
“Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34). How much trouble has begun to threaten you today? What kind of mean little demons have been looking into your life and saying, “What are your plans for next month— or next summer?” Jesus tells us not to worry about any of these things. Look again and think. Keep your mind on the “much more” of your heavenly Father (Matthew 6:30).
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
There is no condition of life in which we cannot abide in Jesus. We have to learn to abide in Him wherever we are placed. Our Brilliant Heritage
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Monday, January 27, 2020
One Solid Beginning - #8621
It's a good thing that out of our three children we had only one daughter. I could only afford one wedding! Now my wife did all kinds of resourceful things to keep the costs way down. It was so nice of those guests to bring a sack lunch, I'll tell you. You know? The only time they'd been to a reception like it. No, no, I'm only kidding. It was modest, but it was beautiful. But it certainly wasn't free! We like watching the video of the wedding once in a while, but we won't have to do the wedding again! No, can you imagine if her husband kept saying every few months, "I think we need to have another wedding. I want to make sure we're married." They haven't needed to do that! Neither have her mother and I because we know we got married that day.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "One Solid Beginning."
Now there's no doubt about it, that day in June, I committed my life to my wife a long time ago. If you asked me if I was married to her, what would you think if I answered, "Well, I hope so; I think I'm married. We probably got married to each other somewhere along the way!" You'd probably say, "Ron, if you don't know you made a commitment to her, you didn't!" And you'd be right! It's the same way when it comes to a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Our word for today from the Word of God is a great eternal life insurance policy for someone who's listening, but it's a life-or-death alert for someone else who's listening. John 5:24 - "I tell you the truth," Jesus says, "whoever hears my word and believes in Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." Man, that's an incredible statement about settling your eternity once and for all. Whoever believes will not be condemned - no fear of God's judgment for your sins, no fear of hell when you die, never condemned!
Notice the finality, it says, "He has crossed from death to life." Like that day I made my lifetime commitment to my wife. I crossed over - past tense - from single to married. There's either been a time when that change took place or not. It's the same way with knowing Christ. It's all based on whether or not there's been a time when you consciously believe - that means put all your trust in - Jesus Christ to have your sins erased from God's Book and your judgment cancelled because He took your judgment on the cross.
I had a meeting where there, many young people had publicly committed themselves to Jesus. And one young man said to me, "I've done this before. I've done it lots of times." Well, that would be sort of like me telling you that my wife and I had to have continual weddings to make sure we had a married relationship. The good news is if you've told the Lord you're turning from your sin and pinning all your hopes on Him, you have the relationship. You can quit trying to get it! You have passed over - past tense - it's settled! Satan would love to have you spend the rest of your life wondering whether or not you belong to Jesus so you'll never get on with really living for Him. If you know you've made that lifetime commitment to Him, let's get on with the relationship.
But, as I'm talking about this, maybe you're realizing you're not sure there's ever been a solid definite beginning with Jesus in your life. You do
n't have to remember exactly when it was, but you have to know that it was. I wonder when that time was when you said, "Jesus, I'm all yours." Maybe you've been around Jesus your whole life, you've learned tons about Him, you feel good about Him, and maybe even do things for Him And yet you still may have missed your personal moment at His cross, trusting yourself to the one who was dying there for you. That's equivalent to, well, say I was dating my wife, got to know all about her, got engaged to her, but somehow never having a wedding day.
If there has never been a clear, definite beginning to your relationship with Jesus, please make it today. Literally in these next few minutes you could cross over from death to life and know you did. The issue here is literally life forever or death eternally! "Jesus, I'm yours. You died for me. You rose from the dead to bring me eternal life. I'm yours beginning today."
Go to our website. It will help you be sure you belong to Him. ANewStory.com Get there as quick as you can today.
God may have given you this one more opportunity to move from death to life. It's the only opportunity you can really be sure of.
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